Wossname – September 2017 – Main issue

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
September 2017 (Volume 20, Issue 9, Post 1)

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WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works of Sir Terry Pratchett. Originally founded by the late, great Joe Schaumburger for members of the worldwide Klatchian Foreign Legion and its affiliates, including the North American Discworld Society and other continental groups, Wossname is now for Discworld and Pratchett fans everywhere in Roundworld.
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Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Mss C, Alison not Aliss
Staff Writers: Asti, Pitt the Elder, Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancers: Jason Parlevliet, Archchancellor Neil, DJ Helpful
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
Puzzle Editor: Tiff (still out there somewhere)
Bard in Residence: Weird Alice Lancrevic
Emergency Staff: Steven D'Aprano, Jason Parlevliet
World Membership Director: Steven D'Aprano (in his copious spare time)

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INDEX:

01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
09) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"People have fallen in love with an angel and a demon in a book by Terry Pratchett and me, and they have been excited and nervous to see how they would appear on screen – and I was probably the most nervous and excited of all. This is a first look. Michael Sheen is the best and finest of bookseller angels, David Tennant the coolest and most delightful of demons. Together they are one hell of a double act (or do I mean one made in Heaven?)"
– Neil Gaiman, at the start of filming for Good Omens

"We were left with the author's final, perhaps greatest, creative statement: that there should be no room in this world for substandard art."
– journalist Peter Robinson in The Guardian, agreeing with Sir Pterry's wish that no lesser talents can ever finish what he ran out of time to finish himself

"It's so important to me. To give people a chance to see all this from Terry's world collected in one place is delightful."
– Rob Wilkins, commenting on the Terry Pratchett: HisWorld exhibit

"Having been to the Salisbury Museum today, I'm convinced it's a place Terry Pratchett wrote into existence."
– tweeted by journalist Tristram Fane Saunders @TATFS

" It's one of those books I think should be compulsory reading in schools. Sod Lord of the Flies or Animal Farm. This is the one."
– blogger katyboo1's verdict on TAMAHER

"Charity Auction at @nadwcon raised over $15,000 for Alzheimer's Foundation of America and LOFT. Thank you everyone who bid or donated!"
– Discworld auctioneer Pat Harkin, on Twitter

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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Wotcha Readers! I hope your September has been better than mine (don't arsk), but at least we've all reached the end of it together.

I'll start off with an abject apology and a recommendation. Both of these are to do with a recently-ish published book, Discworld and Philosophy (Open Court/Carus, ed. Nicolas Michaud), the existence of which was brought to my attention a few weeks ago when I received an email from Jeremy Pierce, one of the authors. Mr Pierce send me a PDF of the book, and soon afterwards I managed to get my hands on a proper dead-tree copy... which I then failed to read and review. Yes, there were reasons (again, don't arsk), but that doesn't change the fact that I promised to review it for the August issue and here it is an entire month later and still no review (hence abject apology). However... having now read – and generally enjoyed! – Discworld and Philosophy, I can wholeheartedly recommend it to you, O Readers. But there's no review in this month's issue, because we've now run out of September and the text isn't ready yet. Given that I dedicated 3,000 words to my largely positive review of an earlier book in a similar vein (Philosophy and Terry Pratchett), and that Discworld and Philosophy is in my opinion the better book of the two, a review of it deserves no less attention and depth. So I shall finish said review and send it as a separate special in the next few days (no, really). And I hope Mr Pierce, who's a longtime Wossname reader and who wrote two of the best essays in the book (again, no, really; no crawling was involved in the making of that last statement, because it's quite simply true) is at least somewhat mollified by this...

In this issue you'll find exciting Good Omens news, reviews of the Salisbury Museum's now-open Terry Pratchett: HisWorld exhibit, information about lots of forthcoming Discworld plays (how wonderful that the number of these productions continue to increase!), and a lot more. Be warned – the articles about the museum exhibit may bring a tear or two. For me, the most heartbreaking image of those reproduced there is by The Author himself. It's his sketch of a clock falling apart, done by him as the PCA began to tighten its hold: http://bit.ly/2wfpMJs

As mentioned in the previous issue, the wondrous and not at all monstrous Monstrous Productions drama group has now graced the Cardiff stage for the last time. Their final production, Guards! Guards!, was a sellout every night of its run and raised more than £4,000 for a centre for Alzheimer's sufferers. Monstrous' founder Amy said, "We've had a fantastic 5 years but now I'm off to study my doctorate and have twins due in February so running a theatre company too was just a bit much!" Wossname wishes Amy and all the cast(s) and crew(s) of Monstrous Productions the very best of fortune in whatever they turn their hands to next.

Right, on with the show...

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) ODDS AND SODS

3.0 GOOD OMENS NEWS

As you may know by now, the Good Omens telly miniseries has already begun filming (and will be continuing for the next six months in London, Oxfordshire and South Africa) under the watchful eyes of co-author Neil Gaiman and director/executive producer Douglas Mackinnon. From the BBC Media Centre:

"Confirmed to be joining Sheen and Tennant in the cast are Adria Arjona (Anathema Device), Nina Sosanya (Sister Mary Loquacious), Jack Whitehall (Newt), Michael McKean (Shadwell), Miranda Richardson (Madame Tracy), Ned Dennehy (Hastur) and Ariyon Bakare (Ligur)..."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/good-omens-first-look

...and there is more casting news now, about The Them and their parents:

"Twelve-year-old Sam Taylor Buck will play Adam Young, the reluctant antichrist, with Daniel Mays, from Line Of Duty, and Sian Brooke, who plays Sian in Doctor Foster, as his parents Arthur and Deirdre... Amma Ris as Pepper, Ilam Galkoff as Brian and Alfie Taylor as Wensleydale..."

http://www.chortle.co.uk/other-news/2017/09/22/37952/more_cast_announced_for_good_omens

Meanwhile, here be Neil Gaiman and Rob Wilkins in conversation about Good Omens at NADWCon 2017: https://vimeo.com/232085561/90799791f4

[Editor's note: the video is 30 minutes long. The page also includes download links.]

...and down in Fourecks, there's Good Omens: the Musical...

"Good Omens The Musical has been in development for some time and is preparing a workshop phase. Before we head into the rehearsal room, we will present this unique opportunity for an audience to participate in an often-mysterious process by presenting a reading of the current draft of the script and songs for this exciting new piece. Good Omens has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body. Ticket sales contribute entirely to the expense of mounting this presentation."

Good Omens The Musical features music, lyrics and musical direction by Vicki Larnach, book by Jim Hare and Jay James-Moody, and will be directed by Jay James-Moody.

When: Monday 13th November 2017
Venue: York Theatre, Corner of City Rd & Cleveland St, Chippendale NSW
Time: 6:30pm (duration of show is 120 minutes, including interval)
Tickets: $38 (online purchase fee $4.50, phone purchase fee $6.00). To book, go to https://boxoffice.seymourcentre.com/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=145517 or call 02 9351 7940. "Warning: this performance contains haze and adult themes. Recommended for ages 15+. Filming, recording and photography not permitted. Lockouts apply to latecomers."

https://www.seymourcentre.com/events/event/good-omens-the-musical/

For an article containing more details about the production, go to https://aussietheatre.com.au/news/good-omens-squabbalogic-future-aussie-music-theatre

3.1 "TERRY PRATCHETT: HISWORLD" NEWS

Reviews! Of a museum exhibit! O brave new (Disc)world...

On the BBC, by Jon Kay:

"Four men are struggling to squeeze a solid oak desk through the doors of Salisbury Museum. It's not a particularly attractive desk. It's heavy, it's rather battered and the leather top is stained with coffee rings. But this is where the magic happened. This was Sir Terry Pratchett's desk. Two years after the Discworld author's death, this exhibition gives his fans the first opportunity to see his belongings up close and understand his creative mind... Dozens of boxes filled with Sir Terry's personal possessions have been brought to the museum from the study of his Wiltshire home... The exhibition is every bit as eccentric as you would expect from a writer whose imagination ran wild over so many decades. The display cases are packed with Pratchett paraphernalia, much of which has never been seen by the public before... At times, it almost feels like Sir Terry is about to walk through the door...

"The attention to detail is remarkable. Carpenters and painters have recreated the fireplace and window from the office. Life-size photographs of his cluttered bookcases line the wall, making it feel just as claustrophobic as the real thing. Even the author's spectacles sit on the desk among his piles of papers. It is a surprising exhibition for a museum which typically displays local embroidery and the archaeology of Stonehenge. But Sir Terry was well-known and well-loved in this area of Wiltshire, living just eight miles from the cathedral city of Salisbury in the village of Broad Chalke..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-41267378

In The Telegraph, by Tristram Fane Saunders:

"Despite the optimism of a few prominent fans (most notably A S Byatt), no book set on a flat world carried through space by four elephants riding a giant turtle was ever likely to make the Man Booker shortlist. Two years on from his death, however, it's increasingly clear that the Discworld author was his generation's Dickens. An unashamedly popular writer, he used humour – often rather silly humour – to sweeten his satirical bite. His best novels were fuelled by a moral anger at hypocrisy, cruelty and small-mindedness, balanced by a warts-and-all love for human fallibility. 'I wanted to write, in effect, an antidote to fantasy,' he explains in the label to one exhibit; they're all written in Pratchett's own words, culled from decades of essays and interviews. It's a splendid alternative to the stilted prose we usually expect from museum placards. 'I thought, let's take a ridiculously, self-evidently foolish world, but then put people on it and make them as real as possible.' As E M Forster wrote of Dickens's one-dimensional caricatures, 'There may be more in flatness than the severer critics admit.' Even Pratchett's most cartoonish grotesques feel true to life. It's not hard to imagine Dickens's Bumble, Krook and Buzfuz rubbing shoulders with put-upon wizard Ponder Stibbons or the carbuncular Corporal Nobbs... [Paul Kidby's] map of the mountainous kingdom of Lancre may well give you vertigo. Like Pratchett's novels, Kidby's paintings (mostly acrylic on board) begin with a simple idea – usually spoofing a famous work – and through their technical ingenuity, wry detail and sharp eye for character elevate mere parody into something more... Kidby's paintings will be familiar to many from Pratchett's dust-jackets; the real surprises are the author's own previously unseen pictures. He was a witty cartoonist and a striking illustrator. In the most moving part of the exhibition, we see two sheets of paper side by side. To the left, a Aubrey Beardsley-esque horseman Pratchett sketched in 1971. To the right, the formless scrawls he produced after the onset of what he called 'the Embuggerance'..."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/meticulously-crafted-hisworld-shows-terry-pratchett-generations/

In The Guardian, by Steven Morris:

"The objects on display range from the cosy and nostalgic, such as Terry Pratchett's Blue Peter badge, to the grand: a gleaming sword infused with shards of meteorite created by the author himself to commemorate his own knighthood. Fans will, no doubt, love the vivid, original paintings of Pratchett's beloved Discworld characters and the chance, for the first time, to peek inside a detailed reconstruction of his study, nicknamed The Chapel. Newcomers to the life and times of the author, humanist and activist may be surprised at the anger that inspired and drove him in his writing and campaigning... The memorabilia is as eclectic as the author's writing, from his first typewriter – a manual Imperial 58 bought secondhand for £14 – to his trademark leather jacket and Louisiana fedora... A central idea of the exhibition is for Pratchett's life to be told in his own words. Published writings, interviews and scribblings were mined. There is fun, jollity – and rage..."

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/15/terry-pratchett-exhibition-offers-peek-into-writers-own-world

...and there were "superfans" who travelled a long way from Fourecks to visit the exhibition on its opening:

"Shannan from Melbourne was one of the first people to visit the exclusive exhibition "Terry Pratchett; His World" when it opened on Saturday... Another family also travelled from Australia whilst one German fan told staff he had every addition of every book Sir Terry had written! More than 600 people visited on the opening day of the exhibition with many wearing costumes or a replica of Terry's famous black hat..."

http://bit.ly/2yMvAIf

3.2 A STEAMROLLER, AND THE END OF AN ERA

Those unfinished stories will remain unfinished...

@terryandrob posted on https://twitter.com/terryandrob/status/901028525200879616/photo/1: "About to fulfill my obligation to Terry"

And some of the many replies:

@Perdita_X_Nitt: And the little hard drive looked into the Blue Screen of Death's eyes and heard, in a resonant, deep voice, "CTRL, ALT, DELETE."

@bellinghwoman: He said back in the '90s that after his death, all trace of any works in progress should be destroyed. Rob is keeping the promise.

@teef2: Is the Death of hard drives a paperclip with a scythe?

@thisispoki: That's a very serious overreaction to "Please delete my browser history"!

@DWCGArchive: Should have put them in the firebox and melted them down completely and made them into a sword....

@telent_net: 'Tough shit, literary researchers of the future, try getting a proper job!' – pterry

Pat Harkin‏ @dwauctioneer: [Zooms in] let's see, that's 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0.....

@wolverinebruise: I raise a glass to Rob, Terry and the unknown stories.

@StuartVisick: Sometimes a promise is hard to keep, but if that's what Terry wanted we have to respect it. At least he will be forever in our hearts.

@sarkencullen: A very Terry way to do it. We are with you in spirit x

@joannasephine: Beautiful day for it - I hope you can enjoy a brandy in his honour afterwards

@DannyRosamond: Obligate away sir

@Parkeringshus: That is a serious crime and you know it, watch out for the Grags. drop it down a well so that someone can talk chicken to it in the future.

@buddy_trustlove: Carried out with style. Obligation well executed.

...and the official iconograph, by Rob Wilkins:

Before: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIEYpkvXUAMOStU.jpg

After: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIEgisCXYAAOwY6.jpg

In the Guardian:

"The unfinished books of Sir Terry Pratchett have been destroyed by a steamroller, following the late fantasy novelist's wishes. Pratchett's hard drive was crushed by a vintage John Fowler & Co steamroller named Lord Jericho at the Great Dorset Steam Fair, ahead of the opening of a new exhibition about the author's life and work... On Friday, Rob Wilkins, who manages the Pratchett estate, tweeted from an official Twitter account that he was 'about to fulfil my obligation to Terry' along with a picture of an intact computer hard drive – following up with a tweet that showed the hard drive in pieces. The symbolism of the moment, which captured something of Pratchett's unique sense of humour, was not lost on fans, who responded on Twitter with a wry melancholy, though some people expressed surprise that the author – who had previously discussed churning through computer hardware at a rapid rate – would have stored his unfinished work on an apparently older model of hard drive..."

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/30/terry-pratchett-unfinished-novels-destroyed-streamroller

On the BBC news website:

"Richard Henry, curator of Salisbury Museum, said: 'The steamroller totally annihilated the stone blocks underneath but the hard drive survived better than expected so we put it in a stone crusher afterwards which I think probably finally did it in'. He said Pratchett did not want his unpublished works to be completed by someone else and released. He added: 'It's something you've got to follow, and it's really nice that they have followed his requests so specifically. It's surprisingly difficult to find somebody to run over a hard drive with a steamroller. I think a few people thought we were kidding when I first started putting out feelers to see if it was possible or not.' The pieces of the hard drive will go on display in the Terry Pratchett: His World Exhibition at the museum on 16 September."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-41093066

...and some dissenting opinions...

From Anthony Caruana on the Fourecksian site Lifehacker:

"Famed author Terry Pratchett may have shuffled off this mortal coil a couple of years ago but he can still grab a headline. Last week, in keeping with his wishes, a hard drive containing his unfinished work was destroyed. But in true Pratchett fashion, rather than settling for the mundane and sterile world of using software to destroy the data, Pratchett's wish to have his hard drive run over by a steamroller was honoured. But was that the best way to destroy the data? To be sure, the use of a steamroller makes for a great sight gag. But in this day and age of cloud backups and online storage, we need to think beyond our own computers when destroying data..."

https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/09/was-terry-pratchetts-data-destruction-plan-the-best-way/

From Maddy Klein in the Indiana Daily Student:

"When dead artists leave their unfinished works as orphans, it is still best for these projects to reach the public somehow, however flawed or vulnerable they may be. Such will not be the fate of the body of unfinished work left behind by Terry Pratchett... I don't know about you, but if I loved Terry Pratchett's writing, I would much rather read whatever it was he had been working on than make some kind of sad pilgrimage to Salisbury and stare longingly at mangled computer guts. I actually have not read anything of Pratchett's, but that is entirely beside the point, which is that art belongs as much to an audience as it does to the artist. Spare me the witty objections involving copyright and intellectual property. This is about the separate life that art takes on when it reaches the public. Whether brought out through different lenses of critical theory or through the idiosyncrasies of individual perspectives, literature's greatest strength is the very quality that causes many people outside the humanities to dismiss it — there is no one right way to interpret a text..."

http://www.idsnews.com/article/2017/09/column-art-does-not-belong-solely-to-artists

...and from Robert Johnston in GQ Magazine:

"But is it such a bad thing when new authors pick up the baton when well-loved novelists pass away? If it hadn't been for JRR Tolkien's son Christopher editing his father's notes and fragments of ideas we would never had had the posthumous work The Silmarillion – and arguably Peter Jackson would have struggled to stretch The Hobbit over three films. Anthony Horowitz, the creator of Foyle's War, has done follow-on books in the Sherlock Holmes oeuvre as well as a James Bond novel – Trigger Mortis – published in 2015. And EF Benson's celebrated six-part series of Mapp And Lucia novels have been added to by at least two other writers – Tom Holt and Guy Fraser-Sampson. The latter actually slotted the first of his novels Major Benjy between Benson's third and fourth. In Dune, published in 1965, Frank Herbert wrote what is widely considered to be one of the greatest sci-fi novels of all time along with its five sequels until he died in 1986. In 1999 his son Brian along with collaborator Kevin J Anderson published the first of 15 (and counting) prequels and sequels. It has to be said that father Frank must have left a whole lot of notes. Even the classics aren't immune – the late, great crime writer PD James wrote a sequel (her last novel) to Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice entitled Death Comes To Pemberley in 2011 – though she did describe it as a pastiche. Many of the above works are more or less successful, but what they share is that not one of them diminishes the originals..."

http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/why-we-hope-terry-pratchetts-discworld-will-live-on

3.3 A NEW PRATCHETT SCHOLAR

"Fascinated by Sir Terry Pratchett's own concept of 'small gods', Bachelor of Arts (English and Psychology) graduate, Freyja Stokes has been awarded one of the $100,000 scholarships established at UniSA in his name. Begun in 2015, the perpetual scholarship is awarded by the University of South Australia every two years and supports a student to undertake a Masters by research at UniSA's Hawke's Research Institute, covering stipend, travel and accommodation expenses as well as research costs. Stokes is the second recipient. Using her Graduate Diploma in Education, Stokes has worked as a teacher in non-English speaking classrooms in both Japan and Vietnam with a great passion for expanding her own knowledge, and where possible, passing that excitement on to her students. Stokes says Pratchett was a massive part of her childhood and conducting research informed by Sir Terry's works is a great thrill. 'I used to raid my dad's bookshelves and many of Pratchett's books would migrate to my room,' Stokes says. 'I grew up surrounded by his Discworld stories and it's amazing that other people think my idea, flowing from Sir Terry's small gods, is interesting enough to offer me this research scholarship opportunity'..."

http://bit.ly/2xJAVmn

3.4 REMINDER: LAST HERO-INSPIRED DANCE TOUR

The James Wilton dance company will be presenting their unique dance work "Last Man Standing" at various venues in the UK south-west in October and November:

"Last Man Standing draws from the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice, as well as The Last Hero by Terry Pratchett. The work is about living for the moment, about appreciating every second and enjoying life while it lasts. Flying bodies, last minute catches and an energy you can feel as well as see, Last Man Standing is dance driven by unparalleled energy and athleticism, performed by world class dancers; an international award winning work by rising star, James Wilton. His work draws on martial arts, break dancing and capoeira to create raw, earthy and ground-breaking performance. All of this propelled by a trademark soundtrack of heavy rock, ambient music and textured soundscapes. Audiences will see dancers fly through the air and land quite literally at their feet. They will experience every drop of sweat, every gasp for air and every finger twitch."

7th October: Drimpton Village Hall, Chard Road, Dorset DT8 3RF
https://artsreach.co.uk/ (Buy Tickets link not available yet)

9th October: Exeter Northcott Theatre, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QB, 7.30pm
Tickets: £14 (£12 concessions, £9 for school groups of 10+ plus one FREE teacher ticket for every 10 students booked, £5 student standby. Groups of 10 get 11th ticket FREE. To book, go to https://exeternorthcott.co.uk/calendar/last-man-standing/

20th October: The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre, Coal Orchard, Taunton, Somerset TA1 1JL, 7.30pm
Tickets: standard from £14, student from £10. To book, go to https://ticketsource.co.uk/booking/date/372656

21st October: Trowbridge Town Hall, Market Street, Trowbridge, BA14 8EQl, 8.30pm
Tickets: £5 plus booking fee. To book, go to https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/boxoffice/select/tDniVoFPPIiT

1st November: The Bay Theatre, Weymouth College, Cranford Avenue, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 7LQ
No times and tickets information available yet

30th November: Pavillion Dance South West, Westover Road , Bournemouth BH1 2BU, 7.30pm
Tickets: £12 (£10 concessions, £8 groups of 10+, £6 under-26). To book, go to http://www.pdsw.org.uk/event/book-now/LMS1/Performances
http://www.pdsw.org.uk/what-s-on/live-performance/last-man-standing-by-james-wilton-dance/

http://www.jameswiltondance.org.uk/performances

3.5 IN PRAISE OF PRATCHETT HEROINES

By Vikas Datta in Business Standard:

"Trawling the uproarious TV tropes site, I happened to come to Big Damn Heroes – about characters coming to save the damsel in distress in a big, awesome manner. Interest in it earned me a look of intense disapproval from a feministic colleague sitting in close proximity, despite explaining to her that these were now likely to comprise Action Girls, substantially or wholly. Gender double standards have been as prevalent in literature as in society with different roles for each sex as per assumptions of what men or women should or can do – and not do. And while the world has changed, all authors may not have kept pace. Even paradigm shifts that subvert the assumptions these double standards are based on can themselves be a double standard. Say it is a Big Damn Heroine instead, but this works on the principle that it is unusual. So perhaps my colleague's gaze of disapproval did have a justification. But you have to start somewhere and it is heartening that the blurring of these distinctions, and outright substitutions, are coming in book series targetted at children and young adult readers (many adults enjoy them too)... remarkable women protagonists are found in the older and more sprawling Discworld saga – over 40 books – of prolific British author Sir Terry Pratchett. For those not familiar with the series, they started out as parodies of heroic fantasies, but then went to get inspired by a range of popular literature, mythology and folklore, films and even historical and contemporary events and cultural manifestations to draw satirical parallels with our world's political, social and cultural trends...

"One-woman adventure whirlwind Conina appeared in Sourcery, one of the earliest in the series... Debuting in Men at Arms and appearing in any installment featuring the City Watch, the police of Discworld's largest city Ankh-Morpork, Delphine Angua von Uberwald became the force's first werewolf... granddaughter of Discworld's personification of death, the young but white-haired (with one black streak) Susan Sto Helit, has inherited certain of his abilities: she can 'walk through walls and live outside time and be a little bit immortal', and from her mortal parents, learnt to always be sensible and keep her head in a crisis... With a nose for news and a mind that thinks in headlines, and an ability to ask penetrating questions and find people, usually young men, who tell her what is happening, attractive and buxom Sacharissa Cripslock... in Going Postal, Making Money and Raising Steam, committed businesswoman Adora Belle Dearheart does not live up to her name, being no-nonsense and never far from anger, though always considerate to her employees..."

http://bit.ly/2x6UvID

3.6 WHAT A (HUMAN) LIBRARIAN LOOKS LIKE)

I suspect a certain orange-furred bibliocustodian would wear Scott Nicholson's t-shirt... under his old bathrobe, of course:

http://bit.ly/2rPm32s (second photo down)

By the way, this Guardian feature accompanies a delightfully-titled piece – "Blood, bookworms, bosoms and bottoms: the secret life of libraries" – about the wonders of books and libraries. Well worth a read!

http://bit.ly/2xmB4sp

3.7 WHAT'S IN A (DISCWORLD) NAME?

Martyna Gibka, PhD is engaged in a project called "Terry Pratchett: A Literary Onomastician":

"A reader who enters Ankh-Morpork meets a plethora of inspiring characters' proper names. The author in whose mind this city has its origins has been awarded a great number of literary awards, honorary doctorates and a knighthood. However, the onomasticon of his novels has attracted little attention of onomasticians. Now, Sir Terry is no longer with us in person. Let this first international project on literary onomastics (not dissimilar to Gaspode) be also a tribute to one of the most highly onomastically aware author of our times..."

The project aims to be a "comprehensive analysis of functions of characters' proper names in a series of novels (not an intuitive one, but one actually based on a scientific method) and in chosen translations of this series" and means to construct a database "enabling further research on methods of preserving the functions in question in literary translation – thus, the creation of a new onomastic discipline: literary translation onomastics."

Ms Gibka says the project is open to all comers: "Everybody who would like to do academic research on characters' proper names in the City Watch series. You may, but you do not have to have an academic degree. What you absolutely must have is the will to spend some of your time working (I will not lie to you, working a lot) on the translation of the series into your (preferably) native tongue. If you do not have enough time to work with me on the translation of the whole series, please find another person to share the work with." She intends to share the results globally at "international onomastic conferences. At Terry Pratchett fans' meetings. At international conferences/symposia of literary translators. In widely-known scientific journals."

If you're interested in contributing, contact Ms Gibka at martyna@gibka.pl

http://www.gibka.pl/pratchett.html

3.8 ORANGUTAN NEWS

A unique albino orangutan, five-year-old Alba, may be getting her own private home:

"Having rescued her from captivity earlier this year, conservationists now want to create a huge 'forest island' reserve for her so that she can live in peace. The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation hopes to raise $80,000 to get the project up and running. Its plan is to home Alba, whose name means 'white' in Latin, and three other orangutans in a huge 5-hectare (12-acre) reserve in central Kalimantan, Borneo, Associated Press reports. It will be surrounded by a moat and monitored to protect her from poachers... Alba's all-white pigmentation makes her a particularly easy and desirable target for poachers. It also means she has other health problems, such as issues with her vision and susceptibility to skin cancer. These problems make it nearly impossible for her to be returned to the wild..."

http://bit.ly/2fmVQ74

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04) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

4.1 AUSDWCON 2017 ROUND-UP CONTINUED

"It's the first convention I've ever been to, and I loved it. Mostly because of the people, and also the range of interesting activities, and those two things are the reason I've already bought a supporting ticket to the next one." To see this and a series of other quotes from the attendees, go to http://ausdwcon.org/convention/quotes2017/

Photographer "Steamkittens" took a fabulous set of professional-quality iconographs of the Maskeraders. Go look! http://bit.ly/2xoJiSX (Facebook page but does not require login). For a more casual look at the AusDWcon attendees having fun, go to https://www.flickr.com/groups/ausdwcon2017/pool/

"The secret is out... Nullus Anxietas VII will indeed be happening in 2019! This time, it's back to Melbourne, where the Australian Discworld Conventions all started 10 years ago. If you're super keen to make sure you get a spot at the next amazing convention, you can buy your supporting membership RIGHT NOW! More information about Nullus Anxietas VII will be revealed in a few months' time, so make sure you're subscribed to the mailing list to hear the news first! Thank you all, and farewell!"

To buy a Supporting Membership: https://ausdwcon.org/supporting2019/

To join the mailing list: https://ausdwcon.org/about/mailing-list/

http://ausdwcon.org/
https://twitter.com/ausdwcon

4.2 REMINDER: THE FIRST ANNUAL DISCWORLD DAY: A ONE-DAY EVENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Looks like it will be as fun as a fun thing! "We invite you to discover the streets of Ankh-Morpork, the greatest city of the Discworld. A folklorique network of old lanes, squares and alleys for your walking pleasure. Wherre exitement and trolls lurke arounde everry corner and much may be heard the traditional street cries of old time also the laughing visages of the denuizens as they goe about their business private. All guilds are welcome, so if you fancy yourself as an artificer, a seamstress, an assassin or a clown, you'll be sure to be in good company along The Street of Cunning Artificers. Dogs and unruly luggages to be kept on leashes at all times."

When: 4th November 2017
Venue: The Moors Castle, 638 Larsens Road, 1739 Muldersdrift, Gauteng, South Africa
Time: 11.00 to 22.00
Tickets: R60.00. A limited number of tickets are available online http://qkt.io/DiscworldDay2017 or at the gate at a price of R80.00. Under-12s are free

https://www.facebook.com/events/320926284986740/

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05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

5.1 PLAYS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

* WYRD SISTERS IN WEST YORKSHIRE (SEPTEMBER)

The Todmorden Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (T.A.O.D.S.) will be presenting an unusual Discworld experience – Vince Foxall's BBC radio play of Wyrd Sisters, performed live – at the end of September. "As with previous productions, this Hippodrome Foyer Play is based on an original radio script dramatized by Vince Foxall for BBC Radio 4 and will be performed script-in-hand with live sound effects and a large cast of players old and new. Featuring strolling minstrels, fools, ghosts, murderers and diverse alarums!"

When: tonight (30th September 2017)
Venue: Hippodrome Theatre, 83 Halifax Road, Todmorden OL14 5BB
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £6, available online from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/todhip

http://www.todhip.org/wyrd-sisters

* DODGER IN BIRMINGHAM (SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER)

The Hall Green Little Theatre, a volunteer theatre group that has been going since 1950, are currently staging their production of Dodger! "Dodger is a scavenger living in Dickensian London. Everyone who is nobody knows him. Anyone who is anybody doesn't. But when he rescues a young girl, suddenly everybody wants to know him. And Dodger's tale of skulduggery and even darker deeds begins!"

When: currently through 7th October 2017
Venue: Hall Green Little Theatre Studio, Pemberley Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham B27 7RY (box office 0121 245 4455)
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £8 plus a £2.50 booking fee. To book online, go to http://www.hglt.co.uk/dodger.htm and click on the green Book Now tab to select your desired date.

http://www.hglt.co.uk/

* LORDS AND LADIES IN BRISBANE (SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER)

Brisbane Arts Theatre will be presenting their next Discworld play, Lords and Ladies – adapted by Irana brown – in September: "Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg – the witches of Lancre – are the Discworld's only hope of rescue when elves threaten to take control with their hypnotic 'glamour'. Standing stones, wizards, Morris men, rude mechanicals, country lore and ancient magic all combine in this adaptation of one of Sir Terry's finest. With a full supporting cast of dwarves, wizards, trolls and one orangutan, the hilarious Lords and Ladies delivers an abundance of hey-nonny-nonny and blood all over the place."

When: currently – 21st October 2017
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, QLD 4000
Time: 7.30pm Thursdays, 8.00pm Fridays & Saturdays, 6.30pm Sundays
Tickets: Adults $34, Concession $28, Group 10+ $27, Student Rush $15 (10 mins before curtain), available online at http://bit.ly/2tjucfQ "Subscribers can redeem season tickets for this show. There are no refunds or exchanges once tickets have been purchased."

http://www.artstheatre.com.au/show/lordsandladies

* MORT IN READING (OCTOBER)

Twyford and Ruscombe Theatre Group will present their production of Mort, "an off beat tale of bacon, eggs and destiny", in October.

"Terry Pratchett's Discworld will once more be gracing the stage at Loddon Hall. We are putting on a production of Mort, which will involve a large cast, plenty of dramatic moments and a lot of laughs."

When: 5th–7th October 2017
Venue: Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road, Twyford, Reading, Berkshire, RG10 9JA
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: £7, £8, £9 and £10, available online at http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/171598

http://www.twyrusdrama.org.uk

* WYRD SISTERS IN WINSLOW (OCTOBER)

Winslow Players, "a small but perfectly formed amateur dramatic company based in the market town of Winslow", will be opening their 50th anniversary season with their production of Wyrd Sisters! "It's all there – a wicked duke and duchess, the ghost of the murdered king, dim soldiers, strolling players, a land in peril; and who stands between the Kingdom and destruction? Three witches!"

When: 5th–7th October 2017
Venue: Winslow Public Hall, Elmfields Gate, Winslow, Bucks MK18 3JG
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £6 on 5th October, £8 on 6th and 7th October, available from Divine Diva Fancy Dress, 76 High Street, Winslow (01296 712728 during office hours) or by emailing tickets@winslowplayers.co.uk or by using the form on the Contact Us page (_http://www.winslowplayers.co.uk/Contact-Us.html_). "Your tickets will be provisionally booked until payment is received in full (either by bacs* or cheque). If you would like your tickets posted to you, you will need to enclose a stamped addressed envelope, otherwise they will be available for you to collect on the door at your selected performance."

http://www.winslowplayers.co.uk/

* MORT IN KENT (OCTOBER)

The Erith Playhouse are staging their production of Mort in October.

When: 9th–14th October 2017
Venue: Erith Playhouse, 38–40 High Street, Erith, Kent DA8 1QY
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: £10, available from the Box Office on 01322 350345 or by filling out the form on the webpage (_http://www.playhouse.org.uk/show/mort/_). "Tickets can be posted to you or held at the Box Office for collection prior to the performance."

http://www.playhouse.org.uk/next-seasons-shows/

* WYRD SISTERS IN RHYL, LLAMEDOS (OCTOBER)

Rhyl Liberty Players will be staging their production of Wyrd Sisters in October: "RLP is an award-winning Amateur Dramatics Society based in Rhyl, North Wales. The society has existed for over 70 years and is still going strong today. We have members of all ages who usually put on two fantastic productions a year. We also take part in drama festivals and community events."

When: 25th–28th October 2017
Venue: The Little Theatre, 2 Vale Rd, Rhyl LL18 1AA
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £9 plus a booking fee of 7.5 per cent (concessions £8.50 plus same booking fee). To purchase, go to https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/venue/FEMDJL and click on your desired date.

http://www.libertyplayers.co.uk/Wyrd_Sisters.htm
http://rhyllittletheatre.co.uk/whats-on/whats-coming-soon/

* MEN AT ARMS IN BERKSHIRE (OCTOBER)

The Cranbourne Amateur Dramatic Society (CADS) will be staging Men At Arms, directed by Simon Heffer, as their autumn production: "The Ankh-Morpork City Night Watch find their services are once more needed to tackle a threat to their city. A threat at least as deadly as a 60-foot dragon, but mechanical and heartless to boot. It kills without compunction. It is the first gun on the Discworld. The original Watch – Captain Vimes, Sergeant Colon, Corporal Carrot and Corporal Nobbs – are joined by some new recruits, selected to reflect the city's ethnic make-up – Lance-constables Cuddy, Detritus, and Angua. In a city, where Assassins are clowning about and Fools are dying, the Watch must keep control of themselves as much as its citizens."

A rather adorable promotional video can be seen here: https://youtu.be/Dx_ndpHGevw (Looks like it's going to be great fun! – Ed.)

When: 26th, 27th and 28th October 2017
Venue: St Peter's Hall, Hatchet Lane, Cranbourne, Winkfield, Berks. SL4 2EG
Time: 7.45pm all evening shows, with a 2.30pm matinee on the 28th
Tickets: £9, available from 25th September (details to follow)

http://www.cadsact.org.uk/shows/

* THE TRUTH IN ADELAIDE, FOURECKS (OCTOBER/NOVEMBER)

Unseen Theatre's next production will be a revisiting of The Truth – updated for the Age of Fake News, we hope!

When: 27th and 28th October, 1st–4th and 8th–11th November 2017
Venue: Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas St. Adelaide, South Australia
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: $22 ($18 concessions/Fringe members/groups of 6+); previews $15, available via http://bakehousetheatre.com or at the door on performance nights

http://unseen.com.au/

5.2 PLAYS LATER IN 2017

* WYRD SISTERS IN HERTFORDSHIRE (NOVEMBER)

The Water Lane Theatre Company, a "local amateur dramatics company from Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire, performing a range of dramatic theatre, from Shakespeare to children's plays – and everything in between!", will be staging their production of Wyrd Sisters in November.

When: 9th–11th November 2017
Venue: the Charis Centre, Water Lane, Bishop's Stortford CM23 2JZ
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £9 plus a 10 per cent booking fee. To purchase, go to https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/waterlane and click on your desired date.

http://waterlanetheatrecompany.co.uk/
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4VkXEkjg5dOTFZTRDRybW9LdHc/view

* THE TRUTH IN BASILDON (NOVEMBER)

The Thalian Theatre Group's next Discworld production will be The Truth: "William de Worde is the accidental editor of the Discworld's first newspaper. Now he must cope with the traditional perils of a journalist's life – people who want him dead, a recovering vampire with a suicidal fascination for flash photography and a man who keeps begging him to publish pictures of his humorously shaped potatoes. William just wants to get at the Truth, unfortunately everyone wants to get at William... this will be the Thalian's 12th Pratchett production."

When: 9th–11th November 2017
Venue: Mirren Studio, Towngate Theatre, Basildon, Essex SS14 1DL
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: £11 (concessions £9), plus a booking fee of £1 per ticket, capped at £10. "A ticket must be purchased for every child regardless of age." To purchase online, go to http://www.towngatetheatre.co.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4718 and click the BOOK TICKETS ONLINE tab (under the event poster image), or ring 01268 465 465

http://thaliantheatregroup.wixsite.com/thalian/about

* MORT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA (NOVEMBER/DECEMBER)

Roleystone Theatre, "a non-for-profit community group managed entirely by volunteers", will stage their production of Mort in November and December.

When: 24th, 25th and 29th November and 1st and 2nd December 2017
Venue: Roleystone Theatre, 587 Brookton Hwy, Roleystone, Western Australia
Time: 8pm all shows
Tickets: $20 ($15 u-18's/Pensioners; 10 tickets bought receives an 11th free), which will be available for purchase via https://www.roleystonetheatre.com.au/web/Coming%20Attractions

https://www.roleystonetheatre.com.au/

* LORDS AND LADIES IN NORWICH (DECEMBER)

The Youth Theatre Company will present their production of the Irana Brown adaptation of Lords and Ladies in December.

When: Thursday 14th – Saturday 16th December 2017
Venue: Theatre Royal, Theatre Street, Norwich NR2 1RL
Time: 7.30pm all shows (includes audio described performance on the 16th)
Tickets: £10 (jobseeker/over 60 £8.50) plus £1.20 per order for Postage and Packaging. To purchase tickets, go to http://bit.ly/2gemJKI and select your desired date.

https://secure.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk/Online/

* RAISING STEAM IN ABINGDON: A POSTPONEMENT

The Studio Theatre Club have slightly updated their announcement: "Don't tell anyone yet (this is just between you and us), it's still a long way off (2018!), we've only just had the formal permission for a new play and Stephen's still writing it, but he thinks it's about time he tackled another of the novels, and the third in the Moist von Lipwig Trilogy might just be the right one. It's been on his to-do list for a while...he thinks he owes it to Terry... Tickets are not yet on sale. News here when they are!" – but still no news beyond that...

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/discworld

5.3 PLAYS IN 2018

* MASKERADE IN READING (JANUARY 2018)

The Progress Theatre will be staging their production of Maskerade in January next year. But first, don't forget to check the auditions page, above...

When: 18th–27th January 2018
Venue: Progress Theatre, The Mount, Reading RG1 5HL
Time: 7.45pm all evening shows, 2.30pm matinees on 20th and 27th January
Tickets: TBA

http://progresstheatre.co.uk/maskerade

* MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN GEORGIA USA (FEBRUARY 2018)

Gainesville Theatre Alliance's 2017-2018 season will feature their production of Monstrous Regiment in a "February Festival of Theatre". "GTA is a nationally acclaimed collaboration of the University of North Georgia, Brenau University, theatre professionals and the northeast Georgia community that has yielded state and national awards."

When: 16th–24th February 2018
Venue: UNG-Gainesville's Ed Cabell Theatre, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA
Time: 7:30pm evening shows on the 16th, 18th, 20th-24th, and 2:30pm matinees on the 17th & 24th
Tickets: $18-20 for adults, $16-18 for seniors and $12-14 for students, depending on seat location, available from www.gainesvilleTHEATREalliance.org or by phoning the Box Office at 678 717 3624. NOTE: by early August, 97 percent of the GTA performances were sold out. "Theater-goers may purchase tickets to one show or all five. They also may build their own custom ticket package, earning discounts for two shows or more."

http://blog.ung.edu/gta/performances/index/
http://blog.ung.edu/gta/performances/tickets/

* MASKERADE IN YORK (FEBRUARY 2018)

We Are Theatre's next Discworld play will be the Stephen Briggs adaptation of Maskerade!

When: 26th–28th Feb 2018
Venue: The Black Swan, Peasholme Green, York, YO1 7PR
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £10, bookable by phoning 07521 364107 (note that there is only limited seating available)

http://www.wearetheatre.co.uk/upcoming-productions.html

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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS: UPDATES AND REMINDERS

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will be meeting next from 7pm on Monday 6th October 2017 at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London, W2 1JQ. "We welcome anyone and everyone who enjoys Sir Terry's works, or quite likes them or wants to find out more. We have had many visitors from overseas who have enjoyed themselves and made new friends. The discussions do not only concern the works of Sir Terry Pratchett but wander and meander through other genres and authors and also leaping to TV and Film production. We also find time for a quiz."

The Drummers have also taken up doing the odd afternoon meetup. For more information, go to http://brokendrummers.org/ or email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk

*

Canberra, Australia's Discworld fan group is Drumknott's Irregulars: "The group is open to all, people from interstate and overseas are welcome, and our events will not be heavily themed. Come along to dinner for a chat and good company. We welcome people from all fandoms (and none) and we would love to see you at one of our events, even if you're just passing through. Please contact us via Facebook (_https://www.facebook.com/groups/824987924250161/_) or Google Groups (_https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/drumknotts-irregulars_) or join us at our next event."

*

For Facebook users in Fourecks: The Victorian Discworld Klatch is "a social group for fans of Discworld and Terry Pratchett... run by a dedicated team who meet monthly and organise events monthly." "If you'd like to join our events please ask to join the Klatch."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VictorianDiscworldKlatch

*

"The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)" is a public Facebook meeting group: "This group, by request of Jo in Bear will continue to be used for future unofficial (not run by the Emporium) fan Gatherings in Wincanton. Look here for information." Future events will include the Hogswatch Express meet (24th-26th November 2017) and the Did You Bring a Beer Along meeting (celebrating 20 years of The Last Continent) in April 2018.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/

*

The Pratchett Partisans are a fan group who meet monthly at either Brisbane or Indooroopilly to "eat, drink and chat about all things Pratchett. We hold events such as Discworld dinners, games afternoons, Discworld photo scavenger hunts. We also attend opening night at Brisbane Arts Theatre's Discworld plays." The Partisans currently have about 200 members who meet at least twice a month, usually in Brisbane.

For more info about their next meetup, join up at https://www.facebook.com/groups/pratchettpartisans/ or contact Ula directly at uwilmott@yahoo.com.au

*

The City of Small Gods is a group for fans in Adelaide and South Australia: "We have an established Terry Pratchett & Discworld fan group in Adelaide called The City of Small Gods, which is open to anyone who would like to come – you don't have to live in Adelaide or even South Australia, or even be a Discworld fan, but that's mostly where our events will be held, and we do like discussing Pratchett's works. Our (semi-) regular meetings are generally held on the last Thursday of the month at a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm. The games are usually shorter games like Pairs, Sushi Go, or Tiny Epic Defenders, with the occasional Werewolf session, as these are the best sort of games that work in a pub setting. Every few months, we have a full day's worth of board games at La Scala Cafe, 169 Unley Rd, Unley in the function room starting at 10am. In addition, we will occasionally have other events to go and see plays by Unseen Theatre Company, book discussions, craft, chain maille or costuming workshops or other fun social activities."

The next CoSG event will be a Board Games Day on 8th October.

The CoSG also have another identity. Here's the skinny:

Round World Events SA Inc is a not-for-profit incorporated association whose aim is to run fun social Pratchett-themed events for people in South Australia. Our first major event was the Unseen University Convivium held in July 2012. We have also run three successful and booked out Science Fiction and Fantasy themed quiz nights named Quiz Long And Prosper, in 2013, 2014 and 2015! We are also running the next Australian Discworld Convention, Nullus Anxietas VI – The Discworld Grand Tour – taking place in August 2017. You can find more out about it on this very website (_http://ausdwcon.org/_)! The association will run some events under the City of Small Gods banner, but you do not have to be a Round World Events SA member to be part of City of Small Gods. However, we are always on the look out for new members for Round World Events SA to help us organise future events! Membership is $20 a year (for Adelaide locals) or $5 a year (for those not quite so close) and has the following benefits:

A shiny membership certificate all of your very own
Discounted entry price to some of the events we run
A warm, fuzzy feeling deep down in your chest (no, not quite that deep)
For more information, or to join as a member, please email RoundWorldEventsSA@gmail.com

www.cityofsmallgods.org.au

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 2nd October 2017 (probably) from 7.30pm at The Castle pub in Newport, Isle of Wight. For more info and any queries, contact broken_vectis_drummers@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) next meets on Friday 3rd October 2017 (probably) at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. "Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"

*

The Northern Institute of the Ankh-Morpork and District Society of Flatalists, a Pratchett fangroup, has been meeting on a regular basis since 2005. The Flatalists normally meet at The Narrowboat Pub in Victoria Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, to discuss "all things Pratchett" as well as having quizzes and raffles. Details of future meetings are posted on the Events section of the Discworld Stamps forum:

http://www.discworldstamps.co.uk/forum/

*

Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet next on Monday 6th October 2017 at 6.30pm in Sydney at 3 Wise Monkeys, 555 George Street, Sydney,2000. For more information, contact Sue (aka Granny Weatherwax): kenworthys@yahoo.co.uk

*

The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meets next on Monday 6th October 2017 (probably) from 5.30pm at Carpe Cafe, 526 Murray Street, Perth, Western Australia. For details follow Perth Drummers on Twitter @Perth_Drummers or join their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Perth.Drummers/ – or message Alexandra Ware directly at <alexandra.ware@gmail.com>

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07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blogger Dan Ladle has Terry Pratchett: HisWorld envy (and who could blame him):

"If you are anywhere in about 1,000 miles of Salisbury then you should get down there. For those of us more geographically isolated (like me, in Fourecks), unless you are heading to England before the 13th of January 2018, then you're going to miss it. Thankfully my parents still live thereabouts and my Mum kindly offered to become stunt-Dan for the day last Saturday. She and my Dad visited the museum, saw all the exhibits and, most importantly, picked up a load of bits and pieces, including the exclusive Little Blue Book, which my Mum got signed by Rob Wilkins and Paul Kidby. She has kindly offered to post these to me and I gratefully accepted, then talked to her for almost an hour about all the wonderful things they saw at the Museum. I feel lucky to have parents who understand my weird fascination with all things Pratchett and who were willing to go out of their way (about 35 miles out of their way) to pander to their fourth son's unusual predilection..."

https://clacksheader.wordpress.com/2017/09/19/my-world-and-hisworld/

Blogger anglonerd is back and giving props to Nation

"I won't disagree with the reviewers who say that this may be Pratchett's best book. The way in which he creates and uses characters is typical Pratchett. Also, the personification of Death – not that Death is the same in this book. It's a god named Locaha who Mau manages to dodge twice. One thing that really resonates with me is when Pratchett describes how a thread connected Mau to how his future was supposed to go. Sometimes people have two threads, seeing themselves in one future and another. For Mau, when the wave destroyed his village, he lost the thread. He couldn't imagine what was in store for him. In the author note, Pratchett warns that this is a book that should make you think. I wouldn't be surprised if people felt threatened by this book, but that's the way people are. Pratchett was a humanist, but he doesn't preach atheism here. While Mau is very angry and defies his gods, Pratchett is not his characters. He wants people to ask questions, but he's not telling you what to believe..."

https://anglonerd.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/nation/

Blogger fantasyst95 returns with a good review of Men at Arms:

"I admire how Pratchett manages to drop in important themes within the utterly whimsical, comical and outrageous world that is the Discworld. Race is a topic that comes up throughout the book. Dwarves and trolls hate each other. Why? At some battle a long long time ago each side accused the other of foul play. Well, that's how it started. In today's society, dwarves and trolls hate each other because their ancestors have successfully hated each other for centuries. Why break tradition? Not only is race challenged as a topical issue, governmental corruption also features massively. Ankh-Morpork is a corrupt city through and through. Home to the Assassin's Guild, the Thieves Guild and even the Alchemist's Guild, to mention but a few names, the city thrives on money... I'm sure like many other readers out there, I read to escape from reality for a little while. I read to forget about those bills I have to pay and to forget I have to get up and go to work in the morning… and that's okay. I get that escapism from books. For me, it makes a goddamn fantastic author if they can achieve this and still highlight issues within our society without smacking you in the face with it..."

https://readersonline.blog/2017/09/12/review-men-at-arms-terry-pratchett/

...as does blogger Ashley:

"The pacing was perfect, so I never found myself skimming or became bored. There was just the right amount of detail. I never wanted to put the book down. As far as predictability goes, I couldn't figure out who did it, though I did figure out what the weapon was right away. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the mystery and suspense... the world building was astounding! In this novel, we are introduced to several new species that inhabit this world including werewolves, dwarves, trolls, and the undead. We also get to explore more of the Guilds within the city including the Assassin's and Fool's Guilds. Learning more about some of the Guilds was one of the highlights of the novel. Additionally, we travel below the city and learn more about how the city was built and re-built and kind of how it functions, which was all fascinating... Cuddy and Detritus, I think, change the most throughout the book as they learn to understand one another and forgo their differences. Carrot also changes quite a bit and becomes more of a leader while Vimes is away even though Colon is technically in charge. Colon also does a great job stepping up and filling the role as acting Captain for awhile. None of the Watch seem to be as clueless as they used to and I think they are starting to appreciate their roles..."

http://bit.ly/2xM3hw5

Blogger katyboo1 aka Making Them Readers returns to sing the praises of The Amazing Maurice:

"On first reading I found this a strange choice for a children's book. The Amazing Maurice may have more than echoes of the Pied Piper fable. It may also be influenced by Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, but it is a very dark tale. It's about the human in animals, and the animal in humans. It has moments of savagery and genuine fear and tension that many of the previous Discworld novels lack. Just as I assume that children's librarians are smarter, I found this was the point where I realised that Pratchett knew children were smarter than your average adult, too. There is no pandering to young minds here. There is direct, straight talking, fierceness and no compromise whatsoever and it makes the book worthy of the Carnegie and every other prize you might care to mention..."

http://bit.ly/2jGzhLR

Blogger parabatibooks' rave review of the Good Omens radio play as an audiobook:

"I do believe this is as close to a perfect media transference as there is possible. What description is lost due to the audio format, it is made up for with the emotion in the characters voices. The cast suited the characters very well, and the bloopers were extremely funny! I was so glad to be able to find the radio show on Audible as well as the standard book audio... The best bits of the book still shone through in the radio drama with all the characters and their interactions remaining true to the original. I absolutely loved it, and am now feeling the urge to read the book again!"

http://bit.ly/2xMfxgp

Blogger Annemieke aka A Dance With Books is also back, this time with her review of The Shepherd's Crown:

"As the afterword says, there is a beginning, a middle and an end. But Pratchett wasn't quite finished with this book when he left us. The afterword explains to us his writing ways was to write scenes, combine them and continue to add scenes to weave a whole story, and then editing quite a few times. Especially the first few chapters felt more like drafts in places. Even so that doesn't take away that the start of this book still gave an emotional punch. It is weird considering that we lose someone at the start of this book and knowing he isn't here anymore. It almost feels like he knew this would be his last. Having said that, this book is not just about death. But also about life. About Tiffany continuing to find her way as a Witch, dealing with expectations as people expect her to fill some rather large shoes. About being able to admit that you can't do everything on your own. That sometimes you need a little help. That doesn't make you less strong. About sometimes putting yourself out there to be able to become the person that you want to be, even if it might hurt. There is so much to love in this book. Familiar characters that come back to make us smile. The cat You who seems to be a bit of a stalker. But also new additions like George and his goat, and the discovery of a calm-weaver. All in all I do think this story is a fitting and wonderful end to Tiffany Aching's story for now. Everyone who needed to be there was there.

http://bit.ly/2hbDh6h

...and blogger Erik Shinker aka The Past Due Book Review returns with his overview of the Pratchett oeuvre:

"What sets Pratchett's writing apart from other authors in the genre is not only the amount of satire and references, but how they are employed. Pratchett takes a genre that can easily become formulaic and injects humor (or humour) and sarcasm into it; thereby creating a refreshing version of fantasy. His books don't try to imitate in a negative way or seek to mock past works in the genre; they instead point out illogical tropes and ridiculousness in a way that says 'let's all laugh at how silly this is.' I mean, the man laid out in his will that all of the unfinished stories on his hard drive were to be destroyed by a steamroller. I cannot recommend the Discworld novels to everyone who enjoys fantasy because I think a lot of 'serious' fantasy readers(whatever that means) would believe his poking fun comes from ill-intent; but if you enjoy reading fantasy, and don't mind when funny things are pointed out and are there for you to laugh at, then I highly suggest you give them a try. There are very few who have read Pratchett's work and been disappointed, and this is part of why he remains a vastly influential and beloved figure within not only the fantasy genre, but contemporary literature as a whole..."

http://bit.ly/2wDrbF9

...and his review of Wyrd Sisters:

"Granny Weatherwax really shines as a character in this book; she is a force of nature and affects the world around her. She is a fantastic example of a female character with agency, though she isn't without her faults. These small chinks in her otherwise admirable personage humanize (or…humanise..?) her (think of the people who talk in a theater or during a movie; Granny would be one of them). Wyrd Sisters take the promise of Equal Rites and fulfills it thoroughly. We see more of Granny Weatherwax, how she interacts with other witches, how the theater can be as magical as magic itself, and the references are on point throughout. Wyrd Sisters is one of the first Discworld novels to really set Pratchett apart from other fantasy authors; though his goofiness and humor (or humour) are in each book, he is well into his stride with this sixth entry in the series..."

https://thepastduebookreview.com/2017/09/20/wyrd-sisters-review/

Blogger Eloise aka To Whom Lit May Concern met The Colour of Magic and was enchanted:

"It seems that a common trait among my friends is recommending me good books. Despite my initial difficulty, I binged the entire book in two sittings, and fell in love. 'The Colour of Magic' takes you on a fast-paced adventure, lead by the wizard drop-out Rincewind and the Discworld's first ever tourist, the ever optimistic Twoflower. In a world filled with danger at every corner, how exactly they survive more than a page is an absolute mystery. What I think I love about the book, more than anything else, is the writing style. It simply give off the impression that Pratchett was writing just to enjoy himself, and did not care about sticking to what may have been deemed 'ideal' for the fantasy genre. This indulgent writing is what makes his personality shine through, with wit and humour jam-packed into every sentence: I mean, who else could think of quotes like 'Being Ymor's right-hand man was like being gently flogged to death with scented bootlaces'? I found myself shouting, laughing and gasping out loud at the pure ingenious madness I was reading. Everything, from descriptions to sentence structure, and even the cut-away passages not featuring our two main characters, had a purpose, and added to the experience in one way or another. Beautifully crafted, though sometimes a bit much: I did have to reread several passages to fully understand every joke he was adding in..."

https://towhomlitmayconcern.wordpress.com/2017/09/05/the-colour-of-magic/

Blogger Waistcoats, Gin and Words' latest review addresses Sourcery:

"It is getting to the point where Pratchett is a necessary staple for travelling, it's a necessary break between heavy books or anything that takes itself a little too seriously. Sourcery, is a great read and one of the more enjoyable Discworld novels I've read so far. This one follows Rincewind and tells of the dangers of what happens when a wizard is squared. This is certainly not my favourite Pratchett, but it is an enjoyable ride with some silly humour. Some find it the weaker out of Rincewind's three novels so far, but actually I found it had gained a little more depth and traction because of the novels it follows. The wizards of the Discworld aren't my favourite, but they are fun and a little silly and have their own quirks that can only be Pratchett through and through..."

https://waistcoatsginandwords.wordpress.com/2017/09/22/77-sourcery/

Blogger gorjessina17 was pleasantly surprised by The Long Earth:

"I really like the main character, Joshua. He's a bit of an oddball, but he seems so normal in comparison to the type of characters you usually get who are tasked with 'saving the world'. No real brooding or whining about how his life has turned out, Joshua is more of a live-in-the-moment kind of person. But he's also not the type to throw that in your face or act recklessly... I also really like the character of Lobsang. A sentient digital being, he's always insisting that he's human, but you can tell he's still trying to figure out exactly what 'being human' means... One of the things I ended up enjoying the most about the book, though, is actually something I think might put a lot of people off – the pacing. This book is SLOW. It makes sense in context; exploring hundreds of thousands of alternate Earths would take quite some time. And since this book is the lead in to a full series, the authors have the space to take as long as they want. The book also meanders a bit, throwing in seemingly random chapters that introduce new characters and explain how stepping has changed their lives. But none of the information we are given is completely useless; everything has a purpose. I like books that allow themselves to tell the story at their own pace..."

https://gorjessina17.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/book-review-the-long-earth/

...and finally, blogger Jonathan Feinstein, usually a big Pratchett fan, was less than impressed with The Long Cosmos audiobook:

"At last, the conclusion of 'The Long Earth' series. Way back, at the start of the series, there was an article on how to make a device called a 'Stepper' using a simple circuit and a potato... it turns out there are a lot of people who don't need those potatoes. So many, in fact I had expected that eventually it would be discovered the potato circuit was just a crutch, a placebo, if you will, that allows people to step when they don't think they can. Well, apparently not. As each book in the series progresses the Long Earth and the way it works gets more and more complex, which is odd, since in a world that is, for all purposes, infinite, a lot of the added complexity was far from necessary, so along with threats of various sorts from 'Joker' worlds, gaps in Earth's actual existence, creature of the far realities and so forth. We have travel to other planets where it turns out that any world that has or has had sentient life also has alternative realities (which implies that those that do not have only one reality) and apparently the various realities of the other Long Worlds have nothing to do with each other… until this final book in which they are described as a skein in which each of the Long World necklaces interlink in some places. It's an interesting notion, but like many interesting notions it is not enough to hold the story together by itself..."

http://bit.ly/2xjpHU6

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08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Crowley and Aziraphale, to the life!
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/corporate2/images/width/live/p0/5g/fk/p05gfk9c.jpg/624

"Adam Young" and his parents (see item ):
http://bit.ly/2wNDjUh

...and a delicious teaser image from the second day of filming, as tweeted by Neil Gaiman:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DKLU6-7XUAEzTbA.jpg

Some excellent iconographs of the Terry Pratchett: HisWorld exhibit, as tweeted by Stephen Briggs:
https://twitter.com/StephenPBriggs/status/911644106224541697

Paul Kidby standing in front of one of the gorgeous large graphic panels being installed at the Salisbury Museum's Terry Pratchett: HisWorld exhibit:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIzU52YW4AAzh9F.jpg:large

...and posing serious-faced in front of two of his most recent works, a rendering of the Mona Ogg, er, Lisa and a beautiful design for a proposed Sir Pterry statue:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DKFu0ylW4AAuNTQ.jpg

...and here is Mr Kidby's "sculpt of the Morpork Owl and Ankh for the #Discworld postbox, cast in bronze and polished up a treat" (tweeted quote by @PaulKidby, iconograph by Kismet Photography):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJw43bNW4AEgF2O.jpg

...and his bronze sculpt of Rob Anybody Mac Feegle, a work in progress (as indeed the Big Man himself is):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIpaQQOXkAIEkbv.jpg

Sir Pterry's office, recreated for the HisWorld exhibit. Iconograph tweeted by Discworld Emporium:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJsxsMRWAAAeVrg.jpg

...and a close-up of his typewriter, with an appropriate message:
http://bit.ly/2wn7O8g

The cast of Monifieth Theatre's recent production of Wyrd Sisters:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DIyOpg5W4AAhKh1.jpg

Another "before and after" of the hard drive and the steamroller:
https://edge.alluremedia.com.au/m/l/2017/09/terry-pratchett-harddrive-steamroller.jpg

NADWcon 2017 Guest of Honour Esther Friesner in her Feeglemancy tent:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DJR21PEXcAAMNsf.jpg

A fine assembly of Maskeraders from last month's AusDWcon:
http://bit.ly/2fkMPvg

A great photo of Michelle Dockery as Susan Sto Helit in the telefilm of Hogfather:
http://bit.ly/2wA3hNZ

Australian Pratchett fan Shannan, who travelled all the way to Salisbury from Melbourne to attend the opening of the Terry Pratchett: HisWorld exhibition, shows her Paul Kidby-inspired tattoo sleeve to the artist himself:
https://cml.sad.ukrd.com/image/609267-500x375.jpg

...and finally, a selection of photos from Monstrous Theatre's final production:
http://eskarina54.tumblr.com/post/164635954683/some-pics-of-our-last-ever-production-terry

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09) CLOSE

A few more odds and sods to wind up...

There's a well-written, longish post by blogger teacher2poet on the subject of recommending Discworld novels to newbies. I didn't include it in the Around the Blogosphere section because it's not easily reduced to an extract or two, but it's well worth a read nonetheless:

https://bartopia.wordpress.com/2017/09/28/recommended-reading-terry-pratchett/

The RSPCA has issued a warning about keeping African pygmy hedgehogs being kept as pets. Apparently they can be you-know-what, so to speak: "The animal charity said the exotic creatures required a 'considerable commitment'. It added they 'would need a large temperature-controlled enclosure to mimic where they come from.' RSPCA senior scientific officer Nicola White said: 'It is difficult to adequately meet the animal's needs in a household environment'. The warning comes after one of the hedgehogs was found abandoned in a small hamster carrier at a station on the London Underground. The hedgehog, now named Paddington, was rescued on 11 August by Jill Sanders, an animal collection officer..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41097140

Here be a BBC web-exclusive video of "Nomadic Kazakh's[sic] from western Mongolia, islanders from the Solomon Islands and animal herders from Ethiopia" reactions when they were shown news footage of Morris dancers: http://bbc.in/2wpAWHH

And that's the lot for September. Take care, and we'll see you next month!

– Annie Mac


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