Wossname -- February 2018 -- main issue
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wossnameWossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
February 2018 (Volume 21, Issue 2, 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 PLAYS NEWS
05) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS 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
"I was thrilled to be asked by Penguin Random House Children's to illustrate Only You Can Save Mankind – a book I had read and loved it when it was first published. Ben, my designer at PRHC gave me free reign [sic] to imagine the characters and I researched computer games from the good old days of the 80s and 90s to help with the feel of the illustrations then using dip pen and ink to work the images up to final. It was a pleasure to work on as I got to illustrate planets and space monsters! Real favourites of mine."
– illustrator Mark Beech, speaking to Penguin Books
"I am always moved by the underlying threads of kindness in his work, of compassion and tenderness for this funny old world and the fragile people who inhabit it. So, all of those – his style, his wit and his tremendous affection within the writing – are, I think, what addict people to his work."
– theatre director Gay Hammond on the works of Sir Pterry
"The gonne gave you power from outside. You didn't use it, it used you."
– a timely quotation from @DailyPratchett
"If the rest of the show turns out like this early trailer that we've all seen I think it's going to be quite special."
– David "Crowley" Tennant, on viewing a special production-team-only teaser trailer for Good Omens
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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
"It's kind of silly and fun, but silly and fun things are important." So said SpaceX and Tesla chief Elon Musk, talking about his wonderful science-meets-PR stunt earlier this month that sent one of his own electric cars on an extended journey around the Solar System. Sir Pterry, himself a keen sky-watcher, totally understood this attitude, and it's one of the things that makes his work so memorable. For all the times many of us might think, 'I'm glad he didn't live to see much of the current strange goings-on in Roundworld", I think I speak for us all when I say it's a shame he didn't live to watch "Starman" set out on its trek.
For those of you who may have missed the test launch of Falcon Heavy and its outcome, have a shufti at http://bit.ly/2BNPsib and https://ind.pn/2oqUnxV – and if you want to know where the peripatetic car has got to now, go to http://www.whereisroadster.com/
Now then... on with the show!
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) ODDS AND SODS
3.1 GOOD OMENS NEWS
Former telly-mates Mark Gatiss and Steve Pemberton are the latest surprise stars to join the Good Omens cast, playing book buyers Harmony and Glozier:
"'I'm delighted to be working with David and Michael again and of course with Steve – bringing a little Film Noir menace to such an exciting project,' Gatiss said. 'Being bad never felt so good!' Pemberton added: 'To be asked to fly to Cape Town with Mark and meet up with old friends David and Michael working on a script from the genius mind of Neil Gaiman…? Well, you had me at Cape Town. Glozier and Harmony are a small piece of the jigsaw but hopefully one which will fit nicely into place.'..."
http://bit.ly/2CFv6nV
...and there's a good piece in the Radio Times, with accompanying photos and more observations from David Tennant:
http://bit.ly/2otjzCX
...and a few quotes to be going on with:
" It's been such a privilege getting to work with him and @michaelsheen on this show. So many talented actors but those two set the bar so high and always delivered."
– Neil Gaiman, 20th February 2018
"I thought that watching an angel delightedly gavotting was the best thing I'd ever seen. But tonight I watched three demons disco dancing badly with a giant pin and the world can get no better."
– ibid
3.2 PATRICIAN'S THE WORD FOR THE LATEST HEX VIDEO PLAYER
The team behind the VLC Media Player are obviously Discworld fans! The software, which is used across all platforms and on various devices (including Casa Wossname's Linux system – Ed.), has presented its latest release. We've already had The Luggage, Twoflower, Rincewind, Weatherwax, and Terry Pratchett – and now, Vetinari:
"Major updates to VideoLAN's VLC media player don't happen every day. The player's development goes all the way back to 1996. Its 1.0 release came around in 2009, and version 2.0 was pushed out in 2012. All of that work has led to today's VLC 3.0 Vetinari release, named after a character from Terry Pratchett's Discworld book series... The software claims it can use available hardware acceleration on all platforms, including HEVC decoding on Windows and Android. The player's website has demos of 8K video playback at 60 FPS on a Windows 10 system and 48 FPS 8K video on a Samsung Galaxy S8. We can't think of a media player application available on more platforms..."
https://techreport.com/news/33233/vlc-3-0-arrives-with-hdr-support-chromecast-streaming-and-more
p.s. Rumour has it that the next release will be called Otto Chriek!
p.p.s. In an amusing note, someone at Asian news aggregator MiceTimes seems to have placed too much trust in Google Translate. Here is a quote from their page on it: "In the new version of the player has got support for media players Chromecast, resolution and 8K technology HDR10. Version 3.0. Vetinari got its name in honor of Havlaga Vetinari is a character in the books series 'the world is Flat' by the English writer Terry Pratchett."
3.3 GUARDS! GUARDS! – THE PRAISE NEVER STOPS
From Penguin Books/Transworld, a round-up of fan reaction to the eigh-, er 7+1th Discworld novel:
"'I am having so much fun rereading this book. I discovered the Discworld about 16 years ago at University. I am from South Africa. English is my second language, so I did not necessarily ‘get' all the subtle nuances or sarcastic intonations. Rereading this book as an adult, with more life experience, I am astounded at Terry Pratchett's insight into the human existence! Ankh-Morpork could be a metaphor for any number of destinations in the world considering the current political climate. And YET, it remains hilariously well-written.' – Lizanne
"'I found 'Guards! Guards!' at a time when I was pretty depressed. I had deferred from uni and didn't feel like there was all that much that was enjoyable in life anymore. I was just going through the motions day to day. My dad suggested a trip to see relatives in Canberra. We were going to drive all the way from Melbourne. I played for him the 'Guards! Guards!' Audiobook as we started driving, just to liven my mood. We didn't turn it off for the whole drive there and back, we were so enthralled. There was a lot of laughter which was a nice change for me. From that moment on Discworld had two more devotees. I have reread Guards! Guards! several times since. Its one of his best' – Tom
"I am constantly amazed at how perfectly, succinctly and wittily Sir Terry nailed human nature... There were tonnes or 1 or 2 liners that were just perfect but I was so busy reading it, I didn't stop to take a note of them. I'm looking forward to whichever book is chosen next! – Cara"
There is also a link to a collection of Discworld fan art:
http://news.penguin.co.uk/c/1DAgNlWXaPRKVT2EVEixvjmd8
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04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
Editor's note: as Wossname normally only comes out once every month, do check the Wossname blog for information on plays that might fall between issue dates! Go to https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/ for interim updates.
4.1 PLAYS IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH
* WYRD SISTERS IN NORFOLK (FEBRUARY)
The Thorpe Players' final night of Wyrd Sisters is tonight!
When: 24th February 2018
Venue: Roxley Hall, Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St-Andrew, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 0QZ
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £8.50, available from the Box Office (01603 702777) or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/thorpeplayers
http://thorpe-players.squarespace.com/
* MORT IN ESSEX (FEBRUARY)
The Harlow Theatre Company's final night of Mort is tonight!
When: 24th February 2018
Venue: Victoria Hall Theatre, Bury Road, Old Harlow, Essex CM20 1LL
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £13 (£10 concessions), available from the Box Office (0333 666 3366) or online at http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/223071
https://www.harlowtheatrecompany.org.uk/
* MASKERADE IN YORK (FEBRUARY)
We Are Theatre's production of Maskerade is on next week!
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
* WYRD SISTERS IN THE LAND OF FOG (FEBRUARY/MARCH)
The Globe Theatre are staging their production of Wyrd Sisters, directed by Sofie Welvaert, from tonight though early March!
When: 24th February–3rd March 2018
Venue: Globe Theatre, 104 London Street, Dunedin, Otago, South Island NZ
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: NZ$25 (Concession, tertiary students, group of 5 or more $20, Globe members $15, school students $10). To purchase tickets, ring 03 477 3274 or purchase online via http://www.globetheatre.org.nz/booking.php?season_id=426
http://www.globetheatre.org.nz/
...and here be an interesting interview with Ms Welvaert, who is both director and costume maker for the production:
https://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/theatre/stitching-pieces-together
* WYRD SISTERS IN IFIELD, WEST SUSSEX (MARCH)
The Ifield Barn Theatre Society are gearing up for their production of Wyrd Sisters in March.
When: 7th–10th March 2018
Venue: Ifield Barn Theatre, Ifield Street, Crawley, W Sussex RH110NN
Time: 8pm all evening shows, plus a 3pm matinee on 10th March
Tickets: £10 (£8 for members and children), available from http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ifieldbarntheatre
http://www.ifieldbarn.co.uk/coming-soon.html
4.2 PLAYS IN APRIL
* WYRD SISTERS IN BENDIGO, FOURECKS (APRIL)
The Bendigo Theatre Company's Tribe Youth Theatre will stage a production of Wyrd Sisters in April!
When: 5th–8th April 2018
Venue: BTC Arts Shed, 15-17 Allingham Street, Golden Square, Bendigo, Victoria 3555
Time: 7pm all shows
Tickets: $22 (concessions $20; students $17; children under 12 $14; family ticket $57), available via http://bit.ly/2Clm4jH – choose your date from the drop-down menu.
https://bendigotheatrecompany.org/
* MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN ILLINOIS, USA (APRIL)
The Green Man Theatre Troupe will be staging their production of Monstrous Regiment in April. Good to see more and more American Discworld productions going on!
When: 13th April–29th April 2018, Fridays through Sundays
Venue: First United Methodist Church, 232 S.York Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126
Time: 7.30pm all evening shows, 2pm Sunday matinees
Tickets: $17 (students and seniors $15), available from the Box Office (630 464 2646)
http://www.greenmantheatre.org
* JINGO IN DORSET (APRIL)
The Castle Players will present their production of Jingo in April "in celebration of what would have been Sir Terry Pratchett's 70th Birthday". A good choice!
When: 26th–28th April 2018
Venue: The Village Hall, High Street, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, Dorset BH16 6DD
Time: 7.45pm evening shows; Saturday matinee 2.30pm
Tickets: £10 (concessions £9), bookable by phone (07938 965434) or available from the Rose and Crown in Lytchett Matravers or online at https://www.castleplayers.com/tickets
https://www.castleplayers.com
* GUARDS! GUARDS! IN CHORLEY (APRIL)
CADOS (possibly once the Chorley and District Operatic Society?) will be staging Guards! Guards! in April: "This production marks what would have been Sir Terry's 70th birthday."
When: 23rd–28th April 2018
Venue: Chorley Little Theatre, Dole Lane, Chorley, Lancs PR7 2RL
Time: 7:30pm all shows
Tickets: 23rd, 24th, 25th £8; 26th, 27th, 28th £10, available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/208113 or in person at Malcom's Musicland 01257 264362 or Ebb & Flo Bookshop or when the Theatre Box Office is open for shows.
http://www.chorleylittletheatre.com/chorleytheatre/index.php/event/552-cados-play
Editor's note: the theatre itself is absolutely adorable! Look:
http://www.chorleylittletheatre.com/chorleytheatre/images/ChorleyLittleTheatre1.jpg
* MORT IN BIRKENHEAD (APRIL)
The Carlton Players will be staging Mort next April: "He gets board and lodging and free use of company horse, and doesn't even need time off for his grandmother's funeral..."
When: 24th–28th April 2018
Venue: The Little Theatre, Grange Rd West, Birkenhead CH41 4BY
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £8 (students and under-16s £6), available from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/venue/FEDIFI or by ringing the box office on 0151 647 6593
https://www.carltonlittletheatre.co.uk/the-carlton-players/2017-18-season/mort/
4.3 PLAYS LATER IN 2018
* GUARDS! GUARDS! IN PLYMOUTH (MAY)
City College Plymouth will be staging their production of Guards! Guards! in May 2018.
When: 16th–18th May 2018
Venue: Tilt Theatre, Performing Arts, City College Plymouth, Plymouth
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: TBA
https://allevents.in/plymouth/guards-guards-by-terry-pratchett/1943260799295027
* MEN AT ARMS IN BRISBANE, FOURECKS (OCTOBER/NOVEMBER)
It will be a bit of a wait, but the Brisbane Arts Centre's next Discworld production – Men at Arms – is already looking good! All props to Fourecks for keeping the Disc alive on stage: "Men at Arms is the 15th novel in Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, a comic fantasy universe with over 80 million books sold worldwide. Aficionados and newcomers to the Disc will love this adaptation, brought to life by the expertise of our Pratchett team."
When: 6th October through 3rd November 2018
Venue: Brisbane Arts Centre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace (yes, the suburb and the road share a name), Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Time: 7.30pm Thursdays, 8.00pm Fridays and Saturdays, 6.30pm Sundays. "Doors close 5 minutes prior to performance. Late entry is not permitted."
Tickets: AU$34 ($28 concession or groups of 10 or more), available now online at http://bit.ly/2zHKO5a – and there will be Student Rush tickets priced at $15, available from the box office 15 minutes prior to curtain on the dates
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/menatarms
* GOING POSTAL IN BRISTOL (DECEMBER)
The Kelvin Players will be staging Going Postal in December 2018. Keep an eye on their website: "Moist von Lipwig was a con artist, a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet. It was a tough decision. With the help of a golem who has been at the bottom of hole in the ground for over two hundred years, a pin fanatic and Junior Postman Groat, he's got to see that the mail gets through. In taking on the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer, he's also got to stay alive. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. In the mad world of the mail, can a criminal succeed where honest men have failed and died? Perhaps there's a shot at redemption for man who's prepared to push the envelope..."
When: 5th–8th and 12th–15th December 2018
Venue: Kelvin Studios, 253B Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NY
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: TBA
http://www.kelvinplayers.co.uk/coming-soon
4.4 REVIEWS
REVIEW: FEET OF CLAY IN DURHAM
By Martin Docherty for Palatinate.org:
"In her director's note for the show, Katherine Briggs states the desired aesthetic was a 'mish-mash of steak[sic] punk Dickens-come-Conan Doyle and a good old murder mystery', and this was realised on stage as a heartfelt, homely pastiche of that idea in the set design, gelling excellently with the performances that took place upon it... The stage proper was excellently used, and these three locations felt very well defined, but the curtain use meant a sense of location was almost entirely lost at points – including two of the climatic moments that just felt entirely removed from the rest of the production... There were numerous lighting mistakes and general sloppiness throughout the show that really let it down and did not meet the expectations one has of a 10th anniversary show from an annually releasing production group... despite general clumsiness of execution, this play possessed a genuine charm and passion. This heart came from the exemplary performances of some of the cast. Chief among those performances was Uday Duggal's portrayal of Commander Vimes. Without a strong protagonist, this production would have totally fallen apart, but Duggal's gruff and thoughtful characterisation of Vimes undoubtedly invested the audience in the central mystery by virtue of our interest in him. The varied technical issues were made a secondary concern by how powerfully Duggal commanded the attention of the audience... the ensemble of townspeople and guild leaders also worked together well with the musicians as buskers, and alongside Layla Chowdhury's Littlebottom and Hannah Sanderson's Angua they formed an inn scene that was my favourite of the show... Georgia Proctor's musical direction and composition of the pieces must be commended, and the use of the band as buskers on stage was brilliant. Honestly, I do not understand why they were not included more..."
https://www.palatinate.org.uk/feet-clay-review-clumsy-charm/
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05) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
5.1 DISCWORLD EMPORIUM UPDATES
New issues for a new year include the Ankh-Morpork Coat of Arms 2p, the Morporkia 5p and 10p, the Tower of Art $1, the Thieves' Guild 4p Petty Theft, the Thieves' Guild 12p, the Clacks Mail $1, the Lancre 3p and 6p, and the Tsort half drachma and 1 drachma, not to mention an Ankh-Morpork Post Office stamp set ("Souvenir set of iconic Discworld Stamps from the Ankh-Morpork Post Office, as created by Moist Von Lipwig himself in the pages of Going Postal! Printed in Ankh-Morpork by Teemer and Spools! ") and various Little Brown Envelopes.
For prices and other information, go to https://www.discworldemporium.com/39-new-stamps
There's also a fresh batch of Discworld t-shirts, designed by cover artist Joe McLaren, featuring Death of Rats, Death, and Great A'Tuin. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/clothing/381-the-death-of-rats-t-shirt
https://www.discworldemporium.com/clothing/206-the-turtle-moves-t-shirt
https://www.discworldemporium.com/clothing/409-i-could-murder-a-curry-t-shirt
...and the Luggage, of course:
"Beware the pitter patter of tiny (bronze) feet! Our bestselling Luggage figurine is now available in our signature bronze finish! This deluxe edition of Twoflower & Rincewind's terrifying travel companion will feel right at home with our growing collection of precious metal-effect Discworld characters... we just hope he doesn't devour the others! Each homicidal box on legs is presented in a Discworld Emporium gift box, and features a removable lid to reveal space for your trinkets and gold Rhinu. Also available in a fully hand painted finish for those who prefer their Luggage in glorious thaumicolour!"
https://www.discworldemporium.com/figurines-objet-d-art/433-the-luggage-bronze-edition
http://www.discworldemporium.com/
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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will be meeting next from 7pm on Monday 5th March 2018 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, email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk
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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."
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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
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"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 Did You Bring a Beer Along meeting (celebrating 20 years of The Last Continent) in April 2018.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/
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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 the Caledonian, 219 O'Connell St North 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 events will be an outing to Martin Pearson in (House) Concert – The Unfinished Spelling Errors of Bolkein – Director's Cut on 17th March (to book tickets, go to _https://www.trybooking.com/TZXT_), and the Monthly Dinner and Games on 29th March (location TBA).
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! 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 1st March 2018 (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 2nd March 2018 (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 5th March 2018 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, meet next on Monday 5th March 2018 (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 Amy returns to give five out of five for Wintersmith:
"Everything works so well together despite Pratchett borrowing from so many traditions and it makes for a wonderful, rich plot. There's a lot of character development for Tiffany and Roland in this novel as they're older now and they're meant to be a little bit wiser. They write letters to each other and everyone presumes that they're in love but they're just friends. The friendship between them is delightful and a lovely aspect of the story. Even Annagramma finds her place in this novel when she takes over from Miss Treason after her death. She's still annoying but at least she's found her purpose and grown up. Miss Treason, a new character who doesn't feature much in the book, is hilarious and so well written. She's 111 years old (but she claims to be 113) and she terrifies the locals with stories of skulls and demons. She welcomes Death and it's a lovely bit of the novel because Death in the Discworld isn't scary unless you expect him to be. The Wee Free Men are, as always, fantastic characters and truly hilarious. I think that this is the funniest book in the Tiffany Aching series so far. The writing is wonderful and every chapter is infused with humour..."
https://warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/wintersmith-by-terry-pratchett/
Pratchett newbie Earth and Skye fell in love with The Colour of Magic:
"I have had The Colour of Magic in my bookshelf since Terry Pratchett passed away. After all, I wanted to see what all of the hype was about. As usual though, I was a little delayed with opening the actual book. However, I really wasn't disappointed. This story was funny, entertaining and cute. It was incredibly fun and easy to read, and I was really sad when it was all over... Anything that can go wrong does, and although in most stories, I would just find this predictable, irritating and cringe-worthy – in Pratchett's world, it's just funny. Partly it feels like he's just making fun at the more serious versions of fantasy and scifi novels. But, there's also this ability for the storyline to completely suck you in. For me, a good book is one that you just can't put down. And that was the case with The Colour of Magic..."
https://earthandskye.org/2018/02/01/the-colour-of-magic-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Bookwitch was happily bemused by Thief of Time:
"I can't claim to have understood what Terry Pratchett wanted to tell me in Thief of Time. But it's as fun and entertaining as any other Discworld novel, choc-a-bloc with deep, if obvious, thoughts about life and all the rest. And there are some good quotes. I too like to consider myself as ‘one who was slightly intellectual.' I also practise what Lu-Tze, the Sweeper, does, in becoming invisible because you are just so lowly and boring that no one sees you... There are monks and there is cherry blossom. Chocolate, even when life brings you nougat. I know that feeling. Terry obviously thought up some deft moves between different times, and some of his characters are, if possible, even odder than usual. Lu-Tze's apprentice Lobsang is at the more normal end, and I've always liked Death's granddaughter Susan. The character who looks like a 'society lady who had just had a really bad day in a threshing machine' is a masterpiece, developing in an interesting way through the book. When your reading life feels as if something is missing, it's good to have Terry and his world to go back to..."
https://bookwitch.wordpress.com/2018/01/29/thief-of-time/
...while blogger Lunar Luci was enchanted by Thief of Time:
"Okay, first things first, I love Death. I love his entire character and everything else. In this book he didn't get a lot of page-time, but I loved it nonetheless. Susan is a very interesting character, and in every novel, she has another job, in this one being an elementary schoolteacher. It really only makes it more amazing to me. A character I'd like to point out is Mrs. War. She didn't appear a lot of times, but the times she did was absolutely hilarious, and I've laughed way too hard at her... Lu-Tze and Lobsang are amazing too. I found it a bit difficult to follow their storyline in the beginning, but as with a lot of other novels in this series, I've found that it works that I shouldn't think about the other subseries, and completely freeing the mental image I have of the world in those subseries..."
https://irontallica666blog.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/book-review-thief-of-time/
...and by Hogfather:
"I know I say this with every Discworld review I write, but I so loved this book (it's gotten me so far that I was almost done and just let my boyfriend fall asleep next to me while I finished reading because it just was so good). This will definitely be on my shelf with favorite books ever. We've got Death, who's playing the Hogfather and doing quite a terrible job at it sometimes. But he's trying. We've got Susan, who's being her generally badass self as usually. We've got the wizards being idiots.. not too much has changed there too. We've got a bunch of creepy criminals, and Mister Teatime being the creepiest of all. We've even got a tiny part of Nobby Nobbs, which basically filled my heart with delight. And to top it all off, there's a god of hangovers, which is actually pretty logical... I could go on and on, but honestly, you should just read this book. It's about belief, and the twisted way it works on the Discworld, and it's amazing..."
https://irontallica666blog.wordpress.com/2018/02/04/book-review-hogfather/
Blogger The English Student returns with mixed feelings about the Compleat Discworld Atlas:
"The Compleat Discworld Atlas is a lovely book... It's very geeky. And, for a Discworld fan like me, it's…fun. But less fun than it should be. Because there's a sense in which a book like this (which was, it seems, one of Pratchett's last creations) misses the point of Discworld. Discworld was built out of a series of jokes. There are consistencies between the books, especially as the series goes on, but we always have the sense that Pratchett's happy to bend the setting around the story he wants to tell... The problem is, I think, is that this particular book completely misses the sense of fun and parody and transgression that characterises Discworld as a body of work. (There are fun Discworld maps that exist! I've seen an Ankh-Morpork map drawn by Stephen Player which I particularly covet.) It takes itself too seriously, its mock-encyclopaedic objectivity unleavened by the wit and wordplay of the novels. (There are some puns. They are leaden and over-explained.)
"And codifying Discworld in an atlas like this makes the novels' Anglocentrism particularly overt and particularly problematic. Everyone knows that Ankh-Morpork is the heart of the Discworld. It is its vital, beating heart; it feels like a real city even in the early novels. It's also pretty explicitly a London analogue. That's sort of fine in the novels, because Pratchett was a British author, and the books' humour is specifically British, and most of their main characters are recognisably British in some form or another (with a few exceptions): so it makes a certain amount of sense that this vast and teeming world should be filtered through a British point of view. But the objectivity of an atlas means that equal weight is ostensibly placed on each country..."
https://englishstudens.wordpress.com/2018/02/19/review-the-compleat-discworld-atlas/
...and blogger Ashley also has mixed – but mostly very positive – feelings about Jingo:
I found the plot (dealing with nationalism, racism, and war) to be mostly uninteresting and didn't like the exclusion of many characters. It also wasn't quite as funny as the other books; sure there were many instances in which I laughed aloud and several great jokes but it just wasn't on par with the previous books. Don't get me wrong; the book still had a ton of memorable moments, I just think it was the overarching plot that was diminishing my enjoyment... This is by no means a bad book; it's a great one! Just not for me. I'm sure thousands of people will love this one as much as the others but I just felt like something was missing..."
https://navigatingneverland.org/2018/02/20/jingo-discworld-21-city-watch-4-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Lindsay approves of The Wee Free Men:
"The book reminded me a tad of C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe when Tiffany walked between her own real world and the snowy, not-real world of the Queen. Tiffany's story is full of questioning, self-realization, and then confidence in that realization. It is told through dry wit, deep thoughts and quirky characters. I was struck at how many times I thought, 'right, that is a good point' when Tiffany spoke. I think the last time I read a middle-grade book was actually when I was in middle school. Given that, it took me a while to accept the premise, the large words and silliness..."
https://adventuresinstories.com/2018/02/10/review-the-wee-free-men-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Amy returns with her review of Wintersmith:
I love Wintersmith. It's my favourite book in the Tiffany Aching series because the plot is just amazing and the writing is wonderful... There's also a bit of Greek myth worked into the story as Roland and the Feegles visit the Underworld and ride across the River Styx. The Feegles have been kicked out of the Underworld before and the ferryman (not named as Charon but presumably it's him) is not impressed that they've returned. It's a really funny part of the book. I love how it's interwoven seamlessly into the pagan myth of Summer and Winter. Everything works so well together despite Pratchett borrowing from so many traditions and it makes for a wonderful, rich plot... The Wee Free Men are, as always, fantastic characters and truly hilarious. I think that this is the funniest book in the Tiffany Aching series so far. The writing is wonderful and every chapter is infused with humour. I would definitely recommend this book..."
https://warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/wintersmith-by-terry-pratchett/
...and of I Shall Wear Midnight:
"The beginning of the book is very dark, with themes of domestic abuse and suicide being tackled, and that darkness continues through the novel. I loved this change because the books have grown up with Tiffany, becoming more mature and experienced as she does. This book introduces a lot of new characters into the series... Pratchett's writing is funny and yet profound. It's accessible to everyone but you don't feel like you're reading a children's book (or a book for 'younger' readers) because it deals with some dark themes. There are some wonderful messages in this book about staying true to yourself and not letting poisonous thoughts take over..."
https://warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com/2018/02/07/book-review-i-shall-wear-midnight-by-terry-pratchett/
Dedicated Discworld fan Tavendale reviews some real – and proposes some conceptual! – Discworld games:
"I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of novels. It was introduced to me by a friend in secondary school. And my first book was Hogfather. I have since read every book in the series, seen all of the TV adaptions, read the graphic novels, listened to the audiobooks, perused the maps, used the diaries and drank the beer. The only things I haven't really done are paint the miniatures and wear any apparel. Another thing I have done is play some of the games... I have played Thud, The Witches and Ankh-Morpork. Thud is alright, but I prefer it as an item of memorabilia than as an actual game. The Witches is alright. It's a bit simple but can be fun with other fans of the series. Ankh-Morpork is the game that really shines. It is a solid area control game with variable win conditions and very dynamic, changeable play. It's a lot of fun, especially to fans of the series who will get all of the references to character, places and events from the books. There is also the Discworld Roleplaying Game which is based on Steve Jackson's GURPS – indeed, it was originally known as GURPS: Discworld. These books are fantastic pieces in their own right and I love my copy of the rulebook, but they were published when the series was ongoing and many things have really been fleshed out and more fully explored since then... I love the idea of a game where the city watch patrols the streets of Ankh Morpork, hunting down a nefarious villain. With the big cast of characters, there would be plenty of scope for variable player powers, with each character bringing something to the table. For example, sergeant Angua, as a werewolf, could sniff out her targets like The Beast from Specter Ops whilst Buggy Swires, the gnome, could have an increased movement or perception range from flying over the city on a bird. There's a lot more to the Discworld series than crime and mystery, however. The wizards series is fantastic and would make great fodder for a game akin to Arkham Horror, Elder Sign or Eldritch Horror..."
https://norerolls.co.uk/2018/02/06/a-world-unexplored-the-discworld/
...and finally, a very long and quite comprehensive post from the dual blog of Loten and Mitchell aka Point Stick, on the wonders of the Pratchett oeuvre (this one is mostly by Loten), covering everything from books to screen adaptations and computer games. This one is worth reading all the way:
https://pointstick.wordpress.com/2018/01/25/monthly-spotlight-sir-terry-pratchett/
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08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
It's a wrap! At least it is for Crowley and Aziraphale. here they are after filming their final scene for the Good Omens miniseries:
http://bit.ly/2HCajp2
A'Tuin as a child? Image from Reddit, via ozdw:
https://i.redd.it/jmvbitv78jnz.jpg
The Luggage dances! https://twitter.com/Discworldshoppe/status/964189725262262272
Paul Kidby tweeted a teaser image from the 2019 Discworld calendar, currently under construction:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVcA5ZXXcAUb68T.jpg
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09) CLOSE
At last month's North West Comic Con in Bolton, Lancashire, the cosplay competition was won by a man dressed as Cohen the Barbarian. How excellent is that?
And that's it for February. Take care, and we'll see you next month!
– Annie Mac
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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Copyright (c) 2018 by Klatchian Foreign Legion
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
February 2018 (Volume 21, Issue 2, Post 1)
********************************************************************
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.
********************************************************************
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 PLAYS NEWS
05) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS 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
"I was thrilled to be asked by Penguin Random House Children's to illustrate Only You Can Save Mankind – a book I had read and loved it when it was first published. Ben, my designer at PRHC gave me free reign [sic] to imagine the characters and I researched computer games from the good old days of the 80s and 90s to help with the feel of the illustrations then using dip pen and ink to work the images up to final. It was a pleasure to work on as I got to illustrate planets and space monsters! Real favourites of mine."
– illustrator Mark Beech, speaking to Penguin Books
"I am always moved by the underlying threads of kindness in his work, of compassion and tenderness for this funny old world and the fragile people who inhabit it. So, all of those – his style, his wit and his tremendous affection within the writing – are, I think, what addict people to his work."
– theatre director Gay Hammond on the works of Sir Pterry
"The gonne gave you power from outside. You didn't use it, it used you."
– a timely quotation from @DailyPratchett
"If the rest of the show turns out like this early trailer that we've all seen I think it's going to be quite special."
– David "Crowley" Tennant, on viewing a special production-team-only teaser trailer for Good Omens
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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR
"It's kind of silly and fun, but silly and fun things are important." So said SpaceX and Tesla chief Elon Musk, talking about his wonderful science-meets-PR stunt earlier this month that sent one of his own electric cars on an extended journey around the Solar System. Sir Pterry, himself a keen sky-watcher, totally understood this attitude, and it's one of the things that makes his work so memorable. For all the times many of us might think, 'I'm glad he didn't live to see much of the current strange goings-on in Roundworld", I think I speak for us all when I say it's a shame he didn't live to watch "Starman" set out on its trek.
For those of you who may have missed the test launch of Falcon Heavy and its outcome, have a shufti at http://bit.ly/2BNPsib and https://ind.pn/2oqUnxV – and if you want to know where the peripatetic car has got to now, go to http://www.whereisroadster.com/
Now then... on with the show!
– Annie Mac, Editor
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03) ODDS AND SODS
3.1 GOOD OMENS NEWS
Former telly-mates Mark Gatiss and Steve Pemberton are the latest surprise stars to join the Good Omens cast, playing book buyers Harmony and Glozier:
"'I'm delighted to be working with David and Michael again and of course with Steve – bringing a little Film Noir menace to such an exciting project,' Gatiss said. 'Being bad never felt so good!' Pemberton added: 'To be asked to fly to Cape Town with Mark and meet up with old friends David and Michael working on a script from the genius mind of Neil Gaiman…? Well, you had me at Cape Town. Glozier and Harmony are a small piece of the jigsaw but hopefully one which will fit nicely into place.'..."
http://bit.ly/2CFv6nV
...and there's a good piece in the Radio Times, with accompanying photos and more observations from David Tennant:
http://bit.ly/2otjzCX
...and a few quotes to be going on with:
" It's been such a privilege getting to work with him and @michaelsheen on this show. So many talented actors but those two set the bar so high and always delivered."
– Neil Gaiman, 20th February 2018
"I thought that watching an angel delightedly gavotting was the best thing I'd ever seen. But tonight I watched three demons disco dancing badly with a giant pin and the world can get no better."
– ibid
3.2 PATRICIAN'S THE WORD FOR THE LATEST HEX VIDEO PLAYER
The team behind the VLC Media Player are obviously Discworld fans! The software, which is used across all platforms and on various devices (including Casa Wossname's Linux system – Ed.), has presented its latest release. We've already had The Luggage, Twoflower, Rincewind, Weatherwax, and Terry Pratchett – and now, Vetinari:
"Major updates to VideoLAN's VLC media player don't happen every day. The player's development goes all the way back to 1996. Its 1.0 release came around in 2009, and version 2.0 was pushed out in 2012. All of that work has led to today's VLC 3.0 Vetinari release, named after a character from Terry Pratchett's Discworld book series... The software claims it can use available hardware acceleration on all platforms, including HEVC decoding on Windows and Android. The player's website has demos of 8K video playback at 60 FPS on a Windows 10 system and 48 FPS 8K video on a Samsung Galaxy S8. We can't think of a media player application available on more platforms..."
https://techreport.com/news/33233/vlc-3-0-arrives-with-hdr-support-chromecast-streaming-and-more
p.s. Rumour has it that the next release will be called Otto Chriek!
p.p.s. In an amusing note, someone at Asian news aggregator MiceTimes seems to have placed too much trust in Google Translate. Here is a quote from their page on it: "In the new version of the player has got support for media players Chromecast, resolution and 8K technology HDR10. Version 3.0. Vetinari got its name in honor of Havlaga Vetinari is a character in the books series 'the world is Flat' by the English writer Terry Pratchett."
3.3 GUARDS! GUARDS! – THE PRAISE NEVER STOPS
From Penguin Books/Transworld, a round-up of fan reaction to the eigh-, er 7+1th Discworld novel:
"'I am having so much fun rereading this book. I discovered the Discworld about 16 years ago at University. I am from South Africa. English is my second language, so I did not necessarily ‘get' all the subtle nuances or sarcastic intonations. Rereading this book as an adult, with more life experience, I am astounded at Terry Pratchett's insight into the human existence! Ankh-Morpork could be a metaphor for any number of destinations in the world considering the current political climate. And YET, it remains hilariously well-written.' – Lizanne
"'I found 'Guards! Guards!' at a time when I was pretty depressed. I had deferred from uni and didn't feel like there was all that much that was enjoyable in life anymore. I was just going through the motions day to day. My dad suggested a trip to see relatives in Canberra. We were going to drive all the way from Melbourne. I played for him the 'Guards! Guards!' Audiobook as we started driving, just to liven my mood. We didn't turn it off for the whole drive there and back, we were so enthralled. There was a lot of laughter which was a nice change for me. From that moment on Discworld had two more devotees. I have reread Guards! Guards! several times since. Its one of his best' – Tom
"I am constantly amazed at how perfectly, succinctly and wittily Sir Terry nailed human nature... There were tonnes or 1 or 2 liners that were just perfect but I was so busy reading it, I didn't stop to take a note of them. I'm looking forward to whichever book is chosen next! – Cara"
There is also a link to a collection of Discworld fan art:
http://news.penguin.co.uk/c/1DAgNlWXaPRKVT2EVEixvjmd8
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04) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
Editor's note: as Wossname normally only comes out once every month, do check the Wossname blog for information on plays that might fall between issue dates! Go to https://wossname.dreamwidth.org/ for interim updates.
4.1 PLAYS IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH
* WYRD SISTERS IN NORFOLK (FEBRUARY)
The Thorpe Players' final night of Wyrd Sisters is tonight!
When: 24th February 2018
Venue: Roxley Hall, Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St-Andrew, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 0QZ
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £8.50, available from the Box Office (01603 702777) or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/thorpeplayers
http://thorpe-players.squarespace.com/
* MORT IN ESSEX (FEBRUARY)
The Harlow Theatre Company's final night of Mort is tonight!
When: 24th February 2018
Venue: Victoria Hall Theatre, Bury Road, Old Harlow, Essex CM20 1LL
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: £13 (£10 concessions), available from the Box Office (0333 666 3366) or online at http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/223071
https://www.harlowtheatrecompany.org.uk/
* MASKERADE IN YORK (FEBRUARY)
We Are Theatre's production of Maskerade is on next week!
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
* WYRD SISTERS IN THE LAND OF FOG (FEBRUARY/MARCH)
The Globe Theatre are staging their production of Wyrd Sisters, directed by Sofie Welvaert, from tonight though early March!
When: 24th February–3rd March 2018
Venue: Globe Theatre, 104 London Street, Dunedin, Otago, South Island NZ
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: NZ$25 (Concession, tertiary students, group of 5 or more $20, Globe members $15, school students $10). To purchase tickets, ring 03 477 3274 or purchase online via http://www.globetheatre.org.nz/booking.php?season_id=426
http://www.globetheatre.org.nz/
...and here be an interesting interview with Ms Welvaert, who is both director and costume maker for the production:
https://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/theatre/stitching-pieces-together
* WYRD SISTERS IN IFIELD, WEST SUSSEX (MARCH)
The Ifield Barn Theatre Society are gearing up for their production of Wyrd Sisters in March.
When: 7th–10th March 2018
Venue: Ifield Barn Theatre, Ifield Street, Crawley, W Sussex RH110NN
Time: 8pm all evening shows, plus a 3pm matinee on 10th March
Tickets: £10 (£8 for members and children), available from http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ifieldbarntheatre
http://www.ifieldbarn.co.uk/coming-soon.html
4.2 PLAYS IN APRIL
* WYRD SISTERS IN BENDIGO, FOURECKS (APRIL)
The Bendigo Theatre Company's Tribe Youth Theatre will stage a production of Wyrd Sisters in April!
When: 5th–8th April 2018
Venue: BTC Arts Shed, 15-17 Allingham Street, Golden Square, Bendigo, Victoria 3555
Time: 7pm all shows
Tickets: $22 (concessions $20; students $17; children under 12 $14; family ticket $57), available via http://bit.ly/2Clm4jH – choose your date from the drop-down menu.
https://bendigotheatrecompany.org/
* MONSTROUS REGIMENT IN ILLINOIS, USA (APRIL)
The Green Man Theatre Troupe will be staging their production of Monstrous Regiment in April. Good to see more and more American Discworld productions going on!
When: 13th April–29th April 2018, Fridays through Sundays
Venue: First United Methodist Church, 232 S.York Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126
Time: 7.30pm all evening shows, 2pm Sunday matinees
Tickets: $17 (students and seniors $15), available from the Box Office (630 464 2646)
http://www.greenmantheatre.org
* JINGO IN DORSET (APRIL)
The Castle Players will present their production of Jingo in April "in celebration of what would have been Sir Terry Pratchett's 70th Birthday". A good choice!
When: 26th–28th April 2018
Venue: The Village Hall, High Street, Lytchett Matravers, Poole, Dorset BH16 6DD
Time: 7.45pm evening shows; Saturday matinee 2.30pm
Tickets: £10 (concessions £9), bookable by phone (07938 965434) or available from the Rose and Crown in Lytchett Matravers or online at https://www.castleplayers.com/tickets
https://www.castleplayers.com
* GUARDS! GUARDS! IN CHORLEY (APRIL)
CADOS (possibly once the Chorley and District Operatic Society?) will be staging Guards! Guards! in April: "This production marks what would have been Sir Terry's 70th birthday."
When: 23rd–28th April 2018
Venue: Chorley Little Theatre, Dole Lane, Chorley, Lancs PR7 2RL
Time: 7:30pm all shows
Tickets: 23rd, 24th, 25th £8; 26th, 27th, 28th £10, available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/208113 or in person at Malcom's Musicland 01257 264362 or Ebb & Flo Bookshop or when the Theatre Box Office is open for shows.
http://www.chorleylittletheatre.com/chorleytheatre/index.php/event/552-cados-play
Editor's note: the theatre itself is absolutely adorable! Look:
http://www.chorleylittletheatre.com/chorleytheatre/images/ChorleyLittleTheatre1.jpg
* MORT IN BIRKENHEAD (APRIL)
The Carlton Players will be staging Mort next April: "He gets board and lodging and free use of company horse, and doesn't even need time off for his grandmother's funeral..."
When: 24th–28th April 2018
Venue: The Little Theatre, Grange Rd West, Birkenhead CH41 4BY
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £8 (students and under-16s £6), available from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/venue/FEDIFI or by ringing the box office on 0151 647 6593
https://www.carltonlittletheatre.co.uk/the-carlton-players/2017-18-season/mort/
4.3 PLAYS LATER IN 2018
* GUARDS! GUARDS! IN PLYMOUTH (MAY)
City College Plymouth will be staging their production of Guards! Guards! in May 2018.
When: 16th–18th May 2018
Venue: Tilt Theatre, Performing Arts, City College Plymouth, Plymouth
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: TBA
https://allevents.in/plymouth/guards-guards-by-terry-pratchett/1943260799295027
* MEN AT ARMS IN BRISBANE, FOURECKS (OCTOBER/NOVEMBER)
It will be a bit of a wait, but the Brisbane Arts Centre's next Discworld production – Men at Arms – is already looking good! All props to Fourecks for keeping the Disc alive on stage: "Men at Arms is the 15th novel in Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, a comic fantasy universe with over 80 million books sold worldwide. Aficionados and newcomers to the Disc will love this adaptation, brought to life by the expertise of our Pratchett team."
When: 6th October through 3rd November 2018
Venue: Brisbane Arts Centre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace (yes, the suburb and the road share a name), Brisbane, Queensland 4000
Time: 7.30pm Thursdays, 8.00pm Fridays and Saturdays, 6.30pm Sundays. "Doors close 5 minutes prior to performance. Late entry is not permitted."
Tickets: AU$34 ($28 concession or groups of 10 or more), available now online at http://bit.ly/2zHKO5a – and there will be Student Rush tickets priced at $15, available from the box office 15 minutes prior to curtain on the dates
https://www.artstheatre.com.au/menatarms
* GOING POSTAL IN BRISTOL (DECEMBER)
The Kelvin Players will be staging Going Postal in December 2018. Keep an eye on their website: "Moist von Lipwig was a con artist, a fraud and a man faced with a life choice: be hanged, or put Ankh-Morpork's ailing postal service back on its feet. It was a tough decision. With the help of a golem who has been at the bottom of hole in the ground for over two hundred years, a pin fanatic and Junior Postman Groat, he's got to see that the mail gets through. In taking on the evil chairman of the Grand Trunk Semaphore Company, and a midnight killer, he's also got to stay alive. Getting a date with Adora Bell Dearheart would be nice, too. In the mad world of the mail, can a criminal succeed where honest men have failed and died? Perhaps there's a shot at redemption for man who's prepared to push the envelope..."
When: 5th–8th and 12th–15th December 2018
Venue: Kelvin Studios, 253B Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NY
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: TBA
http://www.kelvinplayers.co.uk/coming-soon
4.4 REVIEWS
REVIEW: FEET OF CLAY IN DURHAM
By Martin Docherty for Palatinate.org:
"In her director's note for the show, Katherine Briggs states the desired aesthetic was a 'mish-mash of steak[sic] punk Dickens-come-Conan Doyle and a good old murder mystery', and this was realised on stage as a heartfelt, homely pastiche of that idea in the set design, gelling excellently with the performances that took place upon it... The stage proper was excellently used, and these three locations felt very well defined, but the curtain use meant a sense of location was almost entirely lost at points – including two of the climatic moments that just felt entirely removed from the rest of the production... There were numerous lighting mistakes and general sloppiness throughout the show that really let it down and did not meet the expectations one has of a 10th anniversary show from an annually releasing production group... despite general clumsiness of execution, this play possessed a genuine charm and passion. This heart came from the exemplary performances of some of the cast. Chief among those performances was Uday Duggal's portrayal of Commander Vimes. Without a strong protagonist, this production would have totally fallen apart, but Duggal's gruff and thoughtful characterisation of Vimes undoubtedly invested the audience in the central mystery by virtue of our interest in him. The varied technical issues were made a secondary concern by how powerfully Duggal commanded the attention of the audience... the ensemble of townspeople and guild leaders also worked together well with the musicians as buskers, and alongside Layla Chowdhury's Littlebottom and Hannah Sanderson's Angua they formed an inn scene that was my favourite of the show... Georgia Proctor's musical direction and composition of the pieces must be commended, and the use of the band as buskers on stage was brilliant. Honestly, I do not understand why they were not included more..."
https://www.palatinate.org.uk/feet-clay-review-clumsy-charm/
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05) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
5.1 DISCWORLD EMPORIUM UPDATES
New issues for a new year include the Ankh-Morpork Coat of Arms 2p, the Morporkia 5p and 10p, the Tower of Art $1, the Thieves' Guild 4p Petty Theft, the Thieves' Guild 12p, the Clacks Mail $1, the Lancre 3p and 6p, and the Tsort half drachma and 1 drachma, not to mention an Ankh-Morpork Post Office stamp set ("Souvenir set of iconic Discworld Stamps from the Ankh-Morpork Post Office, as created by Moist Von Lipwig himself in the pages of Going Postal! Printed in Ankh-Morpork by Teemer and Spools! ") and various Little Brown Envelopes.
For prices and other information, go to https://www.discworldemporium.com/39-new-stamps
There's also a fresh batch of Discworld t-shirts, designed by cover artist Joe McLaren, featuring Death of Rats, Death, and Great A'Tuin. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/clothing/381-the-death-of-rats-t-shirt
https://www.discworldemporium.com/clothing/206-the-turtle-moves-t-shirt
https://www.discworldemporium.com/clothing/409-i-could-murder-a-curry-t-shirt
...and the Luggage, of course:
"Beware the pitter patter of tiny (bronze) feet! Our bestselling Luggage figurine is now available in our signature bronze finish! This deluxe edition of Twoflower & Rincewind's terrifying travel companion will feel right at home with our growing collection of precious metal-effect Discworld characters... we just hope he doesn't devour the others! Each homicidal box on legs is presented in a Discworld Emporium gift box, and features a removable lid to reveal space for your trinkets and gold Rhinu. Also available in a fully hand painted finish for those who prefer their Luggage in glorious thaumicolour!"
https://www.discworldemporium.com/figurines-objet-d-art/433-the-luggage-bronze-edition
http://www.discworldemporium.com/
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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will be meeting next from 7pm on Monday 5th March 2018 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, email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk
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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."
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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
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"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 Did You Bring a Beer Along meeting (celebrating 20 years of The Last Continent) in April 2018.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/373578522834654/
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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
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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 the Caledonian, 219 O'Connell St North 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 events will be an outing to Martin Pearson in (House) Concert – The Unfinished Spelling Errors of Bolkein – Director's Cut on 17th March (to book tickets, go to _https://www.trybooking.com/TZXT_), and the Monthly Dinner and Games on 29th March (location TBA).
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! 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
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The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 1st March 2018 (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
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The Wincanton Omnian Temperance Society (WOTS) next meets on Friday 2nd March 2018 (probably) at Wincanton's famous Bear Inn from 7pm onwards. "Visitors and drop-ins are always welcome!"
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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/
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Sydney Drummers (formerly Drummers Downunder) meet next on Monday 5th March 2018 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
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The Treacle Mining Corporation, formerly known as Perth Drummers, meet next on Monday 5th March 2018 (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 Amy returns to give five out of five for Wintersmith:
"Everything works so well together despite Pratchett borrowing from so many traditions and it makes for a wonderful, rich plot. There's a lot of character development for Tiffany and Roland in this novel as they're older now and they're meant to be a little bit wiser. They write letters to each other and everyone presumes that they're in love but they're just friends. The friendship between them is delightful and a lovely aspect of the story. Even Annagramma finds her place in this novel when she takes over from Miss Treason after her death. She's still annoying but at least she's found her purpose and grown up. Miss Treason, a new character who doesn't feature much in the book, is hilarious and so well written. She's 111 years old (but she claims to be 113) and she terrifies the locals with stories of skulls and demons. She welcomes Death and it's a lovely bit of the novel because Death in the Discworld isn't scary unless you expect him to be. The Wee Free Men are, as always, fantastic characters and truly hilarious. I think that this is the funniest book in the Tiffany Aching series so far. The writing is wonderful and every chapter is infused with humour..."
https://warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/wintersmith-by-terry-pratchett/
Pratchett newbie Earth and Skye fell in love with The Colour of Magic:
"I have had The Colour of Magic in my bookshelf since Terry Pratchett passed away. After all, I wanted to see what all of the hype was about. As usual though, I was a little delayed with opening the actual book. However, I really wasn't disappointed. This story was funny, entertaining and cute. It was incredibly fun and easy to read, and I was really sad when it was all over... Anything that can go wrong does, and although in most stories, I would just find this predictable, irritating and cringe-worthy – in Pratchett's world, it's just funny. Partly it feels like he's just making fun at the more serious versions of fantasy and scifi novels. But, there's also this ability for the storyline to completely suck you in. For me, a good book is one that you just can't put down. And that was the case with The Colour of Magic..."
https://earthandskye.org/2018/02/01/the-colour-of-magic-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Bookwitch was happily bemused by Thief of Time:
"I can't claim to have understood what Terry Pratchett wanted to tell me in Thief of Time. But it's as fun and entertaining as any other Discworld novel, choc-a-bloc with deep, if obvious, thoughts about life and all the rest. And there are some good quotes. I too like to consider myself as ‘one who was slightly intellectual.' I also practise what Lu-Tze, the Sweeper, does, in becoming invisible because you are just so lowly and boring that no one sees you... There are monks and there is cherry blossom. Chocolate, even when life brings you nougat. I know that feeling. Terry obviously thought up some deft moves between different times, and some of his characters are, if possible, even odder than usual. Lu-Tze's apprentice Lobsang is at the more normal end, and I've always liked Death's granddaughter Susan. The character who looks like a 'society lady who had just had a really bad day in a threshing machine' is a masterpiece, developing in an interesting way through the book. When your reading life feels as if something is missing, it's good to have Terry and his world to go back to..."
https://bookwitch.wordpress.com/2018/01/29/thief-of-time/
...while blogger Lunar Luci was enchanted by Thief of Time:
"Okay, first things first, I love Death. I love his entire character and everything else. In this book he didn't get a lot of page-time, but I loved it nonetheless. Susan is a very interesting character, and in every novel, she has another job, in this one being an elementary schoolteacher. It really only makes it more amazing to me. A character I'd like to point out is Mrs. War. She didn't appear a lot of times, but the times she did was absolutely hilarious, and I've laughed way too hard at her... Lu-Tze and Lobsang are amazing too. I found it a bit difficult to follow their storyline in the beginning, but as with a lot of other novels in this series, I've found that it works that I shouldn't think about the other subseries, and completely freeing the mental image I have of the world in those subseries..."
https://irontallica666blog.wordpress.com/2018/02/18/book-review-thief-of-time/
...and by Hogfather:
"I know I say this with every Discworld review I write, but I so loved this book (it's gotten me so far that I was almost done and just let my boyfriend fall asleep next to me while I finished reading because it just was so good). This will definitely be on my shelf with favorite books ever. We've got Death, who's playing the Hogfather and doing quite a terrible job at it sometimes. But he's trying. We've got Susan, who's being her generally badass self as usually. We've got the wizards being idiots.. not too much has changed there too. We've got a bunch of creepy criminals, and Mister Teatime being the creepiest of all. We've even got a tiny part of Nobby Nobbs, which basically filled my heart with delight. And to top it all off, there's a god of hangovers, which is actually pretty logical... I could go on and on, but honestly, you should just read this book. It's about belief, and the twisted way it works on the Discworld, and it's amazing..."
https://irontallica666blog.wordpress.com/2018/02/04/book-review-hogfather/
Blogger The English Student returns with mixed feelings about the Compleat Discworld Atlas:
"The Compleat Discworld Atlas is a lovely book... It's very geeky. And, for a Discworld fan like me, it's…fun. But less fun than it should be. Because there's a sense in which a book like this (which was, it seems, one of Pratchett's last creations) misses the point of Discworld. Discworld was built out of a series of jokes. There are consistencies between the books, especially as the series goes on, but we always have the sense that Pratchett's happy to bend the setting around the story he wants to tell... The problem is, I think, is that this particular book completely misses the sense of fun and parody and transgression that characterises Discworld as a body of work. (There are fun Discworld maps that exist! I've seen an Ankh-Morpork map drawn by Stephen Player which I particularly covet.) It takes itself too seriously, its mock-encyclopaedic objectivity unleavened by the wit and wordplay of the novels. (There are some puns. They are leaden and over-explained.)
"And codifying Discworld in an atlas like this makes the novels' Anglocentrism particularly overt and particularly problematic. Everyone knows that Ankh-Morpork is the heart of the Discworld. It is its vital, beating heart; it feels like a real city even in the early novels. It's also pretty explicitly a London analogue. That's sort of fine in the novels, because Pratchett was a British author, and the books' humour is specifically British, and most of their main characters are recognisably British in some form or another (with a few exceptions): so it makes a certain amount of sense that this vast and teeming world should be filtered through a British point of view. But the objectivity of an atlas means that equal weight is ostensibly placed on each country..."
https://englishstudens.wordpress.com/2018/02/19/review-the-compleat-discworld-atlas/
...and blogger Ashley also has mixed – but mostly very positive – feelings about Jingo:
I found the plot (dealing with nationalism, racism, and war) to be mostly uninteresting and didn't like the exclusion of many characters. It also wasn't quite as funny as the other books; sure there were many instances in which I laughed aloud and several great jokes but it just wasn't on par with the previous books. Don't get me wrong; the book still had a ton of memorable moments, I just think it was the overarching plot that was diminishing my enjoyment... This is by no means a bad book; it's a great one! Just not for me. I'm sure thousands of people will love this one as much as the others but I just felt like something was missing..."
https://navigatingneverland.org/2018/02/20/jingo-discworld-21-city-watch-4-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Lindsay approves of The Wee Free Men:
"The book reminded me a tad of C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe when Tiffany walked between her own real world and the snowy, not-real world of the Queen. Tiffany's story is full of questioning, self-realization, and then confidence in that realization. It is told through dry wit, deep thoughts and quirky characters. I was struck at how many times I thought, 'right, that is a good point' when Tiffany spoke. I think the last time I read a middle-grade book was actually when I was in middle school. Given that, it took me a while to accept the premise, the large words and silliness..."
https://adventuresinstories.com/2018/02/10/review-the-wee-free-men-by-terry-pratchett/
Blogger Amy returns with her review of Wintersmith:
I love Wintersmith. It's my favourite book in the Tiffany Aching series because the plot is just amazing and the writing is wonderful... There's also a bit of Greek myth worked into the story as Roland and the Feegles visit the Underworld and ride across the River Styx. The Feegles have been kicked out of the Underworld before and the ferryman (not named as Charon but presumably it's him) is not impressed that they've returned. It's a really funny part of the book. I love how it's interwoven seamlessly into the pagan myth of Summer and Winter. Everything works so well together despite Pratchett borrowing from so many traditions and it makes for a wonderful, rich plot... The Wee Free Men are, as always, fantastic characters and truly hilarious. I think that this is the funniest book in the Tiffany Aching series so far. The writing is wonderful and every chapter is infused with humour. I would definitely recommend this book..."
https://warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/wintersmith-by-terry-pratchett/
...and of I Shall Wear Midnight:
"The beginning of the book is very dark, with themes of domestic abuse and suicide being tackled, and that darkness continues through the novel. I loved this change because the books have grown up with Tiffany, becoming more mature and experienced as she does. This book introduces a lot of new characters into the series... Pratchett's writing is funny and yet profound. It's accessible to everyone but you don't feel like you're reading a children's book (or a book for 'younger' readers) because it deals with some dark themes. There are some wonderful messages in this book about staying true to yourself and not letting poisonous thoughts take over..."
https://warmdayswillnevercease.wordpress.com/2018/02/07/book-review-i-shall-wear-midnight-by-terry-pratchett/
Dedicated Discworld fan Tavendale reviews some real – and proposes some conceptual! – Discworld games:
"I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of novels. It was introduced to me by a friend in secondary school. And my first book was Hogfather. I have since read every book in the series, seen all of the TV adaptions, read the graphic novels, listened to the audiobooks, perused the maps, used the diaries and drank the beer. The only things I haven't really done are paint the miniatures and wear any apparel. Another thing I have done is play some of the games... I have played Thud, The Witches and Ankh-Morpork. Thud is alright, but I prefer it as an item of memorabilia than as an actual game. The Witches is alright. It's a bit simple but can be fun with other fans of the series. Ankh-Morpork is the game that really shines. It is a solid area control game with variable win conditions and very dynamic, changeable play. It's a lot of fun, especially to fans of the series who will get all of the references to character, places and events from the books. There is also the Discworld Roleplaying Game which is based on Steve Jackson's GURPS – indeed, it was originally known as GURPS: Discworld. These books are fantastic pieces in their own right and I love my copy of the rulebook, but they were published when the series was ongoing and many things have really been fleshed out and more fully explored since then... I love the idea of a game where the city watch patrols the streets of Ankh Morpork, hunting down a nefarious villain. With the big cast of characters, there would be plenty of scope for variable player powers, with each character bringing something to the table. For example, sergeant Angua, as a werewolf, could sniff out her targets like The Beast from Specter Ops whilst Buggy Swires, the gnome, could have an increased movement or perception range from flying over the city on a bird. There's a lot more to the Discworld series than crime and mystery, however. The wizards series is fantastic and would make great fodder for a game akin to Arkham Horror, Elder Sign or Eldritch Horror..."
https://norerolls.co.uk/2018/02/06/a-world-unexplored-the-discworld/
...and finally, a very long and quite comprehensive post from the dual blog of Loten and Mitchell aka Point Stick, on the wonders of the Pratchett oeuvre (this one is mostly by Loten), covering everything from books to screen adaptations and computer games. This one is worth reading all the way:
https://pointstick.wordpress.com/2018/01/25/monthly-spotlight-sir-terry-pratchett/
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08) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
It's a wrap! At least it is for Crowley and Aziraphale. here they are after filming their final scene for the Good Omens miniseries:
http://bit.ly/2HCajp2
A'Tuin as a child? Image from Reddit, via ozdw:
https://i.redd.it/jmvbitv78jnz.jpg
The Luggage dances! https://twitter.com/Discworldshoppe/status/964189725262262272
Paul Kidby tweeted a teaser image from the 2019 Discworld calendar, currently under construction:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DVcA5ZXXcAUb68T.jpg
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09) CLOSE
At last month's North West Comic Con in Bolton, Lancashire, the cosplay competition was won by a man dressed as Cohen the Barbarian. How excellent is that?
And that's it for February. Take care, and we'll see you next month!
– Annie Mac
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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info
Copyright (c) 2018 by Klatchian Foreign Legion
