WOSSNAME

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
April 2022 (Volume 25, Issue 4, 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: Evil Steven Dread, Mrs Wynn-Jones
Staff Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
Book Reviews: Annie Mac, Drusilla D'Afanguin, Your Name Here
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) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"Pratchett enjoyed writing, regarding its monetary rewards as "an unavoidable consequence" rather than the reason for writing."
– kudos to Wikipedia for reminding us what writing is *always* supposed to be about

"'Good and bad is tricky,' she said. 'I ain't too certain about where people stand. P'raps what matters is which way you face.'"
– the wisdom of Granny Weatherwax

"Stories don't care who takes part in them. All that matters is that the story gets told, that the story repeats. Or, if you prefer to think of it like this: stories are a parasitical life form, warping lives in the service only of the story itself."
– and our favourite storyteller knew it so well

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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

Dear Readers,

I'm going to get personal here.

Yes, the issue I was putting together for April was meant to celebrate the birth and life of the child who became Sir Terence David John Pratchett, and yes, this day – the 28th of April – is celebrated by fans around Roundworld as Terry Pratchett Day, but for me, every day is in a sense Terry Pratchett Day, I doubt a single day goes by in our household that doesn't contain at least one reference to a Pratchett quote, or to a Pratchett character, or to a piece of The Author's beautifully described "stealth philosophy". His works have brightened my life for over thirty-five years now and I don't see that ever changing. I continue – in private – to turn uninitiated friends and strangers on to the Pratchett oeuvre, and I don't see that changing either.

My ex (still a beloved friend), an astonishingly bright man who suffered from severe dyslexia, taught himself to read using my Discworld novels and acquired a lot of sociopolitical and cultural education in the process.

Several friends have read their children to sleep with Discworld books.

Several people of my acquaintance over the years have got married – or buried – to Pratchett quotes.

So yes, every day now is a GNU Terry Pratchett day for me.

I met a fascinating gaggle of mostly-Australian Discworld readers at the turn of the century when I opened my first-ever search engine page (Dogpile, as it happens), randomly typed in "Terry Pratchett Discworld", and was led immediately to the OZDW Discworld discussion mailing list. I joined the list out of curiosity and embarked on many years of fun discussions, a few of which were about Pratchett books (though these normally included an "On Topic Warning!" in their subject lines). One of the members of OZDW was a retired American publisher, Joe Schaumburger, who had started a Discworld newsletter/fanzine – "Wossname, newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion" – back in the days when such things were printed out and posted by land mail, before moving it to egroups and then to Yahoogroups; Joe, knowing me as a professional wordsmith, occasionally asked me to contribute reviews to Wossname. Then came the day of his first heart attack, at which point he asked me to take over as editor-publisher while he recovered... and eventually asked me if I would carry it on permanently. How could I refuse a nice, sick old man? So I did. And then fast-forward well over a decade and I was still doing it, with the assistance of assorted newsgatherers and tech people, out of respect for Joe's memory.

But that assortment of assistants has gradually fallen away over the years since Sir Pterry died, to the point where I'm doing most of the newsgathering and compositing myself. And given that I never sought to be involved running a fanzine in the first place, and given that my unhappiness with the way things have been heading since then in the official Pratchett-legacy mediaverse has made it ever more difficult for me to write enthusiastic reviews or get excited about merch, putting Wossname out month after month has become a burden I find too hard to continue bearing.

So I think it's time for me to take a break. Perhaps a very long one. Perhaps a permanent one. I've never been a "fan" in the usual 21st century sense, but I love the Pratchett oeuvre, admire the activism he undertook in his lifetime, and will re-read and cherish his books forever. I just won't be writing about them.

Thank you all, O Readers, for reading along, and thank you for the many letters of appreciation and support we've received over the years. If this does turn out to be the end of my own Wossname journey, and if anyone out there wants to take up the Wossname baton, you know where to find me...

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) ODDS AND SODS

3.1 AUDIOBOOK NEWS

https://twitter.com/PenguinUKBooks/status/1514891528807718917 (Andy Serkis, interviewed about his reading of the Small Gods audiobook)

...which apparently can be pre-ordered via this link: https://linktr.ee/Discworld

3.2 THE END OF UNSEEN THEATRE

A Fourecksian tradition is coming to an end. The Bakehouse, home of the marvellous Unseen Theatre's Discworld plays for years and years, has been captured by an entity more interested in darkening the world with inhuman brainwashing rather than brightening it with good theatre, and the space will no longer be available for any productions.

By Samela Harris for Indaily:

"The loss of Adelaide’s Bakehouse Theatre is like a death in the family. The grief is terrible. It’s a quaint old venue but it has played a profoundly relevant role in the cultural life and welfare of the city of Adelaide. It should have been saved but there was no one with the money or political oomph to do so... In 2006, the funding was cut. But the theatre went on. Pamela Munt had been looking for a place to put on shows with her daughter Melanie for their Unseen Theatre Company, which specialises in Terry Pratchett works. They were beginning to feel a bit disheartened. And then they arrived at the Bakehouse. When Green opened the foyer door, says Munt, they did not have to say a word. Mother and daughter just looked at each other and knew. This was the place they sought...”

https://indaily.co/354825

3.3 OF COURSE MEN CAN WRITE WOMEN, AND SIR PTERRY WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO DO IT

A writer's view, from The Bookseller:

"There’s a lot of fear around just now, perhaps it’s genuine or maybe, dare I say, it’s cynically manufactured. There are writers taking to Twitter to protest the fact that they 'can’t' write certain characters anymore because they’ll be 'cancelled', they’re outraged that 'wokery' is curtailing their 'artistic vision' and… I’m going to end that sentence there because I’m running out of sarcastic quotation marks. Of course a writer can write another gender, and it’s a good thing too, because imagine what literary masterpieces we’d have been robbed of if everyone only wrote characters that matched their own. Imagine how much poorer we’d be if Robin Hobb hadn’t written Fitz, if Terry Pratchett hadn’t written Granny Weatherwax, If Ursula Le Guin hadn’t written Sparrowhawk, Neil Gaiman hadn’t written Coraline, Agatha Christie hadn’t written Poirot, authors writing characters of a different gender from them isn’t new and some of the greatest literary characters we have are a result of it. If women authors write lead characters who are both male or female, but men limit themselves to writing only male characters then what you’re left with is, once again, an uneven balance of male characters, and that’s a step in the wrong direction. You can write a different gender from your own, you just have to do it well..."

https://www.thebookseller.com/comment/why-men-canand-mustwrite-women

3.4 THE MERCH CORNER

* REMINDER: The Big Wee Alphabet Book!

Not just for children learning to read, but for anyone who loves the Nac Mac Feegle (and don't we all!), and it feels genuine, as if a still-living Terry Pratchett had a hand in it:

"A wonderfully witty ABC book from Terry Pratchett's pesky pictsies, the Nac Mac Feegle! Learn the alphabet the Feegle way from 'Ach' to 'Zzz' with the Wee Free Men and their Big Wee Alphabet Book – a Discworld book for Big Jobs and wee scunners alike! Join Rob Anybody and the Chalk Hill Clan from Terry Pratchett's Discworld books as they guide you through the alphabet the Feegle way! Expect stealin', fightin' and cries of CRIVENS! as Terry Pratchett's pesky pictsies explore their favourite words and sayings from A-Z! Lovingly produced by Ian Mitchell at the Discworld Emporium, with beautiful illustrations by David Wyatt. Created with love and respect for our friend Terry and his incredible creations, with thanks to the glorious powers that be at Dunmanifestin Ltd. Beautifully produced with quarter binding and high quality papers throughout. Exclusive to the Discworld Emporium!"

Each Big Wee Alphabet Book is priced at £14.99. For more info, and to order, go to: https://bit.ly/3iHvolI

3.5 THE LOVE SONG OF TDJ PRATCHETT

Because I've been posting Weird Alice's masterpiece tribute here every year as a memorial...

Let us go then, you and I,
When the Rimfall is spread out against the sky
Like a victim on Quetzovercoatl's altar
Let us go, through certain dark Ankh-Morpork streets,
As Cumbling Michael bleats
Of restless nights in Elm Street's cheap bedsits
And Harga's restaurant with greasy chips
Streets that follow like a Fools' Guild argument
Of a humorous intent
To lead you to an overt wealth of... footnotes!
Oh, do not play Greek Chorus
Let us go and dance Dark Morris.

In the room the wizards come, unseen
Talking of thaumic octarine.

The Morpork smog that rubs its back upon the window-panes,
The river-fug that rubs its muzzle on the window-panes,
Licked its tongue into the corners of the Bucket,
Lingered upon the gargoyles guarding drains,
Let fall upon its back the black of lithe Assassins,
Slipped by the terrace, writhed round Sator Square,
And seeing that it was a soft Sektober night,
Curled once around the Tump, and fell asleep.

And indeed there will be crime
Under Ankh-born fumes that slide down Easy Street,
Rubbing grey-black upon the window-panes; Disc-ing itself
There will be crime, and barely time
To prepare a voucher for the Thieves that you may meet;
There will be time to say the number Eight,
And time for all Devices wrought by dwarfs
That lift this brawling City toward its fate;
Time for Schleppel, time for Reg,
And time yet for an Igor's deft incisions,
And for a Sweeper's history revisions,
Before the taking of meat and two veg.

In the room the wizards come, unseen
Making a joke about the Dean.

And indeed there will be time
To wonder, 'Do I dare? Will Vimes go spare?'
Time to turn back Time and deeds repair,
With P.L.T. making horrors of my hair—
[They will say: 'How she stoops, to wear the tin!']
My armoured breasts, my collar fastened firmly 'neath my chin,
My pedigree's the oddest, but blue-blooded via lupine kin—
[They will say: 'But she's a vegetarian!']
Do I dare
Disturb the multiverse?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which the Moon will soon reverse.

For I have known the grags already, known them all—
Have known the meetings, mineshafts, Ankhian ruins,
I have squandered all my gold in greasy spoons;
I know the old life's dying, like an axe's fall
Beneath the bustle under cellar rooms.
So should I mention Koom?

And I have known the toffs already, known them all—
The eyes that damn you with a far too inbred phrase,
And when I am relegated, tossed like Mr Pin,
When I am told 'No comment!' by Lord Rust,
Then how should I begin
To spit out all Spike's butt-ends from the Golem Trust?
And how should I presume?

And I have known the 'girls' already, known them all—
Arms of that painted Guild, pale, white and calm
(But in the lamplight, best of Mrs Palm's!)
Is it scumble from a dish
That makesh me shpeak like thish?
Arms that twine around a client, or cap a maiden's fall.
And should I rent a room?
How soon should I dig in?

. . . . .

Shall I say, I have lurked at dusk in Morpork's streets
And watched the Clacks that clatter from the roofs
Midst lonely geeks with code-books, changing shifts in towers? . . .

I should have been a cruel wild banshee's claws
Scuttling between the Trouserlegs of Time.

. . . . .

And 'til well past noon, Young Sam will sleep so peacefully!
Smooth is his breathing,
Asleep . . . tired . . . or merely teething
Safe in his bed, here beside you and me.
Should I, after teetotal libations,
Have the strength to foil yet more assassinations?
But though I have cursed and shouted, growled and coughed,
Though I have seen my head [grown slightly bald] fetch ever higher prices
I am no genius — but I'm cool in crisis;
I have seen the sternest of my Watchmen flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Death of Rats go SNH, and snicker,
And in short, I was pissed off.

And would it have been worth it all, and sweet,
After millennium hand and shrimp for tea,
Among the Faculty, among some talk of Sourcery,
Would it have been worth while
To endure Ridcully's hassling with a smile,
To have squeezed the universe's rubber sheet
To roll it toward some thaumic insurrection,
To say: 'We are wizardry's future, come have fun
'Come HEX me up a treat, H.E.M. is neat!'
If one, scoffing a sausage inna bun,
Should say: 'That is not what I meant to eat.
'That is not real named meat.'

And would it have been worth it, after all,
Would it have been worth while,
After the battles and the broadswords and the trampled thrones,
After the sagas, after the horse cheese, after the skirts I chased
from Rim to Hub—
And dine-chewers for my grub?—
It is 'barbarian' to say just what I mean!
But seen by a magic lantern through a silken Agatean screen:
Would it have been worth while
If one, scuttling a Dark Lord or storming Io's gate
To turn larks into legends, should say:
'That's not a hero's fate,
'That's not a deathless hero's fate.'

No! I am not King Verence, nor was meant to be;
I'm just a tender Tomjon, one who'll do
To thrill the punters, steal a scene or two
Advise the prince; he jingles, but he's cool,
Deferential to the senior Ogg
Mildly thick, gracious, and fond of his wife;
Full of high purpose, but a bit agog;
At times, indeed, a cliche brought to life—
Almost a perfect Fool.

I grow old . . . I grow old . . .
I shall yet wear midnight when the nights are cold.

Shall I shout 'Io's not blind!'? Do I dare to speak of Klatch?
I shall wear black pointy headgear, and fly on brooms of thatch
I have heard the Beggars, canting to the Watch.

I do not think that they will beg from me.

We have seen young vampires gliding past the Moon
Combing the land for humans to attack
Venting their blood-lust stylishly in black.

We have lingered on the shambling Circumfence
By sea-trolls wreathed with foam against the sky
Till Great A'Tuin takes us, and we fly.

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07) CLOSE

A few more things to remember,,,

Asteroid 127005 Pratchett was discovered 20 years ago this month.

There was a Pratchett chelonian: Psephophorus terrypratchetti, an extinct sea turtle – "the only Miocene dermochelyid turtle found in Europe. One species of Psephophorus could measure up to ten feet in length." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psephophorus

Snowgum Films made a very decent film adaptation of Troll Bridge, with contributions from The Author himself, and it's still available to watch for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7v_TdLviUE

...and finally, it wouldn't be a proper memorial without one of Sir Pterry's favourite apes in it! Ah Meng (1960– 2008) was a female Sumatran orangutan and tourism icon in Singapore. "She was smuggled from Indonesia and kept illegally as a domestic pet before being recovered by a veterinarian in 1971. She was then eleven years old and was given a home at the Singapore Zoo. Ah Meng was the head of her small clan, which lives in a large enclosure with about twenty other orangutans. She had five children, twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She belonged to the Sumatran orangutan species, a rarer breed of orangutan now critically endangered due to illegal logging and poaching." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ah_Meng

And that's it for April and for now. In the meantime, if you want to carry on reading about the minutiae of Discworld re-releases, Pratchett-based screen projects, fangroup meetings and conventions, remember that Discworld Monthly is still going.

GNU Sir Pterry forever, and mind how you go, all of you!

– Annie Mac

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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info

    "The greatest scientists in the world have taught here for generations, he thought as he made himself a cup of tea, and still our children ask us: Are there ghosts? What a piece of work is Man...

    "He stepped outside, stirring the tea. The shining path glittered across the sky. Out in the lagoon, in the last ray of sunlight, a dolphin leaped into the air for the joy of the moment, the water drops making another shining path.

    "The old man smiled, and believed."

        – the closing paragraphs of Nation


   On this day in 1948, Terence David John Pratchett was born. In the course of a life that ended far too early, he brought joy, wisdom, knowledge, wit and enlightenment to millions of people, and the echoes of his life and work will continue to do so, quite probably for at least as many generations as stretched between the old man in Nation and the days of Mau's unexpected elevation to leadership of his unlikely nation.

   So on this day, please celebrate the man and his life and works. Give thanks to your memories of him, those of you who met him and those of you who only 'know' him through his books and advocacies. Keep his name in the Overhead. But please, please think twice about wishing him a happy birthday, because the Terry Pratchett who was born in 1948 no longer exists, so you'd be talking to a ghost. And Sir Terry, humanist to the core to and through the end of his days, did not encourage a belief in ghosts.


GNU Pterry, creator of worlds and improver of this one




Photo credit: Secret World

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
April 2019 (Volume 22, Issue 4, 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 Technomancer: Jason Parlevliet
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) GOOD OMENS NEWS
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
08) ROUNDWORLD TALES
09) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
10) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"Episode four, look out for a scene in a small movie theatre where Crowley is watching a cartoon about bunnies. Not only will you see me passed out dead drunk in the audience, but all of the voices of the bunnies are me."
– Neil Gaiman on Twitter, 11th March 2019

"Although a price-tag for the big-budget adaptation has yet to emerge, the David Tennant and Michael Sheen-fronted Good Omens – the first co-production between BBC Studios and Amazon Studios – is a technicolor feast for the eyes, elevated by state-of-the-art tech that creates an immersive and otherworldly experience for audiences."
– journalist Manori Ravindran, in conversation with the Good Omens production team

"If you look at Lord Of The Rings on the big screen now, you can see where certain things are stitched together. You won’t see that with Good Omens. We’re now at that point with CGI where it is entirely believable. It’s the first time in history where TV budgets are at that level."
– Rob Wilkins throws down the Gauntlet of Hyperbole

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02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

The best way to remember Sir Terry Pratchett on the day of his birth? I'd say read and re-read, introduce new readers to his body of work, encourage young readers to investigate the Johnny Maxwell books and the Tiffany Aching books and Nation and Dodger, quote from the Discworld books whenever an opportunity arises, learn more about orangutans and dementia and support the relevant charities and research organisations whenever you can, and re-read again and again and again...

...and keep his name in the Overhead.

GNU Terence David John Pratchett, 1948-2015

*

A wee birthday remembrance from Rob Wilkins: https://twitter.com/terryandrob/status/1122478012044382208

...and one from the Ankh-Morpork Consulate aka the Discworld Emporium: https://twitter.com/Discworldshoppe/status/1122455011957645312

Department of editorial about an editorial: it's worth having a read of the editorial in the most recent Discworld Monthly (issue 265). It's about rude fan behaviour, or should I say misbehaviour. And since I generally agree with the "...say nothing at all" ethos (which is why I don't promote some new Discworld covers and Discworld artwork), I have to add my voice to this with an eye-roll-accompanied "oh FFS do play nice, people" when it comes to social media. Nuff said.

Meanwhile, here be an adorable "trailer" for NADWCON 2019. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/W3iuE_Zwtlg?t=51

And now, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) GOOD OMENS NEWS

3.0 SNIPPETS

A behind-the-scenes trailer (halfway down the page):
https://www.chortle.co.uk/video/2019/04/18/42845/good_omens:_behind_the_scenes_trailer

According to Neil Gaiman, Sir Pterry's hat and scarf make an appearance in the Good Omens miniseries, hanging up in Aziraphale's bookshop.

News about about a certain omission in the series: "In the novel, War, Famine, Pollution and Death trick members of the Hell's Angels bikers into joining them, promising them a place in their group. They invite them to come with them to the very location where the end of the world will begin. The bikers then start brainstorming potential apocalyptic names for themselves. If the real McCoys represented the worst things imaginable like famine and war, the ideas they threw around were relatable but not as horrible sounding. They thought of stuff like Grievous Bodily Harm, Embarrassing Personal Problems and Things Not Working Properly Even After You've Thumped Them. The horsemen, even though they liked to roll on their motorcycles, didn't keep their promises with their fellow bikers. They only wanted these mortals to die a fiery death as part of their affinity for trivial pursuit. In the end, all horsemen sidekicks except one met their demise in a catastrophic road accident before all of them could choose their names. Death, naturally, reaped their souls not long after. This was a shocking moment in the book that further demonstrated the monstrosity that the real horsemen are capable of. Unfortunately, fans won't be able to see it happen in the small screen..."

https://www.latintimes.com/good-omens-series-had-cut-4-characters-due-budget-constraints-435892

3.1 TIE-IN BOOKS FOR GOOD OMENS!

From The Bookseller:

"Headline has acquired two books to tie-in with a new TV series based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens. The deal between Headline and BBC Studios Productions was negotiated by Neil Gaiman’s agent Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House. Gaiman wrote the programme and is its showrunner. Produced by BBC Studios Productions in association with Narrativia and the Blank Corporation, it will air on Amazon Prime Video on 31st May 2019 and appear later on the BBC. Headline will publish Gaiman’s screenplay, The Quite Nice and Fairly Accurate Good Omens Script Book, which will feature a foreword and commentary by him, including deleted scenes. Headline is planning a major, multi-platform campaign to support its release. It will also publish the fully illustrated making-of book, The Nice and Accurate Good Omens TV Companion, which provides behind-the-scenes insight into the making of the show, in-depth interviews, photographs, costume boards and set designs. Writer Matt Whyman had extensive access to the TV set and the people who worked on the show. Both books will be published on 31st May. Mari Evans, Headline managing director, said: 'It is our absolute privilege to be a part of the extraordinary production that Neil and the Good Omens cast and crew have made a reality. Neil’s reinvention of the novel he wrote with Terry Pratchett is nothing short of magical and is sure to delight old fans and bring in hordes of new ones. Readers and viewers are going to be amazed by the scope of the production and by the insight into it these two books are going to give them.'..."

https://www.thebookseller.com/news/headline-acquires-two-tie-books-gaimans-good-omens-tv-series-959891

3.2 ...AND, OF COURSE, THE PAUL KIDBY VERSION:

From Paul Kidby's newsletter:

"The end is nigh! With an impending deadline looming, I’m in the final throes of finishing the additional illustrations drawn exclusively for the Good Omens Dunmanifestin editions... There are three steps to every illustration – the pencil drawing, a tonal sketch and finally the colour version. Over these last few months, I have worn countless colour pencils into stubs… Once the artwork is finished, my sigh of relief will be a swift one, as there are still a few more things to do. That is, adding the final touches to the wonderfully varied and eclectic collection of ephemera, to accompany the Ineffable and Celestial editions. The content of this ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous – it’s been a lot of fun making it!

"It goes without saying that producing the artwork and overseeing the design of these editions has been a big responsibility. I am extremely grateful for my amazingly good-tempered production team – my wife Vanessa, Harry Hall and Alex Stott: they have all shared the load and brought invaluable creative input. And of course, not forgetting our loyal whippet studio helper…. Designing a book, from concept art to final publication, is a multi-faceted project. The illustrations themselves are only part of the journey. There are a myriad of decisions to make, ranging from choosing paper to selecting the fonts, colours and formatting styles. We have pushed the parameters of what is possible with our long-suffering printers; at times, I’m sure, we’ve driven them mad with our relentless requests for foiling, laminating and embossing. Every element of the production has been carefully considered and either created in-house or in close collaboration with skilled artisans. We have given each Good Omens edition its own unique design identity, from the colour of the ribbon markers to the engineering of the presentation boxes. Hopefully, you will be just as thrilled with them as we are..."

...and an update:

"I hope you all enjoyed the sunshine over the Easter weekend. I got out into the great outdoors, planted up the veg patch and spent time with my family. I am now returned to work feeling refreshed and my signing hand is back in overdrive. I have to write a total of 4000 signatures overall, so it will be a welcome relief to get back to illustrating. The internal pages for Good Omens are now printed – it was an exciting moment to see them in their unbound form and realise the scale and heft of the Dunmanifestin editions. All the illustrations for the collection of ephemera to accompany the Ineffable and Celestial editions are finally finished, my last drawing was of Aziraphale by 'Leonardo'. This was a fitting bookend to complete the project as my very first drawing was of Crowley, as drawn by Leonardo.

"We are now just making the finishing touches to the three presentation boxes, including the beautiful wooden box for the Celestial edition which has been commissioned from a local cabinet makers. I am also focusing on the artwork and layout design for the 2020 Collectors Calendar, Discworld Destinations. I am revisiting some earlier illustrations and revising them, such as this picture of the Dunmanifestin, the home of the gods. Signed copies are now available to pre-order from my website..."

© Paul Kidby http://www.paulkidby.com

[Also see the Merch Corner segment in Odds and Sods, below – Ed.]

3.3 MAKING GOOD OMENS: BEHIND THE SCENES

An article in Television Business International that includes the backstory of the new scenes added by Neil Gaiman, discussion of the special effects, and how Amazon "taste tested" the series' essential Englishness on Americans:

"The creative team is upfront about the fact that, although the show is indisputably loyal to Gaiman and Pratchett’s source material, liberties have been taken to elevate the narrative. 'We’ve taken departures because [the TV show is] a different thing,' explains Mackinnon, highlighting Jon Hamm’s archangel Gabriel character. 'That character isn’t in the book but we needed him to be around for storytelling reasons. Very often an adaptation suffers because a book is written with the voice of the reader in mind, whereas we have to expand that onto the screen.' Elsewhere, while Shakespeare is mentioned once in the novel, the English writer gets an entire sequence shot out of London’s Globe Theatre in the show. In addition, Gaiman has written a half-hour explanation of Crowley’s backstory at the beginning of the third episode that is completely original. 'But the fans of the book will see that as a treat rather than a bad diversion,' assures Mackinnon... Lead stars Michael Sheen, who plays angel Aziraphale, and David Tennant, a demon named Crowley, tell TBI that with Neil Gaiman on board, the TV adaptation was able to be comfortably creative with scenes that enhanced the source material. 'There’s a fairly major section at the beginning of episode three, which in a series of 10 or so scenes we see the development of the relationship between Aziraphale and Crowley from the Garden of Eden, all the way through the history of the world, up to the present day,' says Sheen. 'It’s a major addition from the book and it was the scene we enjoyed the most.'..."

https://tbivision.com/2019/04/09/good-omens-adapting-the-unadaptable/

3.4 CRITIQUES OF THE NOVEL

Actually a critique of a critique! By Sam Jordison in The Guardian:

"The thing they say we should remember is that 'in those days Neil Gaiman was barely Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett was only just Terry Pratchett'. That’s not quite how I remember it. When I got hold of Good Omens, aged 14, I’d read just about everything Pratchett had published up to that point. The idea that he’d teamed up with a gothy longhair to write about the end of the world seemed about as big as book news got. By the time I realised the book existed in 1991, a year after it first came out, it was definitely a 'big deal'. Unusually for a so-called fantasy book, it had received favourable reviews in the UK press (alongside the notice in the Times that generated the memorable cover quote, 'not quite as sinister as the authors’ photo') – and it was selling in huge quantities. It had also launched in the US with considerable fanfare, and even more confusion. Publishers Weekly used the damning descriptor 'zany', while Joe Queenan in the New York Times seemed furious to be dealing with such an import. He first described the book as a cure for 'the recurring disease of Anglophilia' – and then really put the boot in: 'Good Omens is a direct descendant of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a vastly overpraised book or radio programme or industry or something that became quite popular in Britain a decade ago when it became apparent that Margaret Thatcher would be in office for some time and that laughs were going to be hard to come by.' I quote at length in humble appreciation of just how wrong we critics can be. It got worse for Queenan, who complained about 'an infuriating running gag about Queen, a vaudevillian rock group whose hits are buried far in the past and should have been buried sooner'. Ah yes, Queen. Who recalls them now? But I shouldn’t mock. It’s actually quite a witty review – and time embarrasses every critic sooner or later..."

https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2019/jan/15/good-omens-not-funny-neil-gaiman-terry-pratchett

...and a more personal review, also by Sam Jordison:

"Here I am, fondly describing Good Omens as some kind of panacea, when a good part of its power comes from something far darker. There may be plenty of affection for humanity here, but there’s also burning anger. There’s real rage about big, serious issues such as environmental desecration and the absurdities of religion. And there’s just as much fury about the little things. One of my favourite jokes in the book is about four bikers who try to become a back-up for the 'Four Horsepeople of the Apocalypse': War, Death, Famine and Pollution. The bikers become the four relatively minor inconveniences of the apocalypse with names such as Ansaphones, Cruelty to Animals, Things Not Working Properly Even After You’ve Given Them a Good Thumping and No-Bloody-Alcohol Lager. Harmless enough – but the joke only works because it’s bristling with genuine irritation.

"More painful to admit is the fact that the book may well have flaws. Every time I tried to think about them while I was reading, my thoughts slid away, just like they do from anyone in the book who tries to think too hard about the true nature of 11-year-old antichrist Adam. We are told, for instance that when the witch Anathema tries to work out anything about this strange boy, her thoughts 'slipped away like a duck off water'. Which pretty much sums things up. Because when I reached that passage I was laughing in delight..."

https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2019/jan/22/good-omens-is-so-enjoyable-it-seems-bad-form-to-spot-the-flaws

3.5 AZIRAPHALE IS A REAL-LIFE ANGEL

Michael Sheen has been quietly doing something good for the humans of a corner of this planet:

"Cameron is 18, about to move into a new flat and studying computer science at college with plans to go to university. He sounds like any other teenager but with one important difference – Cameron is rebuilding his life after becoming homeless at just 14. He is part of what one of Wales' biggest charities called a "hidden epidemic" of youth homelessness. Stories like his inspired actor Michael Sheen to help set up Wales' first national out-of-hours helpline. Cameron, not his real name, said his relationship with his family broke down so badly he had to leave... Cameron did not know where to find help or who to talk to – something other young people told Hollywood star Michael Sheen when he spoke with them about youth homelessness. That conversation led to the creation of the first national out of hours free helpline for young people at risk of homelessness..."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-47359492

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04) ODDS AND SODS

4.1 TROLL BRIDGE DATES

The finally completed Troll Bridge film is making its way around Fourecks! The following dates are all part of the Australia-wide Flickerfest International Short Film festival:

3rd May: Hobart, TAS, Cygnet, TAS, and Darwin, NT (all listed for this date)
4th May: Hunter Valley, NSW
10th May: Birdsville, QLD
19th May: Kununurra, WA
13th June: Katherine, NT

It will also be shown at the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival in Llanelli – that's Wales, not Australia – on 27th May (European premiere, featuring a live Q&A with the cast and crew), and at NADWCON 2019 on 12th July (featuring Daniel Knight & Christian Bloch as guests).

http://www.trollbridge.film/screenings

4.2 PRAISING MORE THAN JUST DISCWORLD

From Aaqib Hasib in The Daily Star, a paean to the works of Pratchett that praises – rightly – far more than just the Discworld novels...

"The late great Sir Terry Pratchett was a force to be reckoned with in the domain of fantasy novels. While his contributions to the world of literature are innumerable, Pratchett's life encompassed a lot more than just the art of writing books. In 2007, when he was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, Pratchett took a step in a different direction by publicly announcing his diagnosis. Pratchett's casual acceptance of his illness, along with his nonchalant humour on the issue, helped bring to light a disease that wasn't as popular back then. While dwelling on the passing of Sir Pratchett is almost heartbreaking for me, there is definitely a reward in being able to introduce readers to the world of fiction which he created... Pratchett spent his life writing, almost effortlessly, books for children and adults of all ages. And if nothing else, his body of work continues to entertain and captivate audiences to this day. So whether it's to celebrate his life, or just because you need a book to read, go give Terry Pratchett's works a go..."

https://www.thedailystar.net/shout/literature-0/news/the-world-terry-pratchett-1708084

4.3 A CELEBRATION OF PRATCHETT'S STEALTH PHILOSOPHY

By Angie Barry on MyWeb Times:

"More than any other author, Pratchett shaped me as a person. Four years later, his absence remains a sharp, painful hole. I take comfort in his prodigious legacy, though, particularly in the 50-plus stories set in his Discworld universe. Discworld belongs in the same eschelon[sic] as Middle-Earth and Narnia, a place that looks like our world only slanted. Where all of the usual fantasy tropes – bearded dwarves and scatterbrained wizards and rocky trolls – live but prove to be much more complex than a first blush would suggest. Like Shakespeare, Pratchett had a gift for witty wordplay and twisting established plots into fresh, vital, new stories. He riffed on the Bard frequently, as well as fairy tales, action movies, Hammer Horror, mythology and more. His books have at least three laughs a page, with their mixture of slapstick, goofy characters and unapologetic puns. But they're also astonishingly deep. Pratchett is one of the few authors who can make you laugh, cry and seriously think all in the span of a chapter. While many are intimidated by the sheer size of the series, I'll never stop singing its praises or coaxing newcomers into this rich, wild, poignant world..."

Barry then lists and briefly analyses her six favourite Discworld "stealth philosophy" books, including Small Gods, Feet of Clay, Hogfather, Thud!, Monstrous Regiment, and Snuff.

https://www.mywebtimes.com/2019/03/13/the-b-list-the-deeper-themes-of-discworld/a3cnb2s/

4.4 THE MERCH CORNER

From Paul Kidby, "Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Destinations, Collector’s Edition 2020 Calendar"

Signed Copy. All calendars are hand signed by Paul Kidby.

"The calendar dates are extensive, and exhaustively researched, and include all major real-time calendrical data for Great Britain, Eire, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA, as well as notable Discworld dates. This year's calendar draws upon the whimsical, remarkable art of long-time Discworld collaborator, Paul Kidby – the man whose depictions Terry Pratchett himself described as being 'the closest anyone's got to how I see the characters'."

The Discworld Destinations Collector's Edition 2020 calendar is published by Victor Gollancz Ltd. Each calendar measures 300x300mm, is priced at £18.50 (price includes free shipping in the UK only) and will be available from August. For more details, and to pre-order, go to:

https://shop.paulkidby.com/terry-pratchetts-discworld-destinations-collectors-edition-2020-calendar/

...and an action replay of those wonderful new Good Omens special editions:

"The iconic fantasy novel from Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman becomes definitive! First published in 1990, translated into multiple languages and released in numerous editions across the world, Good Omens has spawned a BBC radio series and now a primetime television series from Amazon Studios and BBC Worldwide. Illustrated for the first time by artist and longterm Pratchett-collaborator Paul Kidby, using a new definitive text, agreed by Neil Gaiman and the Terry Pratchett Estate, these five editions represent the ultimate culmination of the imaginations of the UK’s two foremost fantasy authors."

You can pre-order through Discworld.com or PaulKidby.com. The standard hardcover and standard slipcase editions will be published on 4th April 2019; the Occult, Ineffable and Celestial editions will follow on 20th June 2019, although there's a disclaimer saying "Production time for the Celestial Edition will vary" -- understandable, as you'll see when you read the description below! Please note that prices listed below are "recommended" and may be higher.

In standard hardcover, 234 x 153mm: "Hardback with 12 colour illustrations and 5 pencil illustrations." Priced at £30 each.

...and standard slipcase, same size: "Slipcase hardback with 12 colour illustrations and 5 black and white illustrations. Numbered tipped-in sheet signed by Paul Kidby.' Priced at £75 each.

The Occult edition, 305 x 230mm: 'Hardback in a clamshell box, with metallic red page edges, 17 colour illustrations with additional pencil illustrations. Numbered tipped-in sheet signed by Paul Kidby." Limited to 1655 copies and priced at £95.

The Ineffable edition, same size: "Hardback in a deluxe presentation box, with gold page edges, 17 colour illustrations with additional pencil illustrations. Numbered tipped-in sheet signed by Neil Gaiman & Paul Kidby. Separate folio of Good Omens ephemera." Limited to, yes, 666 copies and priced at £295.

And last but definitely not least, the Celestial edition, also same size: "Leather-bound hardback in an artisan presentation box, with gold foil page edges, 17 colour illustrations with additional pencil illustrations. Each copy individually hand-printed and bound. Named tipped-in sheets, each corresponding to a letter of the Greek alphabet, signed by Neil Gaiman & Paul Kidby. Separate folio of Good Omens ephemera." Limited to 24 copies and priced at... well, you have to ask!

For more information, and to order, go to: http://goodomensillustrated.com/

4.5 ORANGUTAN NEWS

A newly discovered orangutan species is more endangered than before:

"The world's most endangered orangutans could be pushed towards extinction after an Indonesian court approved a controversial dam project, say campaigners... The region is home to the Tapanuli orangutans, which were only identified as a new species in 2017. Only 800 of them remain in the wild and they all live in this ecosystem. One scientist, who acted as an expert witness in the case, told the BBC the move would 'put the orangutans on a firm path to extinction'. The billion-dollar hydropower dam, scheduled for completion in 2022, will be constructed in the heart of the Batang Toru rainforest, which is also home to agile gibbons and Sumatran tigers... Environmental group the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) had earlier this year filed a lawsuit against the North Sumatra administration, challenging its decision to green-light the project. But the Medan State Administrative Court in North Sumatra has now rejected the lawsuit, clearing the way for the dam to be built..."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47451354

...and a small ray of hope:

"Scott Kennedy and Fergus Moore said they came up with a unique way to extract oil from used coffee grounds which had a wide range of uses. Palm oil is found in many household products, but environmentalists say demand for it is devastating rainforests in Asia. Manufacturers are now under pressure to find an alternative. Mr Moore told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: 'About 60% of a cafe's waste is about coffee grounds. In Scotland, that amounts to about 40,000 tonnes a year – across the UK, more than half a million tonnes. And coffee grounds are so heavy that it takes their waste bill through the roof.' Explaining the idea behind his Revive Eco company, Mr Moore said: 'There are oils in coffee with a wide range of uses in different industries – cosmetics pharmaceuticals, food and drink, household products – you name it, there's probably a use there. We're developing a process to extract and purify these oils." Mr Moore added: "The most exciting part for us is that they have all the same components as palm. Palm oil's in the news for all the wrong reasons. It's really exciting for us that we could potentially provide a local and more sustainable alternative to all the industries that are currently using palm oil.'..."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-48023412

4.6 ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

A new avenue of possible treatment? Pallab Ghosh reports for BBC news:

"New results suggest ageing brains can potentially be rejuvenated, at least in mice, according to researchers. Very early-stage experiments indicate that drugs can be developed to stop or even reverse mental decline. The results were presented at the 2019 meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The US and Canadian researchers took two new approaches to trying to prevent the loss of memory and cognitive decline that can come with old age. One team, from the University of California, Berkeley, showed MRI scans which indicated that mental decline may be caused by molecules leaking into the brain. Blood vessels in the brain are different from those in other parts of the body. They protect the organ by allowing only nutrients, oxygen and some drugs to flow through into the brain, but block larger, potentially damaging molecules. This is known as the blood-brain barrier. The scans revealed that this barrier becomes increasingly leaky as we get older. For example, 30-40% of people in their 40s have some disruption to their blood-brain barrier, compared with 60% of 60-year-olds. The scans also showed that the brain was inflamed in the leaky areas. Prof Daniela Kaufer, who leads the Berkeley group, said that young mice altered to have leaky blood-brain barriers showed many signs of aging. She discovered a chemical that stops the damage to the barrier from causing inflammation to the brain. Prof Kaufer told BBC News that not only did the chemical stop the genetically altered young mice from showing signs of aging, it reversed the signs of aging in older mice..."

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47234787

In The Guardian, another approach, reported by Philip Ball:

"Half a million people in the UK are living with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. And while the risks generally increase with age, thousands are afflicted under the age of 65. Inheritable genetic conditions can lead to familial Alzheimer’s, which can afflict people as young as 30... Some medications can reduce memory loss and aid concentration, but these merely alleviate the symptoms or boost the performance of those neurons in the brain that remain unaffected. They do nothing to stop or slow down the killing-off of brain cells by this neurodegenerative condition. It is a bleak picture. Part of the problem with developing drugs is that the causes of Alzheimer’s are still not fully understood. Moreover, the disease is also challenging to combat because, like cancer, it is not caused by an invading pathogen. It arises from our own biology – from something that our cells are prone to doing. But, also like cancer, one of the most promising current approaches to a cure enlists our body’s own defences, using the immune system to ward off the disease by means of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy works in the same way as vaccines, by helping the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells, and many researchers and some pharmaceutical companies are now striving to make a vaccine against Alzheimer’s. Some immunotherapeutic drugs are now in clinical trials, being tested on human volunteers to see if they are safe and effective. There is good reason to hope that the vaccination strategy might ultimately be effective for treating or warding off this widespread, devastating and fatal condition..."

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/03/alzheimers-disease-immune-system-immunotherapy-vaccine

...and also in The Guardian, some news of possible interest, as reported by Hannah Devlin:

"A decline in memory as a result of ageing can be temporarily reversed using a harmless form of electrical brain stimulation, scientists have found. The findings help explain why certain cognitive skills decline significantly with age and raise the prospect of new treatments. 'Age-related changes are not unchangeable,' said Robert Reinhart, a neuroscientist at Boston University, who led the work. 'We can bring back the superior working memory function that you had when you were much younger.' The study focused on a part of cognition called working memory, the brain system that holds information for short periods while we are making decisions or performing calculations. Working memory is crucial for a wide variety of tasks, such as recognising faces, doing arithmetic and navigating a new environment. Working memory is known to steadily decline with age, even in the absence of any form of dementia. One factor in this decline is thought to be a disconnection between two brain networks, known as the prefrontal and temporal regions. In young people, the electrical brain activity in these two regions tends to be rhythmically synchronised, which scientists think allows information to be exchanged between the two brain areas. However, in older people the activity tends to be less tightly synchronised. This may be as result of deterioration of the long-range nerve connections that link up the different parts of the brain.

"In the study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, 42 people aged 20–29 and 42 people aged 60–76 were assessed in a working memory task. The older group were slower and less accurate on the tests. The scientists then subjected them all to 25 minutes of non-invasive brain stimulation. This aimed to synchronise the two target brain regions by passing gentle pulses of electricity through the scalp and into the brain. After the intervention, working memory in the older adults improved to match the younger group and the effect appeared to last for 50 minutes after the stimulation. Those who had scored worst to start with showed the largest improvements..."

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/apr/08/scientists-use-electrical-pulses-reverse-memory-decline-ageing

4.7 A WORLD OF FANTASY IN EASY REACH

The Azrian Portal is an "online fantasy fiction platform" that was first started as a resource for free-access short stories in the genre. Now the site has launched a series of guides to fantasy fiction:

"Included within the series is an insight into the new fantasy books of 2019, the best dark fantasy books available and a guide to epic fantasy. A look at the best fantasy fiction of all time is also featured, with works from authors such as Tolkien, Terry Pratchett and G.R.R Martin all making the list. 'As the genre continues to see increased interest, it felt important to help newcomers to fantasy find the books that will really resonate with them.' States James Speyer, writer for The Azrian Portal. 'There is such a wealth of content out there, and so many books to read, but we all know how limited time can be. Many fantasy books range into the hundreds of thousands of words, and a series can last a lifetime." Speyer continues. "These guides to the best new and old fantasy fiction are designed to be a jumping off point for those who want to make the most of their reading potential and find the perfect novels for them.'..."

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/480794538/online-fiction-platform-launches-fantasy-guide-series
https://www.theazrianportal.com/

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05) 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.

* WYRD SISTERS IN RICKMANSWORTH (APRIL)

The Rickmansworth Players will be staging their production of Wyrd Sisters this week!

When: tonight (30th April)–4th May
Venue: Watford Pump House Theatre, Local Board Road, Watford, WD17 2JP UK
Time: 7.30pm all evening shows, matinee on the 4th at 2.30pm
Tickets: £12–£14, available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/296620 or via the box office (phone 03336663366)

https://www.rickmansworth-players.org.uk

* LORDS AND LADIES IN BASILDON (MAY)

The Thalian Theatre Group is back with another Discworld production. This time it's Lords and Ladies!

When: 2nd–4th May
Venue: Mirren Studio, Basildon Towngate theatre, Towngate Theatre, St Martin's Square, Basildon, Essex SS14 1DL
Time: 7.45pm all shows
Tickets: £13 (concessions £11, disabled £9), available from https://towngatetheatre.co.uk/lords-and-ladies/ or via the box office (phone 01268205300)

* GOOD OMENS IN WOLLONGONG, FOURECKS (MAY)

Amazon Prime may have the big-budget version of Good Omens, but the MerrigongX theatre company has the musical!

"An apocalyptically atypical new musical based on the novel by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman. Music & Lyrics by Vicki Larnach. Book by Jim Hare, Jay James-Moody & Vicki Larnach. Based on the novel by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman. According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world’s only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner. The armies of good and evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, fish are falling, and everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. A fussy angel and a fast-living demon are not looking forward to the impending rapture. They team up to circumvent the end of days but there is one problem. Someone seems to have misplaced the Anti-Christ."

When: 3rd and 4th May 2019
Venue: Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, 32 Burelli Street, Wollongong,
Time: evening shows both days 7.30pm; matinee on the 4th at 1.30pm. Running time is approximately 2 hours 20 minutes including an interval.
Tickets: $30 (pensioners/concessions $18), available now from https://sa2.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/EventSearch?presenter=AUMTCO&event=GOOD19 (note: per transaction fee of $6.95 applies for phone and online bookings)

https://merrigong.com.au/shows/good-omens-development-showing/

* WYRD SISTERS IN EAST SUSSEX (MAY)

Crowborough Community Centre will present "a hilarious stage version of Terry Pratchett’s classic novel" Wyrd Sisters in May. It's their first-ever Discworld play!

When: 10th–11th May 2019
Venue: Crowborough Community Centre, Pine Grove, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6
Time: 7.45pm all evening shows: also, 2.30pm matinee on the 11th
Tickets: £9.50 (£8 concessions), available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/thecrowboroughplayers or by ringing 01892 300 567
"There is no age restriction, so younger children are welcome but note that, unlike our pantomimes, the production isn't aimed at a younger audience. Any questions, email crowborough.tickets@gmail.com or call 01892 300567."

https://crowborough.weebly.com/spring-play1.html

* WYRD SISTERS IN SUFFOLK (MAY)

The Deben Players, an amateur company that has been presenting plays for over 50 years, will stage Wyrd Sisters in May. It's a Discworld first for them as well!

When: 22nd–25th May 2019
Venue: Seckford Theatre, Burkitt Road, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4JJ
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £12 (£10 concessions), available online at http://debenplayers.net/tickets

https://debenplayers.net

* MEN AT ARMS IN CHESHAM (JUNE)

Chesham Bois Catholic Players are back with a new Discworld play, Men at Arms! "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. It’s the Century of the Fruitbat and modernisation and diversity have come to the Night Watch. 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 Corporal Detritus a troll, Lance-constables Cuddy (little known fact both male and females have beards and the female of the species is the dominant one). Certainly, unbeknown to the recruiting office of the Watch with a diversity quota to fill. So, he was desperate for a female recruit when Angua turned up (she is a bit more diverse then most as she is werewolf). A fact the recruiter was also unaware of..."

When: 1st, 7th and 8th June 2019
Venue: Chesham Little Theatre, Church Street, Chesham, Bucks HP5 1HU
Time: TBA
Tickets: TBA

www.littletheatrechesham.co.uk
www.cbcplayers.co.uk
https://twitter.com/CBCPlayers

And later in the year...

* MEN AT ARMS IN CARDIFF (AUGUST)

Peculiar Productions continue the Cardiff tradition of fine Discworld plays with a new production of Men at Arms! "The City Watch needs men! And women, of course. Not to mention dwarfs, trolls, gargoyles, and whatever Nobby Nobbs actually is. Commander Vimes needs to make sure they can all get along, and fast – because no-one else can stop a deadly secret that stalks the streets…"

Adapted by Stephen Briggs. Directed by Matthew Hitchman.

When: 21st–24th August 2019,
Venue: The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff
Time: TBA
Tickets: available online via https://peculiarproductions.co.uk/tickets/ More info on prices TBA

https://peculiarproductions.co.uk/

* MASKERADE IN BRISBANE (SEPTEMBER)

Brisbane Arts Theatre continue their justified love affair with Discworld plays with a new production of Maskerade!

When: 14th September–12th October 2019 (Thursdays through Sundays)
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace, QLD 4000
Time: all Thursday shows 7.30pm, all Friday and Saturday shows 8pm, all Sunday shows 6.30pm
Tickets: $23–34, available online at https://bit.ly/2IOWLdw or via the box office (phone (07) 3369 2344)

https://www.artstheatre.com.au/maskerade

* MASKERADE IN ELTHAM[1] (OCTOBER)

Eldorado Musical Productions will be staging their production of Maskerade in October!

When: 9th–12th October 2019
Venue: Bob Hope Theatre, Wythfield Road, Eltham SE9 5TG (box office phone 0208 850 3702)
Time: 7.45pm all evening shows; matinee at 2.30pm on the 12th
Tickets: £15 (£13 on opening night), not yet available but will be via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bob-hope-theatre and from the Box Office which is open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10am–1pm.

http://www.eldoradomusicalproductions.co.uk/maskerade/4594338795

[1] Note for Fourecksians: that's Eltham in Greater London, not the one in Melbourne – Ed.

* GOING POSTAL IN EMERALD, FOURECKS (OCTOBER)

The Gemco Players will present their production of Going Postal in October! "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: 11th–26th October 2019 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only)
Venue: Gem Community Arts Centre, 19 Kilvington Drive, Emerald, VIC 3782
Time: all Friday and Saturday shows 8pm; Sunday matinees 2pm
Tickets: prices TBA. Tickets will be available online via https://www.trybooking.com/BAGWG from 9pm on 11th August

https://gemco-players.squarespace.com/whatson/2018/12/5/going-postal

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06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), will next meet on Monday 6th May, starting at an earlier than usual 1pm due to the Bank Holiday, and will be held outdoors if weather permits.

Drummers' April meet report, by Helen: "[This month] we met a week later than usual. The reason for the change was the Irish Discworld Convention and much of the talk centred on that. I took part in the convention dramatics, as did Chico, who was also present last night. We told everyone how the election that formed the convention dramatics story was hijacked when someone added a ballot box for an anarchist dwarf character (played by Helen C) who then won the election by a landslide. This was so typically Discworld and a brilliant, if unforseen conclusion. I showed everyone pictures of myself as Frau Gateau, a rather unkind witch and Chico as Igor as well as the cast photos. These are all available on the Facebook page. I was asked if anything was recorded. The answer is yes but I'm not sure how much and I don't yet have permission to share it. Watch this space. Charles did a quiz on Making Money, which was less difficult than his last quiz but still quite difficult. I won, beating my husband by half a point. I nevertheless cursed myself for not being able to remember the name of the female golem (Gladys)... We now have a WhatsApp group, if you would like to join, please send me your number..."

https://twitter.com/BrokenDrummers/status/1117105124667793408

For more information, email BrokenDrummers@gmail.com or nicholls.helen@yahoo.co.uk or join their Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/55107511411/permalink/10156634038566412/

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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."

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 a pub or restaurant in Adelaide. We have dinner at 6.30pm followed by games until 9pm. 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 a Going Postal discussion on 11th May, and the monthly dinner (at the Seven Stars Hotel) on 30tyh May.

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 2nd May (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 3rd May (possibly) 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 6th May (possibly) 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 6th May (possibly) at Old Shanghai, 123 James Street, Northbridge, Perth, Western Australia. For details 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 Queer and Confused completely "gets" the Pratchett ability to write sympathetic characters:

"I’ve just finished rereading Unseen Academicals, in it there is genderqueer polyamorous couple. The characters have depth, warmth, and at no point did they feel tokenistic, they felt like real people. The book was published when Pratchett was 61, 2 years after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. This empathy, the depth he displayed in characters so beyond his own experience, is why I love his books, why I’m glad his writing was such a strong presence during my formative years. Treating others experiences generously and understanding the variety in human experiences is such a beautiful thing..."

https://queerdoconfusion.wordpress.com/2019/02/13/pondering-pratchett/

Blogger Hedgehog O'Brien on the real-world importance of reading Discworld:

I’ve been on a Discworld re-read for about a year now, and it just struck me how Pterry gets progressively angrier and less subtle about it throughout the series. Like, we start out nice and easy with Rincewind who’s on some wacky adventures and ha ha ha oh golly that Twoflower sure is silly and the Luggage is epic, where can I get one. Meanwhile Rincewind just wants to live out his boring days as a boring Librarian but is dragged along against his will by an annoying little tourist guy... then you get to Small Gods, in which organized religion is eviscerated so thoroughly that if it was human, even the Quisition would say it’s gone a bit too far while at the same time not condemning people having faith which is kind of an important distinction. You get to Men at Arms and I encourage everybody with an opinion on the Second Amendment to read that one. You get to Jingo, Monstrous Regiment, Going Postal (featuring an evil CEO who is squeezing his own company dry to get to every last penny, not caring one lick about his product or his workers or his customers or anything else and who, coincidentally, works out of Tump Tower. I’m not making this up). And just when you think, whew, this is getting a bit much but hey, look, he wrote YA as well! And it’s about this cute little girl who wants to be a witch and has help from a lot of rowdy blue little men, this will be fun! A bit of a break from all the anger! Wrong. The Tiffany Aching books are the angriest of all. But you know what the great thing is? The great thing is that Pterry’s anger is the kind of fury that makes you want to get up and do something about it..."

http://hedgehog-o-brien.tumblr.com/post/172200514396/ive-been-on-a-discworld-re-read-for-about-a-year

Blogger Dial H for Houston's admiring review of Men at Arms:

"Terry Pratchett books are really, really hard to review. It’s easy enough to roast some dollar-bin sci-fi schlock (which I honestly haven’t done in awhile), but if you do it too much you almost don’t know what to make of a good book. And Men At Arms is pretty dang good, guys. Men At Arms is the 15th Discworld novel, and the second in Pratchett’s ‘Watch Series,’ the collection of novels centered on Sam Vimes, captain of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch... The Watch novels are arguably the best of the Discworld books, as they’re a fun combination of crime, fantasy, and comedy. Of course, this being Pratchett, it’s not just hijinks and shameless puns. Rather, Ankh-Morpork, a sprawling, dirty complicated city, acts as something of a reflection of our own world. For example, the growing populations of dwarfs and trolls coming to the city are obvious metaphors for immigration and cultural assimilation– themes that come to the fore as we get the first appearances of key Watch members like Detritus the troll, or Angua Von Uberwald, werewolf. Honestly, Men at Arms is pretty interesting in that it’s something of a turning point, in which Pratchett starts really developing and changing the setting of Discworld into its own thing, rather than a charmingly ramshackle pastiche of other fantasy books. I haven’t read the entirety of Pratchett’s work (so at least I’ve still got something to look forward to), but I dare say Men at Arms is the first great Discworld novel..."

https://dialhforhouston.wordpress.com/2019/02/18/book-review-terry-pratchetts-men-at-arms/

Blogger The English Student is back with yet more possibly overthought thoughts on Maskerade:

"There’s something very Twelfth Night about this novel: the Opera House is a place where people experiment with their identities, slip into new roles, as it were. Agnes reinvents herself as Perdita X. Nitt (“Perditax”, as Nanny Ogg insists on calling her), a person she feels is more interesting and thinner (more on that later) than Agnes is. Nanny Ogg becomes A Lancre Witch, bestselling author of a cookbook that puts Nigella Lawson’s innuendoes to shame. A painfully shy young man finds confidence and grace when he puts on a mask. It’s good fun seeing the witches confronted with this chaotic role-play: Pratchett tends to put them in stories about stories anyway, about how stories shape our perceptions of ourselves and others, and how we perform those stories. But I think Maskerade is a weaker example of the type: I’m not convinced that its anarchic performative play has a point beyond itself. It’s just fun. The Opera House, and its particular superstitions and narratives, is important in that it allows for this kind of experimentation, but it is ultimately a closed world, beholden only to itself..."

https://englishstudens.wordpress.com/2019/02/21/review-maskerade/

...and on Feet of Clay:

"As with all of the Discworld novels, the plot is so encrusted with wordplay and humour and rich vital detail that it’s pretty much vestigial, but it is, more or less, a murder mystery... There is, in other words, a lot going on. That’s one of the great joys of the Ankh-Morpork novels, though: how full they are of life and incident, of the anarchic and wonderful energies of the archetypal city. (Ankh-Morpork is pretty obviously a mirror of London, with its great curving polluted river, its Isle of Gods, its defunct city gates.) Much of that energy is generated by the social tensions the novel lays out, conflicts between old and new: the centuries-old vampire who manipulates short-lived humans like pawns on a chessboard comes up against the newly-relevant Watch and its stubbornly working-class Commander Vimes, fast rising to prominence; the brand-new concept of dwarf femininity attracts the opprobrium of much of dwarf-kind; the idea of golems suddenly having rights and thoughts and plans of their own is abhorrent, even terrifying, to Ankh-Morpork’s citizenry. But there’s nothing schematic or straightforward about this broad pattern of tension..."

https://englishstudens.wordpress.com/2019/03/07/review-feet-of-clay/

Blogger Tyson Adams' very positive five-star review of The Light Fantastic:

"Luggage that doesn’t get lost? This must be a fantasy novel. After shooting off the edge of the Discworld in The Colour of Magic, Rincewind and Twoflower are magically returned to the Disc for reasons unknown. The world turtle, Great A’Tuin, is swimming through space, excited about the red star it is approaching. The Wizards have noticed the red star and the magical change that allowed Rincewind and Twoflower to return, allowing them to uncover an ancient prophecy. Can the prophecy be fulfilled before Great A’Tuin reaches their destination? When I finished The Colour of Magic I was a little peeved. Whilst a continuing story cliffhanger is a common fantasy trope, a book satirising fantasy tropes should surely rise above such shenanigans. That downgraded my rating to 4 stars. Happily, The Light Fantastic finished the story started in The Colour of Magic in a highly entertaining fashion..."

https://tysonadams.com/2019/02/22/book-review-the-light-fantastic-by-terry-pratchett/

Blogger 42dentarthurdent's take on promoting the Discworld series to newbies:

"With so many books in the series, it can be seen as a rather daunting endeavour to begin reading, and the subseries can tend to confuse the matter. Every Discworld fan has different opinions on where a new reader should start, although almost none will ever tell you to read them all chronologically. This is because while Colour of Magic is the first book in the series, as well as the beginning of the Rincewind subseries, it isn’t the finest example of the overall works. This was when he was just getting started and the Discworld was still a rough diamond. Personally, I enjoy reading from the very beginning to the very end because of that. You can see how both the Disc grows from being just a satirical parody of other fantasy worlds to its own distinct thing, and how PTerry grows as a writer and person... Equal Rites is the first real foray into what the Discworld will come to be known for... It’s by simple twist of fate that the eighth son’s eighth son to whom the dying wizard leaves his staff, turns out to be a girl. This is also the introduction to one of my favourite characters, Granny Weatherwax, a very senior witch. It’s from those first few books that the entire world sprung, and yet most fans of the series tend to avoid recommending them because of their unpolished nature in comparison to the rest of the series...

"The subseries of the Discworld are Rincewind, the Witches, the Watch, Death/Susan (his granddaughter), Moist von Lipwig, Tiffany Aching (his YA Disc books), Science of the Discworld (which interacts with our own), and arguably the Wizards. I say arguably because apart from Moving Pictures and Unseen Academicals, their books all fit into other subseries as well, generally Rincewind’s which is why they’re often simply lumped together... There are other books in the series as well, very good books indeed, but those don’t fit neatly into subseries the way the ones I’ve mentioned do. The beauty of the Discworld is that despite the fact that all the stories are interwoven to create the vast story of the world, it’s possible to pick up any book in the series and enjoy it by itself..."

https://loremipsum.family.blog/2019/02/25/introduction-to-the-discworld/

...and blogger Specfictlit's, on the "Death series":

"While the Discworld Death isn’t the definitive version, he does loom large. Possibly because like most classical depictions, he’s a skeleton in a big black robe toting a scythe. Like with many of his creations, Terry takes the base elements, the universally recognised characteristics and gets to work in playing around with them. In his endless inhumanity, the Discworld death possesses character. He has a fondness for cats, he tries hard to be creative and caring but makes fundamental mistakes. Death is gentle and terrible and, when the going gets tough, he’s always there. And this is the only Discworld strand so far where I haven’t had to look up the plots. Of course, there are deathly cameos in most of the books of the series but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t get his own series to make feature appearances..."

https://specfictlit.wordpress.com/2019/02/28/ranking-my-journey-through-the-discworld-so-far-death-edition/

Blogger Hobbleit returns with a review of Pyramids:

"I don’t think that Pyramids would have been a Discworld novel I ever would have read if I wasn’t trying to read more Pratchett which is a shame because I actually enjoyed reading it very much. It is typically Pratchett in style, very quirky and funny. There were several places where I was laughing out loud, especially the part where Teppic is arguing with the Sphinx over his riddle and Death’s cameo appearance was also very amusing. Then again, an appearance from Death can raise the quality of any story, in my opinion. The characters are fun to read. Teppic is an amusing protagonist, the son of the king who is sent to Ankh-Morpork to train to be an assassin and the camels were very funny to read. You Bastard has the best name ever. Also Ptraci, whose speech impediment means she says every ‘T’ word with a ‘P’ added on. Speaking of the names, only Terry Pratchett could get away with calling his Ancient Egyptian inspired region of the Discworld Djelibeybi. It’s such a daft joke but it really made me laugh. All in all I enjoyed Pyramids more than I expected. .."

https://hobbleit.wordpress.com/2019/02/25/terry-pratchett-read-a-thon-february-book-7-pyramids/

Blogger We Are Just Stories' paean to The Long Cosmos:

"I got really emotional at the end of this book, it’s the last in The Long Earth series and one of the last books Terry Pratchett wrote. Stephen Baxter wrote a lovely introduction at the beginning and said that the last time he saw Terry was when they wrote the last quarter of the book. The Long Cosmos is set nearly sixty years after Step Day when humans figured out how to step into endless parallel Earths. Over the series we’ve been far out into these worlds with Joshua, Sally, Lobsang and Maggie. In the third book, The Long Mars, Sally and her father went to explore the parallels of Mars, this was my favourite, The whole series is really clever and fascinating, but this story is another step up, the message from the stars and how we can reach them..."

https://wearejuststories.home.blog/2019/02/27/the-long-cosmos-review/

Blogger Too Many Posts' review of Monstrous Regiment:

"I bloody loved this. I was smiling and chuckling to myself throughout the book as Pratchett displays his usual flair for fast flowing, clever and incredibly funny writing. He layers in jokes throughout, with running gags, knowing asides and wry observations. Despite the fantastical setting, Pratchett is a student of the human condition, describing common failings, foibles and emotions. There’s a healthy skewering of the romantic way war is often presented, with Pratchett describing a conflict of chaos, blundering, needless death and foolhardy attempts to be a hero. Polly and her comrades have to navigate the near sighted bureaucracy of the military, deal with propaganda and shepherd a rather foolish officer through the war. Polly is the reasonably clever and level headed character in a world of fools, nutters and unlucky bastards, and her perspective allows us to see the characters up close, her own insights growing as she observes them. I really enjoyed how Pratchett slowly ramps up the ridiculousness of it all, adding in each daft development or twist in a way that never feels forced and just increases the humour of the novel..."

https://toomanyposts.wordpress.com/2019/03/04/book-review-monstrous-regiment-by-terry-pratchett/

Blogger The Idle Woman returns with her re-read review of Small Gods:

"If Pratchett’s early Discworld books are riffs on self-contained themes – whether that’s Ancient Egypt, Hollywood, Macbeth, or Faust – Small Gods broadens its scope slightly. The butts of the jokes are identifiable, with the Spanish Inquisition, Galileo and Greek philosophy coming in for a more or less equal share of satire, but there are also serious questions about the nature of faith. Pratchett’s gods are divided between the raucous, Olympian-style pantheon of big-hitters up on Cori Celesti, and the ‘small gods’ of the title: deities of spring or field or minor cities, who have come into existence through the power of their worshippers’ devotions. A god might come into being when a shepherd builds a cairn in gratitude for finding a lost lamb; that same god might rise to become the titular deity of a great civilisation; but in time, as the civilisation fails and times change, the god shrinks back into nothingness. There is only power so long as there is belief and those gods who’ve lost their believers fade into chittering voices in the wilderness... Just in case this sounds a bit serious, you can rest assured that there are plenty of fun moments..."

https://theidlewoman.net/2019/03/06/small-gods-terry-pratchett/

...and of Lords and Ladies:

"...we don’t only have witches, but wizards too! The faculty of Unseen University are shocked when Archchancellor Ridcully decides to attend the wedding of a minor Ramtop royal, heading off with a questionable escort of nervous young Ponder Stibbons, the frantic Bursar and the Librarian (who, in case you needed reminding, is an orangutan). But they might be even more shocked if they could see into Ridcully’s mind. For going back to Lancre is a way to revisit his youth, and face the results of decisions he made as a young man – decisions he’s always secretly wondered about. Obviously, just in case this is sounding a bit serious, there’s also Morris dancing, full choruses of those Discworld classics The Hedgehog Song and A Wizard’s Staff has a Knob on the End, and unmediated Nanny Ogg. So it’s all jolly good stuff. But – forgive me for being serious again for a moment – the story does have a deeper theme, not the cheerful demolition of Shakespeare’s plot, but something more thought-provoking. The book asks many of its characters to decide who they want to be, or to reflect on the decision they made many years ago. Magrat must wrestle with her conscience and decide what it means to be a queen and whether she can reconcile herself to such a change of lifestyle. Granny and Ridcully must look back on the choices they both made, to pursue their study of magic over the possibility of a more normal life. Even the silly girls with their fledgling ‘coven’ must decide whether to pursue their rebellious teenage dreams of witchcraft or fit into the conventional world around them (I raise a toast to an early cameo by Agnes Nitt). To a small degree, even Nanny Ogg’s burly son Jason the blacksmith must reflect on the consequences of the deal he accepted: in order to have the talent to shoe anything, one must shoe anything. We make these deals with the world around us, never knowing at the time what is right or not, but having to trust only that we’re making the right choice..."

https://theidlewoman.net/2019/03/07/lords-and-ladies-terry-pratchett/

...and of Soul Music:

"At the age of sixteen, both Susan and Imp/Buddy have found themselves thrown into situations beyond their control, engineered by occult forces, isolating them even further from anyone who understand. So far, so history of adolescence. And this story of self-fashioning and self-discovery blends with some classic Pratchett comedy, courtesy of the wizards of Unseen University. They are deeply affected by the compulsive new Music With Rocks In, none more so than the Dean, who begins showing a distressing tendency to grease his hair into a quiff, make strange trousers with rivets on, and rebel against the Archchancellor’s rules with all the panache of a grizzly teenager. As the music gets its claws into everyone and everything, only a few brave souls stand clear of the madness: the Archchancellor, Susan, and the Death of Rats, who must try to track down his erstwhile master Death before things get completely out of hand. Every element of the story seems to work perfectly with the others, and Pratchett has great fun with the cliches of rock music – the groupies, the tour shirts, the wannabe band which changes their name once a day for more effect, the avaricious band managers (hello Cut-My-Own-Throat Dibbler; long time no see). Occasionally you feel he’s having just a bit too much fun – I swear that an entire scene was crafted just so that Pratchett could work up to the phrase ‘the grateful Death’ – but it’s a full-hearted, infectious kind of fun..."

https://theidlewoman.net/2019/03/08/soul-music-terry-pratchett/

Blogger Who's Dreaming Who's review of Witches Abroad:

"As with the last Discworld book I read, Witches Abroad is abundant with the author’s trademark witty writing. There are laugh-out-loud scenes in here; many of them involving Nanny Ogg’s oversized cat Greebo. He gets a chance to shine in this book with a more developed role than usual. I don’t want to spoil it but Greebo’s journey through this story is unforgettable. To be praising the author’s depiction of a main character’s pet cat should give you some idea of how skillful a writer Pratchett is. All of his characters have distinct personalities and voices. He writes heroes and villains who feel like real people: flawed, foolish, funny and unforgettable. It really is a joy to read these books and it is difficult to pick a favourite character. Despite her apparent grumpiness, Granny Weatherwax is now one of my favourite Discworld characters. I have enjoyed each of the Discworld books that feature the witches and this is no exception. Witches Abroad is so much more than a satire of Cinderella. Like all of his best stories, if you look a little deeper beyond the surface of the comedy you will find rich nuggets of wisdom. Pratchett deconstructs fairy tales as a way of both exploring the power of stories and commenting on the freedom of choice we need as people. We desire a happy life but we don’t want to be made to live happily ever after. If we have no say in how the story goes, how can we truly enjoy it?"

https://biginjapangrayman.wordpress.com/2019/03/07/witches-abroad-1991-by-terry-pratchett/

Blogger Clurichaun's thoughts on Discworld, Terry Pratchett, and Alzheimer's:

"The Discworld novels are a marvel of satire and subtlety, having grown from lambasting mediocre science fiction and fantasy novels to generally focusing on a topic or concept to roast. More than any other writer, Sir Terry’s work continues to appeal to me... What is so significant to me about satire and this series, though, is where I was headed. On the surface, Sir Terry’s books can be read as the sci-fi/fantasy and comedic works that they are. Additionally, though, they are adept at teaching a reader subtle ways of examining a topic... I find the Discworld novels to be excellent resources for introspection and self-awareness, a manual for developing questions of perspective. They entertain me as well as being inspiring for both writing and expanding how I approach a topic. Racism, war, and even the banking industry made for useful fodder in his examinations of subject matter. The books have also been significant to me by assisting my recovery from intense bouts of depression. I owe a great deal of emotional development to personal connections to these books. That is why the death of an icon of the literary world did such damage to me.

"March 12, 2015 is when the world lost a great mind. Sir Terry was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease years before. He had seen the effects of someone wasting away slowly from disease. He wanted none of it. Sir Terry began to campaign for assisted death. Should a person be incurable, he felt that they, in a lucid state, should be able to determine the time and manner of their passing. I can see the logic in this, but also recoil from it as someone who has had frequent brushes with suicidal thoughts. These feelings are never far from my mind, even though I no longer feel susceptible to them. His arguments for this have long been a point of internal debate. I think the greatest point that underlies this personally is my own fear of loss. I am terrified of losing loved ones. Death in general is a cause of grief, whether I knew the person or not. This refusal to let go has long haunted me, and I was particularly loathe to let Sir Terry go. I wanted him to live forever, writing and teaching me about topics I may not have considered examining..."

https://clurichaun.blog/2019/03/08/all-the-little-angels-rise-up-rise-up/

...and finally, a Pratchett overview by blogger Trickletarts, written in what I found to be charmingly inept English. Even with the must-have-had-a-thesaurus-in-hand misapplications and amusing gaffes, the love shines through. So your Editor is sharing, rather than mocking, by including this one:

"Good Omens was my first rendezvous with Terry Pratchett, and with his powerful comedy and Gaiman’s overwhelming imagination, it is my all-time favorite. I become drowned of new genres and contemporaries but I will always reach for it. So when I found Terry Pratchett in the array of fictions in the bookstore, I touched Soul Music and eventually bought it. Though I did not regret that I pulled it first from the parade of Pratchett’s books, I found it agonizing why it has to span 10 years before realizing my goal of starting the Discworld series. I dislike scifis, i.e., galactic adventures, so Star Wars and Star Trek is a no-no to me (no offense intended). Yet I did not even wonder why Discworld, with traces of my dislike has become the top of the list.

"The Colour of Magic introduces us to a wizard drop out, Rincewind, who’s only pride is his brain of many languages. This landed him to a wage of 6 gold coins that 3 of it could buy the whole of an infamous pub the staffs included. These in exchange for a touring job offered by a strange tourist, in the name of Twoflower, who owned a humble 2000 gold coins, a strange luggage that bows only to its master and munches not just thieving hands but also the whole flesh and perhaps the soul (not to mention, it has legs), and a camera that houses an imp to paint the pictures it captured by using pink as an ink... The age of this book is older than me, yet the twist of what it’s like when your land is legendary to a foreigner is quite new—as opposed to a general plot in which the main character is tantalized to mystic lore. That when the MC is perplexed by the events contradicting his premise, Rincewind the hero is baffled of his people’s demeanor in front of the expectant traveler. But the curious Twoflower was no less astounded and his response brought Rincewind to an even more curious state; that despite the deceptive and barbaric behavior of the denizens, Twoflower reveled on them..."

https://trickletarts.wordpress.com/2019/03/19/the-colour-of-magic-a-review/

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08) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE NIGHT WATCH

A fascinating piece by Fisun Güner on Rembrandt's iconic The Night Watch, so wonderfully parodied by Paul Kidby on his dust-cover art for the twenty-ninth Discworld novel:

"A myth has grown around Rembrandt’s apparent fall from favour that was, for many years, connected to The Night Watch. The painting has even inspired conspiracy theories courtesy of film director Peter Greenaway. His 2007 picture Night Watching, and follow-up documentary Rembrandt’s J’Accuse, argue that the painting’s complex iconography reveals a murder plot that leads to members of the civic militia, who it portrays threatening Rembrandt’s life and leading to his ruin... Perhaps we should look closely at the painting, not for any clues to a conspiracy to murder, but to see how Rembrandt deviated from the norms of a sub-genre that was very popular in the new Dutch Republic: the civic militia portrait, or The Guardroom Scene. And we can make up our minds as to whether the painting might have brought displeasure to those who’d commissioned it. It was certainly Rembrandt’s most masterly composition to date, which, post cut, still measures almost 12ft x 14ft (3.65 x 4.26m). In this richly hued, tenebrous masterpiece, where light is used to lend the scene an ethereal quality amid the commonplace bustle of movement and action, we detect a certain strangeness, a certain unreality to the scene – even though it’s a painting full of noise.

"Here a frisky dog barks; a drummer beats his big drum, readying to keep time with the marching guards; a boy is seen at the furthest edge to the left, looking back as he runs off carrying a gunpowder horn; a guard tinkers with the muzzle of his musket; behind the richly attired captain, another guard accidently fires his musket, its smoke mixing with the white plume on the lieutenant’s tall hat (a comical near miss, and an actionable offence). Further to the right, a guard examines the barrel of his musket. Meanwhile, some figures, jostling behind the more prominent characters, are barely visible beyond a limb or, if you look very carefully, an eye and a partially glimpsed face. That eye to the upper left of Banning Cocq, belongs to the artist himself. Just as the Flemish artist Van Eyck loved to do, Rembrandt painted himself hidden within the scene. And who is that brilliantly illuminated girl dressed in gold and with a dead chicken tied to her waist? She is both of the scene and not. Rather than portraying a real person, she is a symbol or mascot, and the chicken, or rather its prominent claws, is the emblem on the coat of arms of Banning Cocq’s company of Kloveniers (or Musketeers)... Though the figures of the captain and his lieutenant dazzle as the heads of their company, the guards must have seen Rembrandt’s contemporaries paint far more formal militia portraits – stiffer, for sure, but above all, far more dignified than this. By the time Rembrandt painted Banning Cocq and his men, though the company’s function had become largely ceremonial since peace had been forged with Spain decades earlier, there was clearly great pride in belonging to a civic militia. But here Rembrandt’s concerns are not confined to civic pride. Above all, he is interested in creating a drama and bringing it to life with emotional force, mixing a sense of the solemn (or at least of attempted solemnity) and the comic. So here we have a ragtaggle crowd not quite managing to fall into step behind the figure of the captain as he gestures for his men to march out. Nobody had painted a militia painting quite like this before..."

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20190214-does-rembrandts-the-night-watch-reveal-a-murder-plot

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09) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

The cast of the Fellowship Players' very recent production of Mort:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D3vKTe7WAAAcWvq.jpg

The cast of TADS' recent production of Wyrd Sisters: https://bit.ly/2Vwfwsi

A lovely still from the Thalian Theatre Group's 2015 production of Making Money, that raised £537.15 for Alzheimer's Research UK:
https://bit.ly/2L9fjr1

The two Good Omens lead actors, director, and showrunner/scriptwriter looking well pleased:
https://tbivision.com/files/2019/04/GoodOmens_cast.jpg

Crowley (in civilian disguise, of course) poses with the Chattering Order of St Beryl:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D5B3Xe2WABALNzu.jpg

...and with a demonic umbrella:
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/04/18/05/12418690-0-image-m-126_1555562488067.jpg

...that also covers Michael "Shadwell" McKean nicely: https://dailym.ai/2ILp6l7

...and here be one of the best blue plaques in all Roundworld:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D5PC4Y5XoAAGbaN.jpg

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10) CLOSE

I came across an A'Tuin of sorts...

From LiveScience, by Rafi Letzter: "The ancient cosmologers were right and Galileo was wrong: This turtle's got the whole freaking world on its back. Live Science saw the above photo circulating on Twitter early last week and reached out to its originators – the good folks at Task Force Turtle – to get the full story behind it. That full story, it turns out, involves drugs, mysteries, amazing herpetological memories, butt gas and perhaps the ability to hold one's turtley breath for months on end... In the case of the turtle with the little living world on its back, Krochmal said, it hadn't actually just woken up from hibernation. Rather, she had just emerged from more than two weeks in the muddy earth by a lake that had dried up... The turtle, Krochmal said, weighs about 13 pounds (6 kilograms), and the 10-inch-thick (25 centimeters) world on her back weighed about 18 pounds (8 kg). But she began her journey toward her winter mud hole with no obvious sign of additional effort. "She was just trucking right along," he said...

https://www.livescience.com/64215-earth-turtle-photo.html

...and a wee song from Sister Loquacious and the Chattering Order of St Beryl:
https://twitter.com/GoodOmensPrime/status/1121458855253172224

...and I note that the Wikipedia page for Raising Steam has an embedded map of the Hygienic Railway's stations! How excellent is that?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raising_Steam

And that's it for April. 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) 2019 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
April 2017 (Volume 20, Issue 4, 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 CONVENTION NEWS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
07) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
08) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
09) ROUNDWORLD TALES
10) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
11) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"We're extremely proud to be hosting Discworld Day in honour of the official opening of the Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament at Birdworld. April 28 marks Sir Terry's 69th birthday and to celebrate this special day with an event such as this we hope will be a fitting tribute to the award-winning author. We are looking forward to being able to showcase such an extraordinary selection of owl species, many of which are threatened with the loss of habitat in the wild and for visitors of all ages to immerse themselves in the mysterious world of Sir Terry Pratchett in the process."
– Mark Anderson, general manger of Birdworld

"You are powerful, though. *You* could rule the world," said Nightshade. "Really?" said Tiffany. "Why should I want to do that? I am a witch. I like being a witch, and I like people too. For every nasty person, there's a nice one, mostly. There is a saying, 'What goes around comes around', ad it means that sooner or later you will find yourself on top, at least for a while. And another time, the wheels turns and you will not* be on top but you have to put up with it."
– The Shepherd's Crown, Doubleday hardcover, p.230

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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

The 28th of this month would have, *should* have, marked Sir Terry Pratchett's 69th birthday. There is nothing we can do about this dreadful state of affairs, but we can – and should – ever continue to speak his name, celebrate his life and work, and buy his books. Even if you own your own copy of every Pratchett novel, there are new generations to give those books to as presents... friends, children, friends' children, nieces, nephews, and on and on so that the ripples never fade. Long ago, I would give away copies of The Little Prince or The Wind in the Willows to special people as coming-of-age presents, but at some point in the '90s I added Pratchett books and never looked back. And as for celebrating Sir Pterry's life and work, look at section 3 for some notable events taking place this coming week...

Fans of steam might want to keep tabs on the doings of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway: "A heritage steam railway is set to become 'one of the best in the country' after raising £1.25m to fund a track extension, its bosses claim. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway launched a public appeal to complete its 'last mile' a year ago. It currently runs between Cheltenham and Laverton but has long planned to extend to Broadway in Worcestershire. After an 'overwhelming response' it will reach the Cotswolds village for the first time since 1960. The project involves extending the volunteer-run line and building a new station at Broadway, similar to the original which was demolished soon after closure. Chris Bristow, the line's finance director, said extending the track will enable the line to become one of the best in the country for steam services..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-39614067

What one famous Terry brought out of the shadows, another famous Terry is now happy to discuss – as best he can. Most of you will know by now that Terry Jones of Monty Python fame has frontotemporal dementia (FTD), another form of dementia that destroys the ability to communicate in words. Here be an piece well worth reading – an interview in The Guardian, in which Mr Jones is assisted by his daughter Sally and his dear friend and ex-Python colleague Michael Palin:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/apr/16/monty-python-terry-jones-learning-to-live-with-dementia

According to The Bookseller, the Folio Society's gorgeous limited edition of Mort turned out to be the fastest selling title in Folio history, selling out all 500 copies in 13 hours. Oh, to have been one of the lucky purchasers...

Right, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

03) ODDS AND SODS

3.1 TERRY PRATCHETT DAY – IN SCHOOLS! ON THE CLACKS!

"Celebrate Terry Pratchett Day at your school with a show all about The Wee Free Men! Hosted by CBBC's Ed Petrie, your class will learn all about Terry's remarkable imagination and writing process, plus find out top tips for creating their own magical worlds. Show highlights you can look forward to:

"Terry Pratchett's best friend and right-hand man Rob Wilkins answering your questions
"A draw-along with illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson
"Writing tips from authors Dave Rudden (Irish Children's Book of the Year Knights of the Borrowed Dark),
"Robin Stevens (Murder Most Unladylike) and Jennifer Bell (The Uncommoners)
"A crash course in speaking like a Wee Free Man – get ready to do your best Scottish accent!

"See your school name on screen! Send in your class's weirdest and most wonderful answers to the following question: What would be in your imaginary world?"

When: 28th April 2017
Venue: on the Clacks!
Time: 2pm–2.30pm

To register to receive and/or participate in th podcast, go to http://puffinvirtuallylive.co.uk/author/TerryPratchettDay2017 and click on the "create an account" button in the yellow-bordered textbox.

Teachers can do download The Wee Free Men Teacher Resources: http://puffinvirtuallylive.co.uk/WFMTeacher%20Resources_final.pdf

What is Puffin Virtually Live?

"Imagine if you could ask your favourite author anything . . . Puffin Virtually Live gives millions of children the opportunity to do just that. It is a free series of curriculum-tailored webcasts starring children's authors and illustrators.It brings stories to life and encourages reading for pleasure for Key Stage 2 pupils. It is watched in classrooms around the world. Each 30-minute episode is comprised of author interviews (led by questions from the online audience), fun videos, draw-alongs and theatrical performances. The show is designed for formal learning: curriculum-linked lesson plans accompany every event, providing teachers with book extracts and all the tools they need to prepare their classes pre-show, and to stimulate classroom discussion post-event. Most schools outside big cities would never get the opportunity for an author visit – but through Puffin Virtually Live, millions of children around the world can meet their heroes, and all they need is an internet
connection."

http://puffinvirtuallylive.co.uk/

3.2 DISCWORLD DAY AT THE PRATCHETT PARLIAMENT OF OWLS

"Join us on the 28th April for Discworld Day! To celebrate the launch of The Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament, we're hosting a special day for Discworld fans filled with special guests and additional educational talks."

Programme:

10.00am – Park Opens. Please take this time to explore the park, answer our Discworld quiz and take a photos with the Birdworld photographer!

12.00pm – Official opening ceremony at the Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament with Rob Wilkins and Stephen Briggs which is followed by the Discworld Day Auction.

1.30pm – A Q&A with Rob Wilkins and Stephen Briggs in the Discovery Theatre followed by book signing.

2.30pm – Outdoor flying display at the outdoor arena

3.00pm – Draw of the Discworld Day Raffle and fancy dress prize award at the outdoor arena

3.30pm – Penguin feeding at Penguin Beach

4.00pm – Owl Prowl at the Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament

6.00pm: Park Closes

Tickets: Adult: £15.95; child 3–6: £12.95; child 7–15: £13.95; child under 3: Free; family: £49.95; concession: £13.95, available online at http://birdworld.co.uk/product-category/tickets/ (NOTE: there is a 15% discount for online ticket purchase, plus a free guidebook per transaction)

"All visitors who arrive in Discworld-themed costume on the day will receive a discounted entry rate of £10 per person."

Birdworld is located at Holt Pound, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LD and is open every day from 10am to 6pm (4.30pm during winter hours), with last admissions one hour before closing. "As well as caring for and breeding as many species as possible at the park, Birdworld operates a conservation fund set up to support local and international conservation initiatives. We regularly donate money and assist various wildlife charities by sending our staff to pass on their expertise in animal care."

http://birdworld.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/BirdworldSurrey

From the Farnham Herald:

"The beautifully-crafted exhibit has been created in collaboration with the World Owl Trust and has been named in honour of award-winning author Sir Terry Pratchett to reflect his well-known love of wildlife and, in particular, all species of owl. As well as showcasing a wonderment and diversity of owls from the magical snowy owl to the reputedly wise long-eared owl, the Terry Pratchett Owl Parliament will aim to educate and raise awareness of these amazing birds. The display will also provide an interactive space for visitors to learn fascinating facts about strigiformes – the order in which owls belong. The Owl Parliament has been created both as a satellite of the World Owl Trust's collection and to recognise Sir Terry's passion for these mysterious birds of prey. Visitors familiar with Pratchett's popular Discworld novels will easily recognise a number of the references but with the unique stylising of these aviaries, everyone exploring the exhibit will be drawn into the mythical and wonderful world of the late Sir Terry Pratchett. To celebrate the day, visitors will be invited to attend the official opening ceremony and to explore the unique aviaries for themselves before joining in with plenty of Discworld fun and games throughout the day, including a themed quiz trail, a charity raffle and auction packed full of prizes, educational talks and even a special question-and-answer session with Rob Wilkins and Stephen Briggs..."

http://bit.ly/2oQeMgA

3.3 DISCWORLD DAY AT THE OXFORD STORY MUSEUM

Last year's Discworld Day theme was The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. This year, it's... The Truth!

"Discworld Day sees The Story Museum celebrating the work of much loved author Terry Pratchett. This year's Discworld Day at The Story Museum is based on Terry Pratchett's best-selling novel The Truth. The Truth tells the story of William de Worde, the accidental editor of the Discworld's first newspaper. New printing technology means that words just won't obediently stay nailed down like usual. There's a very real threat of news getting out there. 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 the man who keeps begging him to publish pictures of his humorously shaped potatoes. William just wants to get at the Truth. Unfortunately, everyone else wants to get at William. And it's only the third edition…

"Take part in printing workshops learning how newspapers were before the digital age, create your own newspaper comic, meet Otto Shreik[sic] Discworld's only Vampire photographer and pick up your copy of the Ankh Morpork Times to catch up with the latest news..."

The Discworld Dinner ("The Truth Shall Make Ye Hungry") is already sold out, but here's what the lucky ticketholders will be getting: "a very special two course dinner party with guest of honour Ben Aaronovitch, bestselling author of the Rivers of London book series and self-professed Pratchett fan. The evening will include a fish and chip supper (wrapped up in yesterday's copy of the Ankh Morpork Times), a Q&A with Ben Aaronovitch, and a special Discworld quiz compiled by Stephen Briggs (reader of the Discworld audio books), with the chance to win a limited edition Discworld print by artist Barry Bulsara."

When: Saturday 27th May 2017
Venue: Story Museum, 42 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP (phone (0)1865 790050)
Time: 10am–5pm
Tickets: free with museum entry – Adult: £7.50
Under-18s and concessions: £5
Family ticket: £20 (4 people including at least 1 child)
Children under 2 and companions of disabled visitors: free

Editor's note: a 12-month Annual Pass (Adult: £18.75, Child: £12.50) can be purchased. Children aged 11 and over may visit The Story Museum unaccompanied provided that they have their parents' or guardians' permission.

http://www.storymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/discworld-day-truth/

3.4 YOUNG PTERRY WROTE FAN MAIL...

...to JRR Tolkien! From The Australian:

"When JRR Tolkien published his first story of a questing hobbit 80 years ago he had no inkling of the fan mail that would follow, or the frustration it would bring. Long before social media ­allowed authors to satisfy fans with online postings, Tolkien was beset with messages of adulation from fellow writers, a president's daughter, a young Terry Pratchett, a future queen of Denmark and Joni Mitchell. The letters, which have not been seen by scholars or the public, will go on display next year at the Bodleian Library in Oxford in the exhibition Tolkien: Maker of ­Middle-earth. The letters and the replies show how Tolkien was at first flattered but eventually overwhelmed in the mid-1960s when sales of The Lord of the Rings trilogy soared... Pratchett, whose Discworld novels became the most successful fantasy series since Tolkien's work, was 19 and a reporter for the Bucks Free Press when he sent a letter praising Tolkien's novella Smith of Wootton Major. 'An odd feeling of grief overcame me as I read it,' he wrote..."

http://bit.ly/2pr9sSl

3.5 ALZHEIMER'S NEWS

Scientists hope they have found a drug to stop all neurodegenerative brain diseases, including dementia. From the BBC:

"In 2013, a UK Medical Research Council team stopped brain cells dying in an animal for the first time, creating headline news around the world. But the compound used was unsuitable for people, as it caused organ damage. Now two drugs have been found that should have the same protective effect on the brain and are already safely used in people. 'It's really exciting,' said Prof Giovanna Mallucci, from the MRC Toxicology Unit in Leicester. She wants to start human clinical trials on dementia patients soon and expects to know whether the drugs work within two to three years...

"When a virus hijacks a brain cell it leads to a build-up of viral proteins. Cells respond by shutting down nearly all protein production in order to halt the virus's spread. Many neurodegenerative diseases involve the production of faulty proteins that activate the same defences, but with more severe consequences. The brain cells shut down production for so long that they eventually starve themselves to death. This process, repeated in neurons throughout the brain, can destroy movement, memory or even kill, depending on the disease. It is thought to take place in many forms of neurodegeneration, so safely disrupting it could treat a wide range of diseases..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39641123

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

04) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS

SCHEIBENWELT NEWS

The 2017 German Discworld Convention (Scheibenwelt) takes place next month, with Guests of Honour Rob Wilkins and Bernard Pearson – and there will be another special guest!

"Stephen Briggs' first public appearance in Germany! 5.3.2017 We have just received confirmation from Stephen Briggs! He will be present at the German Discworld Convention in May. Among other things, he will give his first signing session in Germany and there will be the possibility of a personal conversation in a small group during our first Klatch."

They'll be rocking the castle with workshops, shepherding, mediaeval weaponry, the inimitable Pat Harkin and much more... here be a list of workshops, talks and events:
http://www.discworld-convention.de/#/en/Info/Workshops

http://www.discworld-convention.de/
https://twitter.com/SWConvention
https://www.facebook.com/ScheibenweltConvention

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

5.1 PLAYS IN MAY AND JUNE

* WYRD SISTERS IN WIMBLEDON (MAY)

The Carlton Theatre Group will present their production of the Stephen Briggs adaptation of Wyrd Sisters, directed by Richard Broughton, next month: "This fantastical, satirical, retelling of a certain 'Scottish Play' is sure to put a smile on your face. We invite you to an evening of magical mayhem, a comical brew of good witches, divers soldiers, peasants, wicked aristocracy, a ghost and a fool… With an amazing cast, and suitable for ages 12+, this play is a perfect option for a family outing."

When: 9th – 13th May 2017
Venue: New Wimbledon Studio Theatre, The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QG
Time: all evening performances (Tuesday-Saturday) 7.45pm, Saturday matinee 3pm.
Tickets: £15.40 (Theatre Card members £14.00), no fees. To purchase online, go to http://www.atgtickets.com/
shows/wyrd-sisters/new-wimbledon-studio/

http://www.carltondramaticsociety.org/current-production

* MASKERADE IN BERKSHIRE (MAY)

The Newbury Dramatic Society will stage their production of Maskerade, directed by John Hicks (possibly with the help of a skull ring?), in May: "In the Ankh Morpork Opera House, a strangely familiar evil mastermind in a mask and evening dress is lurking in the shadows. He lures innocent young sopranos to their destiny, commits occasional murder, and sends little notes full of maniacal laughter and exclamation marks. Opera can do that to a man. But Granny Weatherwax, the Discworld's most famous witch, is in the audience and she doesn't hold with that sort of thing... and the show must go on!"

When: 17th–20th May 2017
Venue: Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 8AE
Time: 7.30pm Wednesday to Friday, 6.30pm Saturday
Tickets: £12.50 (£12 concessions), available online at https://www.watermill.org.uk/maskerade#dates-ttab or ring the Box Office on 01635 46044

https://www.watermill.org.uk/maskerade

* WYRD SISTERS IN MILTON, FOURECKS (JUNE)

Milton Follies are bringing Wyrd Sisters to the stage in June.

When: 9th-18th June 2017
Venue: Milton Theatre, 69 Princes Highway, Milton, New South Wales (phone 02 4454 3636)
Time: evening shows (9th, 16th) 8pm, Saturday matinees (10th, 17th) 4pm, Sunday matinees (11th, 18th) 2pm
Tickets: $25 (children, concessions and group tickets $20), available online now from Ticketbooth at https://events.ticketbooth.com.au/event/wyrd-sisters and from the 24th of April at Splatters at https://splatters.com.au/

https://miltonfollies.org/portfolio/wyrd-sisters/
http://www.miltontheatre.com.au/

* WYRD SISTERS IN YORK (JUNE)

After their successful run of Mort last year, We Are Theatre are gearing up for another Discworld production. This time it's Wyrd Sisters!

When: Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st June 2017
Venue: Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £10.00 – £12.00, already available online at https://www.josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk/eventids/923 or by ringing the Joseph Rowntree Theatre Box Office on 01904 50 1935

https://www.josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk/performers/we-are-theatre.php


5.2 PLAYS LATER IN 2017

* GUARDS! GUARDS! IN CARDIFF (AUGUST)

The next exciting Discworld play presented by Monstrous Productions will be Guards! Guards!

"Keep an eye on our website and social media streams for more information."

When: 16th–19th August 2017
Venue: The Gate Arts Theatre, Keppoch St, Cardiff CF24 3JW
Time: TBA
Tickets: £8 (£6 concessions), available soon

http://monstrousptc.com/
https://twitter.com/MonstrousPTC/
https://www.facebook.com/MonstrousProductionsTheatreCompany/

* WYRD SISTERS IN THE LAND OF FEEGLES (AUGUST/SEPTEMBER)

Monifieth Amateur Dramatics (MAD) will be staging their production of Wyrd Sisters, directed by Steven Armstrong, in August: "Stephen Briggs has been involved in amateur dramatics for over 25 years and he assures us that the play can be staged without needing the budget of Industrial Light and Magic. Not only that, but the cast should still be able to be in the pub by 10 o'clock!"

When: 24th-26th August and 31st August-2nd September 2017
Venue: Monifieth Theatre, 72 High Street, Monifieth, Angus DD5 2AE
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £9 (£6 concessions), available from Troups Pharmacy, Monifieth; Yorkshire Buiding Society, Broughty Ferry; and The Bay Diner/Grill, Monifieth. Ring 01382 480043 for details. Tickets are also available online at http://www.monifieththeatre.co.uk/tickets

http://www.monifieththeatre.co.uk/whatson

* LORDS AND LADIES IN BRISBANE (SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER)

Brisbane Arts Theatre will be presenting their next Discworld play, Lords and Ladies – adapted by Irana brown – next 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: 16th September – 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://sa2.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/TicketRequest?&presenter=AUBAT&event=LANDL

"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

* RAISING STEAM IN ABINGDON! (NOVEMBER)

A little birdie (possibly an owl) at the Studio Theatre Club says: "Don't tell anyone yet (this is just between you and us), it's still a long way off (November 2017!), 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..."

When: 22nd–25th November 2017
Venue: the Unicorn Theatre, 18 Thames St, Abingdon OX14 3HZ
Time: 7:30pm all evening shows, Saturday 25th matinee 2:30pm
Tickets: £10 (Wednesday 22nd, Thursday 23rd); £11 (Friday 24th, Saturday 25th). "Tickets are not yet on sale. News here when they are!"

http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/discworld


5.3 REVIEWS

DODGER IN PORTSMOUTH

By David Putley in the Daily Echo

"IT is all in the perspective" says Charles Dickens (a suave, eloquent Jo Allen) in this highly entertaining adaption of Terry Pratchett's book by Stephen Briggs. Playfully directed by Chris Blatch-Gainey, a multi-skilled cast mix fictional with real notable Victorians. Dodger (an athletic, charming, roguish Tom Rawlings) rises from the underbelly of the sewers to mix with the likes of Disraeli (an arch David Powell), Angela Burdett-Coutts (a bankable Sarah Miatt) and even Q.V. herself. Ben Gainey brought pathos to Sweeney Todd whilst Lorraine White's Mrs Sharples hilariously failed to grasp the concept of personal space. Bob Bell's witty Soloman as a Faginesque mentor added much humour to a script peppered with literary and political references, many of which resonate today. Dodge not, if you can.

http://bit.ly/2nF1Id4

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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"), still claims on their website to be meeting next on Monday 30th November 1999, but it's more more likely to be on Monday 8th May 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."

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." [Editor's note: this is an active group. If you use Facebook, it may be worth joining!]

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 the Monthly Social Meet at the Caledonian Hotel on 27th April. For more info, go to www.cityofsmallgods.org.au

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 4th May 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 5th May 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 1st May 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 1st May 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) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

7.1 DISCWORLD EMPORIUM NEWS

* The 2018 Discworld Calendar

"It's never too early to announce a Discworld calendar! Available to pre-order, the Collector's Edition Discworld Calendar for 2018 features the artwork of both Josh Kirby AND Paul Kidby – two iconic Discworld Illustrators, one fantastically functional work of Discworld art!"

The 2018 Discworld Calendar is priced at £14.99 and will be published on the 17th of August 2017. For more information, and to pre-order, go to: https://www.discworldemporium.com/23-diaries-calendars

* The Ankh-Morpork Jigsaw Puzzle

"The Fiendishly Difficult Discworld Puzzle is back! You can't get enough of this perplexing pastime (much to our own puzzlement), and keeping this dastardly jigsaw in stock is as much a challenge as the puzzle itself – It's probably best to nab this while you can!!"

The Ankh-Morpork Jigsaw Puzzle is priced at £ 19.50. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/games-activities/240-ankh-morpork-a-fiendishly-difficult-discworld-puzzle

* The Discworld Graphic Novels

"The Discworld Graphic Novels are BACK IN STOCK! The Colour of Magic & The Light Fantastic adaptations by Scott Rockwell and Steven Ross were first published in parts waaay back in 1991 and 1992, but nowadays they are available bound together in this handsome hardback for comic book fans!"

The Discworld Graphic Novels duo is priced at £15. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/other-pratchett-works/49-the-discworld-graphic-novels-the-colour-of-magic-the-light-fantastic-hardback

* The Colour of Magic/Light Fantastic Omnibus Edition

"The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic Omnibus is now in stock at the Emporium! This beautiful hardback edition from Terry's original publisher Colin Smythe features the inimitable artwork of Josh Kirby, and lovely holographic detailing on the cover. A fine acquisition for the new collector!"

The tCoM/tLF Omnibus Edition is priced at £17.99. For more information, and to order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-novels/363-the-colour-of-magicthe-light-fantastic-omnibus

* The Tiffany Aching Gift Editions

"Following on from the release of The Wee Free Men later this month, the rest of the beautiful Tiffany Aching Gift Editions will be released together on the Glorious 25th of May, each with a free Turtle Moves bookmark from us! These lovely hardbacks feature new character artwork by Paul Kidby, and exclusive endpapers featuring Paul's beautiful new illustration of the Chalk. The Wee Free Men is out April 27th & available to pre-order separately."

...and the Tiffany Aching paperback editions: "One can never have enough Tiffany Aching or Nac Mac Feegles, so we're thrilled to have these additional editions aimed at encouraging new young readers into discovering Discworld!"

The Gift Editions are priced at £12.99 each. The paperback editions are priced at £7.99 each. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:
https://www.discworldemporium.com/19-new-books

http://www.discworldemporium.com/

7.2 DISCWORLD.COM NEWS

* The Ankh-Morpork Pin

"Remember me? Originally released by the original C.M.O.T Dibbler himself, way back in the day, we're pleased to reintroduce the Ankh Morpork Pin. It's a 3D design in brass metal, plated with real gold, gold, gold. With a butterfly pin fastening, this pin badge is just the right size to be worn on a lapel, a tie, or anywhere else to show off your Morporkian citizenship."

Each Ankh-Morpork pin measures 25mm x 25mm x 1.6mm nd is priced at £4.50. For more information, and to order, go to:
http://discworld.com/products/badge/ankh-morpork-pin/

* The Death on Binky Canvas Print

"This canvas print reproduces one of the most beautiful pieces of artwork from Paul Kidby's The Last Hero, and depicts Death atop his faithful – and very much alive – steed Binky."

The Death on Binky Canvas Print is available in two sizes – 300mm x 400mm, priced at £35.00, and 380mm x 500mm, priced at £48.00. The "official" page (_http://discworld.com/products/artwork/death-on-binky-canvas-print/_) seems to be blank apart from the image, but you can order by going to http://discworld.com/products/new/ and scrolling to the relevant box, then clicking on the desired purchase button.

* The Map 'n' Monsters mug

"Despite being cruel and unusual, we don't think geography is a mug's game. This new addition to our popular mug range features Paul Kidby's map from The Last Hero reproduced in beautiful detail, and includes your recommended daily portion of sea monsters."

Each Map 'n' Monsters mug is priced at £8. For more information, and to order, go to:
http://discworld.com/products/discworld-merchandise/map-n-monsters-mug/

7.3 JOSH KIRBY ART PRINTS NEWS

For Pratchett-and-Kirby fans blessed with a goodly amount of disposable income...

"We are incredibly proud to announce that as of right now you can pre order Series One of our Limited Edition Discworld Prints! We have created three options to choose from, so that everyone can take home a piece of Josh Kirby and Terry Pratchett's legacy! All are numbered, authenticated and signed by the estate. We are confident that you will love these as much as we do!"

1: Discworld Limited Edition: "Similar in size to Josh Kirby Discworld prints you've seen in the past but with superior paper quality. Limited to 500 worldwide. 18" X 23" (457mm x 584mm)."

The Discworld Limited Edition prints are priced at £59 each. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:
http://bit.ly/2q8C7I3

2: Discworld Collector's Edition: "Larger than the Limited Edition above, on archival smooth, matte paper. Limited to 250 worldwide. 20" X 25" (508mm x 635mm)."

The Discworld Collector's Edition prints are priced at £99 each. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:
http://bit.ly/2oZmYuV

3: Out of This World Edition: "Extremely limited run and the largest size ever created in a Discworld print, with extraordinary, incomparable archival paper quality this is a must for collector's and begs to be framed for proud display. Limited to 100 worldwide 22" X 28" (558mm x 741mm)."

The Out of This World Edition prints are priced at £199 each. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:
http://bit.ly/2puc0zc

*Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery

http://bit.ly/2pZQLVF

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08) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

The Past Due Book Review on Interesting Times:

"Interesting Times is filled with references to feudal Japan and ancient China. The people of the Agatean continent live in a state of forced isolationism; they believe everything outside their continent to be inhabited by ghost-vampires and refusing to believe otherwise because there was no one brave or curious enough to find out if it was true (until Twoflower, that is). The Red Army is also reminiscent of the Terracotta warriors that guard the tomb of the first emperor of China. Interesting Times takes the goofiness of Pratchett's humor and the wit necessary to craft a story that is not only entertaining, but one of the better works of fantasy I have ever read. The jokes are quick and serve the plot, rather than the reverse, and the story sets up the next book of Rincewind's adventures nicely. Pratchett hits a high point with one of the standouts in a series filled with wonderful storytelling..."

https://thepastduebookreview.com/2017/04/19/interesting-times-review/

Jonathan Feinstein on the Long Utopia book and audiobook:

"The main story was a tapestry woven with characters from previous books of the series and some new ones, including Joshua, Lobsang (an artificial intelligence who thinks he is a reincarnated Tibetan mechanic) Sister Agnes (one of the nuns who raised Joshua and now in a robotic body), and Sally Lindsay, another natural stepper and the daughter of the inventor of the Stepper Box, the device I mentioned that runs on a potato. In all, however, it is difficult to detect Terry Pratchett's hand in this story and like a few other reviewers I find myself wondering just what he did contribute. Well, the potato thing might be one of his, and Lobsang as well, but the writing seems to have more Baxter than Pratchett in it. And, sadly, like the other books of this series so far, the story does not so much conclude as just pause at the very end, leaving the reader, or maybe just me, left waiting for a denouement that never comes. I can only hope the fifth and final book of the series has a satisfying conclusion...

"Michael Fenton Stevens does the same fairly even reading he has in previous volumes of this series. For the most part he reads well, but every so often he makes the mistake of trying to read a character in a funny voice or an outrageous accent. Very few readers can pull that off and not be annoying and Mister Stevens is not one of them..."

https://jonathanfeinstein.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/an-audio-book-review-an-infinite-earth-with-finite-people/

The Idle Woman on Witches Abroad:

"I always enjoy the three witches, who have such wonderfully complementary characters and whose conversations fizz with authenticity. Nanny Ogg is a particular favourite – I'm sure we all know someone like her – and I was pleased to see brief reappearances of the Hedgehog Song and A Wizard's Staff Has A Knob On The End. Magrat is, as ever, gently misguided and has given up some of her earth-motherliness in favour of the martial arts of the mystic east (having decided quite firmly that marrying the king, as seemed to be an option at the end of Wyrd Sisters, isn't her thing). And Granny Weatherwax is, as ever, far sharper than anyone around her and powerful in a vast elemental way that goes quite beyond the capabilities of her two coven-mates. But this book isn't just a delight for the main faces. There's a strong cast of secondary characters, of whom the two most striking must be the dwarf Casanunda (the Disc's greatest liar and second-greatest lover), for whom a stepladder is never far away; and, of course, Greebo. Greebo in human form is just a sheer delight – Pratchett has a ball with imagining how this scarred tomcat would translate to man-form... this is vintage Pratchett: a closely-focused story, cheerfully undermining traditional themes, with just the right number of cameos and allusions to spice the story, which barrels along at a fine pace and climaxes with a grand ball at the castle..."

https://theidlewoman.net/2017/04/16/witches-abroad-terry-pratchett/

...and on Reaper Man:

"Reaper Man is another of those books where a lot is going on, and there are parts where it feels that it's trying to be overly epic (the sections with Azrael for example). Death also becomes even more human than he normally is, which doesn't really suit him, although of course there's an element of poignant impossibility about his complex feelings for Miss Flitworth. I still feel that Pratchett is best at chamber works, that is to say, following a single focused storyline rather than splitting his story into several different plots. And, while there are amusing riffs here on traditional English country life (Morris dancing, for example), and popular activism, it just feels… bitty. Not one of the best books in the series, therefore, but a perfectly solid instalment full of the usual chaotic exuberance, and featuring a lot of Ankh-Morpork cameos..."

https://theidlewoman.net/2017/04/13/reaper-man-terry-pratchett/

Author and blogger Dark Dates writes in memory of Pratchett:

"Pratchett's A Slip of the Keyboard is a collection of non-fiction that is a must for any writer. He talks not only about the oddness of literary fame, but the inherent sexism too often found in fantasy (his chapter on the reason there are no male witches or female wizards is fascinating) but also the snobbery and dismissiveness around writing what is classed as 'genre' fiction. Fantasy is not serious, so people who write it are not serious writers – if someone literary (say Margaret Atwood) writes it, it magically becomes transformed into something that is no longer genre. (He also neatly skewers the elitism that often accompanies this, saying 'magic realism' is a term used by reviewers to mean 'fantasy by someone I went to university with'). It's a topic I've written about myself – though obviously he is, ahem, just ever so slightly more eloquent – and it made me think not only about how other people see my books, but also how I do..."

https://darkdates.org/2017/04/10/in-memory-of-terry-pratchett-a-defence-of-genre-fiction-and-reading-and-writing-what-the-hell-you-want/

Takanoir is back with a rave review of Interesting Times:

"To this day I have never before read a book that is a part of a series close to fifty volumes long, finished it, and thought to myself, wow, this was so incredibly good that I am going to commit to finishing the entirety of this ridiculously long saga. The key phrase here was 'never before'. I feel a bit bad by heaping such high praise upon the past five book reviews, but it's probably because I didn't choose these books at random. All of these books were recommended to me, with the exception of Armored, by people whose taste I trusted, so it's not a surprise that I've had good luck in finding books that I consider worthwhile. So, with that out of the way, let me explain to you why this story was so fantastic... I think this was one of the most quotable books I have ever read... Despite all of the ridiculousness, the actual plot of this book is very good. I think this comes together best in the last 80 pages or so, when you realize how brilliantly Pratchett set up the final battle. It would take a while to discuss this, so I'd rather sell the writing itself and simply have you take it on faith that there is indeed a plot, and that the ending is quite satisfying..."

https://shadowwalkingwithwords.wordpress.com/2017/04/08/book-review-5-interesting-times-by-terry-pratchett/

Year 8 student Kaitlyn Search on The Wee Free Men:

"There are many excellent books out there that everyone should read. The Book Thief. Little Women. Scaramouche. But the book that gets you into reading will always be the best book. It might not be your favorite but it will always hold a special place in your heart. For me this book is The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett. It's terribly witty and very much hard to describe. It is exactly what you'd expect from a book about a world on a flat disc balanced on the backs of four elephants which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The Wee Free Men is the kind of book you miss when it's over, like you lost a good friend... Terry Pratchett was (he is sadly deceased) the kind of author whose writing is fantastic at its best and great at its worst. The kind of author who believed in intelligent young characters and intelligent young readers whom he believed to be perfectly capable of following a story with multiple layers of complexity. He was the kind of author who sent a nine-year-old girl to battle the queen of fairies with nothing but a frying pan and the help of some little blue crivens-shouting men. If I haven't made it clear, I believe he was a good author. His writing is relatable, magic, and always a joy to read..."

https://pctelanews.wordpress.com/2017/04/13/book-review-the-wee-free-men-by-terry-pratchett/

Fargo Musings muses on Pratchett:

"Small Gods is the book that matters here. I don't think I read a full chapter the first time I opened it up, but my older brother started reading it, so I had to finish it before he did. By now I've probably read that book more than 10 times. And of the 41 novels set in the same world (the Discworld), I've paged through all but three or four. Picking up Small Gods was genuinely a turning point in my life. I started reading a lot more after I started reading Pratchett. Suddenly I could see the tricks and needles and jokes in the text. It wasn't boring. Pratchett is never boring. If you're reading Pratchett and you're not chortling occasionally, then you probably missed something. For those unfamiliar with his writing, all I have to say is try it. I would suggest starting with Small Gods, Guards! Guards! or Going Postal..."

https://fargomusings.wordpress.com/2017/04/02/introducing-terry-pratchett-a-knight-and-a-scholar/

Waistcoats, Gin and Words on Equal Rites:

"The novel is fast paced and flutters all over the place, into magic, into the brewing and spoiling of ales and into some of the mystic of the Unseen University itself. I am a big fan of objects that have a mind of their own in the Disc, Twoflower's Luggage being the most important example of this. I enjoy knowing a Staff has a will of it's own and will beat people who upset it, just as much as I enjoy a chest that runs around of its own accord eating people that upset it. What starts out as a simple journey to the city very quickly turns into protecting the disc from being invaded by slimy things that aren't sure what animals are so buckle lots of horns and claws and wings onto themselves to appear menacing but in fact, look rather comical. But I'm not going to spoil it any further, you should experience the fun for yourself! This is one of the better Discworld novels and I really enjoyed it..."

https://waistcoatsginandwords.wordpress.com/2017/03/29/54-equal-rites/

...and Yvette Kan aka This Volcanic Heart gives Guards! Guards! a 5/5:

"The first time I read Guards! Guards! was three years ago. Really liked it even then, and rereading it only fuels my obsession with Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld series... When I last read the Discworld series, I made my way by arc: I wiped out Witches and Tiffany Aching, proceeded to devour Rincewind and Unseen University, ploughed through the delightful Death-centred arc, and finally came to the City Watch books. Left the City Watch books for last, because … well, I didn't think they were gonna be all that interesting. Major regrets. Because holy crap, the City Watch characters are too damn fantastic... The thing about Pratchett's novels is that at the first glance, the plot is all over the place. You are thrown violently into the story, and once you get the hang of the ride with one character, you are introduced to another, which you can't help but like too..."

https://yvettekan.com/2017/03/30/review-guards-guards-by-terry-pratchett/

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09) ROUNDWORLD TALES

9.1 FLORAL CLOCKS

We all know about the famous floral clock of Quirm. But did you know that in our world, floral clocks actually do tell the time? Not quite in the same way, though. For instance, the (also famous) floral clock of Edinburgh has gone through some time-telling changes. The clock first entered time-telling service in 1903 with an hour hand; a minute hand was added a year later, and a mechanism to imitate a cuckoo's call a year after that. The display then changed variously over the years, but the original clockwork carried on working until replaced by an electric one 70 years later.

"With tens of thousands of small, colourful plants, the clock takes two gardeners five weeks to plant, and is trimmed, weeded and watered by one gardener for the rest of the season. The clock flowers from July until October. Plants vary each year but some of the more commonly used varieties include Lobelia, Pyrethrum, Golden Moss and succulents such as Echeveria and Sedum... The minute and hour hands measure approximately 2.4m and 1.5m respectively and when filled with plants, the large hand weighs approximately 36kg while the small weighs 22.7kg. The clock itself is 3.6m wide, with a circumference of 11m."

http://www.edinburghguide.com/venue/floralclock

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floral_clock

9.2 THE SMELL OF BOOKS AND LIBRARIES

You don't have to be a magically transformed orangutan librarian to love the smell of books and libraries, but did you know there's quite a lot of science behind those smells? And would you agree that old books smell like "a combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness"? New studies have made strides at quantifying those scents. Here be some extracts from a very long but quite fascinating piece in the Heritage Science Journal, by Cecilia Bembibre and Matija Strlič:

"We don't know much about the smells of the past. Yet, odours play an important role in our daily lives: they affect us emotionally, psychologically and physically, and influence the way we engage with history. Can this lead us to consider certain smells as cultural heritage? And if so, what would be the processes for the identification, protection and conservation of those heritage smells?... The smell of historic paper was chosen as the case study, based on its well-recognized cultural significance and available research. Odour characterization was achieved by collecting visitor descriptions of a historic book extract through a survey, and by conducting a sensory evaluation at a historic library. These were combined with the chemical information on the VOCs sampled from both a historic book and a historic library, to create the Historic Book Odour Wheel, a novel documentation tool representing the first step towards documenting and archiving historic smells.

"Our knowledge of the past is odourless. Yet, smells play an important role in our daily lives: they affect us emotionally, psychologically and physically, and influence the way we engage with history. In this work, we propose that smells are part of our cultural heritage, and that a structured approach to researching them is required... Odours are powerful triggers for emotions via the limbic system of the brain, which deals with emotions and memory. They are an effective way to evoke recollections; certain aromas can even act as part of the common memory of a generation..."

"The vocabulary we use to describe smells is important and it is essential that a methodology to describe odours for archival purposes includes a sensory description, in addition to the chemical one. In some industries, the human nose is the main tool to characterize odours due to its accuracy and sensitivity... Often, the smell of books intrigues and inspires: a copy of the novel Ulysses which belonged to T. E. Lawrence, and documented as having 'a sweet, somewhat smoky aroma that suffuses every bit of paper and leather', embarked several researchers in a quest to find out the author's life experiences behind the fragrant notes. In this case, association with a prominent author gave significance to the information resulting from the VOC analysis. O. These aromas, along with those of the surrounding furnishings of a historic library space, create the unique smell that many visitors appreciate, conferring significance to this aroma through its communal value. Similarly, users of archives consider smell as an important characteristic of documents; this could be related to the fact that, in the age of digitization, working with physical records is an increasingly rare practice, and therefore the opportunity to touch and smell the documents is perceived as valuable..."

http://bit.ly/2pdgYxa

9.3 SUCKROSE AND AKWA, THE ROUNDWORLD VERSION

According to the British Homeopathic Association, common salt is far more than a condiment: "Salt preserves and it retains – not only fluids, but also old emotions, and unfortunately hoards them like a miser hoards his gold" and is "a remedy of profound importance in the treatment of emotional suffering: the pangs and hurts of life, which are most often hidden from others". If that sounds ridiculous, it's because it *is* ridiculous, but we should never forget the power of the human mind to effect a cure based on belief alone. Granny Weatherwax certainly understood that principle! So if you fancy reading the link below for the lulz, remember that there can sometimes be a grain of sense, if not actual truth in, sugar-water – or salt-water – "cures".

http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/charity/how-we-can-help/articles/homeopathic-medicines/n/nat-mur/

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10) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

A proper Discworld band with rocks in – Sebastian Barwinek, Christian Reiter and friends, who entertain at every Scheibenwelt convention and will be there again next month:
http://www.discworld-convention.de/images/booth/band.jpg

A cute 1st April photo from the Discworld Emporium – all that's missing is Adam and the Them:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8QvviNXYAA8ZG5.jpg

A collage of the exquisite new Tiffany hardcovers by Paul Kidby:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8lSH6BW0AMmtoe.jpg

...and a glimpse of Mr Kidby's new map of the Chalk, as posted by him on Twitter:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8qOigjXYAIDRGq.jpg

The cover of the forthcoming 2018 Discworld calendar:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-HNQAvXcAALYr2.jpg

A Kidby classic – Attack of the Fifty Foot Ginger, from Moving Pictures:
https://theidlewoman.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/moving-pictures-kidby-e1488706241464.jpg

Another small Kidby masterpiece – Dwarf family values:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7_zAQnXgAAX5l6.jpg

A print-and-keep graphic of the various names under which palm oil is disguised on ingredients lists – remember, buying products that use palm oil is contributing to the deforestation that endangers orangutans:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C7xhUA5XwAIX7G4.jpg

...and finally, a picture of two baby hedgehogs. Definite cuteness overload, even if we know they can't be... well, you know:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8Gx-1IVAAAubZA.jpg

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11) CLOSE

On the subject of World Book Day, Wikipedia says, "From Middle Ages to 18th century books were often chained to a bookshelf or a desk to prevent theft" and provides a familiar-looking image: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-G9MgsUIAAfped.jpg – but we know better, don't we...

And that's the lot for April. Don't forget to start gathering your violets for the Glorious 25th, in a month's time. Take care, and we'll see you in May!

– Annie Mac

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The End. If you have any questions or requests, write: wossname-owner (at) pearwood (dot) info

Copyright (c) 2017 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
April 2016 (Volume 19, Issue 4, 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) THE TERRY PRATCHETT MEMORIAL IN LONDON
04) ODDS AND SODS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
07) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS
08) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
09) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
10) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE REAL WORLD OF POO
11) IMAGES OF THE MONTH
12) CLOSE

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01) QUOTES OF THE MONTH

"As the forest of the Indonesian Leuser Ecosystem continues to be cleared to meet demand for Palm Oil, the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan is being pushed to the brink of extinction. Here, at the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme's Orangutan Quarantine Center, rescued orangutans are rehabilitated so they can be released back into the wild. If we don't stop this rampant destruction, the Leuser Ecosystem and the Sumatran orangutans that call it home could be lost forever."
– Leonardo di Caprio

"Don't let elves and dwarves fool you. Fantasy is not divorced from our world. It's a lens through which we explore it."
– Rhianna Pratchett on Twitter, 6 April 2016

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02) LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

A packed issue this month, so I won't make it any longer by inflicting my wibblings on you. Instead, on with the show!

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) THE TERRY PRATCHETT MEMORIAL IN LONDON

Reminiscences of the evening from Bernard Pearson's blog:

"Terry Pratchett would have loved it... The memorial celebration started with the music of Thomas Tallis and finished with Eric Idle. It was opened by Larry Finlay the top honcho in Transworld and hosted by Rob who did the introductions like a professional, linking everything in seamlessly. The Patrician of Ankh-Morpork put in a brief appearance; Neil Gaiman and Tony Robinson read tributes and Rhianna spoke about growing up with her Dad. We had songs (including Wintersmith) from Maddy Prior and Steeleye Span and the fond memories of three of Terry's editors. I have no recollection of what Pat and I said but it must have been reasonably alright for the both of us to be invited back on stage later in the proceedings. We stood in line with several other folk who had been chosen by Terry to become members of the 'Venerable Order of the Honeybee'. We have been entrusted to hold Terry's vision for the future, each in our own way and each with our unique skills. Such an accolade would be enough in itself you would have thought. But Terry had planned even more –the gift of a gold bee pin –created with exquisite ingenuity by master goldsmith Tom Lynall. This is a true honour and a piece of jewellery that I will always cherish along with the memory of receiving it. And then Rob showed us the future: that this was not the end of the story but a beginning of something new. Terry's world and vision is being carried on in film and television... The Barbican memorial was not a wake it was a bloody great wave, not of goodbye but of friends across a divide. A divide that will be bridged by the things yet to come, set in motion by those who loved him..."

https://thecunningartificer.com/2016/04/28/thoughts-on-what-would-have-been-terrys-68th-birthday/

This from the North American Discworld Convention gang. It's a Facebook post but can be accessed by non-users:

"As we entered the auditorium, the first thing we saw was Sir Terry's sparkling silhouette filling the screen and his voice filtering through the speakers. Everyone had received a goodie bag on their seat. These included a bottle of 'Ankh' Water (anything that's passed through several pairs of kidneys has to be very pure indeed), a commemorative book entitled 'Terry Pratchett: from birth to death, a writer', a pin badge, a selection of photo postcards, a tin of dried frog pills and a thoughtful pack of tissues. As the choir filed onto the stage, the audience immediately fell silent. A picture of Lord Vetinari by Paul Kidby was accompanied by the Patrician's warning, that no photos or recordings were to be taken, on pain of death. And who in their right mind would argue with Lord Vetinari? The choir, the Epiphoni Consort, then gave us a beautiful rendition of Thomas Tallis' Spem in Alium... Stephen Briggs then took the stage as the Patrician to introduce Rob Wilkins, our host for the evening. Rob described how when he had asked Terry about what he would like for his memorial, Terry's response was "I'd want to be there". Terry also wanted to hit the right tone for the memorial, especially if he wasn't able to attend, and this basically meant some decent swearing, Monty Python style...

"Rhianna Pratchett, looking resplendent in red and carrying the sword that Terry had created himself upon his knighthood, proceeded to deliver the obituary she gave in December... Larry Finlay of Transworld Publishers gave a touching speech and an amusing account of Terry's star rating for bookshops that he had been to for signings. Apparently the star rating extended to hotels too. We were also to have the pleasure of Steeleye Span performing some of their hits from the Wintersmith album... Three of Terry's editors gave us their accounts and some favorite memories of Sir Terry. Philippa Dickinson recounted the times when she would ask him to change something and his sometimes stubborn reluctance to agree, while referring to her as a 'cantankerous cow!'. Jennifer Brehl said she would miss the somewhat random phone calls she would receive from him, to inform her of some new fact he had discovered or story thread he was working on and the way he would tease her for crying when they finally cracked the New York Times bestseller list – it's only a list Jen. Anne Hoppe spoke of Sir Terry's delight in hearing of children who had never picked up a book before picking one of his and how it inspired them to continue. The letters he received from these children who had gone on to become Professors of English, or writing novels of their own and how it was all about paying it forward, not awards. So even when the time came for him to drop the baton of fantasy writing, someone would always be there to catch it before it hit the ground...

"Rob told us of a day in October 2014 that he was away from the office and Terry took the opportunity to write letters to those he loved most, to be found after his death. Which they were on April 28th, Terry's birthday, in 2015. These letters included his father of the bride speech for Rhianna and a letter of advice for the wedding night. Rob read the letter he had received out to us. There were more tears as Sir Terry's words told us to appreciate each other and live life to the full, because life is short... Then came news of future projects, including the next in the Long Earth series, the Discworld coloring book, the Discworld Encyclopedia, Small Gods the graphic novel, and a biography written by Rob Wilkins himself. Adaptations that we have to look forward to include the Wee Free Men, screenplay by Rhianna Pratchett; Mort, screenplay by Terry Rossio; and the hotly anticipated Good Omens, screenplay by Neil Gaiman, who had previously refused to adapt it on numerous occasions as it was a collaboration and that's how they wanted to keep it. However, it was a last request of Sir Terry's for Neil to adapt the book, and this time he could not refuse - much to all the fans delight..."

https://www.facebook.com/Ausdwcon/posts/10150620402424970

*

Sian Cain, in The Guardian:

"The evening was a celebration not only of Pratchett's life and work, but also of the people he brought together. Some Discworld fans spoke of travelling from the US and Australia. One recounted meeting her husband when she appeared in a Discworld play he was directing. The musicians and artists I spoke to, all choosing different elements of Pratchett's creative output that had, in turn, inspired their own... Sir Tony Robinson read Pratchett's Dimbleby lecture on Alzheimer's and assisted dying, while the author's daughter, Rhianna, read the obituary she wrote for the Observer. Dr Patrick Harkin, whose collection of Pratchett ephemera includes an onion pickled by the man himself, appeared alongside Discworld sculptor Bernard Pearson, as well as Pratchett's publisher, Larry Finlay, and agent, Colin Smythe. Neil Gaiman flew in from the States to read his introduction to Pratchett's 2014 non-fiction collection A Slip of the Keyboard, and found himself presented with his friend's trademark hat. Gaiman, looking a tad thunderstruck, placed it for a moment on his head, but quickly took it off again, saying: 'Oh, I don't dare.'

"Overall, the mood was fond. There was laughter at an early Pratchett quote about writing more Discworld novels, when the author was quite unaware of the fame and books that would follow ('I don't think I've exhausted all the possibilities in one book'). Friends and editors recalled his occasional cantankerousness, his delight at cracking America and his vigorous campaigning to change the law on assisted dying. Footage from an upcoming BBC documentary about Pratchett's life showed the author – a little thinner, but still blessed with the same humour – remembering his first impressions of The Wind in the Willows as a child: 'The moles and badgers go into each others' houses! They had hats! I thought: 'This is lies.'... fans were reassured that Pratchett's legacy is in safe hands; Wilkins insisted once more that the 10 unfinished novels sitting in Pratchett's archives would not be published or finished by another author. It was an evening that matched the deft tone of Pratchett's work – joyful silliness mixed with wry philosophy and honest, often humorous reflections on death. A night that began with a solemn choir accompanying a montage of bookcovers falling through an hourglass ended with a rousing version of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, led via video message by Eric Idle. Pratchett may not have been there, but there is no doubt he would have enjoyed himself."

http://bit.ly/1TW9o4W

Katherine Cowdrey in The Bookseller:

A biography of Terry Pratchett written by his personal assistant Rob Wilkins, a graphic novel by Pratchett and a Discworld Encyclopedia were among the new publishing revealed at a memorial to celebrate the late author last night (14th April)... While Transworld has not released any more details on the projects, Wilkins revealed he would be writing the biography on stage at the end of the memorial and said that Small Gods, a graphic novel from Pratchett with new artwork by Ray Friesen, will also be released, to be published on 28th July under the Doubleday imprint. A 'Discworld encyclopaedia' is also in the pipeline. A host of adaptations were also revealed. Along with Gaiman writing Good Omens for the screen in a six-episode series, the book Mort is to be made into a film by Terry Rossio, the second highest grossing screenwriter in the world behind such successes as Disney's Aladdin, Shrek and Pirates of the Caribbean, Wilkins revealed. The Wee Free Men is also being adapted for the screen by Pratchett's daughter, Rhianna Pratchett, with further details expected to be revealed at Comicon...

"Transworld m.d. Larry Finlay also spoke, adding: 'As the Discworld world developed, Terry's novels just got better and better. His characters richer and fuller. One of the joys of this world is it holds up a sparkling distorted mirror to our own world in all its complexities, it's joys, it's frustrations, it's brilliance and its madness. Whether his keen lens scrutinised trade unions, or banking, or prejudice, the cloth, bureaucracy or academia, Terry's novels shone a light on us and the bizarre, baffling yet extraordinary rich tapestry of our lives.' He closed: 'The PCA finally took Terry from this world on 12th March last year. It robbed him of so many more years of life, family, friendships and writing, and it robbed us of so many more books unwritten, so much invention, so many stories, so much wisdom and so much joy – but, as Terry wrote in Reaper Man: 'No one is finally dead until the ripples they caused in the world die away – until the clock he wound up winds down'..."

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/pratchett-memorial-327142

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04) ODDS AND SODS

4.1 GOOD OMENS TELLY ADAPTATION! BY NEIL GAIMAN!

In The Guardian, by Sian Cain:

"Neil Gaiman, the author and longtime friend of Sir Terry Pratchett, has announced he will be writing the adaptation of their co-authored novel Good Omens for the screen... Pratchett's longtime friend and assistant Rob Wilkins recalled asking Gaiman to adapt Good Omens as they were driving back from Pratchett's house, on one of the final occasions Gaiman met with him before his death. He said he had approached Gaiman because 'it required love, it required patience'... Released in 1990, Good Omens was listed among the BBC's Big Read of the nation's 100 favourite books. Another adaptation of Pratchett's work was confirmed at the memorial event on Thursday evening: a feature film of his 1987 novel Mort. The second-highest-grossing screenwriter of all time, Terry Rossio – who has written hits including Shrek, Aladdin and Pirate of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl – will be writing the adaptation, while Narrativia will co-produce it. Rhianna Pratchett is also confirmed to be adapting her father's 2003 novel Wee Free Men into a feature film..."

http://bit.ly/1p3d6Ng

By Jess Denham in The Independent:

"'Terry and I [initially] had a deal that we would only work on Good Omens things together,' Gaiman said at a memorial event for Pratchett in London last Thursday. 'Everything that was ever written, bookmarks and tiny little things, we would always collaborate. Everything was a collaboration.' When Gaiman finally agreed to adapt Good Omens by himself, Pratchett sent him a letter shortly before his death, writing: 'I would very much like this to happen and I know, Neil, that you're very very busy, but no one else could ever do it with the passion that we share for the old girl. I wish I could be more involved and I will help in any way I can.'... 'I've been working on the Good Omens scripts for much of the last year, wishing that [Pratchett] was still here and could help, even if it was just to take a phone call,' he wrote. 'It's hard when I get stuck, and want to ask his advice. It's harder when I come up with something clever or funny that's new and I want to call him up and read it to him, and make him laugh or hear him point out something I'd missed. We were always each other's first audiences for Good Omens. That was the point. Neither of us had any idea whether or not we'd be able to sell this odd book or not, when we were writing it, but we knew that we could make the other one laugh. I'm now 72 per cent of the way through the Good Omens scripts, and the end is in sight.'..."

http://ind.pn/1ShxemZ

On BoingBoing:

"After several false starts, including one that involved Terry Gilliam and a groat, Neil Gaiman has announced that he will personally adapt he and Terry Pratchett's outstanding, comedic apocalypse novel Good Omens as a six-part TV series. Gaiman made the announcement at a memorial event for Pratchett held last night in London, revealing that Pratchett had left him a note urging him to do it. 'Absolutely not,' Gaiman recalled replying, to laughter. 'Terry and I had a deal that we would only work on Good Omens things together,' he explained. 'Everything that was ever written – bookmarks and tiny little things – we would always collaborate, everything was a collaboration. So, obviously, no.' But Wilkins revealed to the audience that Pratchett had left a letter posthumously for Gaiman. In the letter, Pratchett requested that the author write an adaptation by himself, with his blessing. 'At that point, I think I said, 'You bastard, yes,'' Gaiman recalled, to cheers. 'How much are we allowed to tell them?' Gaiman teased, before he was hushed by Wilkins. 'Are we allowed to tell them it is a six-part television series?'..."

https://boingboing.net/2016/04/15/from-beyond-the-grave-terry-p.html

In the NME:

"This isn't the first time producers have tried to bring the novel, which sees an angel and a demon teaming up to defeat the antichrist, who due to unfortunate circumstances turns out to be a boy growing up in the English countryside, to the screen. In 2002, a Terry Gilliam pitch reputedly involving Johnny Depp and Robin Williams fell through due to issues with portraying the end of the world after 9/11. Another attempt, in 2011, also featuring Gaiman, with another ex-Monty Python star, Terry Jones, also came to nothing. BBC Radio 4 produced a version in 2014, which brought Pratchett and Gaiman together to provide voicework, and which was done deliberately so Sir Terry could enjoy the work while he was still alive..."

http://www.nme.com/filmandtv/news/good-omens-neil-gaiman-and-terry-pratchett-comedy-/405035

...and Neil Gaiman's own blog post about it:

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2016/04/good-omens-cheap-seats-and-memorial.html

4.2 PAUL KIDBY DISCWORLD COLOURING BOOK!!!

Now that adult colouring books are A Thing, it's good news for fans of Paul Kidby's exquisite Discworld art:

"Gollancz is delighted to announce the acquisition of World Rights to publish a colouring book of line drawings by Paul Kidby, Sir Terry Pratchett's artist of choice. Gollancz Digital Publisher, Darren Nash, brought the rights to Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book from Rob Wilkins at Narrativia, who own and control the exclusive multimedia and merchandising rights to all of Sir Terry's works, including his Discworld characters and creations... Rob Wilkins said: 'Paul Kidby is Terry Pratchett's artist of choice. Paul – in a seemingly effortless and certainly modest way – breathed life into Terry's characters for more than two decades. Terry often commenting that Paul must have the ability to step right into Discworld, because the accuracy with which he depicts his creations often surpassed his own imagination.'... Containing black-and-white line drawings based on his hugely popular artwork as well as original pieces produced exclusively for this book, Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book features iconic Discworld personalities as Granny Weatherwax, Sam Vimes, Rincewind, Tiffany Aching and, of course, DEATH..."

http://discworld.com/press-release-colouring-book-announced/

"Gollancz Digital Publisher, Darren Nash, said, 'This is the perfect mix of fad and phenomenon: adult colouring books and the UK's bestselling Fantasy series. And the fact that it's come from Paul and Rob is a guarantee that Sir Terry's creations will be treated with the respect they deserve.' Rob Wilkins said: 'Paul Kidby is Terry Pratchett's artist of choice. Paul – in a seemingly effortless and certainly modest way – breathed life into Terry's characters for more than two decades. Terry often commenting that Paul must have the ability to step right into Discworld, because the accuracy with which he depicts his creations often surpassed his own imagination.' Paul Kidby said: 'It's been a great pleasure to select some of my favourite artworks and recreate them as line drawings here ready for colouring. Now it's over to you to embark upon the Discworld colouring-in extravaganza. The future is bright; it's not orange, it's Octarine!'

"If Terry Pratchett's pen gave his characters life, Paul Kidby's brush allowed them to live it. He provided the illustrations for The Last Hero, which sold over 300,000 copies, and has designed the covers for the Discworld novels since 2002. He is also the author of the definitive portfolio volume The Art Of Discworld."

To read the full press release, go to http://discworld.com/press-release-colouring-book-announced/

Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book will be published by Gollancz on the 11th August priced at £9.99. To pre-order a copy from Discworld.com, go to:
http://bit.ly/1SlbsOF

4.3 DAVID LLOYD: TWO DAYS WITH TERRY PRATCHETT!

A podcast you definitely want to listen to!

"I found myself in the unlikely position of my day job being that of dean of research at Trinity College, Dublin. My wife Annie, who is immeasurably cleverer than I am, and who is also a long-time fan of the goings-on on the Discworld, and I were at home in Dublin having a conversation about honorary degrees. As you do. I was quite fixated on Trinity College advancing candidates of international renown for these honours. I was bringing my work home with me. Annie said, 'What about Terry Pratchett?' Bing... Honorary degrees are not lightly bestowed. Once proffered, the mechanics of ensuring their actual acceptance by the nominee are complex. With high profile nominees, there's not usually a direct link to the person. Ordinarily, a letter is dispatched to a third party who is in a position to ask said person if they'll actually accept the award. That way refusals are not seen as huge snubs, they may be just miscommunications. Anyway, the third party in question in Terry's case was Colin Smythe, Terry's long-time literary agent. Colin was the man who first published Pratchett and launched Great A'Tuin into the cosmos of print. Colin also happened to be a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, and an honorary doctor of the institution to boot. (This is a useful set of qualifications to hold, if an honorary degree offer is coming from Trinity College Dublin to someone you know—particularly if that someone might require some convincing to accept)

"'All the way to Ireland to dress up for a parchment? No bloody way—I'm trying to write a book!' I'm paraphrasing. But that, apparently, was Terry's initial reaction... unlikely circumstances relating to matters Hibernian and academic led to arms being duly (though gently) twisted, and the offer of a Trinity College honorary award was grudgingly accepted. Whatever the reluctance behind the scenes in the UK, I was determined that, for me at least, this would not be a missed opportunity...

"As Dean, my office was located in House 1 of Trinity College—in the old college armoury to be precise. This abutted the provost's residence at 1 Grafton Street: a Georgian Palladian townhouse of utter magnificence, where VIPs are looked after on occasions such as this. The house is truly splendid, with many period features spanning its Georgian origins and later Victorian innovations, such as indoor loos and central heating. The lavatory to which I escorted Terry was a late-adopted, early Victorian affair, a pull-chain number, with a rather ornate porcelain throne complete with the original wooden seat—in near mint condition, lightly polished by generations of provostorial and deanly buttocks. So proud were its creators that they had christened it 'The Deluge' and emblazoned its name brazenly in brown glazed script just beneath the rim, for all future users to marvel at. As Terry entered the chamber of ablution, I heard an exclamation of pure joy... I waited respectfully outside the door. There came a rattle of chain. The whoosh of the Deluge deluging accompanied by a 'whoo-hoo' of pure delight from Terry. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between man and plumbing, which would eventually see the latter immortalised in print several years later in The World of Poo..."

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/ockhamsrazor/david-lloyd-two-days-with-terry-pratchett/7286950

4.4 DISCWORLD DAY AT THE STORY MUSEUM!

Discworld Day sees The Story Museum celebrating the work of much loved author Terry Pratchett. This year's Discworld Day at The Story Museum is based on Terry Prachett's Carnegie Medal winning novel The Amazing Maurice & His Educated Rodents, in which a street smart cat, a gang of educated rats and a 'stupid looking kid' pull off the swindle of the century with unexpected consequences. Join us for a day of rat-tastic events and activities including rat handling, tap dancing, magic tricks, illustration, games and more!

When: Saturday 21st May 2016
Venue: Oxford Story Museum, Rochester House, 42 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP
Time: 10am-5pm
Tickets: "All events are included with museum entry unless otherwise stated." Standard price for the museum entry is adults £7.50, under-18s and concessions £5, family ticket: £20 (4 people including at least 1 child). Free entry for children under 2 and companions of disabled visitors.

Two extra special events on the day are "Dangerous Beans' Dinner" and "Draw Along Read Along with Stephen Briggs and Neill Cameron". Details are:

Dangerous Beans' Dinner
"Join fellow Terry Pratchett fans for a very special two course dinner party including rat themed cuisine (food will contain no actual rats) a special Discworld quiz compiled by Jason Anthony, editor of Discworld Monthly,and plenty of fun and frivolity. The guest of honour for the evening will be Stephen Briggs, reader of the Discworld audio books, mapper of Ankh Morpork and adapter of several of Terry's best loved works for stage. Ticket price includes a two course meal. Ages 18+."

Time: 19:00-22:30
Tickets: £25, available at http://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/ticketsoxford/index.aspx#event=20805

Draw Along Read Along with Stephen Briggs and Neill Cameron
"Join voice of the Discworld audio books Stephen Briggs and Phoenix Comic artist Neill Cameron for a special read along draw along event. As well as picking up tips on how to draw your very own rat, Stephen will be reading extracts from the book as Neill draws live illustrations for your enjoyment. A must for fans of Pratchett and aspiring illustrators alike. Ages 8+."

Time: 14:00-15:00
Tickets: £7/£5, available at http://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/ticketsoxford/index.aspx#event=20804

http://www.storymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/discworld-day/
http://www.storymuseum.org.uk/visit/

4.5 THE MORT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN!

The concept art for the (thankfully!) ill-fated Disney adaptation of Mort is available to view.

From Den of Geek:

"Back in 2010, there were strong rumours that Walt Disney Animation Studios was set to make a movie based on Terry Pratchett's Discworld novel, Mort. At the time, directors John Musker and Ron Clements were linked with the project, although they eventually made Moana – due in cinemas later this year – their latest project. However, it seems that Mort was indeed a project very much under development at Disney, even if it's no longer active. And former Disney animator Claire Keane has uploaded some of the concept art from Mort to her website..."

The full collection of images lives at http://www.claireonacloud.com/misc-development/

http://bit.ly/1VEc2O7

4.6 MY INSPIRATION: PRATCHETT

Children's author Tom Nicoll tells how the works of Terry Pratchett inspired him as a child:

"The first book I ever read by Terry Pratchett was Truckers. This was 1992 and ITV were airing a fantastic stop-motion animation of it at the time, produced by Cosgrove Hall. When I discovered the book in my local library the opportunity to find out what happened before any of my friends was too good to miss. So basically I read it for the exact same reason I would read George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire 20 years later. I had no way of knowing that this would be the book that would inspire me to become a writer of funny stories. The book itself made no mention of this. Not even a warning on the back... As much as I wanted to race through it to find out what happened next, I soon learned that I simply can't read a Terry Pratchett novel quickly. To do so runs the risk of missing a joke and I simply can't have that. Not on my watch. It wasn't just the quality of the jokes. It was the quantity and variety of them. I would often spend ages rereading the same paragraphs, in awe of how anyone could construct sentences so densely packed with humour. Like the best satirists he could make the everyday seem absurd, but like Douglas Adams he could also just as easily turn the absurd into the perfectly logical. He'd treat old sayings and cliches on a par with the laws of physics, like in the eighth Discworld book Guards, Guards where saving the day rests entirely on the fact that million-to-one chances always happen when you need them. And of course the footnotes..."

http://bit.ly/1SCAvxq

4.7 WASHING A WHITE HORSE

The Westbury White Horse, a A 175ft (53m) long chalk figure in Wiltshire that was described as a 'bit of a grey mare', has been restored:

"Up to 20 volunteers have spent the weekend power cleaning the horse, which is carved into a very steep slope.`The English Heritage monument was steam cleaned in 2012. The cleaning project was organised by the Westbury Rotary Club. Once clean, the hillfigure is due to be given a new coat of white paint. Under the supervision of an expert climber, two volunteers at a time are lowered down the face of the horse to blast dirt and algae off its surface. Organiser Steve Carrington said weather conditions over the weekend had been ideal 'to get the white horse white again'... Westbury's horse is said to be the oldest in Wiltshire. It was restored in 1778, but many believe it is far older than that..."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-36066414 (includes video)


4.8 A CROSSING NEAR PEACH PIE STREET... OR NOT?

"Wincanton residents are still waiting for a pedestrian crossing promised as part of a new housing estate seven years ago, it has emerged. Taylor Wimpey agreed in 2009 that it would fund a crossing and traffic calming measures on Common Road near its Kingwell Rise development off Deanesly Way. The developer confirmed this week that construction of homes at the site was completed in November 2014 and that all the properties there have now sold. But a number of measures agreed as part of a Section 106 deal are yet to become a reality... In 2009 several streets on the Kingwell Rise development were named after fictional places in the works of the late author Terry Pratchett. Treacle Mine Road, Peach Pie Street and Morpork Street are among the roads on the estate named after Mr Pratchett's creations. The owner of Wincanton's Pratchett-inspired shop the Discworld Emporium, Bernard Pearson, said: 'It's a shame children can't cross the road safely. Sir Terry Pratchett was very keen on children growing up to read his books!'..."

http://www.westerngazette.co.uk/Delays-promised-Wincanton-pedestrian-crossing/story-29115996-detail/story.html

4.9 LEONARDO DI CAPRIO, ORANGUTAN ACTIVIST

From The Express:

"DiCaprio has been visiting the Sumatran rainforest this week to highlight the threats its unique wildlife is facing in the wake of rampant destruction. Timeless trees are making way for palm oil plantations, putting pressure on a priceless population of tigers, elephants, rhinos and great apes. DiCaprio posted this photograph after visiting the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme's quarantine centre as part of his tour of the Mount Leuser National Park in Acehon the northern tip of Sumatra, with friends and fellow actors Adrien Brody and Fisher Stevens. Wearing a mask is vital to stop infections jumping the species barrier... DiCaprio has become one of the world's highest profile environment campaigners. The Leonard DiCaprio Foundation is supporting a wide range of projects that protect vulnerable wildlife from extinction while restoring balance to threatened ecosystems and communities. Alongside the star's Instagram posting, he explains how the lowland rainforest of Leuser Ecosystem is considered the world's best remaining habitat for critically endangered animals..."

https://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/657472/Leonardo-DiCaprio-orangutan-selfie-animal-campaign-oscars-revenant

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05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS

5.0 NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN BEDFORDSHIRE (JUNE)

The Masquerade Theatre Group will be bringing their production of Wyrd Sisters to the stage in early June.

When: Friday 3rd & Saturday 4th June 2016
Venue: Parkside Community Hall, Woburn Street, Ampthill, Bedfordshire MK45 2HX (phone 01525 634 215)
Time: 7:45pm
Tickets: £10, available from 07817528077 or masqueradetheatregroup@gmail.com

5.1 NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN MARYLAND! (MAY)

Haaaags... in... spaaaaace! Well, not really, but MAD – the Music and Drama Club of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland – are putting on their production of Wyrd Sisters in May!

When: 6th–21st May 2016
Venue: Barney & Bea Recreation Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
Time: 8pm Fridays and Saturdays, 3pm Sundays
Tickets: $16 in advance, but special prices for the opening weekend: $14 Friday & Saturday and $12 Sunday (Mother's Day). Tickets at the door will be $20 for all performances. To purchase online, go to https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=mad

The MAD website has a trailer for the production.

http://www.madtheater.org/

5.2 UPDATE : LORDS AND LADIES IN NEWCASTLE (JULY)

The People's Theatre, "the premier amateur theatre company in the North of England", will stage their production of Lords and Ladies, adapted by Irana Brown, in July. "We're no strangers to Discworld and this funny and fast-moving adaptation of (the much-missed) Sir Terry's fourteenth novel sees the welcome return of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg to our stage. It promises to be lots of fun, so book early to avoid disappointment!"

The production dates have been unavoidably rescheduled, moving back by a week from the original schedule of 12th-16th July. See below!

When: 19th-23rd
Venue: People's Theatre, Stephenson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 5QF. Phone: (0191) 275 9875
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £13.50 (£11 concessions). Box Office on 0191 265 5020 or email tickets.peoplestheatre@email.com. (Box Office is open weekdays 10.30am–1pm and Mon, Wed, Fri evenings 7.30–8.30pm). To book online, go to the inappropriately-named Intelligent Tickets, and be prepared to jump through a truly daft series of hoops:
http://www.intelligent-tickets.co.uk/index.php?th=pe

http://bit.ly/1lMl3Vj

5.3 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN READING (MAY)

Caversham Park Theatre will present their production of Wyrd Sisters next month.

"If you have never experienced the late Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld but wonder what you might have missed... Caversham Park Theatre is proud to stage Wyrd Sisters. We hope you will dip your toe into Sir Terry's Discworld and discover a whole new universe of thoughtful comedy."

When: 12th, 13th and 14th May 2016
Venue: Milestone Centre, Northbrook Rd, Caversham, Reading, RG4 6PF
Time: 8pm for 12th and 13th April, 7pm for 14th April
Tickets: £7.00, available by phone (01189 481 377) or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/118288
Book online at: www.cavparktheatre.org.uk or phone 0118-948-1377

5.4 REMINDER: LORDS AND LADIES IN SWITZERLAND (MAY)

The Gay Beggars theatre group of the University of Basel will present their production of Lords and Ladies, adapted by Irana Brown, in May!

When: 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th May 2016
Venue: Cellar Theatre of the English Seminar, University of Basel, Nadelberg 6
Time: 8pm all shows, except 1st May which starts at 5pm
Tickets: CHF25 (students, apprentices, AHV, IV CHF15). There is a group discount for school classes of CHF10 per student; contact reservations@gay beggars.ch for groups of 10 or more. Tickets can be reserved by emailing reservations@gaybeggars.ch. "Reserved tickets must be picked up at the evening box office (opens one hour before the show).'

http://www.gaybeggars.ch/

5.5 REMINDER: WYRD SISTERS IN SOMERSET (MAY)

The Minehead Dramatic Society will stage their production of Wyrd Sisters in May.

When: 13, 14 and 15th May 2016
Venue: Regal Theatre, 10-16 The Avenue, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 5AY (phone 01643 706430)
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: Adults £8.00, Friends £7.50, ES40's/Students £4.00. Online tickets can be purchased by logging in to http://bit.ly/21MET1d and clicking on the date of your choice. "Please note that tickets cannot be purchased, on-line, on the same day as the performance. Please call into the box office or telephone 01643 706430 (Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 3.00pm)"

http://regaltheatre.co.uk/
http://regaltheatre.co.uk/whatson/?pno=2

5.6 REMINDER: MORT IN HESSE, GERMANY (MAY)

The Helden Theatre will be staging their production of Gevatter Tod (that's the Deutsche title of Mort) in May 2016!

When: Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd May 2016
Venue: Theater Altes Hallenbad, Haagstrasse 29, 61169 Friedberg
Time: 7.30pm Saturday 21st, 3.30pm Sunday 22nd
Tickets: €10 concessions €8). To purchase online, go to http://bit.ly/1Rbt0MP and click on the Tickets button

http://heldentheater.de

5.7 NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN RICHMOND, YORKSHIRE (JULY)

The Richmond Amateur Dramatic Society will be staging their production of Wyrd Sisters in July

When: 28th–30th July and 4th–6th August 2016
Venue: Georgian Theatre Royal, Victoria Road, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4DW
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £6.50 to £12.50, available online at https://tickets.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk/ or ring the box office 01748 825252

http://www.richmond-ads.org.uk/
http://www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk/

5.8 REMINDER: MORT IN YORK (JULY)

We Are Theatre will be presenting their production of Mort in July. Getting closer now...

When: 21st and 22nd June 2016
Venue: Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York YO31 8TA
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: £10 (£8 concessions), available from the York Theatre Royal box office (phone 01904 623568). For group bookings, contact wearetheatre@googlemail.com or ring 07521 364107

www.wearetheatre.co.uk

5.9 NEW: GOING POSTAL IN CARDIFF (AUGUST)

The Monstrous Productions Theatre Company, who specialise in staging Pratchett plays and have so far raised – and donated – over £18,000 for Alzheimer's Research UK, are taking on the Ankh-Morpork Post Office for their next project!

"Moist Von Lipwig is a conman, forger and all-round confidence trickster, always on the look out for the next big game. Until one of his many personas has a run-in with the law and is hanged to within a inch of his life. And so begins the biggest game of all. He must restore Ankh-Morpork's defunct post office to it's former glory or else have a second shot at dancing the hemp fandango. On his side he has the Disc's oldest junior postman, Stanley ('ask me about pins!') and his pottery probation officer, Mr Pump. It's a mighty task, made mightier by competition from Ankh-Morpork's newest technology, the Clacks, and its piratical owner, Reacher Gilt."

When: 17th-20th August 2016
Venue: The Gate Arts Centre, Keppoch Street, Roath, Cardiff CF24 3JW
Time: 7.30pm evening shows (doors open at 7pm); 2.30pm matinee on the 20th (doors open 2pm)
Tickets: £8 (£6 concessions), available from http://7889269b08cd.fikket.com/ – also by email (monstrousproductions2012@gmail.com, pay by cheque or bank transfer)

Also, if you are local to the Cardiff area (or fond of travelling), the Monstrous company works to a great model: "We announce auditions for upcoming productions about a month before casting. We have a laid back audition process and people travel from all over the South Wales area. No experience is necessary, our only stipulation is that members must be over 18 and younger than 70. Membership is £10 per year. We rehearse twice a week over the course of a few months, with some social activities thrown in."

http://www.monstrousptc.com/

5.10 NEW: GUARDS! GUARDS! IN BRISBANE

The Brisbane Arts Theatre takes on yet another Discworld play later this year, in October and November.

"From the legendary author Sir Terry Pratchett comes the eighth novel in the Discworld series and first featuring the Ankh-Morpork City Watch. Long believed extinct, a superb specimen, The Noble Dragon has appeared in Discworld's greatest city. Not only does this unwelcome visitor have a nasty habit of charbroiling everything in its path, in rather short order it is crowned King (it is a noble dragon, after all). With some help from an orangutan librarian, it is the task of the Night Watch to overpower the secret brotherhood and restore order to the kingdom in this fantastical Discworld adventure."

When: 8th October through 12th November 2016
Venue: Brisbane Arts Theatre, 210 Petrie Terrace, Brisbane, QLD 4000. Phone: (07) 3369 2344
Time: 8pm Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays (except 10th November); 6.30pm Sundays (16th & 30th October)
Tickets: Adults $31, Concession $25, Group 10+ $25, Group 75+ $20, Student Rush $10 (10 mins before curtain), available online at http://bit.ly/1QGbXBF

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

5.11 NEW: CARPE JUGULUM IN SLOUGH (JULY)

Colnbrook Amateur Stage Theatre aka CAST will stage their production of the Stephen Briggs adaptation of Carpe Jugulum in July! The main roles have already been cast, but there are "still supporting roles available if anyone would like to join the cast!!!"

When: 13th-16th July 2016
Venue: CAST, Colnbrook Village Hall,. Vicarage Way, Colnbrook, Berks SL3 0RF. Phone 07944 215487 (Secretary)
Time: 7.45pm all shows
Tickets: TBA. Normally £8 (£6 concessions), eventually available online at http://www.cast-online.org.uk/box-office/

http://www.cast-online.org.uk/

5.12 REVIEW: THE SHAKESPEARE CODEX

By Alex Ballingeron for the Oxfordshire Guardian:

"The most poignant part of Briggs' latest tale, The Shakespeare Codex, hit me around halfway through the first act: this would be the first of the last of Pratchett on stage, since Bill Door came knocking last March. The great man is no longer here to spew out his powerful imagination, not around to pen new tales for us to stage, so we are left without additions to the Discworld saga. But because of this, I loved The Shakespeare Codex: it was something special, a barrage of farce and wit that would have made Pratchett proud. And seeing the works of Pratchett and the Bard side by side felt nothing but appropriate and I quickly came to see that this was not the beginning of the end, because his work would survive him. In the year 2415, I would expect to see a year's worth of events commemorating the 400th anniversary of Pratchett's passing. This play sees a band of wizards battle elves to ensure Shakespeare pens his timeless works. Stand-out performances came from Dan Booth as the terrified and inept wizard Rincewind, the lynchpin of the Unseen University, Ponder Stibbons, played by Brian Mackenwells, and Natasha Warner as the Elf Queen. Rory Morrison also played Shakespeare with the likeability we all hope the real playwright had. The charming touch of the am drams doesn't detract anything from the tale and Briggs' sense of humour doesn't blunt in transition from Pratchett's sharp nib..."

http://www.oxfordshireguardian.co.uk/the-first-of-the-last-terry-pratchett-versus-the-bard/

5.13 REVIEWS: THE WEE FREE MEN IN ADELAIDE

By Christine Pyman for Broadway World:

"Every Sir Terry Pratchett story is magic, and Unseen Theatre Company's 2016 world premier of The Wee Free Men, at Adelaide's Bakehouse Theatre, is no exception. In fact, it's totally enthralling and sheer magic to experience this production... Alycia Rabig plays Miss Tick, with a suitably strait laced respect-commanding manner, reminiscent of every clever teacher you've ever known. Hugh O'Connor is Toad, effortlessly being more amphibian than anyone could possibly expect from an actor that Unseen audiences know better as the anthropomorphic entity DEATH. As Toad, he spends his time giving laconic advice, until he truly comes into his own when memories surface and he steps in to save the day, or at least one battle of it. The set was cleverly designed with three separate areas, allowing audience attention to be directed by use of lighting. The Wee Free Men of the title, known for their thieving ways, were used for set changes, which added to their shenanigans.

"Tiffany is brought to life by Josephine Giorgio, an outstanding young actor in her first role with Unseen. She breathes strength, determination and sheer witchiness as she battles not only the Faerie Queen, but the big questions in her life, such as why she wants her annoying little brother back, and exactly where is the witch school? During her adventure, which is an adventure of self-realisation, she is accompanied by the Wee Free Men, led by the Big Man of the Nac Mac Feegle clan, Rob Anybody, portrayed by Harold Roberts, resplendent in filthy Feegle gear, tattoos, tangled beard, and convincing accent..."

http://bit.ly/1rpVKw6

By Sebastian Cooper for InDaily:

"Directed and adapted for stage by Pamela Munt, The Wee Free Men is a light-hearted story which ebbs and flows at the whim of the actors. The Nac Mac Feegle – or Wee Free Men, as they are better known – form an important part of the story. The hilarious band of bumbling blue brutes love to steal, drink and fight, and are terrified of lawyers. Some questionable Glaswegian accents occasionally prove a burden when trying to follow the story, but they always provoke giggles. Giorgio refuses to be outshone by her funny and rowdy cast-mates, presenting Tiffany as headstrong and confident; she's a character audience members will cheer for. Capturing the naivety and wonderment of a child, however, can be difficult, and I missed that part of Tiffany. The use of the thieving Nac Mac Feegle to remove props and sets is a clever and humorous way to maximise a low-budget set design, while clever lighting and wonderful costumes make for fantastic visuals. Once again, Unseen Theatre Company has produced a wonderful tribute to Discworld and its late creator. This is a great production for adults and children alike, and a fantastic way to get your kids into literature by the great Terry Pratchett..."

http://indaily.com.au/arts-and-culture/theatre/2016/04/19/theatre-review-the-wee-free-men/

...and if you haven't time to visit the age and read the whole review right now, do have a shufti at this wonderful photo of Miss Tick and Tiffany:
http://indaily.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Wee-Free-Men-2-Bakehouse-Theatre.jpg – Ed.

By Anthony Vawser for Stage Whispers:

"The first half-hour or so is highly promising indeed, offering up generous servings of Pratchett's typically delightful wordplay and clever wit, delivered by the cast -- including, but not limited to, Olivia Cameron as Footnote the Narrator -- with sharp timing and elegant enunciation. There is also amusement generated in the early stages by illustrating comically quirky metaphysical ideas using decidedly low-tech design concepts. The characters of Tiffany, Toad, and Miss Tick establish themselves in their initial scene as an engaging and dynamic triple act. It is made clear that Tiffany will have a somewhat spikier personality than your average heroine, which adds an extra layer of intrigue. The blue-skinned title characters are colourfully quirky, making an undeniably impressive visual impact through facial hair-pieces and make-up. Toad is fantastically well-costumed in a yellow suit, complementing Hugh O'Connor's excellent physical acting and facial expressions, while Tiffany is herself appropriately tailored to remind us of Lewis Carroll's Alice. Unfortunately, the story that attempts to bring these elements together -- as well as to bring the audience along with them -- never quite becomes compelling enough, at least to a non-devotee of Terry Pratchett's writing. Though the plotting feels less busy and less convoluted here than what is usually found in the Discworld series, this reviewer found it less interesting and never fully engaging..."

http://www.stagewhispers.com.au/reviews/wee-free-men

By Nicola Woolford for Glam Adelaide:

"The Wee Free Men delivered tongue-in-cheek humour, honoured the fantasy of the original novel, and boasted an exemplary cast of amateur players. Giorgio in particular should be praised, as she displayed great talent for a year-12 student. The 'Wee Free Men' ensemble was unerring in their portrayal of the pilfering pixies. Munt's adaptation was peppered with clever, practical solutions – such as casting O'Conner as Toad, and her inventive use of the 'Wee Free Men'. Having a fully-grown man wearing a yellow suit, green tie and toe-socks with bright make-up at once added a note of absurdity to the play and brought the character of Toad to life..."

http://www.glamadelaide.com.au/main/theatre-review-the-wee-free-men/

by Ewart Shaw in the Advertiser:

"If you know Pratchett you'll appreciate the challenges which face the oxymoronically named Unseen Theatre. Their approach to magic is of the sleight of hand variety, now you see it, now you see someone moving it off the small Bakehouse stage... A lot of the useful details in the background have been lost in the adaptation, and there's a limit to how much the cute and articulate footnote (Olivia Cameron) can provide, but there are many laughs. Right at the end the witches arrive, Alycia Raebig as Miss Tick, Michelle Whichello as Nanny Ogg and, adaptor/director Pamela Munt as Granny Weatherwax, familiar characters to regular playgoers. There's a prediction. I feel a sequel coming on..."

http://bit.ly/1Wc3cWI

By Sarah-Jean for TREv:

"Eccentric, charming and endearing, The Wee Free Men follows the journey of young Tiffany in a journey of magic and self-discovery, as she battles swamp monsters, dream worlds and dromes in a mission to rescue her sticky and rather unlikeable little brother. Along the way she learns more about what it means to be yourself, and how quickly dreams and nightmares can collide. With a story as delightful as this, it's hard to go wrong. With a charming cast, the performance tends to favour comedy over depth. Josie Giorgio was a particular stand-out, bringing light to the role of Tiffany, and adding layers to the young witch-to-be. The Wee Free Men, and in particular Natalie Haigh's performance of No'-as-Big-as-Medium-Sized-Jock-but-Bigger-than-Wee-Jock-Jock, brought dynamism and charisma to the more 'dull' moments – leaving the audience laughing and engaged, while the tongue in cheek humour of Toad played by Hugh O'Connor brought a beautiful energy to the stage..."

http://trev.org.au/index.php?PID=2006

By Stephen Davenport for Barefoot Review:

"Cordial, stimulating, and above all funny, The Wee Free Men is a rare stage adaptation that more than lives up to the standard set by its creator, author, the late, Sir Terry Pratchett. A radiant roller-coaster jaunt of colour, exposition and fantastical incidents, Pamela Munt's stage version of Pratchett's first Discworld novel to feature Tiffany Aching (Josephine Girogio), is almost as entertaining as the book. And though a lot of that comes down to the show's intrepid direction, it's also due to the main attractions. In this adaptation that's not the clever and satirical dialogue, but the eccentricity of the fine ensemble and the delivery of the humorous lines... Munt devises and adapts the group's productions, and it consistently works. She also has the knack of finding performers who seamlessly transition between multiple characters, in scenes that are by turns animated and affecting... The show is an absolute riot of comedy and resourceful staging, as Tiffany leads us through a series of set pieces in the weird locations where, one by one, the naughty Pictsies dispose of the real and imagined enemies with brute force, ignorance and comic invention..."

http://www.thebarefootreview.com.au/menu/theatre/119-2014-adelaide-reviews/1382-the-wee-free-men.html

By Brian Godfrey for the Adelaide Theatre Guide:

"With many thoughts, ideas and plot lines running throughout, many scene changes into some very strange places and many, many varied and interesting characters running amok in the late Sir Terry Pratchett's novels; they have never lent themselves that easily to stage adaptations. Stephen Briggs has managed a few and for some time now so has Adelaide's Pamela Munt. Her versions are just getting better and better. 'The Wee Free Men' is Munt's latest attempt and it's pretty good. Although set in the Discworld and featuring some familiar characters, this story does not particularly require previous knowledge of Pratchett's work... As Toad, Hugh O'Connor gets the best and driest lines in the show, and delivers them superbly. His competition in the comedy stakes, however, are the 'Wee Free Men', in particular Harold Roberts as Rob Anybody. These blue-faced, kilted, Scottish-speaking wee ones are hilarious, bounding around on stage like the Keystone Kops on steroids..."

http://bit.ly/1SFRqS6

5.14 REVIEW: LORDS AND LADIES IN GOSPORT

In the Southern Daily Echo, either by Hilary Porter or Ed Howson:

"It's abundantly clear how much this company loves Terry Pratchett (it's Director Chris Blatch-Gainey's fourteenth TP play!), the 35-strong cast revelling in the storytelling of this multi-layered play/fairytale with its nods to Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' (Rustics performing a play for the King's wedding), 'Macbeth' (three witches) and Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' (Elvish Archers). Set in Pratchett's Discworld, with plots too diverse to explain, we were transported to a world of evil elves, old-fashioned witches, paralytically shy royalty, academia, and bees! Narrated by Abi Philo as Footnote, we saw King Verance (sheepish David Powell) finally arrange to marry his love, apprentice witch Magrat (versatile Laura Woodward) while the villainous Elf Queen (Ashleigh Motley) was finally brought to heel by Emma Hughes's tenacious Granny Weatherwax and Jane Blatch-Gainey's deliciously coarse Nanny Ogg. Lovely cameos, too, from Bob Bell as the foghorn-voiced Archchancellor and Joe Allan's Harry Potter-esque Stibbons."

http://bit.ly/1Voeet2

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06) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS

The City of Small Gods Terry Pratchett Fan Club in Adelaide, South Australia is having a Tabletop Day!

"On April 30th 2016, join us from 10am-8pm at La Scala Cafe, 169 Unley Road Unley in the function room. Bring games you'd like to play or borrow from the large collection loaned by members of CoSG and other attendees... We will have learn-to-play sessions for Thud, Ankh-Morpork, The Witches and Clacks!"

Entry is free, but the Club will be collecting donations for the Women's and Children's Hospital Kids FUNd.

http://cityofsmallgods.org.au/
http://tabletopday.com/

https://ausdwcon.org/fan-clubs/adelaide/international-tabletop-day-2016/

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07) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS NEWS: UPDATES AND REMINDERS

The Broken Drummers, "London's Premier Unofficially Official Discworld Group" (motto "Nil percussio est"), meets next on Monday 2nd Mayl 2016 at the Monkey Puzzle, 30 Southwick Street, London, W2 1JQ. 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: "We are a newly established Terry Pratchett & Discworld social group in Canberra called 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 all 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."

*

There is a new public Facebook meeting group, "The Gathering of the Loonies (Wincanton chapter)": "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."

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. Our recent 'Murder In Morpork' mystery party was a great night out. With 26 people attending, we had 24 suspects, our special guest – Vetinari, and one dead mime! It was a fun night of food and murder and we are planning another Murder in December so stay tuned. 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 on Terry's latest, craft, chain maille or costuming workshops or other fun social activities."

For more info, go to www.cityofsmallgods.org.au

*

The Broken Vectis Drummers meet next on Thursday 5th May 2016 (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 6th May 2016 (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 but is now looking to take in some new blood (presumably not in the non-reformed Uberwald manner). 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 2nd May 2016 at 6.30pm (probably) 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 2nd May 2016 (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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08) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS

8.1 DISCWORLD.COM UPDATES

"A huge thank you from us all here at Discworld.com for your support of the Sir Terry Pratchett Memorial. If you were able to attend on the night, maybe even one of our lucky competition winners, we hope you enjoyed the evening and we look forward to seeing you at future events. We've received hundreds of requests to make available various items from the memorial goodie bags. Please check Discworld.com for the delightful dried frog pills, memorial lilac pin, Terry silhouette tote bag and some extra special postcards. And don't forget Slip of the Keyboard features Neil Gaiman's moving tribute to Terry and both The Dark Morris and The Making of a Man by Steeleye Span appear on the Wintersmith CD and DVD. All of which were performed beautifully on the night."

A Slip of the Keyboard, "Exclusively embossed with Terry's signature and sealed with his coat of arms", is priced at £10. For more information, and to order, go to:

http://discworld.com/products/books/a-slip-of-the-keyboard-2

The WIntersmith Single CD edition is priced at £12, while the Deluxe 2 CD edition is priced at £15. Both are "Exclusively sealed with Terry Pratchett's coat of arms". For more information, and to order, go to:

http://discworld.com/products/steeleye-span/

Also... "The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner" Collector's Edition Slipcase is now available for pre-order:

"A special slipcase edition of The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner, complete with a new foreword, critical commentaries, two bonus stories and a beautiful limited-edition print. The limited hardback edition will be a run of 5000 copies, inside a deluxe slipcase with silver foil printing and over a hundred black-and-white illustrations by Mark Beech. Each story shows the seed of an idea, which Terry developed in his later writing. A critical commentary will accompany each story, highlighting where particular ideas and characters appear elsewhere in Terry's work. A must-have for any Pratchett fan."

The special slipcase edition of The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner is priced at £30.00. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:

http://bit.ly/1roJlrR

8.2 DISCWORLD EMPORIUM UPDATES

* New Discworld stamps!

"Introducing Four new Discworld Stamps from the Ankh-Morpork Post Office, produced in affiliation with the Unseen University and celebrating Rincewind's specialist subject, The Cruel and Unusual Geography of Discworld! This set of sixpence issues comprises four designs featuring Cori Celesti, the Fat Geysers of Uberwald, the Wyrmberg and the mysterious sunken island of Leshp! These extraordinary little issues are available to collect as a set of individual stamps, presented together on on beautiful whole sheets, or in the latest 'Little Brown Envelope' - a 'lucky dip' assortment of Discworld stamps with a chance of sports and rarities."

For more information, and to order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/discworld-stamps/new%20stamps

* Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book!

"Paul Kidby has designed the covers for the Discworld novels since 2002, and is the author and artist of the The Art Of Discworld. If Terry Pratchett's pen gave his characters life, Paul Kidby's brush allowed them to live it. Containing black-and-white line drawings based on Sir Terry Pratchett's Best Loved characters, his hugely popular artwork as well as original pieces produced exclusively for this book - featuring such iconic Discworld personalities as Granny Weatherwax, Sam Vimes, Archchancellor Ridcully, Rincewind, Tiffany Aching and, of course, DEATH - Terry Pratchett's Discworld Colouring Book is required ...reading? ...for all Discworld fans."

The Discworld Colouring Book will be published on 11th August 2016. It is priced at £9.99, plus shipping, and comes with a free The Turtle Moves bookmark. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/new-terry-pratchett-books/discworld-colouring-book

* The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner hardcover!

"An illustrated collection of short stories by master storyteller Sir Terry Pratchett, featuring food fights, pirates, wizards and crooks! Poor Mr Swimble is having a bad day. Rabbits are bouncing out of his hat, pigeons are flying out of his jacket and every time he points his finger, something magically appears – cheese sandwiches, socks . . . even a small yellow elephant on wheels! It's becoming a real nuisance – and he's allergic to rabbits. His friends at the Magic Rectangle can't help, but the mysterious vacuum cleaner he saw that morning may have something to do with it . . . Fourteen fantastically funny stories from master storyteller Sir Terry Pratchett, full of food fights, pirates, wizards and crooks!"

The Witch's Vacuum Cleaner will be published on 25th August 2016. It is priced at £12.99, plus shipping, and comes with a free The Turtle Moves bookmark. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/new-terry-pratchett-books/terry-pratchett-witchs-vaccuum-cleaner

* The Long Cosmos hardcover

"The fifth book in Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter's science fiction collaboration, The Long Earth series. 2070-71. Nearly six decades after Step Day and in the Long Earth, the new Next post-human society continues to evolve. For Joshua Valiente, now in his late sixties, it is time to take one last solo journey into the High Mergers: an adventure that turns into a disaster. Alone and facing death, his only hope of salvation lies with a group of trolls. But as Joshua confronts his mortality, the Long Earth receives a signal from the stars. A signal that is picked up by radio astronomers but also in more abstract ways – by the trolls and by the Great Traverse rs. Its message is simple but its implications are enormous: JOIN US."

The Long Cosmos will be published on 14th June 2016. It is priced at £18.99, plus shipping, and comes with a free The Turtle Moves bookmark. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/new-terry-pratchett-books/terry-pratchett-the-long-cosmos

* Seriously Funny: the Endlessly Quotable Terry Pratchett

"The most quotable writer of our time, Terry Pratchett's unique brand of wit made him both a bestseller and an encyclopedic source of modern wisdom. This endearing little book is a collection of his funniest and most memorable words about life, the universe and snoring - for whenever you need a drop of Pratchett wisdom! 128 pages."

This is a collection of quotes, but no information seems to be forthcoming about who collected or edited it. If you are willing to play lucky dip with your hard-earned, Seriously Funny is priced at £9.99, plus shipping, and comes with a free The Turtle Moves bookmark. For more information, and to pre-order, go to:

http://www.discworldemporium.com/new-terry-pratchett-books/terry-pratchett-seriously-funny

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09) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE

Blog reviews of the Terry Pratchett Memorial Event...

By Hermie One:

"With little detail about proceedings released beforehand it was an evening of surprises, the first of which was the discovery of a generous goody bag on every seat. Containing a wonderful first and very special edition book, a beautiful commemorative lilac pin, dried frog pill mints, a quintet of postcards, a packet of tissues and a small bottle of Ankh Morpork water, it was a thoughtful and unexpected moment... starting with a wonderful choral rendition of Thomas Tallis' Spem in Alium and ending with an audience singalong to Always Look on the Bright Side of Life. In between, Steeleye Span performed two songs from their hauntingly beautiful adaptation of Wintersmith as well as the classic Thomas the Rhymer. The wonderful Rob Wilkins was the perfect host whilst Rhianna Pratchett shared her memories of a father who truly showed her magic. Watching her place his sword, Thunderbolt Iron, alongside his trademark black hat (later bequeathed to his friend and co-author Neil Gaiman) was a poignant moment. The general mood, however matched that of his books – a joyful celebration of the absurdity of human life and death... I particularly enjoyed the musings of Dr Patrick Harkin and Bernard Pearson who fondly recalled Terry's seemingly insatiable demand for random facts, including how much ear wax a person produces in a lifetime. Neil Gaiman spoke of his friend who was jolly (and possibly other words ending in Olly) yet, like my favourite Discworld creation Sam Vimes, was also fuelled by anger and a keen sense of fairness. Three hours after taking our seats, the evening drew to a close and for once we really were glad to have let Lord Vetinari detain us!"

https://wwtdblog.wordpress.com/2016/04/18/terry-pratchett-memorial-review/

By Aran Ward Sell:

"When I got to my seat I was delighted to find a black tote bag waiting for me, emblazoned with a silhouette of Sir Terry's face and iconic 'Author Hat'. This contained a number of mementoes, many referencing minor in-jokes from the Discworld novels, including a beautiful Lilac pin to be worn on the glorious 25th of May. It was classy in exactly the right, jovial, slightly sniggery way. Just before the event began, someone scurried along and took the empty seat to my left; a dedicated Pratchett fan had travelled up from Cardiff in the vague hope of getting a ticket on the door, and had been given my spare by the Barbican staff. She was exhilarated and I felt delighted to have accidentally improved someone's night...

"It was beautiful in parts, and even though I don't particularly like the music of Steeleye Span I cried when Steeleye Span came onstage and played 'The Dark Morris' because they were the right people, playing the right song. Terry's daughter Rhianna gave a touching and obviously difficult elegy. Neil Gaiman appeared onstage to gasps and cheers, and read out his own, accurate summation of how the rage which powered Terry's writing made it into so much more than merely comic writing. When Gaiman had finished, Wilkins presented him with the real Author Hat, a genuinely touching moment. Tony Robinson read out a piece of Tarry's own, and several former editors and associates spoke, and Lord Vetinari spoke on behalf of Terry's characters even though he's made up and not real... on some levels it didn't really matter what was said in the memorial, anyway. It was the right place to be. People gather at memorials and scatter flowers for a reason. They mob David Bowie's mural in Brixton on the night of his death for a reason. Sir Terry made Death into a sympathetic, compassionate (but very, very good at his job) character for a reason. There is sentiment behind these reasons but sentiment is not a dirty word, and a coming-together over death of the beloved (beloved soul, beloved books, beloved words) is right, and I'm glad I was there..."

https://reasonstoremain.co.uk/2016/04/17/jon-mcgregor-and-terry-pratchett/

By Manaburnt:

"Yesterday evening we had the infinite pleasure to assist the Terry Pratchett memorial at the Barbican Theatre (London). A very selective event, kept very hush-hush, but magical nonetheless. We cried as much as we laughed through the nearly 3 hours the celebration went on for... Rob Wilkins was more than a host or presenter; he acted like a dear friend to the audience, sharing experiences, comments and anecdotes from his time with Terry. Many of the author's friends came to the stage: publishers, editors, colleagues, it was a wholesome symphony of praise, respect and love for one of Britain's most popular and beloved writers. Everyone had kind words for him not only as a professional, but as a person. Rhianna Pratchett came to the stage to share her memories of him as a father, privilege she has only amongst anyone.

"I could not help but feel that, despite I never met him – for by the time I came to the UK his illness was advanced, and I did not have the chance to go to a book signing or a convention – I somehow knew him, as a mentor, as a role model. As an inspiring figure, with all his complexities. I guess all these emotions became much more real when Neil Gaiman entered the scene and proceeded to read a piece I already knew – his introduction to A Slip of the Keyboard. I knew the piece, almost by heart. But I had only read it, I hadn't been told it. Suddenly these words, that I thought I comprehended, took new real meanings. An overwhelming emotional wave took me by surprise – I don't think I have recovered quite yet; I could hardly go to sleep last night after that..."

https://manaburnt.wordpress.com/2016/04/15/terry-practchett-a-memorial/

By the Bookwitch:

"There was a choir. There was a display of all of Terry's books travelling through a time glass. Lord Vetinari kicked off – after the death threats – by thanking Terry from all his characters for putting them in his books before they ended up in someone else's books. After a long-wished-for opportunity to utter the words 'do not let me detain you' to Vetinari, Rob was there to speak for the family, introducing others, including Terry's daughter Rhianna. There were people from Terry's past (whom I might have known if I knew more). There was a coven of Terry's three editors; Philippa Dickinson, Anne Hoppe and Jennifer Brehl. Only once did Philippa fear she'd gone too far in suggesting a change in one of the books, but whereas Terry wouldn't go so far as to say she had been right, he could see some merit in what she said...

"And then there was Steeleye Span. You could hear the collective held breath of the audience as we deduced we were about to be treated to some top notch music from Terry's favourite band. You can't send just anyone in after such a music display, and they didn't. We got Neil Gaiman, who had flown in specially for his old friend, reading his foreword to A Slip of the Keyboard, including the tale of their long trek through San Francisco when they really should have been on live radio. He was also able to spill the beans on a Manchester bookshop that did get a minus star in Terry's ratings. (It's when the staff lock themselves in and won't come out until the customers have gone away.) ... Rob was aware that the clock was ticking, but he still talked us through what the future has in store. There will be no more Discworld books, but there will be books on all sorts of things, including a biography by Rob. Films are also in the pipeline, for The Wee Free Men, Mort, and Good Omens (with screenplay by Neil Gaiman, despite his agreement with Terry that they'd always work together). And lots more."

https://bookwitch.wordpress.com/2016/04/15/teary-about-terry/

Next, a couple of reviews/deconstructions from blogging collective Hubward Ho...

Mort:
"Returning to this book for a reread, I can happily say that Mort still works in the ways it first worked for me. Pratchett does quite so much right, and some of his scenes here rank among Discworld's most iconic. Take the scene in which Mort, all alone, meets Death for the first time. In the empty town square, in the cold and the dark, on Hogswatch night, this awkward boy takes his first tantalizing steps into a world much bigger than he, and in some ways it feels like our first proper introduction to the Discworld. Death looms, Death falls down—Pratchett tells us everything we need to know about everybody's favorite anthropomorphic personification to be going on with. Likewise, take the scene in which Mort, all alone, meets death for the first time. The scene is poignant and bittersweet, and again we get a deft introduction to the world of the Disc. These moments sing.

"And there are the characters themselves. Mort is a sympathetically beleaguered character. Ysabell's abrasive personality belies a lonely interior. And there's Death, immediately majestic, mysteriously, and ironically mundane. He's the real success of this book, but Mort and Ysabell (and to a lesser extent Keli and Cutwell and Albert) are competently drawn. Like many of Pratchett's early characters, there's not much complexity to these people and I'm not sure they quite come alive for me, but they do provide a sturdily built structure on which to hang a narrative. Narrative, however, is where things go a little off the rails. Despite great scenes and reasonably interesting characters, the resolution of the plot is a mess. This is early days for Pratchett, and you can tell that he's still working out how to structure his books..."

http://hubwardho.com/2016/04/01/you-could-have-had-eternity-mort

Reaper Man:
"The Dark Morris is one of my favorite Pratchett inventions. The idea feels narratively and culturally resonant. If there's a Morris to enact the rebirth of the sun, surely there's a Morris to enact its death? How logically Pratchett. (It is without shame that I admit to whooping aloud when I realized that Wintersmith, one of Pratchett's best books, begins and ends with and just generally has a lot to do with the Dark Morris.) When Pratchett writes about the dance, he sets it up immediately as a counterpoint to what he describes as the typical human relationship to nature—running over a sheep with your Volvo. On one hand, you have a mass-produced machine that disconnects those who make from those who consume. On the other hand, you have a dance that begins in folk wisdom and ends with feet moving over soil, in the dark, as the cold sets in, reifying tradition. This dichotomy informs Reaper Man, which can be read as a blunt indictment of mass thinking, consumerism, and rampant capitalist consumption.

"However, the book takes place in Ankh-Morpork—a pit of feints and fobs and woolly commercial schemes, a colonizer of the world through production and communication, and yet the city from which all civilizations in all the universes are made. How does a writer who created Ankh-Morpork, who celebrates street quackery, the printing press, and the steam engine, nonetheless condemn the shopping mall and the combine harvester? This question has been playing in my mind for a while, and Reaper Man offers some ideas. Reaper Man reminded me that Pratchett's writing is often an exercise in reconciling possible contradiction. Consider: Discworld's ideology is politically and socially progressive, liberatory toward knowledge, and interested in commonality, but the world in which that ideology unfolds is distinctly Victorian... The answer, I think, is that pretty much anything goes in Pratchett's world as long as it goes with empathy. Characters like the Auditors (and Trymon and Astfgl) have the knowledge to make order but not the compassion. Even the highwayman is better than the soulless thing that brings the artless shopping cart into being—note how the criminals of Pratchett's world are often hard-working people who care deeply about their craft and serving their victims customers well. Personal is necessary..."

https://hubwardho.com/2016/04/27/effort-and-load-rereading-reaper-man/

A review of The Folklore of Discworld by bilingual Finnish blogger Thoughts on X:

"I just read this book a second time, and it was really fast going and entertaining — I can't remember when I last read a nonfiction book that went so smoothly. Speaking of nonfiction, the book is still written as if the Discworld is real and the similarities to our world are coincidences or the result of ideas floating around the multiverse. I found this slightly tiresome, especially as it ended up repeating the same 'jokes'. Also, for a nonfiction book, this book didn't always say everything quite explicitly — whether because of the above or for something else like irony. This mostly works quite smoothly, but sometimes, it left me wondering about small details. There was a slight potential for confusion as to whether things said were true in our world, our folklore, the Discworld, or their folklore, or whether they were being said as part of the joke that pretends the relationship between these is different than it really is. But like I said, it was well written and this was hardly ever really a problem. It's just not what I'm used to from nonfiction. I wonder if Pratchett could even have got away with writing in a more matter-of-fact tone..."
http://bit.ly/1NHQGwD

A review of A Slip of the Keyboard by blogger Owen Kelly:

"This book is the first of his that I have read that is not fiction but is the author's own thoughts not framed by the customary characters of Ankh Morpork or the Unseen University, even though I still catch glimpses of their presence hidden in the shadows. There are four sections to the book covering various elements categorised as collections usually are and there is a certain amount of repetition which I haven't fully decided whether it's a good or bad thing but just accepted it as part of the experience.

"I haven't been to a Science Fiction conference and doubt I will and I haven't got the patience to queue up for a book signing but I did find the speeches and writings on these subjects interesting along with the process of writing and having to deal with fan letters and the like. I had always thought that his first Discworld book 'A Colour of Magic' was not his best and I think he felt the same, in my opinion the series got better and better and that was one of the things I liked. When I look at my favourite music groups and artists I often note that the best of them grow and develop and witnessing that process draws me even closer, I don't think music artists get much of a chance at this nowadays. In film I always dread the sequel or follow up as it so often fails to improve. I was also surprised that the book 'Nation' was so high on his list; it is on mine, even though I always felt a bit guilty as it wasn't part of the Discworld series of which I am such a fan. I found these and many other small comments on his own writings really illuminating and enjoyable, like having a discussion with a friend. I was drawn into reading more, many of the chapters are quite short and I would say to myself just one more and I'll leave it there for the night and an hour later I would say the same thing again..."

https://sightssoundsandsensibility.wordpress.com/2016/03/29/a-book-review-by-dad/

...and finally, some delighted words about Thud! from second-generation Pratchett newbie Mummiebirch:

"My mum was a huge fan of Terry Pratchett and she used to always go on and on about how I should give his books a chance. When I was younger just reading the blurb was too much for me, too many long words and confusing names like Ankh-Morpork and Pseudopolis Yard, but after studying Shakespeare for a year and as I'm now, as much as I hate to admit it, an adult I've gotten used to long words and decided I'd give it another go. I've recently finished reading Thud! by Terry Pratchett and I wasn't able to put it down! From Commander Vimes to Sally the vampire, the characters completely won me over. I'm very picky about books and usually put them down before the end of the first chapter if they haven't caught my attention. It was a slow start as I hadn't chosen the best first book to join the Discworld with, it kind of expected you to know some of the characters, but I kept with it and don't regret it at all... My favourite aspect of the book has to be how relatable, yet unrealistic it is. We don't have trolls, werewolves and vampires but I do, like Commander Vimes, have a set time for bedtime stories that I would NEVER miss. .."

https://thelifeofrhirhi.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/thud/

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10) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE REAL (ROUND) W0RLD OF POO

"Poo is all around us and inside us, but we ignore it," says Daniel Roberts, co-curator of a very unusual new museum in the Isle of Wight that would delight Young Sam:

"A museum dedicated to excrement, with examples from the animal and human world, has opened to the public. The exhibition at the Isle of Wight Zoo features faeces from animals such as elks and lions as well as a human baby. The National Poo Museum has been created by members of the artist collective Eccleston George... Twenty illuminated resin spheres show off the different types of faeces with facts hidden behind toilet lids on the museum walls. Samples of faeces have been gathered from around the world as well as donations received from the Isle of Wight Zoo and Dinosaur Isle museum. The display also includes fossilised poo (coprolites) dating back 140 million years as well as a tawny owl pellet containing bones and teeth..."

The, er, specimens are dried in a specially-built desiccating machine before being displayed. Don't forget your bucket...

More information – and photographs! – can be found at:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-35957829

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11) IMAGES OF THE MONTH

Paul Kidby and Stephen Briggs, flanking Rob Wilkins, show their Venerable Order of the Honeybee medals:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cga9hHQWIAAjjaN.jpg

Neil Gaiman, wearing The Hat:
https://twitter.com/neilhimself/status/720758855999819777/photo/1

Adorable rendering of Mort, Ysabell, Keli and Death by Disney artist Claire Keane:
http://bit.ly/1VEbZBZ

Steeleye Span performing at the Pratchett Memorial:
http://www.thebookseller.com/sites/default/files/IMG_3286_0.JPG

Some cast photos from The Shakespeare Codex:
http://www.studiotheatreclub.com/gallery-2

...an amazing photo by Michael Errey of Harold Roberts as Rob Anybody:
http://bit.ly/1qH421L

...here we have Tiffany and the witches:
http://bit.ly/1XNBbng

...and the full cast takes a bow after their sold-out run:
http://bit.ly/1MMhJqA

From the Discworld Collectors' Guild (_https://twitter.com/DWCGArchive_), here be Pterry and Rob in Lego (although it looks more than a bit like Rob is impersonating Neil Gaiman!):
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CejNcK6W8AA0ae6.jpg

The Studio Theatre Club shows how to "do" elves right, from the run-up to their premiere of the Stephen Briggs play "The Shakespeare Code":
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CfW7fX3W4AE9G9S.jpg

Discworld cosplayers at 2016 Adelaide Comic Con! A perfect Tiffany (including a cleverly constructed "hat full of sky"), An appropriately floral Magrat, and an adorable "kitten version" of Greebo:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cfqo3agVIAEjjzF.jpg

...and surely the best Rincewind action figure ever:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cfqozk3UkAAjXmA.jpg

...and finally, Rob Wilkins' birthday tweet to his late employer, on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/terryandrob/status/725718349112561664

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12 CLOSE

Whew! Almost at the finish line... but a few bits first!

Jim Vision, the marvellous public artist who painted the Pratchett memorial in Brick Lane and also Pratchetted half a boat (see item 4.5 in the November 2015 main issue), has now completed "The Great A'Tuin" barge! Here be the photo he posted:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEwGHGZv95M/

...and an action relay of the starboard side:
http://www.endoftheline.co/the-terry-pratchett-boat-starboard-side/

As Sir Pterry showed us why spelling is important (remember the Seriph of Al Ybi?), so The Bookseller website shows why grammar is also important: "While Transworld has not released any more details on the projects, Wilkins revealed he would be writing the biography on stage at the end of the memorial..." Hmm. Either it's going to be a very, very short biography or Rob Wilkins has 1) super-speed powers or 2) a very sore hand. Need some liniment for that, Rob?

Here be a quite decent quiz on the works of Pratchett, in The Guardian: http://bit.ly/1TyA3CV

Welsh illustrator John Avon's lovely cover for Johnny and the Dead is only a fraction of his vast catalogue. Have a shufti:
http://johnavonart.com/gallery/book-covers.html

And that's the lot for April. 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) 2016 by Klatchian Foreign Legion

Crivens! Unseen Theatre's raved-about production of The Wee Free Men, adapted and directed by Pamela Munt, is still on the go! Four more performances, tomorrow through Saturday. If you're in or near Adelaide on the Continent of Fourecks, do go see this world premiere production.

"Munt uses a very clever device for staging scene changes in this production – the ‘Wee Free Men’ steal all the props and set dressing... These blue-faced, kilted, Scottish-speaking wee ones are hilarious, bounding around on stage like the Keystone Kops on steroids." – Brian Godfrey, Adelaide Theatre Guide

"Here's the thing about fantasy on stage: it's usually far superior or a good deal shoddier than real life. The action in this production is inflated; exuberant slices of satire that begins with a simple knock-knock joke and ends with sprawling whopping wedges of laugh-out-loud humour." – Stephen Davenport, Barefoot Review

"The Unseen Theatre Company has again succeeded in bringing Discworld to life. Any fans of Sir Terry Pratchett’s works are encouraged to attend." – Nicola Woolford, Glam Adelaide

When: Wed. 27th, Thu. 28th, Fri. 29th and Sat. 30th April
Venue: Bakehouse Theatre, 255 Angas St., Adelaide, SA 5000
Time: 7.30pm all shows
Tickets: Adults $22; Concession $18; Children $18; Groups (6+) $16; TREv $16; Families (2 A & 2ch.) $60, available online at
https://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=175695 or by contacting http://www.bakehousetheatre.com





And before heading to the play, why not consider dropping by the City of Small Gods Pratchett fanclub's "Black Hat dinner" in honour of Sir Pterry's birthday on Thursday (the 28th, of course), at the Caledonian Hotel on the corner of O'Connell Street and Barton Terrace in North Adelaide!

For more info about the City of Small Gods gang, go to https://ausdwcon.org/fan-clubs/adelaide/

Wossname
Newsletter of the Klatchian Foreign Legion
April 2015 (Volume 18, Issue 4, Post 2)

********************************************************************
WOSSNAME is a free publication offering news, reviews, and all the other stuff-that-fits pertaining to the works and activities 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.

GNU Terry Pratchett: Sending Home, forever (and secreted in Wossname's own server)
Never forget: http://www.gnuterrypratchett.com/

********************************************************************

Editor in Chief: Annie Mac
News Editor: Vera P
Newshounds: Mogg, Sir J of Croydon Below, the Shadow, Wolfiekins
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) ANOTHER QUOTE OF THE MONTH
02) EDITOR'S LETTER: CELEBRATING SIR PTERRY'S BIRTHDATE
03) ODDS AND SODS
04) DISCWORLD GAMES NEWS
05) DISCWORLD PLAYS NEWS
06) DISCWORLD ARTS AND CRAFTS NEWS
07) DISCWORLD CONVENTION NEWS
08) DISCWORLD MEETING GROUPS UPDATES AND REMINDERS
09) ALZHEIMER'S NEWS
10) ROUNDWORLD TALES: THE COPPER EVERYONE LOVED
11) AROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
12) MORE IMAGES OF THE MONTH
13) CLOSE

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01) ANOTHER QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"I think it's a lovely idea, even though it makes my head spin to think of the books becoming a little closer to reality. And they are nice names, even though I say it myself."

– Sir Pterry in 2009, commenting on the naming of Ankh-Morpork streets in Wincanton

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02) A LETTER FROM YOUR EDITOR

On this day in 1948 – 28th April, to be precise – the child who would become Sir Terry Pratchett was born. It's a sad truth that it's no longer possible to wish him a happy birthday in person, but we can celebrate the day of his birth, year after year, for all time. I find a certain recent internet-driven practice, that of wishing historically famous but long dead people a happy birthday, to be irritatingly daft, but acknowledging – and celebrating – the birthdate of such people is a reasonable thing... especially as it's yet another way of keeping the memory of them in the world. So let's all raise our glasses, be they of scumble or of some gentler poison, to one of the greatest writers and greatest human beings of all time: Terence David John Pratchett, Kt, OBE, and Blackboard Monitor!

In other news, apparently the 25th of April was World Penguin Day. And Paul Kidby responded to that in a truly inimitable fashion:

"Today is World Penguin Day, so here is The Librarian as a penguin to celebrate! Drawn for the Talpress edition of The Last Continent." https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10155966414612355

For those of you who might be insufficiently familiar with the magical Discworld Emporium in Ankh-Morpork's twin town Wincanton, here is a gorgeous page telling the history of the shop and its Cunning Artificers:
http://www.discworldemporium.com/about-us

And there's more – there's always more – but for now I'll close, in the hope that I can get this issue posted while it's still the 28th...

– Annie Mac, Editor

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03) ODDS AND SODS

3.1 MORT ON THE WIRELESS

Listen again to the BBC's four-part adaptation, starring Anton Lesser and Carl Prekopp. The programme will be available worldwide for another three weeks.

Episode one: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007k0v6
Episode two: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007k134
Episode three: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007k1c1
Episode four: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007k1l2


3.2 FLASHBACK: THE WINCANTON WALK OF FAME

Somehow Wossname missed this one when it happened! We reported fully on the Wincanton Discworld street names back in 2009, but this was what happened a year later:

"Legendary author Sir Terry Pratchett OBE returned to the Somerset town of Wincanton to leave Hollywood style 'walk of fame' imprints at Taylor Wimpey's Kingwell Rise development... Treacle Mine Road and Peach Pie Street won the public vote but since then Taylor Wimpey has gained council approval to name all of the roads at the development after Discworld with additions including Hen And Chickens Field, Morpork Street and Kinklebury Street. Hundreds of Discworld fans, many in costume, descended on Kingwell Rise to see Sir Terry place his hands and signature into concrete at the development following other Discworld activities organised by the Discworld Emporium of Wincanton. Sir Terry Pratchett said: 'It is just great to return to Kingwell Rise a year on and actually see homes now built along Treacle Mine Road and Peach Pie Street – it certainly feels more real now – as opposed to fantasy fiction! I hope the new residents are enjoying their road names – I'd definitely pay good money to live on Hen And Chickens Field!'"

...and an iconograph of the imprints ceremony:
http://bit.ly/1dmIGQN

In addition to Treacle Mine Road and Peach Pie Street, Wincanton streets now include Hen and Chickens Field, Moon Pond Lane, Morpork Street and Kinklebury Street. Replica signs of all the named roads were auctioned in August 2009 and raised funds for the Alzheimer's Research Trust; builders Taylor Wimpey also made an independent donation to the Trust. – Ed.

http://bit.ly/1dmrdb4
https://www.streetcheck.co.uk/postcode/startingwith/ba9

( THE REST OF THIS ISSUE IS UNDER THE CUT. CLICK HERE TO READ! )

Latest announcement from the Backspindle boys...

The county of Hampshire is obviously good Discworld plays territory of late...

NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN COPYTHORNE, HAMPSHIRE

CATS (Copythorne Amateur Theatrical Society) are presenting their production of Wyrd Sisters this month. "The cast is truly local and amateur with ages ranging from eleven to seventy years."

When: 17th, 23rd and 25th April 2015
Venue: Copythorne Parish Hall, Pollards Moor Road, Copythorne, Southampton, Hants SO40 2NZ
Time: 7:30pm all performances
Tickets: £6 adults, £5 under 16s or family tickets (2 adults and 2 children £15) available from Bartley Post Office, Bramshaw Stores and Landford Village Stores – or by phoning the CATS box office on 02380 813415.

"In the future we're hoping that you'll be able to use this page to securely purchase tickets using your credit or debit card. For now however, if you would like to purchase tickets for our next performance, you can obtain them from one of the following places:

* Direct from Copythorne CATS
* Contact Sandra on (023)80 813415 or email tickets@copythornecats.com
* or from the following local shops who support us: Bartley Post Office, Bramshaw Stores, Landford Village Stores."

http://www.copythornecats.com/?q=next-production


NEW: WYRD SISTERS IN BARCELONA

The amateur theatre company Grup de teatre de l'Espiga de Les Corts are presenting their special production of Wyrd Sisters – that's Bruixes, in the Catalan tongue – translated by Marta Armengol with permission, this month.

"We're an amateur theatre group in Barcelona," Marta writes, "and I doubt anyone's going to come all the way to Barcelona to see it, but... We'd just be dead chuffed to appear on your site... To our knowledge, this is the first time a Discworld play is translated and performed in Catalan."

When: 25th and 26th April, 9th and 10th May 2015 (additional date in October TBA)
Venue: L'Espiga de Les Corts, Joan Gamper, 30, Barcelona (phone 93. 419. 44. 20)
Time: 6.30pm all performances
Tickets:

http://www.espigadelescorts.cat/ca/

...and there's a poster:





...and the company's Facebook page (in Catalan, but the photos speak for any language):

https://www.facebook.com/bruixesdeterrypratchett