BROADWAY WORLD review by Christine Pyman, 6th October 2018. For those unused to the Discworld creations of the late Sir Terry Pratchett, be prepared for mayhem and madness, melded together by a brilliantly observational intellectual mind. Pamela Munt has worked hard with Sir Terry’s vision, by adapting, producing, and directing his written novel into to a two-hour play for her Unseen Theatre Company. In this story, we are introduced to Eric, a very typical almost fourteen-year-old boy, one of the Billy Bunter types, who just happens to be an exceptional demonologist. His talents gain him the attention of the demon king… Read more
GOOD CHEMISTRY ON STAGE ERIC – The Bakehouse until October 20. Please note: non Pratchett lovers, and there may be a few, won’t understand half of this review. Now read on. The story of Eric, pimply teen demonologist (Sam Tutty, left), and Rincewind the wizard (Chris Irving) is not one of the greatest Pratchett adventures, but Pamela Munt’s adaptation to the Unseen Theatre Company’s house style, has laughs and thoughts enough to satisfy fans. Director Munt turns up as Footnote to fill in the narrative gaps, and the cast, almost all of them Unseen veterans, work hard to put the story… Read more
Tongue in cheek representations of Hell and the classic Faustian deal abound in the Unseen Theatre Company’s latest Terry Pratchett adaptation, Eric. The Bakehouse Theatre foyer is flooded with red lights and decorated with demonic motivational posters, such as “The beatings will not continue until morale improves”. This perfectly sets the mood for the devilish adventures to come. Our hero of the evening is the titular Eric, portrayed by a winningly naïve Sam Tutty. Eric is a 13-year-old aspiring demonologist, who makes a critical error when trying to summon an all-powerful, wish-granting demon from the depths of Hell. Instead Eric calls Rincewind,… Read more
“FEET OF CLAY” is a Tale Of Political Manipulation, Murder, and Self-Realisation” – Broadway World Feet of Clay, like all of the richly interwoven stories of Sir Terry Pratchett‘s Discworld, provides another thread of background to his fantasy world, whilst standing very ably on its own feet, whether of clay or otherwise. This is the first golem story, which leads on to the well-known stories, Going Postal and Making Money. The tale explores what it means to be self-directed and, as such, is something to which everyone can relate. Cleverly, out of all of the Pratchett plays, this showed the hubble-bubble… Read more
THE THEATRE GENE for dB MAGAZINE Carpe Jugulum Unseen Theatre Company Bakehouse Theatre Until 19 July Reviewed 5 July Have you seen an Unseen play? Yes? You probably have unthought thoughts, too, but who’s to know? The Unseen Theatre Company, led from the front by Bakehouse’s Artistic Director, Pamela Munt, is the Terry Pratchett specialist in Adelaide. Some say Terry Prachett’s Discworld series has a cult following, but it’s actually bigger than Ben Hur. Pratchett was the UK’s best selling author of the 1990s with more than 55 million books sold worldwide, printed in thirty-three languages. At last… Read more
By Stephanie Johnson. Discworld has returned to the Bakehouse Theatre in another Pratchett play – Carpe Jugulum. If this means nothing to you then the prolific literary produce of Pratchett has somehow passed you by. It seems that the theatre going public can be divided into two categories – those who know nothing about Terry Pratchett’s 34 books, and those who are converts. The former come to see Pratchett’s quirky and satirical wit transcribed from his books into stage plays, with greater and lesser degrees of success. Those who know nothing about Discworld probably assume that it is a… Read more
CARPE JUGULUM Unseen Theatre Company Bakehouse Theatre Until 19 Jul 2008 Review by Brian Godfrey Stephen Briggs’s stage adaptations of Terry Pratchett’s ‘Discworld’ novels appeal (as the books do) to a specific audience. The plays tend to be over-long and complicated. “Carpe Jugulum” seems to overcome this. With some judicious “slashing” of the script on director Pamela Munt’s part the show is shorter; has a cleaner, leaner storyline and becomes more of a Horror parody. True aficionados of Mr Pratchett’s work, however, may take umbrage at this – the opening night audience of this production did not. Fear not –… Read more
DISCWORLD is a flat, disc-shaped fantasy land which rides on the back of four gigantic elephants, who in turn are poised on the back of the mighty A’Tuin, a large, space-faring turtle which wanders through the stars in search of a mate. Once your mind can comprehend this fact of fiction, you are ready for the quirky comedy of Terry Pratchett’s Men at Arms, based on the 15th novel in Pratchett’s Discworld series, and adapted to the stage by Stephen Briggs. Presented by the Unseen Theatre Company, Adelaide’s only resident theatre troupe to specialise in Pratchett plays, the complicated Discworld… Read more
THE TRUTH Unseen Theatre Company Bakehouse Theatre Until 11 Nov 2017 Review by Brian Godfrey – Adelaide Theatre Guide The late Sir Terry Pratchett’s world-renowned ‘Discworld’ series of novels have also morphed into other entertainment media as well; graphic novels, films, television and stage plays. Most of the latter, and probably the more successful, have been adapted by Stephen Briggs. One of the reasons that Briggs’ stage versions work so well is that he keeps the main plot succinct, whilst still managing to keep that wonderful Pratchett humour flowing. You do not really need a knowledge of the Disc to understand… Read more
The truth, they say, will set you free. In this delightful whimsical evening, it will make you laugh, and also think. The arrival of ‘fake news’ and challenges to the freedom of the press makes this Pratchett story remarkably pertinent, and incidentally very funny. There’s less Discworld magic and more contemporary politics on stage as the City watch investigate a possible murder by the Patrician no less, and down the street, the daily newspaper is being invented. Unseen Theatre and founder Pamela Munt have developed a Bakehouse style of versatile performers, with many changes of costume, accent and beard, nipping… Read more
