Presented by Unseen Theatre Company
@ Bakehouse Theatre, Main Stage
WEDNESDAY 22 Feb 2012 (until Feb 24)
Five Terry Pratchett novels and four plays later, Pratchett Pieces Three was down on my list as another respectable Unseen Theatre Company production, although not without its ups and downs.
Another Pratchett play. On hearing this some will be elated and others confused, some will squeal with excitement and others will stare blankly back at you waiting for an explanation. For once however I did not have one. Where, in the past, many of the plays have been based on the novels of Sir Terry Pratchett, Pratchett Pieces Three sought to try something new by having the two hour show consist of five “bite-sized” plays adapted from a variety of his short stories by director and actor Pamela Munt.
Walking into the familiar Bakehouse Theatre foyer with its cushy couches, bar and walls plastered with the posters of previous plays, it felt like the beginning to another typical play. But it wasn’t.
The theatre dimmed until the packed little room was in complete darkness. Led by the expertly costumed Sam Blackmore as Footnote, complete with asterisk staff, we were promptly treated to the presence of crowd favourite character (depending on how you look at it) Death. Following this philosophical rant the audience was met with another commentary on society but this time in the form of a Witches tale complete with a well-practiced and near perfectly performed Granny Weatherwax by director Pamela Munt. With soft chuckles and smatterings of more extreme bursts of laughter the two pre-intermission plays give a wonderful insight into the world of Terry Pratchett while also mirroring our own and human nature in general.
Beginning and ending with effective music “greats” that spurred small dancing sessions in our corner of the theatre, the plays continued on after intermission to become a slightly more confusing venture for most in the audience. Moving away from Pratchett’s Discworld, the second half of the play seemed to take a turn that was lost on most audience members, although gained giggles from some of the younger crowd. This lag continued into the next portion but soon began to improve as the production edged towards the final installment with stellar performances by many of the more minor characters. Amongst its ranks was one of the most impressive interpretations of Death I have seen, acted by Hugh O’Connor and equally impressive performances by masters of sarcasm and comedic timing from Kate Hall, Christopher Bond and Paul Messenger.
As always the play had to end and as always it finished with a bang, but not the sort usually encountered by the wizards of the Unseen University where the final play was set. If there was any perfect way to finish, the wizards were probably it. If there’s one time that the Unseen Theatre Company always get it right it’s when they are back in the Discworld universe, and when the wizards are back happily critising committees from their armchairs to the sound of audience laughter ricocheting off the walls.
While the pieces this time did not all fit together for me at the Bakehouse Theatre I will not deny this whimsical play made me laugh. With a fine cast of amateur actors and a dedicated crew of volunteers the Unseen Theatre Company put on a show that started and finished in vivacity and hilarity. It may have wavered in the middle but is certainly thought provoking and family friendly, without pandering to younger audiences.
However, as Terry Pratchett once wrote, “the trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it”. So be sure to keep an eye on the Unseen Theatre Company for future shows to see for yourself and, in the meantime, read up on your Pratchett to be ready for when a new one comes along!
