The Globe Theatre presents Terry Pratchett’s Lords and Ladies, adapted by Irana Brown
Sunday, September 21 — Globe Theatre, London St
Review by BRENDA HARWOOD
One of the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s most beloved Discworld tales, Lords and Ladies, was brought to life in high-spirited fashion by a large and enthusiastic cast at a sold-out Globe Theatre on Sunday.
Directed by the multi-talented and indefatigable Sofie Welvaert, who also designed and created the set, costumes and puppets for the show, and took on the roles of Shawn/Jason Ogg due to a cast-member injury, the show was colourful, energetic, and entertaining.
A light-hearted take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lords and Ladies follows the adventures of three witches and the court of the land of Lancre, when they are threatened by an incursion by elves — the ‘‘Lords and Ladies’’ of the title, from a ‘‘parasite universe’’. Oh, and there is a royal wedding in the mix.
In the central roles of the three witches, Brenna Fields (Magrat Garlick), Maegan Stedman-Ashford (Granny Weatherwax), and Laura Wells (Nanny Ogg), do a superb job of steering the increasingly complicated story to a satisfying conclusion, amidst the general hilarity and havoc.
Wells brings a delightful warmth and solid skill to the role of the kindly Nanny Ogg, and is a great foil for Stedman-Ashford’s stern and powerful Granny Weatherwax.
Fields is also strong as Magrat, as she negotiates her way from junior witch to King’s fiance and Boudica-like saviour of the realm [or Boudicea if you prefer the Roman version].
Harry Almey brings a goofy sense of confusion to the role of King Verence, perpetually out of the loop on the events unfolding, while Welvaert does an impressive job for standing in (book in hand) to the busy roles of Shawn/Jason Ogg. Steve Parker’s resonant voice and projection brings a nice sense of gravitas to leading wizard Mustrum Ridcully, and he helps to keep the action moving forward.
Alongside these main characters, the 20-strong cast are generally divided into groups, with most taking on multiple roles.
The Comic Artisans or Rude Mechanicals, played by Sam Mehrtens, Matt Brennan, Alexander Julian, and Emily Gilbert, are great fun as they set out to rehearse a play and get caught up in rough-and-tumble hilarity. The Morris Dance to keep the Elves away is a particular highlight.
The Magical Beings also add to the fun, in particular Sheena Townsend as the height-challenged Cassanunda, while Eva Captijn brings a cruel edge to the Queen of the Elves, with Thomas Makinson and Nic Turner solid in support. A special mention to Turner for his Monty Pythonesque depiction of the clip-clopping of a horse’s hooves.
The Wizards, played by Andrew Wicken and Chris Cook, add their own touch of chaos to the action. The Little Witches, Amanita Device, Cait Gordon, and Marz Abbott-Raggett, are strong in multiple roles. Special mention to Brent Caldwell for his excellent work puppeteering the characters of Pewsey Ogg and particularly The Librarian, adding many comedic and expressive touches to the action.
Working with such a large cast and dozens of quick-fire scenes in the restricted space of the Globe Theatre’s stage is quite the challenge, one which Welvaert has managed superbly. Stage elements are simple, but effective, and having the cast quickly changing things around as they come and go, keeps things moving along at pace.
Welvaert’s costumes are also top notch, clearly defining each group of characters and adding colourful flourishes — the robes worn by Steve Parker as Ridcully, are particularly spectacular.
Walvaert, production manager Lizzie Thomson, and stage managers Nic Turner and Kate Will-Tofia are to be congratulated for wrangling so many disparate elements into a mostly coherent production — no simple task.
All in all, Lords and Ladies is a lot of fun, providing a nice escape from the world into the realm of fantasy. Recommended.
The show continues at the Globe Theatre until October 4.
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