In homage to Pratchett . . . (From Herald Series)

In homage to Pratchett . . .

9:00am Thursday 21st August 2008

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ABINGDON'S Studio Theatre is going back to 1990 to help celebrate the 60th birthday of fantasy writer Terry Pratchett.

It was in 1990 that Stephen Briggs picked up a book which changed his life.

He said: "I first picked up a book by a best-selling, but not then very widely known fantasy writer.

"I liked what I read and wrote to ask if the Studio Theatre Club could stage the book at Abingdon's medieval Unicorn Theatre.

"The writer was Terry Pratchett and the book was Wyrd Sisters.

"I became the first person anywhere in the world to dramatise any of Pratchett's work.

"Now my 15 adaptations have been published and staged in more than 200 countries, from Australia to Zimbabwe, the Bahamas to the Antarctic.

"Now I get invited to conventions, I speak at literary festivals and I record Pratchett's books for UK and USA audio publishers.

"Terry Pratchett has gone on to be dramatised on radio, in cartoons and in live movies on Sky One.

"This year marks his 60th anniversary and 25 years of his Discworld, and we wanted to do something to mark it.

"So I have gone back to that first book and written an entirely new dramatisation called Wyrd Sisters: The Director's Cut.

"It is better, it's longer and it will have much higher production values than our first foray into Discworld 18 years ago.

"Our Discworld shows have all sold out very quickly, so, although the box office doesn't open until October 1, and the show itself isn't until January, and we haven't had the first rehearsal yet, I'm already getting inquiries about tickets."

It promises to be a show worth waiting for - and booking early for.

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