Innovative ARENAarts have brought Stephen Briggs’ amusing, stage adaptation of Pratchett’s much-loved, fantasy book to the Latvian Centre Theatre, 60 Cleaver Terrace in Belmont – no you aren’t in the wrong street! Plenty of free parking.

This progressive group are looking for directors – if you are inexperienced, they will guide you – and ideas for some challenging plays for 2017-18 seasons, anything from farce to heavy drama. Suggestions so far include Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’, George A. Romeo’s ‘The Night of the Living Dead’, Roald Dahl’s ‘James and the Giant Peach’, Neil Simon’s ‘The Odd Couple’ (female version) and Anthony Burgess’ ‘A Clockwork Orange’.

This is ARENAart’s sixth, dastardly, Pratchett play and they have really conquered this genre, with each production getting better than the last. Great fun for the family.

The two-and-a-half hour performances are on Friday and Saturday nights at 8.00 until Saturday 5^th November, with Sunday matinées on the 23^rd 30^th October and 6^th November at 2.00 pm.

There are a couple of dozen scenes, varying from a castle battlement, several rooms, street scene, zoo etc., each represented with minimal – but very well presented – scenery and props (Set construction by Jim Chantry, adorned by scenic artists Kiri Vinsen, Sheila Wileman and Ashling Townsend, with the cast helping).

It was essential with so many scene changes that the stage team should be well focused and quick. Stage manager Janet Vinsen with her assistants Callum Vinsen and Sean Schliwa were magnificent. With an average of 5 – 8 seconds, the stage was transformed each time.

Josh Shoebridge and Simon Walters skilfully operated Simon James’ lighting and sound design. It was obvious that a great deal of thought and precision was put into the complex plan and operation.

     Young Footnote (Callum Vinsen), the narrator of the story, sets the scene, popping in now and again to clarify the action.

     One day, when 6 ft 3 inches (1.9 m) strong, fearless Carrot (Paul Davey) comes home from a day working in the mines, his 1 metre high father (Michael Moshos) takes him aside and explains to Carrot that he is not really a tall dwarf, but was found abandoned as a baby. Carrot, feeling the need to prove himself, goes to the big city of Ankh-Morpork to join the bold Guards.

   Guard Captain Vimes (Ron Arthurs) is drunk when Carrot arrives. Vimes has been letting things slip, and Carrot is a stickler for law and order.

   It is a miserable, wet night and Fingers (Sarah Langridge) is knocking on doors, trying to find where the underground gathering of the Unique and Supreme Lodge of the Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Night is being held. Eventually Doorkeeper (Susie Stevenson) admits Fingers to the secret meeting, where the Supreme Grand Master, Lupine Wonse – boo hiss (Brendan Ellis) explains that all of the Dragons are not really dead, and that according to legend, one is due to become King of the area. Lupine hopes that the Dragon will select him as his regal representative on Earth. As the meeting progresses, the coven – Varneshi (Natalie Djudjevic), Dunnykin (Tia Evers) and Watchtower (Rachael Leech) – dressed in green, crushed velvet capes, receive a threatening visit from the Body of Death (Jeremy Smith).

     Colon, the guard (Jim Chantry) lets it slip, that nearby there is a sanctuary for injured dragons run by Lady Sybil Ramkin (Lis Hoffman) and her small team of helpers (Tashie Baker, Michael Vinsen). Lady Sybil has a favourite dragon, an old, wise one with damaged wings called Errol.

     The local Patrician, Lord Vetinari (Andrew Smalley) is a nasty conman, trying to trick the citizens with dire deeds, but bold Discworld carrier (Bronny Baker) and Ridcully (Sean Schliwa) are fighting back.

     Will the dragon return? Will the evil Lords of the city keep control? There are two love affairs in the air.

Director and multi-tasker, Simon James, has presented this play in the style of a pantomime, aimed at 9 yrs. and up. It is quite dark in places, and the script is rich with puns, double-entendres and subtle jokes. The kids will miss at least half of the humour, but will love the special effects, excellent costumes (Janet Vinsen and armourer Callum Vinsen) and dragons.

There was a large cast, who were impressive and worked together with great chemistry. The delivery of the lines, humour and build-up of tension were all presented most proficiently. The main actors were superb, but even the ‘bit’ players gave it their best.

With so many players on stage, there can easily be pandemonium, with actors bumping into each other and fighting for exits – this team moved well, truly professional.

Josh Shoebridge and Kiri Vinsen created the magnificent robotic performers, Errol and other dragons. They really were ‘alive’, practically stealing the scene from the living actors.

At the interval, I enjoyed one of the best cups of community theatre coffee, yes, it was $2, but I would rather pay than have some of the anaemic, free, flavourless offerings at some venues.

Even on a Wednesday night, the show had almost a full house. Not many shows left, but try to catch this slick, hilarious family show. Many congratulations.

When the play was first produced, American audiences were surprised to hear that Australia even took part in the Vietnam War.

ARENA Arts and Entertainment are a highly respected WA independent, not-for-profit arts organisation, dedicated to supporting Community Theatre and Theatre for Schools productions. They are presenting this, their latest drama at The Latvian Centre (LC), 60 Cleaver Street in Belmont, conveniently situated just off Great Eastern Highway, a couple of kms east of The Burswood.

The 2-hour production is nearing the end of its season, with performances on Thursday 23^rd, Friday 24^th, and Saturday 25^th June. All shows begin at 8.00 pm.

The set comprises several black rostra at heights varying from 20 cms to 1 metre across the rear of the stage. There are brightly coloured cubes acting as seats. An impressive tree fills one corner.

The clever lighting and sound design by Simon James gave the impression of a much more substantial lighting and sound rig. The sound and lighting operators were Callum Vinsen and Brendan Ellis.

Stage manager Simon James was assisted by ASMs Stewart Mulligan, Sarah Langridge and Gema Seenarain, who worked speedily as a team between scenes. They were helped by the sprites and fairies from the Shakespearean opening scene of the play. These fairy costumes were made by Phylissa Meagher and Chris Ellis.

       The audience find themselves as parents watching the last few seconds of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Eve’. The sprites and fairies fill the aisles and run onto the stage. Year 12 student, ebullient Tom (Brad Albert) who is acting as Puck, moves to the front of the stage and takes his bow. The surprisingly prejudiced headmaster, Roy (Andrew Smally), congratulates his cast and their director, Miss Latrobe (Gema Seenarain).

     After show, Tom meets attractive student, Meg (Madeleine Shaw). Meg’s hypochondriacal, snobbish mother, Gwen (Valerie Henry) is bossing her hen-pecked husband, Jim (Don Weaver), who loves Meg. Gwen then berates daughter Meg for talking to boys – especially Tom, one of those new Pommie immigrants!

     For their holidays, Meg and her parents are hoping to travel afar in their luxury caravan. Gwen is never happy or satisfied, and even sets up contentious situations.

     As the headmaster and his nervous wife, Coral (Stephanie Locke) leave the school, he starts to bully her for talking to staff and parents. Coral is broken hearted at losing a son decades earlier, and is trying to come to terms with the constant grief and needs friends. Perhaps her overfriendly meeting with Leonie (Sarah Langridge) or her passionate encounter with honeymooner, Rick (Stewart Mulligan) will cheer her up.

     Tom’s Mum, Vic (Phylissa Meagher) proudly cuddles her son; her ‘blue collar’ husband from Nottingham, Harry (Simon James) tells Tom how proud he is. Tom’s parents are struggling financially, and are heading off for a basic camping holiday.

     To everyone’s horror, it is not long before the headmaster and his wife, Meg’s family and Tom’s clan all find themselves in the same camping site for their 1967 Christmas break. The campsite has Christmas entertainment with Hawaiian dancers and a zany and enthusiastic Master of Ceremonies, (Michael Moshos), who parallels Ariel in the ‘Tempest’. However, the weather turns nasty and a storm causes destruction to the camping area – a real life ‘Tempest’.

Director Christine Ellis has lucidly directed this complex character study. Every person has been richly written, and in this production, we can immediately connect and recognise them with people we know in our lives.

The ARENAarts is always keen to give newcomers a chance to act, and in this play the impressive male lead was new to the stage. There were some very good performances, with ‘old troupers’ like Val and Simon giving superb performances whilst generously, but subtly, helping others around them on the stage. One actor was word perfect, with good powerful diction but was so locked off on the script that the acting suffered. Try to think what the words mean as you are saying them, and let your body go with the flow.

The pace was very good, and the mood of the play, which varied from hilarity to deep tragedy well displayed.

It was good to see Simon James – as good as ever – back on the stage, after years of designing the lighting and sound.

A beautifully written play, well presented with some very strong performances.

The scene (set design by Christine Ellis) is an empty stage in the St Ignatius Church Hall. Later a stage set with sitting room furnishings.

It is the mid-1970s, and so the costumes are bold patterns, lace and of course the flared trousers (costumes Gail Michalzik and Melville Theatre). The director employed the auditorium aisle in several scenes. The lighting – very good, atmospheric opening scene – was designed by Stephen Marr, and operated by Tiernan Stephens, Jason Millman and Joy Miles. Audio design was by Lindsay Goodwin and Callon Leam. Stage manager Melissa Skeffington.

       It is a rehearsal night for the local, suburban Amateur Dramatic Society. 20-year old Alan (Callon Leam) has arrived early to meet his new love, Margaret (Jay Shaw). She a woman twice his age and is married to the play’s unbearable director, Phillip (Paul Williams). As Margaret and Alan are cuddling, in the shadows lurks the new janitor, Ted (Ian Fraser) a pedantic, obstreperous man.

      The other cast members arrive, and the rehearsal begins. One of the older members, Phoebe (Julie Holmshaw) and nervous newcomer, Pat (Sarah Langridge) start reading through their parts. The third member of the scene Doris (Dee Rowlands) has not turned up, and is already an hour late, so the stage manager, Ronnie (Gino Cataldo) is given the task of filling in for Doris.

      After half an hour Doris staggers onto the stage in a terrible state, a prowler has molested her. Minutes later, someone is found dead in the kitchen.

       What evil has hit this little hamlet?

The story got off to a slow start, with a poorly written First Act, which is surprising considering the quality of the fast moving and intriguing Second Act. The authors have endeavoured to work into the First Act a bit of slapstick comedy, which – although well performed – just did not work and cheapened the story.

There were out of date references such as to ‘Chief Inspector Barlow’, a character from the exceptionally popular BBC’s 1960s series, ‘Softly, Softly’. However, the actors battled on and the end of the performance was filled with suspense and some fine performances.

The cast performed well, and rose to the occasion – when the script did. The play has a good story thread, and is certainly worth seeing. Can you guess who the killer is?