Terry Pratchett’s Guards! Guards! at Roleystone Theatre

A COMEDY adventure full of dragons, dastardly plans, dire deeds and decidedly dramatic dramas comes to life at the end of November 2024.

Adapted by Stephen Briggs from the popular Discworld novel and directed by Bradley Towton, Terry Pratchett’s Guards! Guards! is lighting up the Roleystone Theatre stage.

The play follows the exploits of the City Night Watch, an underfunded and underappreciated group of misfit guards faced with their greatest challenge yet – a monstrous, 60-foot fire-breathing dragon, summoned by a clandestine society of disgruntled tradesmen.

With the odds stacked against them, the Night Watch must rely on unexpected allies in their quest to protect the city, including a small, fiery swamp dragon and the enigmatic Librarian of Unseen University, who – despite being an orang-outan – proves to be a valuable asset.

“Guards! Guards! is one of Terry Pratchett’s earliest stories and the introduction to the City Watch of Ankh-Morpork, one of the key groups he focuses on in many of his novels,” Bradley said.

“Bringing the dragon to life has been a headache – do we drop it from the rafters or does it burst through a wall?

“Is it a puppet or is it going to be a costume? We’ve finally knuckled down and chosen one, so come and see what we decided on.

“Our smaller swamp dragons were also a bit of a challenge but we needed to find out how to shoot them around like bottle-rockets in a safe manner.

“Building a set with all its twists and narrow alleyways was always going to be difficult but I hope we impress in our new Roleystone Theatre building.”

Involved in theatre for the past 12 years, Bradley studied performing arts at Curtin University and appeared in several Stage Door School shows before joining Roleystone Theatre to perform in Much Ado About Nothing, Avenue Q, Peter Pan, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.

He has also appeared in Garrick Theatre productions of A Lady Mislaid, Project Macbeth and Love is a Noun, The Producers at the Regal Theatre and has scored acting awards for his roles in She Was Only a Miller’s Daughter and Footrot Flats at Roleystone Theatre.

Guards! Guards! is the sixth Terry Pratchett stage adaptation Bradley has directed.

“Up until now, we have only put on Discworld shows that didn’t rely on too much backstory but now we can begin the interlinked stories of the Watch series,” he said.

“The Watch stories with Sam Vimes have amazing humour but also great messages that leave you thinking about how to be the better person that lives inside us all.”

Terry Pratchett’s Guards! Guards! plays at 7.30pm November 22, 23, 28 and 30; 2pm November 23 and 30; and 5pm November 24. Tickets are $24, $20 concession and $16 children – book at tinyurl.com/pratchett2024.

 Roleystone Theatre is at 587 Brookton Highway, Roleystone, WA.

Images (from top): Carrot Ironfoundersson (William Darlington, left), Lady Sybil Ramkin (Yvette Drager-Wetherilt), Captain Sam Vimes (Ian Banks) and Nobby Nobbs (Caitlyn Boyle); Sam Barnett, left, as Death and Brett Kranz-Little as part of the ensemble; Guards! Guards! is a family affair for Carter Kranz-Little, left, Brett Kranz-Little, Kelly Kranz-Little and Marshall Kranz-Little, at front, who form the ensemble; and Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler (Callum Presbury, left) offers his wares to Captain Sam Vimes (Ian Banks) Photographer: Zyg Woltersdorf.