Terry Pratchett's 'ERIC' - By The Dreaming

At The Sallis Benney Theatre, Brighton (Brighton Festival).

Adapted for Stage By: Lee York & Scott Harrison

Executive Producer: Richard Wade

If you are familiar with the work of Terry Pratchett you will doubtless recognise the tale of Eric, Discworld's only teenage demonology hacker. Those of you in the weird freakish minority that are not familiar with, or dislike, Pratchett's work should stop reading this review and go back to reading Jackie Collins, or however else you fritter away your time.

Good, now that I'm only addressing those of you who appreciate Terry Pratchett's writing I'm sure you'll be aware that York based production company 'The Dreaming' had a bit of a challenge on their hands in producing a stage version of Eric.  You see Eric, like all Pratchett books, is funny.  Not just "funny, for a comic fantasy book", or any other qualification you might lay on it, just funny, period.  That means that porting a Pratchett story across to any other medium requires that it must do likewise, or risk watering down the very Pratchett-ness of the story. (yes, it's probably in the dictionary somewhere, look it up).

So it was with a degree of caution that I watched The Dreaming's production.  I had prepared myself for the eventuality that something would be missing, or the wonderful comic timing of the book wouldn't be achieved, or that the brilliant observational comedy which ties Discworld to our own world would somehow be lost in translation.  But, I'm pleased to say all my preparation was wasted. Not that there's any actual preparation required to be a member of a theatre audience, other than a beer or two at the bar before-hand.  What I mean to say is that The Dreaming did pull it off.  They've managed to capture the tone and the humour of the Discworld almost perfectly with this production.  From the very first laugh the audience received this marvellously entertaining performance with open arms.  The Dreaming's adaptation of Eric is Funny, and not just "funny for a stage adaptation of a comic fantasy book" (don't make me explain the analogy again), just downright funny in it's own right.

And then we come on to the casting.  The character of Rincewind, the Discworld’s most incompetent wizard, is captured brilliantly by actor Jamie McKeller.  McKeller's performance brings Rincewind straight from Pratchett's pages, combining the character's constant cowering ineptitude with deadpan wit brilliantly.

Also of note is Mathew Walker, who gives a convincing performance of Eric as the geeky and naive teenager that Pratchett depicted.  The "non-human" characters from the book are also here, including the Parrot (voiced expertly by Kirsty McIntyre) and the infamous walking trail of destruction that is The Luggage.

So what we have here is a wonderful adaptation of a great comic novel to produce a stage show that will have you laughing from start to finish.  The Dreaming are definitely a theatre company to watch, and if they happen to be on a stage while you're watching them then you're guaranteed to have a very good time indeed.