PROGRESS Theatre is fully embracing the festive season with its latest production, Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather.
Adapted by Stephen Briggs, the story follows a colourful cast of characters who live in Pratchett’s celebrated Discworld universe as the titular Hogfather (a Santa-like figure) goes missing.
With the Discworld’s version of Christmas (called Hogswatch Night) and even the fate of the sun, hanging in the balance, they set about trying to find and re-instate the jolly, mythical being.
While spectral forces move against him, Death himself sets about keeping the spirit of Hogswatch Night alive by taking the Hogfather’s place in delivering the world’s presents.
The production is an ambitious undertaking for any theatre, let alone a community theatre like Progress– but one which it more than steps up to.
Firstly the cast is huge, with more than 20 actors sharing around 40 roles, and, moreover, each actor is clearly judiciously cast to play to their strengths.
Leading the production is Megan Turnell Willet, whose portrayal of Susan as the focal point of the play is triumphant.
Turnell Willet has continued to grow in strength and confidence in each subsequent appearance on the Progress stage, and this performance is her most accomplished at the company to date.
She brings genuine pathos and drama, which can be difficult when interacting with characters of Pratchett’s on stage, but doesn’t dispense with the levity that they bring.
This is especially true of her scenes with Jake Turnell Willet, whose portrayal of Death (Susan’s grandfather) is also to be commended.
Death is arrestingly created, towering more than two feet over most of his fellow characters, and the use of costume is extremely effective in recreating the flowing dark cloak, exposed skull, and glowing eyes that the interpretation of the character calls for.
The overall effect of the character is impressive both in its scope and in the seamless way they interact with the rest of the cast.
Other cast highlights include the amusing and light-hearted performances of Liz Carroll as Nanny Ogg and Gareth Davidson’s Mustrum Ridicully, both of whom bring a glossy veneer of humour to their scenes without undermining the dramatic events of the play.
Dean Stephenson’s portrayal of consummate assassin Jonathan Teatime is also a joy to watch, perfectly balancing the wry misanthropy of the character’s surface and the thinly-veiled madness which lies beneath.
The entire cast is to be commended on their confident portrayals, with each character feeling distinct and well-observed.
The staging is also particularly impressive, as is often the case with Progress; once again the need for a functional set on a reasonable budget means the company brings creativity to its staging.
With three different locations swapped between quickly and smoothly through rotating sections and doors, the settings are impressively recreated and allow the events of the play to breathe while still evoking their intended atmosphere.
This extends to the prop work, in which Progress has excelled itself, especially with characters such as Hex, a steampunk gramophone, which has been convincingly constructed on a hostess trolley.
The sound work–a requisite with characters such as Death and Hex, which are not strictly human– is accomplished, weaving live dialogue and effects together seamlessly.
Overall, Hogfather is a triumph for Progress, which is firing on all cylinders and throwing everything at its big Christmas production– all of which sticks.
A huge cast leaves very little to be desired as they are clearly having fun with the script, especially in the opening few scenes, but throughout.
The first half in particular has an urgency and pace which, when laced with Pratchett’s trademark humour and quirkiness, quickly becomes compelling and joyful viewing.
Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather is showing at Progress Theatre from Thursday, December 7, until Saturday, December 16
Full details available via: progresstheatre.co.uk
