Wyrd Sisters

Sefton Theatre Company
Southport Arts Centre Studio

The Sefton Theatre Company certainly live up to their slogan of putting on plays of artistic merit and literary distinction.

Wyrd Sisters is a play for devotees of the fantasy genre and Terry Pratchett’s Discworld devotees, like Star Trek fans (aka Trekkies), inhabit a closed world. 

I should confess that I have never got past the first chapter of any Terry Pratchett book so I cannot say whether or not the stage version improved on the printed word.  Though I might admire the cleverness of his writing and humorous similes (‘the night was as black as the inside of a cat’), I found the unreality of his plots unable to sustain my interest.

Having said that, the cast threw themselves into their roles with gusto and I especially enjoyed the three witches, brilliantly played by Tracey Bachelor, Carolyn McAdam and Laura Franklin, who seemed to have metamorphosed from the snug in the early days of the Rovers Return to totally steal the show. Their down to earth Lancashire tones played well against the implausibility of the action.

David Walker perfectly suited his part as the King. In fact he looked remarkably like Henry the Eighth. What dedication to acquire a gammy leg to go with the walking stick. Method acting at its most extreme.  Deborah Bloom acquired what I hope was a temporary shrewish quality as his bossy wife.

Colin Wayte made a striking dead king and Nick Lloyd was whimsical as a strolling player. John Sharp and Kate Sloman made a nice foster couple as The Vitollers. 

The whole production was well done in every way and the audience of Pratchett fans lapped it up. As for me, I look forward to their next production in November, Neil Simon’s comedy, ‘Rumours’. Much more my sort of play.      
     
Star Rating  6/10

By Ron Ellis