Lords & Ladies, Pratchett’s 14th story set on the Discworld, centres around the Lancre Witches’ return from Foreign Parts, discovering signs of younger Witches with Ideas, Crop Circles and an imminent Elven Invasion. Pratchett plays are often imagined to guarantee success, especially following the popularity of the Sky One adaptations of Colour of Magic and Hogfather in recent years.
Simone Lee (Granny Weatherwax) and Kat Ould (Nanny Ogg) simply don’t have the gravitas to convey these elderly wisewomen and seem to rush through their lines as a desperate cover-up. Also absent from the production are Nanny’s cat Greebo, the unicorn (yet the references to “a mind out there” and “something goes in, something comes out” remain) and integral scenes for Magrat like the existence of Parasite Universes, or the conversations between Granny and Ridcully about their other alternate lives. One ray of hope, though, is Sarah Colah’s Queen of the Elves. She conveys the decadence, timelessness, cruelty and longing that fills the character in the novels (the Queen also appears in The Wee Free Men).
Even at 70 minutes, this feels rushed and a little threadbare in places. In saying that, the genius of Pratchett is still conveyed and there will be many who can enjoy the production without nit-picking. Die-hard fans should steer well clear though to avoid disappointment.
2/5 
Zander Bruce
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