Terry Pratchett’s The Fifth Elephant is another chapter in his opus Discworld/City Watch legacy.

The plot involved Commander Vimes, sent to Uberwald on a diplomatic mission.

With his merry band of misfits he must navigate the theft of the sacred royal coronation Scone of Stone, werewolf and vampire political misdirection and conspiracies that threaten everyone’s way of life. Will they succeed?

What becomes obvious is just how ahead of the curve Pratchett was with his subject matter, and with the political hopscotch from the past that, at the moment, feels uncomfortably familiar. History doesn’t so much repeat itself as regurgitate, and Pratchett, in his genius, was already there — chopping down convention, skewering gender roles, and dismantling pomposity with a grin. That spirit comes through in this adaptation.

One of the production’s strengths is keeping Pratchett’s continuity of characters intact; they tend to keep the same cast, and as a unit they are excellent. Chris Allan, with the lion’s share of stage time, again excels as the grouchy, crochety Vimes. Ben Blow almost steals every scene as his wife, Lady Sybil, while Alan Sunter brings great character work to Igor. Amber Lipman shines as Cheery the dwarf, and Alex Card makes for a solid, steady Corporal Carrot.

It should be noted that the show is long, but the production zips along with enough twists and turns to leave Benoit Blanc redundant, all delivered in Pratchett’s signature style. The staging is first class. Costumes, and puppetry are smart and unobtrusive, relying on the characters to shine rather than leaning on overused lighting or effects.

In the end, this production is proof that Strawmoddie are consistently one of the best at putting on Pratchett adaptations, accessible to the rabid fans and the casual viewers alike.

 ****

Reviewed by Steve H