Following the kick-off of Durham Student Theatre’s 2026/27 season comes Ooook! Productions’ annual Pratchett play, notorious for its comedic beats and side-splitting hilarity – something to look forward to amidst the wintry (and currently spooky!) onset of Michaelmas term. Directed by River Blatch, Monstrous Regiment takes us into the world of Borogravia, where our protagonist, Polly (Mireya Morenas), disguises as a man to join the army in search of her lost brother. Led by the fiercely benevolent Sergeant Jackrum (Tom Pizii) and the dim-witted Lieutenant Blouse (Jack Taylor-Torney), the band of recruits discover that they all have secrets worth holding in solidarity with one another, lest they should risk their lives – and most importantly, their country.
As a Director, Blatch works wonderfully in the Pratchett sphere. Their vision for the show is clear: a cooky retelling of a beloved Disc World narrative. Yet, it is difficult to oversee the ruthless struggle for comedic consistency throughout the duration of the performance. Of course, this may largely be attributed to Stephen Briggs’ script, out of the control of the current production. Despite this observable flaw, Blatch handles the subject matter well and absolutely achieves some hysterical moments, such as the execution of Blouse’s demeanour towards the end of the play, and Lofty’s (Eloise Robinson) hilarious plan to sneak into The Keep.
Though the idea is truly a distinct one, I left questioning whether the choice to include a marching band was too much of a risk. It elongates what are already choppy scene changes with a repetitive military tune; while Amelia Awan’s musical direction is incredibly neat and tightly-wound, and the quartet themselves play with excellent precision, I do wonder if this addition is really necessary. As unique as the representation behind the trombone (played by Dominic Challis) becomes in conjunction with Maladict (Sam Garratt), it ultimately means that this comedic sequence just does not hit as I really hoped it would. Despite this, the idea is genuinely commendable and a show of Blatch’s willingness to take risks and experiment with new ideas in their directing.
The set pieces (designed by Benedict Slade) have an element of minimalism that really immerses the audience into this war-torn world beyond our seats, aided by cool lighting (designed by Alex Richardson) that overlooks the stage. Dramatic moments are done exceptionally well with the use of colour to reflect theming, though occasionally, the effects do seem a little excessive. Such an instance occurs during Wazzer’s (Megan Power) pivotal scene towards the end, the lighting shift potentially made less effective by the fact that the sound (designed by Katie Madsen) does not shift with it. Issues are had with sound throughout the show being too loud or piercing, and as such, performers can sometimes not be heard. Regardless, it is a feat to have such rigorous sound design in a show like this one, multiplying the immersion tenfold – I could only wish that the production management (led by HB Campbell) had encouraged closer collaboration of the teams to make their ideas more coherent.
As is with any comedy, a performance must be equipped with comedic actors, and this show certainly carries a range of talents. Taylor-Torney is an absolute standout as Blouse, delivering what is a phenomenal comedic performance. His characterisation can be likened almost to a sitcom caricature, capturing brilliant physicality with hilarious vocal performances and comedic timing: he is a master of the craft. Pizii is equally compelling as Jackrum and delves wonderfully into the essence and complexities of his character, making Jackrum’s final scene beautifully conclusive. As our protagonist, Morenas plays well into the binary-struggle between Polly’s true and cover identity – a narrative that can have easily been too plain a focus, but one that is taken onboard by Morenas and brims with life and confidence. Her portrayal of Polly makes for an excellently gripping protagonist for the audience to follow.
The members of the regiment crafted a fun dynamic of weird and wonderful! Garratt’s presence onstage as Maladict pulses with conviction, hinging away from the basic ‘vampire’ stereotype into something much more, making their onstage presence strong. Power secures the character of Wazzer in every scene, encapsulating her ditziness all the way through without any sort of detraction from the role. Enormous praise must also be given to puppet designer Julia Sillanpaa, who made incredible work of the show’s puppets: Igor (J Gould-Reddy) and Carborundum (Rhiannon Morgan). Gould-Reddy and Morgan’s physical engineering through Sillanpaa’s puppetry is outstanding and such a fun addition to the cranky antics of this world. Shufti (Isla Brennan), Tonker (Rufus Brireley) and Robinson as Lofty complete the group with their sheer brilliance at unique character performances, as did the ensemble members outside of the troop.
For a show that was put together in the space of 3 weeks, Monstrous Regiment excels in its unique formatting by contrast to the usual niche of student theatre: incorporating new ideas, crafting their own puppetry, an abundance of passion for theatrics – you name it, they have it! Despite its gripes and flaws, this show is seated at the heart of Ooook! as a comedic, Pratchett-led theatre company which the creative and production team, cast and band have evidently poured buckets full of love and passion into for audience enjoyment, and for the comedy genre!
No Halloween plans? Don’t miss your chance to see this show!