By Terry Pratchett, adapted by Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle

Directed by Dirk Maggs

The future of Unseen University depends on the wizards winning the most unlikely of contests…

I’m writing this review as the England team are battling through the game with Sweden, progressing in the World Cup further than many predicted – and that run of success makes Audible’s decision to record and release Terry Pratchett’s Unseen Academicals at the height of the contest an undeniably sensible one. Kurti and Doyle have proved their Pratchett credentials with the Sky version of Going Postal – streamlining some of the plotlines, but retaining much of the glory of Pratchett’s use of the English language, particularly with the benefit of David Jason returning to Discworld, this time as the narrator. His comic timing is well suited to Pratchett’s style of leading a thought in one direction and then dropping it down the nearest well!

The ten-part adaptation benefits from an extremely strong cast, not just in the lead roles (Matthew Horne, Keith Wickham, Josie Lawrence and Jaime Winstone are all excellent as Trev; Mr Nutt – two Ts, no S; Glenda; and Juliet aka Jewels) but across the board. Ray Fearon’s Vetinari is not someone you’d even dream of crossing… a description that equally applies to Phil Davis, Mark Benton and the other members of the Shove. The wizards may not get much time individually, but each makes their mark  (or in one case their Ook!) and even small characters such as the bus conductor get their moments (I had to go back and check that I really did hear an On the Buses! gag… 10 minutes into part 9).

Director Dirk Maggs marshals the troops and places them at the heart of the audio cinematic experience – whether they’re in the bits of Unseen University that have hitherto been, er, unseen, or barrelling through the streets of Ankh-Morpokh (which, as it has to for any Pratchett adaptation set there to work, feels like a living breathing character in the drama). James Hannigan’s score runs the gamut, and – yes, I’ll keep saying this in reviews until the damn things happen – it would be great to hear them separately.

At his best, Terry Pratchett skewered aspects of everyday life, exaggerating where necessary for comedic or dramatic effect, and then plonked them into the madness that was Discworld – before creating characters whose hopes and dreams (and nightmares… don’t forget the nightmares) we could empathise with. The heart of this story isn’t the foot-the-ball match between Town and Gown – it’s Mr Nutt and Glenda, and Juliet following her dreams. Congratulations to Messrs. Kurti, Doyle and Maggs for ensuring that’s very much the case with this audio version… and let’s have some more!

Verdict: Whether you love football or not, this is a brilliant accompaniment / antidote to the World Cup. Highly recommended. 10/10

Paul Simpson

Order a copy from Audible here. Or face the wrath of Lord Vetinari.