Author, comedian and Terry Pratchett fan, Marc Burrows invites Hampshire audiences to continue to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landmark comic fantasy Discworld series with this beautiful tribute.
In 2020, Marc penned the first ever biography of Sir Terry. The book received critical acclaim, won a Locus Award and was embraced by fans. This live multimedia show, based on the book, was then created with the full endorsement and support of Narrativia, the company founded to protect and promote the late author’s work in association with his estate. Over the past 12 months, it has sold over 10,000 tickets across the UK.
The Magic of Terry Pratchett is a comic lecture in which Burrows explores Pratchett's influences, his rise to fame, impact, and unique life, becoming one of the most beloved storytellers of all time. From the national treasure’s days as a school librarian, to his time as a trainee journalist, to his untimely death in 2015 and in keeping with Pratchett’s own style, the show is a gently comic celebration and exploration of his work. It also seriously examines his death, and the activism he was involved with toward the end of his life surrounding dementia treatment and the right- to-die; an important part of his story and legacy.
Marc says "I'm thrilled to bring The Magic of Terry Pratchett to Southampton, a city whose maritime heritage would have delighted Terry immensely. The bustling port city, with its mix of historical dockyards and modern shipping, feels like it could have inspired parts of Ankh-Morpork's own docklands, where Commander Vimes often found himself pursuing miscreants through the wharves and warehouses. Terry had a particular fascination with the way cities evolved alongside their waterways, and Southampton's transformation from medieval port to modern maritime hub mirrors the evolution we see in his own Ankh-Morpork throughout the Discworld series. The city's rich nautical history, including its connection to the Titanic, would have particularly appealed to Terry's sense of both tragedy and irony – he loved exploring the moments where human ambition met reality, often with unexpected results. And speaking of unexpected results, Southampton's famous Bargate, a medieval gatehouse that now stands somewhat incongruously amid modern shopping streets, feels exactly like the kind of architectural anomaly Terry would have populated with wizards or placed a portal to the Dungeon Dimensions behind. I can't think of a more fitting place to celebrate an author who specialised in finding magic in the meeting point between the historical and the modern."
“The Magic of Terry Pratchett” will be performed at The Attic, Southampton on Saturday 15th March 2025. undefined
More about Sir Terry Pratchett
More about Marc BurrowsMarc Burrows often writes on culture and social issues for The Guardian, New Statesman, Big Issue and Independent and his Edinburgh Fringe shows include ‘The Ten Best Songs of All Time’ and ‘Mind Your Head’. Marc’s second book, The London Boys: David Bowie, Marc Bolan and the 60s Teenage Dream was published to considerable acclaim in 2022 and is in the early stages of adaptation into a feature-length documentary. Outside of writing and comedy, Marc plays in the cult punk band The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, regularly performing at the Download, Glastonbury, Bestival and Latitude festivals and touring the UK and US.
“The Magic of Terry Pratchett” will be performed at The Attic, Southampton on Saturday 15th March 2025. For tickets, visit: https://theatticsouthampton.co.uk/products/the-magic-of-terry-pratchett-saturday-15th-march