“It’s bonkers!” said the woman sitting next to me during the interval. 

Of course it’s bonkers - the play is based on a story by Terry Pratchett, surely the most wonderfully bonkers fantasy writer that his home town Beaconsfield - indeed the country - has ever produced.

Beaconsfield Theatre Group and The Young Theatre chose this play for their first major joint production.

As their usual venue was unavailable, it was performed in the open on the headmaster’s lawn at Davenies School.

The plot was convoluted, the characters weird to those unfamiliar with the Discworld scene (my husband understood far more, being a fan of the books, while the guy sitting next to him had read all the books multiple times). 

But the cast performed all the whacky goings on at Lancre with such huge enthusiasm and evident delight that the audience was soon drawn into the wonderful world of wizards and elves, a gorilla librarian and coven of witches and rude mechanicals.

Young and old were word perfect, slick with fast-paced action, energetic in bringing the story to life. 

The costumes and live music were excellent, while the spacious lawns gave plenty of opportunity for characters to enter and leave in multiple directions.

The castle backdrop was well executed, standing sturdy despite the sudden gusts of wind that were bringing an end to the hot weather during Saturday afternoon’s show.

Director Sarah Golding managed the large cast of 26 brilliantly, drawing the best out of each one. 

Rachel Manley portrayed a lovely queen-to-be for Kieran McPhillips’s funny king, while her maid (Pippa Dadd) raised smiles throughout. 

The two old witches, Helen Sharman and Diane Alexander, created lots of humour, while the band of artisans led by Tom Curtis as blacksmith were hilarious. 

It’s amazing what talent our local am-dram groups possess and the quality of enjoyable entertainment they put on.

All profits from the show will go to Young Minds and The Alzheimer’s Society and the production was sponsored by the Alexander Jansons Fund.

The show’s director, Sarah Golding, directed the original production as well as playing Granny Weatherwax. 

“Sir Terry came to see our 'Lords and Ladies' on the first night in 1995,” says Sarah, “and loved it so much he came on the last night too. 

“This is why I chose this play to do again as my homage to him, genius as he was. It’s special. Very, very special. 

“It has been so soul-satisfying to revisit the script with this hugely buoyant, enthused and talented group of folks.”