TERRY PRATCHETT
I collaborated with the best-selling writer Sir Terry Pratchett on a large number of publishing and other projects.
AUDIO BOOKS
I've recorded over thirty of Terry's unabridged novels for the UK audio publishers, Isis, and also for the US publisher, Harper Audio. I have also now recorded Pratchett titles for AudioGo and Audible in the UK and for Random House, in the UK and in the US.
AWARDS
I received a US industry award (an Audie) for my recording of 'Monstrous Regiment' (2004) and have been shortlisted for Audies for three other recordings. I received the Audible Download Book of the Year award in 2008 for my recording of 'Good Omens'. I won an Odyssey award in 2009 for my recording of 'Nation' and then two awards from AudioFile - Best Voice of the Year & Earphones Award (in 2010) for my recording of 'Unseen Academicals'. I received four more AudioFile Earphones Awards - for 'Raising Steam', 'Wintersmith', 'The Science of Discworld', and 'The Science of Discworld III'. I was a member of the BAFTA award-winning team responsible for Sky TV's online publicity for their movie of 'Hogfather', and a cast member (as Drumknott) of Audible's Earphones Award-winning dramatisation of 'Unseen Academicals'.
HOW DID I END UP ON DISCWORLD?
My involvement in Discworld came about almost by accident. I was (still am) a keen member of an amateur drama club
- Oxford's
Studio Theatre Club - and I had adapted Monty Python’s ‘Life of Brian’ and ‘Holy Grail’, and Tom Sharpe’s ‘Porterhouse Blue’ and ‘Blott on the Landscape’ for the stage. While looking for a new project, someone suggested that I might like to try the works of Terry Pratchett – and my life passed into another leg of the trousers of time!
Terry Pratchett attended my drama club’s production of ‘Wyrd Sisters’ in 1991 and gave us permission to adapt ‘Mort’. While working on ‘Mort’, I suggested to Terry that a ‘Companion’ to Discworld might be fun and found myself working on it via a circuitous route taking in a map of Ankh-Morpork along the way.
Several of these titles made it into the UK best sellers' listings.
From there, my involvement in Discworld blossomed. Terry and I collaborated on a number of projects, I’ve adapted loads of Terry’s books for the stage and they are now produced by amateur groups all over the world - from Zimbabwe to the Antarctic. The royalties from productions of the plays have so far raised over £100,000 for the Orangutan Foundation. (See here for more info.)
My sleeve notes introduce each of the dramatisations in the collection.
'Lord Vetinari' speaking to a packed Barbican for Terry's Memorial.
My Audible award for 'Good Omens' (out of print).
Chatting to Terry's fans at the 2023 Irish Discworld Convention in Cork.
Dirk Maggs (L) directs me, and Ray Fearon, in Terry's 'Unseen Academicals'.
The day Terry and I first met....
Recording at Tom, Dick & Debbie (Oxford)
Interviewed by Austrian radio
At The Royal Navy Theatre Awards
Talking about mapping Discworld at Salisbury Museum
Speaking to Oxford Spires Rotary
A virtual appearance at the German Discworld Convention.
REVIEWS
"Stephen Briggs brings his usual expertise to his narration, warmly delivering dialogue and narrative. In particular, his mastery of dialect distinguishes characters without overacting." (The Science of Discworld)
"Stephen Briggs’s sharp insight and sharper delivery are an excellent match for Pratchett’s engrossing reimagining..." (The Amazing Maurice...)
"Briggs lends authenticity to every word." (Raising Steam)
“Stephen Briggs has a long history with the Discworld series, having narrated Sam Vimes through many adventures...Briggs’ sardonic delivery augments the dry humor and the wordplay that is one of Pratchett’s trademarks.” (Snuff)
"
He is the voice of the Discworld. If i think of a character, it is going to be with his voice." (Shepherd's Crown)
"
Stephen Briggs really seems to get the pace, irony, wry humour and above all the uplifting underlying message of Terry Pratchett and it shows in his performance." (Shepherd's Crown)
"
A wonderful book, evocatively read by Stephen Briggs. " (Nation)
"
With Stephen Briggs reading, you are drawn into the heart of the story straight away. His illustrative voices are brilliant and really make the story listenable. It is quite simply perfect. " (Nation)
"
Lovingly read by one of the best narrators I've ever listened to, this is in my opinion one of Terry Pratchett's best books. " (Dodger)
"
I really like the way this guy puts the story out and I enjoyed the different voices of the different people in the story, this really made a good story a really good story. " (Dodger)
"With the warmth, humor, and assurance of an old friend, Stephen Briggs...delivers this fifth Tiffany Aching Adventure with all his heart...This is a special book-Pratchett's last. One can hear Briggs summoning up the voices of the Pictsies, Hags, and Wizards one more time as he heads for a worthy conclusion to a saga that only Pratchett could conjure. (Shepherd's Crown)
[AudioFile]
My virtual appearance at the 2024 Australian Convention in Adelaide.