Theatre of Cruelty (Discworld)

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Terry Pratchett
The Discworld series
2nd short story - 3rd City Watch story
Outline
Characters: Ankh-Morpork City Watch
Carrot Ironfoundersson
Death
Locations: Ankh-Morpork
Motifs: Fantasy clichés,

"Theatre of Cruelty" is a short Discworld story by Terry Pratchett written in 1993. The name derives from a theory coined and advocated by Antonin Artaud (Theatre of Cruelty).

It was originally written for W. H. Smith Bookcase magazine and was then slightly modified and extended, being published again in the programme of the OryCon 15 convention, and then again in The Wizards of Odd, a compilation of fantasy short stories.

It has since been made available on the Internet along with dozens of translations by fans, with Pratchett having stated, "I don't want to see it distributed in print anywhere but don't mind people downloading it for their own enjoyment."

The story involves both the Ankh-Morpork City Watch and a parallel of Punch and Judy.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

A murder has been committed: a street entertainer, found apparently battered to death with a very small blunt object, on him bite marks from a very small crocodile. Investigating the incident in his typically direct manner, Carrot Ironfoundersson discovers the death was an accident, the man having choked on a swazzle. It emerges that the entertainer had invented a parallel, live-action version of Punch and Judy, using -- and abusing -- a troupe of gnomes as the live cast. Carrot asserts that such brutal theatre could never find favour in Ankh-Morpork: "That's not the way to do it".

[edit] External link

Reading Order Guide
Preceded by
Men at Arms		 3rd City Watch Story
Published in 1993		 Succeeded by
Feet of Clay
Terry Pratchett's Discworld
v • d • e
Novels:

The Colour of Magic – The Light Fantastic – Equal Rites – Mort – Sourcery – Wyrd Sisters – Pyramids – Guards! Guards! – Eric – Moving Pictures – Reaper Man – Witches Abroad – Small Gods – Lords and Ladies – Men at Arms – Soul Music – Interesting Times – Maskerade – Feet of Clay – Hogfather – Jingo – The Last Continent – Carpe Jugulum – The Fifth Elephant – The Truth – Thief of Time – The Last Hero – The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents – Night Watch – The Wee Free Men – Monstrous Regiment – A Hat Full of Sky – Going Postal – Thud! – Wintersmith – Making Money - I Shall Wear Midnight
Short Stories:

Troll Bridge – Theatre of Cruelty – The Sea and Little Fishes – Death and What Comes Next
Other books:

The Discworld Companion – The Science of Discworld – The Science of Discworld II: The Globe – The Science of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch – The Pratchett Portfolio – The Art of Discworld – The Unseen University Challenge – The Wyrdest Link – The Streets of Ankh-Morpork – The Discworld Mapp – A Tourist Guide to Lancre – Death's Domain – Nanny Ogg's Cookbook – The Discworld Almanak – Where's My Cow? – The Unseen University Cut Out Book – The Discworld Diaries – Once More* With Footnotes
Games:

The Colour of Magic – Discworld – Discworld 2 – Discworld MUD – Discworld Noir – GURPS Discworld – Thud
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