The Yorkshire Post features an
interview with Philip Pullman, in which he discusses writing His Dark Materials, religious controversy, and his latest work, a retelling of the story of Jesus:
“I’m fascinated by theology. The book I’m writing at the minute is about Jesus. I did a talk at the National Theatre with the Archbishop of Canter-bury, we were talking about the theology in the books and he said: ‘You don’t mention Jesus at all’, so I put him in the next book, The Scarecrow and his Servant. Nobody noticed, so I thought I better make it clearer. … I’m writing about this very interesting character called Jesus, who is very different from the character Paul calls Christ. I’ve been reading the gospels and reading around them. It’s fascinating – and I’ve also realised it can’t all be true.”
Pullman also talks about the stage plays and the movies. “In the fullness of time, if the rights revert to me I shall go over there (he points into his library) and cut out some cardboard figures and make it myself.” Thanks to Skye.
Philip Pullman will
visit the West Yorkshire Playhouse on Monday, June 1 at 4.30pm, to talk about the theatrical adaptation of his books and the success of the novels and to answer any pressing questions the audience may have about his work. He will be in conversation with BBC Radio Leeds presenter Andrew Edwards. Tickets are free for all those with tickets to the His Dark Materials play, and £1 for everyone else.
The Oxford Times features a
review of the production of His Dark Materials currently running at the Oxford Playhouse. “It’s the daemons, one shadowing each major character, that really make this production. Sinuous, ever-moving puppets are used to create daemons in animal form, each with its own very distinctive personality. Magic and fantasy indeed.”
Last Friday Seattle Children’s Theatre wrapped up its 2008-09 mainstage season with their 101st world premiere, I Was a Rat!, based on the popular re-worked fairy tale and children’s book by Philip Pullman. Jay at Seattle Metblogs allows his children Evan (6) and Kenzie (5) to take charge of his
review of the production.
The Citizen features an
interview with Guy Hargreaves, director of the His Dark Materials run at The Lowry. Although he comments on the casting – “I found all the young actors, auditioned them, and ran workshops with them. My job was generally getting them up-to-speed before rehearsals started,” – the interview primarily focuses more broadly on his relationship with child actors.
The Times reports that
Philip Pullman made a surprise cameo appearance at the Oxford Playhouse last night in a stage production of His Dark Materials. Pullman came on stage for ten minutes in the non-speaking role of an Oxford scholar. “It was enormous fun. I really enjoyed the whole experience. Even though I didn’t have a huge part, I was rehearsed within an inch of my life. When they asked me to take part, I realised I had a burning ambition to be on the stage.” The audience was not told that Mr Pullman would take part and the only clue they had to his real identity was when his character was congratulated on his books.
In an
interview in Scotland on Sunday today, Pullman discusses writing fantasy and escapism, comparisons with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, his creative instincts and adaptations. “I’ve always thought it was utterly stupid to sell the rights to an adaptation and then moan about the way they do it. If you wrote a strong enough story it will stand up to adaptation. The only thing I’m zealously protective about is the integrity of the story. There was a moment early in the film discussions when somebody high up at the studio said, ‘Let’s make Lyra into a boy.’” Thanks to blacksatindancer for the tip.
In an
interview with Philip Pullman in the Oxford Times to coincide with the new run of the His Dark Materials stage play, Pullman discusses the representation of Oxford in the books and the play. “Oxford does feature in many works of literature, starting, I suppose, with Alice in Wonderland. I’m happy to be putting my little contribution into the myth of Oxford. … It’s just a habit of thought, I suppose, a way of looking at things I’ve always had. Sunderland Avenue, between the Banbury Road and Woodstock Road roundabouts, has always fascinated me because the hornbeam trees there are so peculiar.”
Pullman also talks about the Birmingham Repertory Theatre production, and makes a new suggestion on the reason for the apparent decision not to produce sequels to the film version of the books, saying “It’s a great shame that it looks as if the films of the two later books won’t now be made, as a result of the credit crunch.”
Alan Franks from
the Times recently spoke to Philip Pullman at his home outside Oxford upon the re-opening of Nicholas Wright’s stage adaptation of
His Dark Materials at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. “For a moment it looks as if you might have stumbled on the Grumpiest Old Man in England,” but Pullman speaks passionately about his recent success, his father, and his love of theatre – and likewise the stage production of his most famous books, including performances in community theatres and school halls – among other things. Still, “His anger towards God remains undimmed,” (Franks is clearly amused at the notion of Pullman cursing) though the author admits that the Catholic Church is a “soft target,” and reconciles, “We are very fortunate to live in a time and place where you don’t get dismembered for having the wrong political convictions, and we should be thoroughly grateful for it every day of our lives.”
Pullman is keeping silent with regards to progress made on the eagerly awaited Book of Dust, but indicates a new passion in his life: electric guitar; more precisely the Fender he got last year. You can read the whole interview here. Thanks to Skye for the tip.
His Dark Materials, the play, premiered in Birmingham under the direction of Rachel Kavanaugh last Friday and will be on stage until Saturday, 18 April 2009. The adaptation was first staged at the National Theatre in London under the direction of Nicholas Hytner in December of 2003. For more information about the current Birmingham production, visit the official site of the Repertory Theatre. Tickets cost between £10 and £32.50, and accessible performances for audience-members with hearing or visual impairments are available on certain dates at no extra cost.
Philip Pullman will be at the Oxford Playhouse on April 24th for a discussion of His Dark Materials as part of the Playhouse’s 70th anniversary celebrations. He will talk about “the genesis of an alternate Oxford” and “his impressions of the adaptation of his epic trilogy, in the week before it takes to the Playhouse stage”. He will also talk about the differences between stage and screen, comparing the play with the film of The Golden Compass. Tickets can be purchased for £11(£9) through the
Oxford Playhouse website.