'The Book of Dust - La Belle Sauvage' by Philip Pullman, adapted by Bryony Lavery
4 March 2022
Nicholas Wright’s two-part stage adaptation of Philip Pullman’s ‘His Dark Materials’ novels, premiered in Nicholas Hytner’s production at the National Theatre in London in 2004, felt like a landmark theatrical moment. The use of puppets, operated on stage by black-clad puppeteers, as the animal daemons - the physical manifestation of the human soul - was beautifully done, preceding the National Theatre production of Michael Morpurgo’s ‘War Horse’ by three years. The cast, led by Anna Maxwell Martin as Lyra, included three young actors who would star in Nicholas Hytner’s National Theatre production of ‘The History Boys’ by Alan Bennett later in 2004 and have since become very familiar names - Samuel Barnett, Dominic Cooper and Russell Tovey. ‘His Dark Materials’ was also the professional stage debut for Ben Wishaw, who was about to be thrust into the limelight as the lead in Trevor Nunn's 2004 production of Hamlet at the Old Vic. I have fond memories of our trips to the National Theatre in 2004 to see both parts of ‘His Dark Materials’, so when I learned that Nicholas Hytner was to direct an adaptation, by Bryony Lavery, of Philip Pullman’s prequel ‘La Belle Sauvage’ (reviewed here in November 2017) I quickly bought tickets as a Christmas present for Jeannie - only to discover that she had bought tickets to the same show as my Christmas present! Having returned one set of tickets, last Saturday we made our first visit to the Bridge Theatre - Nick Starr and Nicholas Hytner’s new commercial theatre on the south bank of the Thames next to Tower Bridge. ‘La Belle Sauvage’ is the first of Pullman’s new trilogy of novels ‘The Book of Dust’. It tells the story of Lyra as a baby, through the eyes of twelve-year-old Malcolm Polstead. Malcolm lives with his parents at the Trout Inn outside Oxford, across the river Thames from Godstow Priory where Lyra has been given sanctuary to hide her from the Magisterium. The whole story takes place on or around the River Thames, with a biblical flood taking Malcolm and Lyra as far as our actual location next to London’s Tower Bridge. Whereas the 2004 production of ‘His Dark Materials’ featured a spectacular revolving set on the huge stage of the Olivier Theatre, ‘La Belle Sauvage’ makes brilliant use of the amazing recent technological advances in video projection, turning a bare black stage into the flowing river and much more. The interplay of the actors, Malcolm’s canoe and the swirling projections is visually stunning. And Nicholas Hytner has once again turned to a group of young actors whose progress it will now be fascinating to watch. Samuel Creasey - who plays Macolm Polstead very much in the style of that other History Boy, James Corden - is making his first professional stage appearance, as is Heather Forster - who plays his daemon, Asta. They are joined by Ella Dacres as Alice Parslow - who is a comparable veteran, having previously appeared in one professional production at the National Theatre. They are all excellent, giving a real emotional heart to the story. The puppet daemons seem less surprising than they did 18 years ago but they are still very effective, their glowing eyes dragging our attention around the darkened stage. Above all it was wonderful to be back in a theatre for the first time in ages. ‘La Belle Sauvage’ was gripping, beautiful, funny and incredibly emotional - a perfect Christmas present.
posted by Robin Simpson @ 5:31 pm
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