Stage Adaptation

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Olivia and Calum, Playbox's Lyra and Will

In April 2006, the Playbox Theatre Company, a youth stage group, performed a two-part production of His Dark Materials. This was the largest production in the theatre’s history and took place in their £2.7m complex, The Dream Factory in Warwick. The show used Nicholas Wright’s script from the National Theatre, but sought to re-imagine the visual aspects of bringing the books to the stage, such as portraying daemons with human actors (differing from puppets as used by the National Theatre). Additionally, the play used young actors instead of adults. Olivia Meguer (playing Lyra) and Calum Fin-lay (playing Will) were both 15 at the time of the production. Co-Director Stewart McGill explained the Playbox Theatre was looking to "rekindle the imagination [with the plays]; so the show will use movement, aerial artistry, and some of the finest young actors aged 14-25 to grace the stage".

This stage adaptation sold out their 7 performances of each of the two parts.

A short article on the play details can be found here:

A detailed critique and review can be found here:

http://www.su-web2.nottingham.ac.uk/~impact/?p=393

Prior to the production, Playbox and Olivia Meguer, the actress playing Lyra, were kind enough to grant BridgeToTheStars an interview regarding the production.

Interview with Olivia

Playbox and Olivia Meguer, the actress playing Lyra, were kind enough to give us an interview and answer a few questions.

1. Have you read the books, and if so, what did you think of them? What do you think of Wright adaptation?
Well, if I'm honest, I cheated and listened to the unabridged audio version of the books. But I found it captivating and I stayed in my room for ages until I'd finished listening to the whole trilogy. I enjoyed every second of them and after passing on the tapes to the whole of my family their addicted to! Wright's adaptation of the play is cleverly written, because the play would have gone on for months otherwise; the adaptation is jam packed with action, there is never a boring moment of the script. The way it which it is written with the elder Will and Lyra semi-narrating the play is very clever: it makes their on stage chemistry so exciting and the audience grow more anxious about their fate.

2. How would you describe Lyra as a character? What is it like to get insider her head?
Lyra is an amazing character whom I like to think is a little bit like me! She is brave, impatient, trusting, adaptable, mature, intelligent, fun loving, adventurous and so very much more. I love playing her. Being inside her head is.. well, it's fun. As soon as I listened to the books I felt an immediate connection with Lyra. She's intriguing; every rehearsal she grows as a character and I love the adventure of discovering her.

3. Were you able to see His dark Materials when it was played at the national theatre, and if so what did you think of Elaine Simmons or Anna Maxwell Martin as Lyra? Did either of their portrayals of the roles influence how you are planning to play Lyra?
Unfortunately I didn't get to see the National Theatres production of it. But I heard from others that it was really good. However in a way I'm glad I didn't: my portrayal of Lyra can be original and different even though it's the same character! She can be uninfluenced by Anna Maxwell Martin or Elaine Simmons. Approaching playing Lyra wasn't as difficult as I had expected. After I listened to the tapes my first impressions of her is what has always stuck and this is the way I'm going to play her.

4. How have rehearsals gone so far, and what has the process been like for you? How will this version differ from the National Theatres Version both in the technical and theatrical aspects of the production, and in the script itself?
Rehearsals are very very chaotic but so much fun! As a cast, we all get on well, so it is lovely to be around everyone everyday. We are well into the play now; it is really taking shape, relationship, characters, and scenes all slot together really well. At first, this whole process seemed so daunting: it is a long script and a lot to learn! But I'm just taking everything bit by bit and keeping on top of lines, I don't see it as a task though more of an adventure!

Playbox's version compared to the National's? Well, as I said before I didn't see the National Theatre's version, but it's two different opinions and approaches' different directors and different actors bring different thing to their characters. Also, as an extra, the cast are all younger this time. Also, our budget isn't as large as the National's, but what we have has got so much promise and it will do so much justice to the books. Technical things wise we are still in the early stages and no set is up yet, but the designs look extremely exciting and I can't wait to see set, costume and lighting all come together: it's going to be fabulous!

5. What's it been like to work with Calum and the other cast members?
The cast are all so nice and we all get on really well; everyone is really talented and I think that's what's going to make it such a good show. Calum and I were friends before, so it's even more fun getting to spend more time together. On stage we all become our different characters and relationships change, but everyone is really professional and we all work very well together, which is extremely useful when taking on a project of this size.

6. What's your favourite scene to perform and why?
My favourite scene? Oh, that's a hard one; there's plenty to choose from! So far I think my favourite scene has to be when Lyra and Will first meet in Part One. This is because this scene is so light hearted and fun; also, during rehearsals, the cast members laughed during this scene, and so far in the play there haven't been moments like this (not that we don't like those other moments too). This scene is childish and gives both characters a chance to shine and be themselves; also it's when they embark on their adventure together.

7. What are your thoughts on the pending film adaptation of His Dark Materials?
The books were so popular and the play has been too, so we all knew it was going to happen soon. The descriptions are so visually satisfying that is was a dead cert! I think its very exciting, big special effects will really do the story justice. However, as hard as I try, I cannot imagine the daemons as animals! I always have seen them as humans! But its an exciting prospect and I look forward to seeing it and will be interested to see how they do the larger challenges in theatre such as showing dust, windows, abyss and butterfly daemons.