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.