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His Dark Materials Part I 2003/04

based on the novels by Philip Pullman
adapted by Nicholas Wright

His Dark Materials takes us on a thrilling journey through worlds familiar and unknown. For Lyra and Will, its two central characters, it's a coming of age and a transforming spiritual experience. Their great quest demands a savage struggle against the most dangerous of enemies. They encounter fantastical creatures in parallel worlds - rebellious angels, soul-eating spectres, child-catching Gobblers and the armoured bears and witch-clans of the Arctic. Finally, before reaching, perhaps, the republic of heaven, they must visit the land of the dead.

His Dark Materials is an epic production both in its narrative scope and its staging, involving artists from new technologies as well as old. It is one of the National's most ambitious projects, and aims to create an experience as meaningful for 12 year olds as for adults. This riveting story unfolds over the course of two plays.

For more images of this production, follow the link to His Dark Materials Part II 2003/04 on the right of this page.

Cast credits:

Pantalaimon : Samuel Barnett

Lord Boreal : John Carlisle

Will : Dominic Cooper

Serafina Pekkala : Niamh Cusack

Lord Asriel : Timothy Dalton

Farder Coram : Patrick Godfrey

John Faa : Stephen Grief

Billy Costa : Jamie Harding

Mrs Coulter : Patricia Hodge

Doctor Cade : Akbar Kurtha

Jopari/Iofur : Chris Larkin

Tortured Witch/Harpy : Inika Leigh Wright

Salcilia : Helena Lymbery

Fra Pavel/Lee Scoresby : Tim McMullan

Professor Hopcraft : Iain Mitchell

Lyra : Anna Maxwell Martin

Macaw Lady : Helen Murton

Stelmaria : Emily Mytton

Ruta Skadi : Cecilia Noble

Mrs Lonsdale : Katy Odey

Thorold : Nick Sampson

Iorek : Dany Sapani

Ben : Jason Thorpe

Roger : Russell Tovey

Perkins : Daniel Tuite

Astronomy Scholar/Dr West : Andrew Westfield

Brother Jasper : Ben Whishaw

Angelica : Katie Wimpenny

Golden Monkey : Ben Wright

Tony Costa : Richard Youman

: All other parts played by members of the company

Production credits:

Director: Nicholas Hytner

Set Designer: Giles Cadle

Costume Designer: Jon Morrell

Puppet Designer: Michael Curry

Lighting Designer: Paule Constable

Video Projection Designer: Thomas Gray for the Gray Circle

Computer Graphics Designer: Yuri Tanaka for the Gray Circle

Choreographer/Associate Director: Aletta Collins

Music: Jonathan Dove

Music Director: Steve Edis

Fight Director: Terry King

Sound Designer: Paul Groothuis

photo © Jerry Uelsmann (courtesy Laurence Miller Gallery, New York)

His Dark Materials Part I 2003/04 finished on: 27 March 2004

His Dark Materials poster image

Olivier Theatre

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