The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage (NHB Modern Plays)
3/5
()
About this ebook
As the waters rise around them, powerful adversaries conspire for mastery of Dust: salvation to some, the source of infinite corruption to others.
Philip Pullman's The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage is set twelve years before the epic His Dark Materials trilogy. Bryony Lavery's stage adaptation was first performed at the Bridge Theatre, London, in December 2021, directed by Nicholas Hytner, whose groundbreaking production of His Dark Materials was a critical and commercial success at the National Theatre.
'Once in a lifetime a children's author emerges who is so extraordinary that the imagination of generations is altered' New Statesman on Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman (b. 1946) is one of the world’s most acclaimed children’s authors, his bold, brilliant books having set new parameters for what children’s writing can say and do. He is best known for the His Dark Materials trilogy, installments of which have won the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Book of the Year Award. In 2003, the trilogy came third in the BBC’s Big Read competition to find the nation’s favorite book, and in 2005 he was awarded the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, an international prize for children’s literature. In 2007, Northern Lights became a major Hollywood film, The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. Pullman has published nearly twenty books, and when he’s not writing he likes to play the piano (badly), draw, and make things out of wood.
Read more from Philip Pullman
The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Balloonist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHis Dark Materials (Stage Version) (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage (NHB Modern Plays)
Related ebooks
Flint and Mirror Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Noughts & Crosses (NHB Modern Plays): Sabrina Mahfouz/Pilot Theatre adaptation Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDracula (stage version) (NHB Modern Plays) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cursed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Symbolic Short Plays: American Theatre in the Twenty-First Century Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOn the Merits of Unnaturalness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fireborn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Left-Handed Booksellers of London Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Over the Woodward Wall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Brides of Maracoor: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Proxy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fifth Season Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Picture of Dorian Gray Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEscaping Eleven Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Memory Project: A Sci-Fi Mystery Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ozma of Oz Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Good Muslim: A Novel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGirl Oil: A Tor.com Original Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSavage Her Reply Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Three Plays Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLost in the Moment and Found Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ringer Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5A Spark of White Fire: Book One of the Celestial Trilogy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Last Exit Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last Dragonslayer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSomething Special Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Performing Arts For You
Macbeth (new classics) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Measure: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Becoming Free Indeed: My Story of Disentangling Faith from Fear Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Yes Please Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Robin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Our Town: A Play in Three Acts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Romeo and Juliet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boy Swallows Universe: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding Me: An Oprah's Book Club Pick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bell Jar: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Midsummer Night's Dream, with line numbers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5For colored girls who have considered suicide/When the rainbow is enuf Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mash: A Novel About Three Army Doctors Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coreyography: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wuthering Heights Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hamlet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Diamond Eye: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Importance of Being Earnest: A Play Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes: Revised and Complete Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Sisters Brothers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Count Of Monte Cristo (Unabridged) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey through the Art and Craft of Humor Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Reviews for The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage (NHB Modern Plays)
2 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage (NHB Modern Plays) - Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman
THE BOOK OF DUST
La Belle Sauvage
adapted for the stage by
Bryony Lavery
NICK HERN BOOKS
London
www.nickhernbooks.co.uk
Contents
Original Production Details
Dedication
Characters
The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage
About the Authors
Copyright and Performing Rights Information
The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage was first performed at the Bridge Theatre, London, on 7 December 2021 (previews from 30 November). The cast was as follows:
All other parts played by members of the company
For Nick, Emily and James,
Most Delightful Dæmons of Dramaturgy
Characters
GODSTOW, OXFORD, ULVERCOTE
MALCOLM POLSTEAD, of The Trout Inn
ASTA, his dæmon
ALICE PARSLOW
BEN, her dæmon
BRENDA POLSTEAD, Malcolm’s mum, landlady of
The Trout Inn
BRIAN, her dæmon, a badger
ROSEMARY, scholar
MURIEL, scholar
GEORGE BOATWRIGHT
SALLY, his dæmon, a staffie
LORD NUGENT, Lord Chancellor
LEMUR, his dæmon
ROBERT LUCKHURST, fellow of Magdalen College
CAT, Luckhurst’s dæmon
BENEDICTA, Mother Superior of St Rosamund’s Priory, Godstow
LYRA, a baby
PANTALAIMON, her dæmon
HEADMASTER of Ulvercote Elementary School
DR HANNAH RELF, fellow of St Sophia’s College
JESPER, her dæmon
GERARD BONNEVILLE
HYENA, his dæmon
LONDON
MARISA COULTER
GOLDEN MONKEY, her dæmon
LORD ASRIEL
SNOW LEOPARD, his dæmon
MICHAEL WHARTON of the Magisterium
THE FLOOD
CHARLIE, George Boatwright’s partner
DORIS WHICHER, Andrew’s aunt
CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER
TILDA VASSARA, a witch
Plus
CUSTOMERS AT THE TROUT INN
CCD MEN
NUNS
STUDENTS
SERVANTS
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
REFUGEES
ARMED POLICEMEN
…and, of course, their DÆMONS
A forward slash / indicates overlapping speech.
This text went to press before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.
ACT ONE
1. The Trout Inn
MALCOLM. I’m Malcolm Polstead.
I was twelve when all this began, still living with my mum at The Trout Inn, Godstow.
MRS POLSTEAD (bustling). Look sharp, / Malcolm.
MALCOLM. Large Terrace with stunning views of The Thames.
Traditional Home-cooked Food.
We serve eighteen Traditional-brewed / Ales…
MRS POLSTEAD. Opening time… one minute, Malcolm!
MALCOLM. And of course…
my dæmon…
Asta…
Hadn’t settled yet, had you?
ASTA appears from somewhere about MALCOLM’s person… a mouse.
ASTA. Well… you hadn’t settled. You were only twelve.
MALCOLM. I know.
ASTA. Mouse one minute, lizard the next…
MALCOLM. The day this began… At this moment a… kingfisher.
You were very changeable.
ASTA. Only because you were. It was puberty.
MALCOLM. I know.
ASTA. Honestly, I was glad when that was over. So I could be just one thing.
MRS POLSTEAD. Malcolm! Working not thinking!
MALCOLM. Mum, when did your Brian settle as a badger?
MRS POLSTEAD. Was it sixteen, Brian?
BRIAN. Seventeen. When you came to work here.
MALCOLM. Why did you finally settle as a badger, Brian?
BRIAN. She’s a pub landlady. We needed a strong body.
MRS POLSTEAD. And big paws! Customers, Malcolm!
TROUT CUSTOMERS and their DÆMONS arrive.
MALCOLM. All our regular customers were great arguers… for instance they’d argue about our terrible weather.
TROUT CUSTOMERS. Stopped raining at last.
No it’s still spitting.
I remember when summer / allus meant sun.
It’s something messing with the sky…
No… It’s something stirring up the water…
MALCOLM. The scholars from Oxford downriver were great arguers.
ROSEMARY. You’re not seriously talking about the uncertainty principle…???
MURIEL. You must admit there is inherent uncertainty in the act of measuring a variable of a particle…
MALCOLM. What’s the uncertainty principle, Professor?
MURIEL. Well, that’s an interesting question, Malcolm.
ROSEMARY. No, it’s really not!
(Glasses are empty.) Another?
MALCOLM and MRS POLSTEAD get busy serving.
GEORGE BOATWRIGHT. Brenda! Another pint of Old Traditional when you’re ready!
MRS POLSTEAD. That’s your third, George Boatwright.
GEORGE BOATWRIGHT. I’m drinking to forget these woeful election results, Brenda.
MALCOLM. There’d just been an election.
TROUT CUSTOMERS. What about this election / then?
Well… I’m very pleased!
Well, I’m / not!
You can stop that crowing!
I thought it couldn’t / get worse!
Well, it just did!
We’re in for a rough ride now!
MALCOLM. The scholars even argued about their dæmons!
ROSEMARY. We know the settled form of the dæmon reflects its person’s character /
All DÆMONS take an interest in this.
MURIEL. / Well that’s the current thinking,
but I would argue it is an external manifestation of the soul.
ROSEMARY. But we agree the dæmon chooses its settled form, ergo
humans who don’t like their settled form are conflicted…
MURIEL. Until they achieve self-acceptance.
MALCOLM. Mum’s dæmon Brian just dozes all the time while Mum bustles.
Mum, are you conflicted?
MRS POLSTEAD. No, Malcolm, I’m just run off my feet being civil to everybody!
BRIAN. So I helps out by having her true opinions and keeping them to ourselves.
Right, Brenda?
MRS POLSTEAD. Right, Brian.
GEORGE BOATWRIGHT. Unfortunately, me and hers –
(His STAFFIE DÆMON.) made the other way round.
I got all the opinions… she keeps her mouth zipped.
Put a half of Old Traditional in there, Brenda.
MRS POLSTEAD. That’ll be three and a half, George Boatwright.
GEORGE BOATWRIGHT. It’s my silent protest, Brenda!
MALCOLM. Then…
two strangers entered our pub,
and everybody’s life changed.
LORD NUGENT and ROBERT LUCKHURST, with their DÆMONS, enter the pub. Umbrellas. They’re soaking. Stand waiting.
TROUT CUSTOMERS. See who that is?
What?
There! By the / door!
Just come in!
Who! / Who?
Lord Nugent!
The Lord Chancellor / Lord Nugent?
The ‘Lord Chancellor of Bloody England’ / Lord Nugent?
Don’t look! / It is him!
A bloody lemur!
That’s his dæmon alright…
A bloody lemur!
NUGENT. I’ve been spotted.
MRS POLSTEAD.
Lord Nugent! The Trout Inn is very honoured.
Sir! Sirs! Do sit down.
Let me – (She takes their umbrellas as…)
My son Malcolm will take your orders.
Malcolm… !