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His Dark Materials Part 1 by Philip Pullman


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13th - 17th February at 7.30pm with  a 2pm matinee on Saturday 17th

His Dark Materials Parts 1 and 2 is a brilliant adaptation by Nicholas Wright of Philip Pullman’s best-selling trilogy: Northern LightsThe Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. The plays were first performed at The National Theatre in 2004. Essentially a love story, His Dark Materials revolves around Lyra and Will, two young teenagers from different worlds. The pair join forces and share adventures beyond their wildest imaginings as Lyra strives to find her best friend Roger and Will searches for his lost father.

As their friendship deepens, the teenagers are drawn into a cosmic battle between good and evil, encountering armoured bears, soul-eating Spectres, witches from Northern Lands and terrifying Harpies in The Land of the Dead before they face their human foes in a final, breath-taking battle. 

Following Next Stage Youth’s sell-out Autumn 2017 production of Goodnight Mister Tom this talented youth company now take on an even more ambitious project. The adult company was one of the first non-professional groups in the country to stage this epic story in 2007, performing both Parts 1 and 2 in Bath and at the world-renowned Minack Theatre in Cornwall. Eleven years on, Next Stage’s talented youth company of thirty 11-18 year olds is proud to stage the company’s fourth revival of these plays.

This is an epic journey for actors and audiences alike. Stunning costumes and masks, an original musical score, special effects and lighting designed for the fast-moving and complex plot make this a theatrical event not to be missed.

This amateur production is presented by special arrangement with Nick Hern Books.

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Rehearsal Photographs:

Earlier Event: January 16
Look Back in Anger by John Osborne
Later Event: April 17
Proof by David Auburn