Review of 'The Firework-Maker’s Daughter' play in The Guardian

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Lyn Gardner has reviewed the Birmingham Stage Company’s production of The Firework-Maker’s Daughter in The Guardian. Gardner praises the set design and other aspects of the production, but has some reservations about the acting itself, describing the river pirates as ‘a little too broad, nudging the story into pantomime’, and the acting of the adults playing children as ‘over-emphatic’. Ultimately, however, she feels that the play is a good adaptation of Pullman’s novel, and that children will enjoy it. The Firework-Maker’s Daughter will show at the Birmingham Old Rep Theatre until 28th January. To book tickets, go to the Old Rep website.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/review-of-the-firework-makers-daughter-play-in-the-guardian/

Pullman blames CGI for lack of movie success

[thelxiepia.livejournal.com]

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Philip Pullman comments on the use of CGI as a possible reason for the failures of many film adaptions of fantasy books.

“We don’t believe it any more.” He said. “Or we know that it’s only computers.”

He also addressed the ever present question: Will there ever be a Subtle Knife movie?

“They would have to recast [Lyra]. It’s lost really. It’s gone.”

Maybe one day a movie executive will stumble upon His Dark Materials again and they might have the chance to re-imagine it in a way that will please the sraffies worldwide, as well as Pullman himself. However, Pullman said that it would have to be an antirely different film.

“I would rather it was made in someone’s shed with tin cans and bits of rope. I think it would be more involving – to be made for about 10 quid, rather than $200m.”

So, anyone have any tin cans or rope lying about?

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/pullman-blames-cgi-for-lack-of-movie-success/

New Pullman compilation

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The Firework Maker’s Daughter, I was a Rat! Or the Scarlet Slippers, Clockwork or All Wound Up and The Scarecrow and His Servant, four of Philip Pullman’s most beloved children’s books have been published in a beautiful gift edition, illustrated by Peter Bailey. Four Tales is available in hardback on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/new-pullman-compliation/

Pullman speaks out against library closures

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Blogger Book Maven reports that Philip Pullman was amongst several speakers at a meeting of the Oxfordshire Anti-Cuts Alliance (OACA) last week specifically about libraries and the threat they are under. A number of libraries in Oxfordshire are to have funding withdrawn but the public are to be offered the chance to run them as volunteers; in effect they are earmarked for closure. Pullman apparently gave a corker of a speech, dealing well with a heckler and pointing out that it is the council’s duty to fight against cuts and preserve library services. He went on to say that his interest in libraries was simply through love. Philip Pullman will be reading at a read-in at Oxford Central Library on February 5th at 12 noon. Read all about last week’s meeting here. Article on this matter found in the Cherwell.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/pullman-speaks-out-against-library-closures/

His Dark Materials Featured in Top-Selling Books List

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All three installments of His Dark Materials have been featured in Nielsen Bookscan’s top selling books list, which covers 90% of all retail book purchases within the United Kingdom. From 1998 to 2010, Northern Lights is ranked 42nd, the Subtle Knife 66th and the Amber Spyglass 96th. Since 1998, 2392767 copies have been sold, earning £13.7 million. Other books featured in this list include: the entire Harry Potter series, autobiographies by Paul O’Grady and Barack Obama, cookbooks by Delia Smith and Jamie Oliver and classics like To Kill A Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye. The list can be found in its entirety on the Guardian’s website.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/his-dark-materials-featured-in-top-selling-books-list/