Initially hostile to Lyra, she realises that she loves her daughter and seeks to protect her from agents of the Church who want to kill Lyra. It was very quickly apparent that to attempt a design which included even half of these things would likely end up as a complete mess, and ideally we wanted a single striking image that would catch the eye from across the street. He tells Lyra that the Church believes Dust is the basis of sin, and plans to visit the other universes and destroy its source. We are also trying to keep the action constantly flowing between scenes - there are only four blackouts in the whole six hours, one for the end of each Act.

Their great quest demands a savage struggle against the most dangerous of enemies and a journey through worlds they have barely dreamt of. Though all elements are extremely strong, the design work by Giles Cadle is just awe-inspiring with a multitude of universes and locations created by a stunning set which utilises the full capacity of the revolving and rising drum of the Olivier in a way I could never have imagined. After his father's death, Will discovers that Lyra has been kidnapped by Mrs Coulter, and he is approached by two angels requesting his aid.

I often reflect on seeing shows as to how the Bench might fare if they were to stage it and this was one example where I felt we might be able to do something that the National couldn't. A witch who seeks revenge for her son's death in the war against the Authority draws Lyra, now 15, into a trap. He trembles with apprehension or curiosity; his tail beats the ground with pleasure; his back arches in hostility.

Timothy Dalton, who sprang to international fame as James Bond after a long theatre career, makes his debut at the National Theatre. Innocence and Experience: The Subversion of the Child Hero Archetype in Philip Pullman's Speculative Soteriology" (PDF).Mulefa are four-legged wheeled animals; they have one leg in front, one in back, and one on each side.