A dazzling new stage production is setting young imaginations alight at London's Polka theatre. Philip Pullman's beloved fairytale, The Firework-Maker's Daughter, has been transformed into an explosive and intimate theatrical experience that is captivating audiences until 18 January.
A Quest Filled with Magic and Danger
The story follows the determined Lila, who dreams of following in her father's footsteps to become a master firework-maker. When her father is tricked into revealing the final secret of the trade, Lila rockets off on a perilous adventure. Her journey takes her to a volcano to confront a fire fiend and win the Royal Sulphur, navigating through jungles and encountering bumbling pirates along the way.
Meanwhile, her friend Chulak learns of the grave dangers she faces and sets off with the king's loud white elephant, Hamlet, to find protective water. This dual quest creates a narrative that is both epic in scale and deeply personal.
A Bulging Toolbox of Theatrical Magic
Director Lee Lyford and his creative team have employed a bulging toolbox of clever effects to bring this complex world to life. Anisha Fields' deceptively simple set begins as Lila's workshop but effortlessly transforms into a river, a jungle, and a volcano, complete with a charming cardboard-box rockslide.
The magic is in the lo-fi details: fireworks become unfurling cocktail umbrellas and tiny lights dancing on fingertips. The production features excellent puppetry, from the hulking elephant Hamlet, operated by two cast members from within, to intricate shadow puppets parading across a lampshade.
Jonathan Chan's lighting and Elena Peña's sound design add genuine peril, especially when conjuring the terrifying fire fiend with red lights, smoke, and a rumbling voiceover. The finale's firework competition is a particular highlight, described as extravagantly breathtaking.
A Sterling Cast and Enthralled Audiences
The energetic cast of five handles the technical demands with aplomb. Tika Mu'tamir is a pleasingly plucky Lila, while Jules Chan shines as the cheeky Chulak. Rose-Marie Christian is a standout, delighting in every incarnation, particularly as the cockney chancer Auntie Rambashi.
The adaptation by Jude Christian adds gleeful silliness to Pullman's vivid language, especially in a scene with useless pirates rowing in circles. While the setup of Lila's quest could be clearer and the final lessons more explored, the sheer fun overshadows these minor points.
The proof is in the audience reaction. One seven-year-old guest, Artie, was immediately enthralled, spending much of the show on the edge of his seat. So captivated was he by the 'mouth noises' from the actors and the inventive staging, he left the theatre creating fireworks with his fingers and planning his own explosive future career.
The Firework-Maker's Daughter runs at the Polka theatre in London until 18 January, offering a spellbinding family outing that is both cleverly crafted and joyously entertaining.
