by Some children’s books – simple stories from familiar worlds – come to the stage without much creative effort. Philip Pullman’s fairy tale about climbing a volcano, talking elephants and “The Greatest Fireworks in the Galaxy” is not one of them. But with plenty of imagination and a top-notch cast, Lee Lyford’s new production for ages six to 12 is both epic and fascinatingly intimate. My seven-year-old guest, Artie, doesn’t know the book but is immediately hooked and sometimes sits so far on the edge of his seat that I fear he might bump into the woman in front of him.
Lila dreams of becoming a fireworks maker like her father. he’s not that enthusiastic. When he’s tricked into revealing the final secret of his craft – winning Royal Sulfur from a fire devil on a volcano – Lila rockets through jungles and pirates. When her friend Chulak learns more about the dangers that lie ahead, she sets off in search of protective water with Hamlet, the king’s loud white elephant.
Lyford and his team dig through a bulging dramatic toolbox to bring it all to life. Anisha Fields’ simple set begins as Lila and her father’s workshop, but with the help of additional lo-fi scenes and a few modest props, it soon transforms into a river, a jungle, and the side of a volcano, complete with a cardboard rockfall. A firework display consists of unfurling cocktail umbrellas and tiny lights dancing on your fingertips. (The fireworks competition in the finale is even more extravagant and breathtaking in ways I won’t spoil.)
There is excellent puppetry, from the hulking Hamlet – controlled by two actors inside – to intricate shadow puppets parading across a lampshade. “Write that down – that’s great!” Artie whispers, tapping my notepad. Jonathan Chan’s lighting and Elena Peña’s sound design introduce real danger. As red lights, smoke, crackling sound effects and a growling voiceover summon the fire devil, a frightened Artie suggests raising the minimum age to nine.
The five-member cast tackles the technical demands of such an invention with energetic pace, with all but Tika Mu’tamir (a pleasantly plucky Lila) also playing multiple roles. Artie’s favorite scene is Jules Chan as the cheeky Chulak and one of the useless pirates rowing each other in circles in his favorite scene – it’s also a moment where Jude Christian’s adaptation brings gleeful silliness to Pullman’s lively language. My standout is Rose-Marie Christian, whose every incarnation is a joy, although cockney chancer Aunt Rambashi is her best.
Lila’s quest could use a clearer structure and the final lessons in love and risk-taking could use a little more exploration. But with so much fun, what seven-year-old cares about all that? Despite some questions along the way, Artie leaves the fireworks with his fingers, practicing the “mouth sounds” he admired in the actors and planning an explosive future career.
• At the Polka Theatre, London, until January 18
