Synopsis - Part One Act One

The Opening Scenes

The play starts by projecting us to the end of the story with Lyra and Will, so close and yet so far apart from each other. As they reminisce we are catapulted into the Oxford of Ly...

An explanation of Dust

Lord Asriel starts his presentation by talking about humans and their Daemons. He observes that children’s Daemons can constantly shift species whilst an adult’s Daemon doesn’...

Billy Costa Goes Missing

The next scene takes place six weeks later. Roger and Lyra are together and Lyra is complaining that she hasn’t heard from Lord Asriel since he left on his Arctic expedition. Mrs ...

Mrs Coulter and the Alethiometer

Lyra meets with the Master, who explains that her time at the college is coming to an end, as Mrs Coulter – a rich widow and friend of the college – has offered to look ...

Roger goes missing

As Lyra leaves the Master’s office she looks for Roger, but he can’t be found. An anxious Mrs Lonsdale, who is also Roger’s aunt, explains to Lyra that she thinks the Gobblers...

At The Gobblers' hideaway

A group of children all gather round a burning brazier. A servant is giving out hot chocolate. The children are writing letters to their parents. Roger sees Billy Costa, who introdu...

At Mrs Coulter's house

Lyra is wearing a pretty dress. She feels a bit awkward in it as it’s not what she usually wears. She and Pantalaimon discuss Mrs Coulter, how she is nice and nasty all at the sam...

The dinner party

At the dinner party Lord Boreal comes to speak to Lyra, and through their conversation Lyra discovers that Mrs Coulter is connected to the disappeared children. Lord Boreal thinks ...

A prophecy

Fra Pavel has unexpectedly arrived at the Master’s study. The Master is caught arranging his bags which he has packed as he plans to flee the college. Fra Pavel is not happy. He t...

Lyra and Pantalaimon on the run

It’s night-time and Lyra and Pantalaimon are tired and hungry. They have been dodging Tartar guards for hours. They stop to buy a hot coffee when Pantalaimon spots a suspicious ma...

Aboard John Faa's ship

John Faa explains how Tony and Ben managed to capture a Gobbler and get him to talk. They found out that the Gobblers were taking the children up to the North where they’ve got a ...

Trollesund

As the Gyptians scatter to gather weapons Lyra is told to stay by the harbour. As he leaves Father Coram announces that he is off to meet a notable witch. Iorek, a dis-armoured armo...

Iorek's story

As they put up camp for the evening Lyra checks the alethiometer. It tells her there is a Gobbler camp with Tartar warriors nearby Iorek and Lyra chat. It turns out Iorek has histor...

Lyra and Pantalaimon are captured

Iorek goes to sleep and Lyra and Pantalaimon go for a wander. They wander in to the Tartar’s camp where they discover Billy Costa. It becomes apparent Billy has been separated fro...

Bolvangar

Lyra is checked in by an expressionless nurse. She is put in a room with other girls. Checking they are not being heard they explain to Lyra what has been happening to them. One gi...

In the laboratory

The doctors take Lyra to a Laboratory. There’s a machine with an operating-chair and a small cage and a guillotine-blade between the two. Lyra is thrown on to the chair. Dr. West ...

A series of revelations

Mrs Coulter tries to convince Lyra that this is all the Gyptians’ fault and Lyra never should have left her. But, she goes on to make a spectacular revelation. Lord Asriel is ...

The escape

Then Mrs Coulter asks Lyra to give her the alethiometer. Just in the nick of time Pantalaimon comes up with the idea of giving Mrs Coulter the metal box Iorek asked them to look af...