The Firework Maker's Daughter

Philip Pullman, Stephen Russell

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781849430692
• eBook ISBN: 9781849435185
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Lila dreams to become a firework-maker, just like her father. In order to become a true firework-maker, she sets off alone on a perilous journey to reach the terrifying Fire-Fiend. She travels through jungles alive with crocodiles, snakes, monkeys and pirates, and climbs up the scolding volcano. On finding the Fire-Fiend, she realises more is at stake than she ever imagined. Will Lila survive? Lila's is the kind of magical adventure that all children dream of and the gripping story of the fleet-footed heroine will livelong in the memory of anyone who enters her world.

ACT 1

1 - LALCHAND’S WORKSHOP

LALCHAND’s workshop. Workbenches, chemicals, rockets, etc. A fuse is laid leading to a firework. A scruffy and dirty girl, LILA, comes onstage. She carefully adds a tiny amount of delicate powder to the firework, thinks about it, adds a tiny bit more. She thinks “why not” and pours a load in. She steps back and lights the fuse. It burns quickly towards the firework. LILA takes cover offstage.

A man, LALCHAND the Firework-Maker, walks into the workshop. He watches the fuse for a moment, then stands on it, putting it out.

LALCHAND: Lila!

LILA returns.

LALCHAND: What’s this?

LILA: A rudimentary experiment, father.

LALCHAND grunts.

LILA: A standard Java Light, with cloud powder instead of flowers of salt.

LALCHAND: (Impressed.) Have you given it a name?

LILA: Tumbling Demons.

LALCHAND: Excellent. If it works I’ll put it in the New Year Festival display.

LILA: That’s three of my fireworks in your display.

LALCHAND: I know, and I’ll let everybody else know too, if I win.

LILA: When you win.

LALCHAND: From your mouth to the King’s ears, eh?

LILA throws some matches to LALCHAND. LALCHAND strikes a match.

LILA: There’s a poster in the market. They’ve announced the other competitors.

LALCHAND’s interested and forgets about the lit match.

LALCHAND: Who do I have to beat this year?

LILA: The usual lot. The greatest firework-makers in the world.

LALCHAND: Who are the favourites?

LILA: Herr Puffenflasch, of course.

LALCHAND: The King likes him. Ouch!

The match burns LALCHAND’s fingers.

LILA: The King loves him, but he can’t win three years in a row.

LALCHAND lights another match, sets it to the fuse and steps back.

LILA: And there’s an American - Colonel Sam Sparkington. No one knows anything about him.

LALCHAND: You know what the Americans are like, they never go anywhere unless they’re sure they’re going to win.

(re. firework.)

Did you put anything else in this?

LILA: A little scorpion oil.

LALCHAND: One drop or two?

LILA: A teaspoon.

LALCHAND: (Horrified.) A teaspoon!?

The firework explodes. LALCHAND and LILA have all but had the clothes blown off them.

LILA: That’s too much, isn’t it.

LALCHAND: You could’ve blown up the whole city! You don’t know enough to use those ingredients.

LILA: If you made me your apprentice I’d learn about things like that.

LALCHAND: So it’s my fault you nearly killed us, is it? You’re such an ignorant girl!

LILA: I know about most things.

LALCHAND: What are the ingredients of fly-away powder?

LALCHAND waves his hand and creates a shower of sparks in the air.

LILA: I don’t know that.

LALCHAND: Where do you find thunder-grains?

LALCHAND throws a thunder-grain at LILA’s feet. It makes a loud bang. LILA jumps.

LILA: Or that.

LALCHAND: There’s no limit to the things you don’t know.

LILA: I know about the secret!

LALCHAND: What?

LILA: I know about the secret. The secret all Firework-Maker’s have to know.

LALCHAND: What is it?

LILA: I don’t know what it is. I just know there is one.

LALCHAND: That’s different. Let’s get this Tumbling Demon in a bucket of water.

LILA: Aren’t you going to tell me what it is?

LALCHAND: No.

LILA: Why not?

LALCHAND: It’s a secret.

LILA: Father? Please? Help me. How else will I become a Firework-Maker?

LALCHAND: Don’t be silly, Lila.

LILA: I’m almost grown...

LALCHAND: And look at the state of you. Thank God your mother’s dead. She’d die all over again if she saw you today. I should have sent you to my sister Jembavati. A dancer, that’s the job for you.

LILA: I don’t like dancing. I like fireworks.

LALCHAND: We all like them. It’s not just big bangs and colours in the sky. It’s a divine profession. You treat it like a cook mixing cakes.

LILA: Cooks don’t blow up cities. I’m ready.

LALCHAND: You aren’t.

LILA: Help me.

LALCHAND: No, Lila.

LILA’s about to protest more. LALCHAND cuts her off.

LALCHAND: No! You’ll never be ready! Listen to what I say - you aren’t going to be a Firework-Maker.

LILA: What?

LALCHAND: Hair like a pit of vipers, fingers all stained and burned... I can’t remember the last time you had any eyebrows. How am I going to find you a husband looking like that?

LILA: (Horrified.) A husband?

LALCHAND: Of course! You can’t stay in my workshop for ever. You’ve got to get married.

LALCHAND and LILA stare at each other.

LILA: You want that? For me?

2 - A MARKET

A ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half title
• Title
• Contents
• Characters
• Act 1
• Act 2
• eCopyright