As a production of his best-seller His Dark Materials comes to the Oxford Playhouse, Katherine MacAlister talks to Philip Pullman.

Philip Pullman is in a chatty mood, happy to discuss his work, views and, more importantly, his books. Except that it’s not just books anymore. They have taken on a life of their own, adapting easily to the stage and screen.

And to prove the point, His Dark Materials is coming ‘home’ to the Oxford Playhouse with Pullman himself making a rare public appearance at the theatre next Friday to talk about the adaptions.

He said: “Oxford is my home and I am very loyal to it, whether as an alma mater, or anything else. I was an undergraduate here and then went off to London, but I came back in my mid-20s to live here and then you buy a house and get a job and suddenly you’re a citizen. So yes, it’s Oxford through and through.”

So doesn’t he mind handing his precious work over to others? “No, I know the play works and I have seen the rehearsals so I am excited about it. And it’s fascinating seeing how the characters can be interpreted differently. I have had these characters for 15 years now, so they are really strong and colourful enough to stand alone and remain unaffected by actors taking them on.”

And the 62-year-old doesn’t feel the need to interfere, either. “I do pop into rehearsals now and again which must be quite distracting for the cast,” he said, “but I try to be discreet. I suppose I’m a bit like the Queen Mother and just say ‘yes, well done!’.”

But now that he has entered the Hollywood arena, where his characters are played by such superstars as Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, does he not feel pressured to work to stricter deadlines? He smiles: “If you feel pressure you will not write very well so I don’t do deadlines and many, many people have been asking about the next book and I would like to tell them when it will be finished. But it’s not finished yet so I can’t, and it’s a big book, and it’s complicated to write because I don’t want it to be complicated to read, so you have to simplify things and be very careful, so progress is slow,” he explains.

And finding the time to write is his main problem. With so many people wanting a slice of Pullman pie, he has to be strict. “Had I known how much time would be taken up with the publicity and appearances I wouldn’t have ticked that box, but you can always say no. And I do. I do not enjoy appearing on TV much.

“I don’t mind public speaking so much because you are in control, so I’m quite at home on a platform with a microphone in my hand.”

Writing aside, Pullman does venture out to address things he feels strongly about. “Sometimes you have to be a citizen rather than a reclusive writer if it’s something you believe in passionately.,” he said.

“I’m not a conservative politically. I’m a radical.”

He did attempt a bit of youthful rebellion by being a mod, but, he said, it didn’t suit him. “Some authors can get away with the casual bohemian look but it doesn’t work for me,” he adds, “or maybe it’s my disguise so I don’t get spotted.”

But he knows people are always going to be more interested in his characters than him.

“I am just very thankful that I have managed to write something that effects people so strongly,” he said.

The box office is on 018965 305305.