The Ruby in the Smoke
{{Short description|1985 novel by Philip Pullman}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox book |
| name = The Ruby in the Smoke
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = File:Ruby in the Smoke.jpg
| caption = Cover of the first edition
| author = Philip Pullman
| illustrator = Fred Booth
| cover_artist =
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| series = Sally Lockhart series
| subject =
| genre = Mystery, young adult novel
| publisher = Oxford University Press
| release_date = 1985
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print (hardback & paperback)
| pages = 200 pp
| isbn = 0-19-271543-7
| oclc = 59171883
| preceded_by =
| followed_by = The Shadow in the North
}}
The Ruby in the Smoke is a mystery novel for young adults by the English author Philip Pullman published in 1985. The story is set in the Victorian era, where 16-years-old Sally Lockhart discovers the reason of his father's mysterious death.
It went on to win the 1987 Lancashire Children's Book of the Year Award.{{cite web |title=Lancashire Children's Book of the Year |url=http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries/services/children/cboty/cbotyhistory.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626205848/http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/libraries/services/children/cboty/cbotyhistory.asp |archive-date=26 June 2007}} It was also adapted for television in 2006. This book is the first of the Sally Lockhart Quartet. It is followed by The Shadow in the North, The Tiger in the Well and The Tin Princess. The book was also adapted for the stage at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2016.{{cite news |url=https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/philip-pullman-s-the-ruby-in-the-smoke |title=Philip Pullman's the Ruby in the Smoke | Theatre | Edinburgh Festival Fringe |newspaper=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |access-date=4 July 2016 |archive-date=29 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829062112/https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/philip-pullman-s-the-ruby-in-the-smoke |url-status=live}}
TV adaptation
A TV film adaptation written by Adrian Hodges and starring Billie Piper was produced by the BBC. It aired on BBC One on 27 December 2006{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/wk52/trans_bbc1.shtml |title=BBC – Press Office – BBC ONE Transmission Details Weeks 52/1 |access-date=25 December 2019 |archive-date=9 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209071634/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/proginfo/tv/wk52/trans_bbc1.shtml |url-status=live}} and on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery! as The Sally Lockhart Mysteries: The Ruby in the Smoke on 4 February 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/schedule/index.html |title=Masterpiece {{!}} PBS |publisher=PBS |access-date=16 September 2017 |archive-date=30 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130110526/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/schedule/index.html |url-status=live}} The UK broadcast attracted 7.07 million viewers.{{cite web |url=http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30 |title=Weekly top 30 programmes on TV sets (July 1998 – Sept 2018) | BARB |access-date=10 January 2013 |archive-date=21 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055220/http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30 |url-status=live}} It is notable as marking the TV debut of actor Matt Smith, who would later take over the role of the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who, in which Piper had previously featured.
All four Sally Lockhart books were expected to be adapted for television; as of January 2015 no information has arisen regarding an adaptation of The Tiger in the Well.
=Cast=
| class="wikitable"
! Actor ! Role | |
| Billie Piper | Sally Lockhart |
| Julie Walters | Mrs Holland |
| JJ Feild | Frederick "Fred" Garland |
| Matt Smith | Jim Taylor |
| Hayley Atwell | Rosa Garland |
| Chloe Walker | Adelaide |
| David Harewood | Matthew and Nicholas Bedwell |
| Robert Glenister | Samuel Selby |
| Elliot Cowan | Henrick Van Eeden |
| Miles Anderson | Major Marchbanks |
Stage adaptation
In the summer of 2016, a stage adaptation written and directed by Madeleine Perham was performed at The Pleasance during the Edinburgh Fringe[https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/philip-pullmans-ruby-smoke#overview Unknown]{{Dead link | date=February 2025 | fix-attempted=yes}} after receiving Pullman's blessing.{{cite web |title=Interview: Madeleine Perham |url=http://culturedvultures.com/interview-madeleine-perham/ |url-status=live |date=3 August 2016 |access-date=18 August 2016 |archive-date=29 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829022953/http://culturedvultures.com/interview-madeleine-perham/}} Running for the month of August in the King Dome venue, the performance was hailed as a critical success, with The Scotsman stating that the show was "a compelling tale, and full of surprises, moral ambiguities and people who are other than they seem".{{cite web |url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/theatre/theatre-review-philip-pullman-s-the-ruby-in-the-smoke-1-4199504 |title=Theatre review: Philip Pullman's the Ruby in the Smoke |date=10 August 2016 |access-date=18 August 2016 |archive-date=26 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826193132/http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/theatre/theatre-review-philip-pullman-s-the-ruby-in-the-smoke-1-4199504 |url-status=live}} Jane Berg from Three Weeks awarded the show five stars, stating that the show "was one of the most enjoyable hours I've spent at this festival".{{cite web |url=http://www.threeweeksedinburgh.com/article/philip-pullmans-the-ruby-in-the-smoke-reprint-productions/ |title=Philip Pullman's the Ruby in the Smoke (Reprint Productions) | ThreeWeeks Edinburgh |access-date=27 August 2016 |archive-date=28 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828040344/http://www.threeweeksedinburgh.com/article/philip-pullmans-the-ruby-in-the-smoke-reprint-productions/ |url-status=live}} Broadway Baby, the local reviews website, stated that the show "delighted in its Victorian setting" and was an "excellent piece of storytelling", going on to award The Ruby in the Smoke four stars.{{cite web |url=http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/philip-pullmans-the-ruby-in-the-smoke/713459 |title=Philip Pullman's the Ruby in the Smoke: 4 star review by Fiona Mossman |access-date=18 August 2016 |archive-date=19 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819064148/http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/philip-pullmans-the-ruby-in-the-smoke/713459 |url-status=live}}
The show was created by new theatre company Reprint Productions (now Escapade), with a cast of six who multi-roled the numerous characters in the show: Rebecca Lenihan, Sydney Austin, Tris Hobson, Martin Coates, Hamish Forbes and Madeleine Golding (who also served as producer and co-founder of Reprint).{{Cite web| url=http://therubyinthesmoke.co.uk/ | title=The Ruby in the Smoke | access-date=18 August 2016 | archive-date=12 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012132759/http://therubyinthesmoke.co.uk/ | url-status=dead}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160829062112/https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/philip-pullman-s-the-ruby-in-the-smoke Tickets.edfringe.com] (Advertisement for stage adaptation. Archive.org)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110105002731/http://www.philip-pullman.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=73 Pullman's page on the book] (Archive.org)
- [http://www.damaris.org/content/content.php?type=1&id=197 Overview and background]
- [https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/books/the-ruby-in-the-smoke-1-1417695 Review of the book] (written at the time of the BBC adaptation), Scotland on Sunday, 10 December 2006
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/rubyinthesmoke/ BBC mini-site]
- {{IMDb title|qid=Q18117351|id=tt0498382|title=The Ruby in the Smoke}}
{{Philip Pullman}}
{{Brian Percival}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruby In The Smoke}}
Category:British young adult novels
Category:Novels by Philip Pullman
Category:BBC television dramas
Category:Television shows based on British novels
Category:Children's mystery novels
Category:British novels adapted into films
Category:1985 children's books