UNDER MILK WOOD till 26 June

Poole and Touring

Wales Theatre Company presents
UNDER MILK WOOD
by Dylan Thomas

Tours to 26 June
Runs 2hrs 30 mins one interval
Review Hazel Brown 9 March 2004 at Lighthouse, Poole

An entertainment that comes out of the darkness and dances with delight
This is the first production of the newly formed Wales Theatre Company and celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the first performance of Under Milk Wood and it is an entertainment that delights from start to finish.

Russell Gomer, as the first voice, takes the part of Dylan Thomas, who moves around and between the company, commenting on and introducing the action, or sitting quietly to one side, writing, drinking and smoking. The second voice is Erica Eirian, the first time I have heard the part taken by a woman and, as she introduces the second half, she is a Scottish guide leading a group of international tourists around the town.

Thomas' aim was to create an impression for voices, an entertainment out of the darkness . . . . to write it simply and warmly and comically with lots of movement and varieties of moods. In this production, Bogdanov and the actors serve the poet's intentions well on a raked stage the eight actors in 50's costumes, swirl around, reform and create the unforgettable characters of the town of Llareggub. This beautifully formed play, originally written for radio, would be a success if the actors simply read the words, but the movement and characterization successfully add to the enjoyment.

The play follows a day in the life of a small Welsh town from dawn to dusk opening with the cast lying on the steeply raked stage and, with the rest of the stage in darkness, the spotlight settles on the face of Russell Gomer as he speaks the memorable, evocative opening lines. The cast dons and doffs a wide variety of characters with consummate ease and even become the props and scenery - the boiling kettles of the nosy postmistress as she steams open the letters are particularly amusing. The singing and music are wonderful, especially when Llinos Daniel sings Polly Garter's song with heart-breaking sweetness. The choreographed movements are almost balletic and underline the comedy, for instance when the First Voice describes Bessie Bighead smelling of the cowshed, all the rest of the sleepers moan with disgust and roll over as one.

See it and you will be delighted.

CAST
First Voice: Russell Gomer
Second Voice: Erica Eirian
With
Llinos Daniel
Kathryn Dimery
Jonathan Nefydd
Phylip Harries
Nickie Rainsford
Morgan Rhys

Director: Michael Bogdanov
Designer: Ulrike Engelbrecht
Lighting: Chris Ellis
Sound: John Leonard

2004-03-16 16:17:10