Under Milk Wood

When Second Thoughts’ planned October production – An Announcement by General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev On 13 April 1990 – unfortunately had to be cancelled a little more than six weeks prior to its planned performance date, a plan B was urgently needed.  The venue was already booked, and something was needed to fill it.  Enter Dylan Thomas’s 1954 radio play Under Milk Wood, which by its very nature would suit a rehearsed reading, realistically the most that was achievable in the rehearsal time remaining.  What a good decision this turned out to be, as the Group presented an evocative and enjoyable performance of this famous work.

Under Milk Wood follows a day in the life of the residents of the fictional Welsh village of Llareggub.   Accompanied by two narrating ‘voices’, we follow the villagers from their night-time dreaming, through their many and varied days, until night finally falls.  Characters such as Captain Cat, Mrs Ogmore-Pritchard, Organ Morgan and Nogood Boyo have deservedly wormed their way into the country’s consciousness, as have some of the many quotable lines. 

The play was presented in a ‘semi-staged’ format, with the cast – dressed largely in black – all seated at the far end of the auditorium under muted lighting, each behind a stand which held their script, with a light bar above.  In front of the performers was a small model of the village of Llareggub, which was nicely lit to show the passing of the day, from ethereal pre-dawn light, through the bright noon-day, to the bible-black night.  A nice touch to provide some visual interest to complement what was otherwise mainly an auditory experience.

The thirteen-strong cast all played multiple roles in bringing the large cast of Thomas’s tale to life.  Their speech was generally clear and characterful, with suitable energy maintained throughout.  Some of the cast used Welsh accents, whilst others didn’t.  I thought this worked fine and was a good idea if some of the cast weren’t comfortable with it (better no accent at all than a bad one!)  The rhythm and style of Thomas’s poetry was well conveyed, the pace maintained, and the many opportunities for humour successfully exploited.  Given the short rehearsal period, this was an impressive achievement for the cast and directors Ian McLean and Nic Walsh.

Whilst the lines were delivered well, I did hanker for a little more audience interaction from the cast from time to time.  I realise that there was a short rehearsal period, and that the actors may not have been especially familiar with their lines, but some more eye contact would have been welcome.  On the occasions when this did happen, it significantly enhanced my experience, drawing me in and involving me in the characters’ lives.  I also appreciated the inclusion of some nicely performed songs, which provided welcome variety, particularly in the second half.

The height of the script stands and lights meant that, from my vantage point at least, the faces of some of the cast were partially obscured.  As a result, I sometimes had difficulty in working out who was speaking.  Also, some of the light bars stretched right across the actor’s eyes, making them look rather like Geordi La Forge from Star Trek!  Perhaps it wasn’t possible to lower the stands (or raise up the actors)?  But no matter, this after all is a play for the ears, and by that measure it was a definite success.

My congratulations to all at Second Thoughts for pulling off a considerable feat in staging this production in a very short period of time.  It made for a very pleasant way to pass an evening.  I look forward to seeing you all again in 2023!

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