UNDER MILK WOOD:
A REVIEW
Ellen Thurston
ccSCOOP News
For rich, evocative language that engrosses and satisfies, hie thee to PS/21 in Chatham to experience Walking the dog Theater’s production of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood.
Nothing in this production intrudes on Thomas’s spinning-out of a night and a day in the fictional town of Llareggub. We see not only the everyday life of the inhabitants but also their dreams and wishes that ebb and flow beneath the surface.
It is hard to single out even one player for individual praise among this superb ensemble cast, which includes Benedicta Bertau, Aryeh Lappin, Ben Luxon, Ashley Mayne, Ted Pugh, FernSloan, and Susan Willerman, each playing more than one character in this kaleidoscopic portrayal of life in a small Welsh town.
Photo Credit : Dan Region
But language is the real star here. In his opening speech, the character Captain Cat, played by Ben Luxon, advises the audience to “listen,” and from that moment on Thomas’s rhythms and cadences take over and we are besotted and seduced into the dream world of Llareggub.
Under Milk Wood was Dylan Thomas’s last work and his only play. It was commissioned by the BBC in 1953 for radio and was recorded as a play for voices. The transformation of this play for voices into the stage production is skillfully achieved under David Anderson’s able and imaginative direction of this flawless cast.
Susi Crofut’s mural painting of Llareggub, done in primitive style reminiscent of Grandma Moses, serves as the backdrop for the opening of the play and evokes the picturesque small town setting. Katie Jean Wall’s simple set consists of wooden boxes moved and reconfigured by the actors. Jonathan Talbott’s music adds immeasurably to this seamless production.
Under Milk Wood has four more performances: Wednesday, August 27; Thursday, August 28; Saturday, August 30; and Sunday, August 31—an extra performance added in response to popular demand. All performances are at 8 p.m. Be sure to dress warmly, since the days are getting cooler and global warming seemed not to have yet reached the PS/21 tent.
Visit www.ps21chatham.org or call 518 392-6121 for program information and reservations.
