{"id":231,"date":"2015-01-24T16:57:53","date_gmt":"2015-01-24T16:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cpwp.comptonplayers.co.uk\/?page_id=231"},"modified":"2015-02-21T12:12:28","modified_gmt":"2015-02-21T12:12:28","slug":"under-milkwood-by-dylan-thomas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.comptonplayers.co.uk\/comptonplayers-c\/?page_id=231","title":{"rendered":"Under Milk Wood"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Dylan Thomas<\/span><\/p>\n

6th – 9th November 2002<\/h2>\n

Under Milk Wood<\/strong> is an evocation of a Welsh town-that-never-was from midnight to midnight. We meet a varied host of larger than life characters, grotesque, comic and sad, share their dreams,observe their daytime activities and eavesdrop on their inner feelings.<\/p>\n

Although originally written for radio, and described as ‘a play for voices’, this play has been produced for the stage in many versions. We hope that our interpretation will provide our audience with a unique theatrical experience.<\/p>\n

\"milkwood<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

The Cast<\/strong><\/p>\n

Narrator: Eric Saxton
\nCaptain Cat: Robertson Bell
\n1st Drowned: Ian Hickling
\n2nd Drowned: Nick Roberts
\nRosie Probert: Cathy Jenkins
\n3rd Drowned: Peter Whitworth
\n4th Drowned: Michael Sheperia
\n5th Drowned: H Connolly
\nMr Mog Edwards: Spencer Howells
\nMiss Myfanwy Price: Kathy Howells
\nJack Black: David Smith
\nWaldo\u2019s Mother: Jasmine Gartshore
\nLittle Boy Waldo: H Connolly
\nWaldo\u2019s Wife: Elizabeth Saxton
\nMr Waldo: Dave Hawkins
\n1st Neighbour: Mary Warrington
\n2nd Neighbour: Enid Farr
\n3rd Neighbour: Tracey Pearce
\n4th Neighbour: Faye McGeehin
\n5th Neighbour: Jackie Woodland
\nMatti Richards: Becky Palmer
\nRev Eli Jenkins: Paul Shave
\nMrs Ogmore-Pritchard: Sheila Benton-Jones
\nMr Ogmore: Michael Sheperia
\nMr Pritchard: Nick Roberts
\nGossamer Beynon: Clancy Hutchins
\nOrgan Morgan: Dave Hawkins
\nUtah Watkins: Ian Hickling
\nMrs Utah Watkins: Becky Palmer
\nOcky Milkman: Peter Whitworth
\nCherry Owen: Phil Prior
\nP.C. Attila Rees: Robertson Bell
\nMrs Willy Nilly: Enid Farr
\nWilly Nilly: Nick Roberts
\nSinbad Sailors: H Connolly
\nLily Smalls: Becky Palmer
\nMae Rose Cottage: Holly Seager
\nBessie Bighead: Jasmine Gartshore
\nButcher Beynon: Mark Bailey
\nMr Pugh: Mike Long
\nMrs Organ Morgan: Sheila Benton-Jones
\nMary Ann Sailors: Cathy Jenkins
\nDai Bread: Mark Bailey
\nPolly Garter: Tracey Pearce
\nNogood Boyo: Phil Prior
\nLord Cut-Glass: Peter Whitworth
\nGuide: Elizabeth Saxton
\nMrs Beynon: Enid Farr
\nMrs Pugh: Elizabeth Saxton
\nMrs Dai Bread One: Jasmine Gartshore
\nMrs Dai Bread Two: Mary Warrington
\nMrs Cherry Owen: Faye McGeehin
\nOld Man: Michael Sheperia
\nChildren: Michael Sheperia, Jasmine Gartshore, Phil Prior, Tracey Pearce, Clancy Hutchins, Becky Palmer, Mark Bailey, Enid Farr
\nGwennie: Holly Seager
\n1st Woman: Mary Warrington
\n2nd woman: Enid Farr
\n3rd Woman: Cathy Jenkins
\n4th Woman: Faye McGeehin
\nEvans the Death: David Smith
\nFishermen: Ian Hickling \/ Mike Long
\nWith the voices of the Ilsleys Primary School Choir directed by Helen Pearce: Katie Beake, Pippy Wiseman, Charlotte Osborne, Nicole Philpots, Kirsten Hunter, Katie Waller, Esme Benson and Max Benson<\/p>\n

Produced by Eric Saxton<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Newbury Weekly News review<\/h3>\n
\n

New ‘take’ on a classic<\/h2>\n

“The Compton Players are always seeking to try something new”, we were told in the programme, and full credit to them for courage in presenting the stage version of this play. For the first time they were using masks (made by the company, I understand) and presenting musical numbers, and both worked extremely well. Polly Garter’s unaccompanied lament was convincingly sung.<\/p>\n

The masks, most half-faced, enabled the players to change characters effortlessly, and gave credence to the less-than-natural or, rather, more-than-natural, Dylan Thomas poetical prose.<\/p>\n

The play was originally written for radio and is still a play for the ear. Ideally, that beautiful prose, full of imaginative and exhilarating adjectives, adverbs, similes and metaphors, should be listened to without the distraction of movement on stage. Sometimes I closed my eyes, just to hear the poetry and find my own mind-pictures. It meant that the slightest hesitation or ‘fluffing’ (though there were very few instances) caused interruption and irritation.<\/p>\n

Narrator Eric Saxton had a formidable task as he walked through the auditorium, painting word pictures and introducing us to the fishing village and people of Milk Wood at dead of night. ‘Dead’ was the opening scene, with floating fluorescent skeletons of the drowned in conversation with still-living Captain Cat.<\/p>\n

We then met more than 50 villagers and a gang of children. To my inexpert ear, all spoke with credible Welsh accents that neither protruded nor jarred. We also heard the voices of the Ilsleys’ Primary School choir directed by Helen Pearce (decidedly without Welsh accents!)<\/p>\n

Great acting was not called for, and of course, there was less facial expression under the masks, but representation of all the characters was excellent, with one or two I specially liked, such as the young girl demanding a kiss or a penny. There was no jostling as they came and went, sometimes at speed, across the small stage, and the pace was maintained, especially I thought in the second half, though it may be that I had adjusted to the concept by that time.
\nThe set worked well with its different levels which overran into the auditorium, and a backdrop that looked at the sea through a large porthole. Lighting and costumes were well executed.<\/p>\n

Their loyal audience, representing many surrounding villages, seemed well-satisfied.<\/p>\n

IRIS LLOYD<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dave Hawkins’ cartoon<\/h3>\n

\"Dave<\/a><\/p>\n