Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood is more of a poetry collection than a typical play. The story is a tapestry of the interwoven lives of the citizens of Llareggub, a seemingly sleepy seaside town in Wales. As the reverse of Llareggub suggests, the town itself appears quiet and the plot is quaintly non-eventful, allowing space for the eclectic host of characters to shine.
Robbie Morris and Molly Gilbert’s direction played into the eccentricity of the play, and the brightly coloured sets, lighting changes and musical elements complimented the whimsical nature of characters like the murderous Mr Pugh (played by Dan Bryant) and the bumbling Mr Waldo (played by Ella Peattie). We entered Llaggrebub via the descriptive monologue of the First Voice: Bella Burgess set the tone of the play excellently, delivering the wordy, almost melodic reams of poetry with ease. Lily Norris Dugdale’s musical interludes as Polly Garter provided moments of tenderness, while another standout, Hal Hobson, was charmingly endearing as Mog Edwards.
The vast array of characters leant itself to this ensemble cast, whose chemistry and general enjoyment of being on stage was palpable; in the group dance number, the ensemble singing, and the merriment of cast members like Olivia Dale as the lovable Mrs. Cherry Owen.
Though there were moments of accent inconsistency, the sense of small-town community spirit was achieved in this rendition of Under Milk Wood.
Image by @johnboyhoey courtesy of Bedlam Theatre