GUILFORD — “Under Milk Wood, a Play for Voices,” by Dylan Thomas, will be presented by Broad Brook Grange in Guilford on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
The performance is the featured event in Guilford's series commemorating the 100th birthday of the well-known Welsh poet just two days later.
This will be the first public performance by Guilford's Packer Corners Players. The ensemble gave private readings of the work in 1968 and 1993.
Three of the five original players are still in Guilford, and will be heard on Saturday: Don McLean, Verandah Porche, and Richard Wizansky. Evelyn McLean returns from the 1993 reading. For this occasion the group is joined by Todd Mandell.
Prelude and interlude music will be performed by Peter Gould on concertina. Stage manager is Laura Lawson Tucker.
Dylan Thomas had a major impact, especially for a poet, on American audiences, due to his four tours beginning in 1950. He read at 40 colleges and universities, including Bennington.
He died in New York City in 1953 at 39.
Americans particularly knew Thomas through his recorded readings of his work.
“Under Milk Wood” premiered in New York City in May, 1953, with Thomas taking the part of First Narrator. It was performed again that October, just weeks before the poet's death.
The work, which he first conceived at 17, is regarded as the author's masterpiece. It depicts a single day in the life of an imaginary, small Welsh seacoast village, which is largely based upon two towns where Thomas lived: New Quay and Laugharne. Many of the often-eccentric characters have become as familiar in Welsh culture as real people, notably Captain Cat, the blind, retired sea captain. A statue of the character graces the town square of Laugharne.
Other characters include Organ Morgan, with his passion for Bach; Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard and her two husbands, Mr. Ogmore and Mr. Pritchard, both deceased. Lord Cut-Glass has 61 clocks in his kitchen, and Nogood Boyo is always up to no good. As the day progresses, we hear gossiping neighbors and schoolchildren at their games.
As memorable as the characters are, and as comic and poignant the portraits of their lives, the most remarkable thing about the play is the extraordinarily rich language. Thomas intended the pay to be heard, not acted, and thus he uses words, virtuosically, to draw us into the village and paint the lives of the characters.
This event is part of a three-part Guilford celebration of the Thomas centenary, which began with a talk and reading by Don McLean at the Guilford Free Library early in the month, and will conclude with his reading of “A Child's Christmas in Wales,” on Friends of Music's Christ Church Christmas program in December.
Saturday's play will be given on the stage, which is on the second story of Broad Brook Grange. Patrons are reminded that this venue is upstairs, and as yet the building has no elevator. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Grange's Building Fund, which will someday help fund full accessibility for the 1896 building.