WEST CHESTERFIELD, N.H.-Actors Theatre Playhouse (ATP) presents poet Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20 and 21, and 27 and 28, at 7:30 p.m. with a special 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Sept. 22.
Under Milk Wood was first commissioned as a radio play by the BBC in 1953 and described by Thomas as "a play for voices." It tells the story of one spring day in a small fictional Welsh village populated by some of the best-loved characters in British literature. ATP's website claims "lyrical, funny, bawdy, and moving, it speaks with a universality for all generations." A Welsh epic, a work of poetic genius, a modern classic, it holds a mirror up to the audience and shows them their own humanity.
The cast includes Ian Hefele, Josh Goldstein, Jim Bombicino, Robert Wellington, Noah Carmel, Bridget McBride, Louise Krieger, Kristina Meima, and Nicole Winot, with production by Robert Kramsky.
In a news release, Kramsky said he chose Under Milk Wood because "I have been in love with it for about 50 years. I've directed it with high school students but never with adults. [...] What I love most about it is the language and the characters. It was originally written as a radio play, as a play for voices. What intrigues me is what actors can do with their voices to create characters and bring Thomas's poetry to life.
"The piece is rich with imagery, but he also plays around with language. He makes verbs out of nouns and adjectives out of verbs. It is beautiful just as a language, an opportunity for actors to focus on their voices. Plus Under Milk Wood has these unique characters that are fun for actors to bring to life primarily with their voices."
Kramsky said that he was interested in a staged reading of the play, and accepted the challenges that it would entail.
"Because it is a staged reading, and with no set per se, I am placing all nine actors on stage for the entire piece, seated at specific benches or stools as their home base where they start and end."
He explained the performers will walk away from home base, come forward, and act out their one- to two-page moments and return to their seats rather than being seated throughout the production.
The movement and physicality entails their postures and their gestures. This is something Thomas didn't have originally as a radio play, although there have been other productions of the piece with actors moving.
"As far as costumes," Kramsky said, "I'm having everyone wear all black because each actor has multiple roles." and changing costumes would be distracting. He says having the performers wear all black creates a neutral appearance, allowing audience members to focus on facial expressions and listen to their words.
"You have to be willing to approach this knowing it is not going to be a traditional play," Kramsky said. "Instead, it is going to be very theatrical. With this piece, you really have to focus on listening to Dylan Thomas's words. That's what he intended, it was the advice he gave his actors. The voices in the play keep saying, listen, listen, listen. And that is what the audience needs to focus on."
General admission tickets are $17 and are available through ATP's online box office at atplayhouse.org. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.