Local actress Jean Sidden reviews Theater Works' Under Milk Wood
Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Received 9/3/00

From: ***@***.***
Date: Sun, 3 Sep 2000 02:23:34 EDT
Subject: A review, better late than never, eh?
To: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com

The script of Under The Milkwood was an extension of a prior radio "talk" commissioned by the BBC named Quite Early One Morning. Under Milkwood was completed one month before Dylan Thomas' death, in 1953, and was subject to no revisions. Its language is modern and whimsical yet pointedly honest about the depth of life lying just under the surface of a sleepy simple fishing village. The script is fluid with characters narrating themselves with very little actual interation with other characters who are the objects of their longing, desire and loathing.

The director, Wanda McHatton, should be given great credit for having cast actors who were well suited for every character they portrayed. The pace of this production left no time for actors to do more than don a small costume piece or use a portion of the wharfside inspired set to aid in their transitions from one character to another, however the transitions were crisp and focused and once the audience became accustomed to which actors were playing which roles, we could embrace them with the familiarity these articulate characters deserve.

It would be remiss to single out any of the players because of the necessity of such an ensemble to be equally up to the huge task that this play calls for. Likewise, the only other comment to make in observation of the play as a whole is that if Mark Turvin, as the 1st Voice, had been allowed to let go of his notebook and pencil, he may have been able to find the freedom in Thomas' delicious language to become more comfortable and at ease in the world of the play. Yet as the evening moved on, even this convention became less of a hindrance as our 1st Voice was caught up in the life around him.

I love the language most of all in this work and the spectrum of humanity it portrays and was so interested to see how it was staged. Under Milkwood must be one of the most difficult works of theatre to stage skillfully so that an audience is engaged for the entire length of the performance. Certainly, Director Wanda McHatton, her production staff and this agile group of actors easily held its audience on the journey through a day in their life.

Thank you for the opportunity to write.

Jean Sidden

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