Alternative Media Group

THEATRE: UNDER MILK WOOD

Author:

Tara Parsons

Posted:

Monday, 21 June 2010

In 1954, Welsh poet Dylan Thomas penned a radio play entitled Under Milk Wood, written as a love letter to his homeland’s countryside. Now, Sydneysiders can experience this acclaimed work like never before, thanks to Bambina Borracha Productions’ unique adaptation that moves the, “Play for voices” to the stage – Marrickville’s Sidetrack Theatre to be exact. Zoe Norton Lodge, the actress leading the performance, admits it took a great deal of imagination from all involved to transport one of radio theatre’s most-loved tales to the stage. “Under Milkwood is a sweeping story of a town, realised in a thousand intricate morsels. We needed to find rich physical and visual ways to create each of those moments. All the 60 odd characters are wonderfully distinct, and snapping from one, to the other, to the next, has been a huge process of trial and error. A pair of overalls needs to be a petticoat, postman’s trousers, a ravaged nightie and a prudish smock. In our set, a bath becomes a ship, a kitchen, a horse, a tombstone and a pub.” Director Vanessa Hughes and designer Natalie Hughes have integrated multimedia and visual art to set off the script, and these are integral elements to the performance, Lodge explains. “The projections flow in and out the play, sometimes in bright streaks of colour, plastering the stage with love or ire, sometimes distant or detached characters only exist in projected form. The audio-scape complements the projections and performance, creating the actual sound of the town. The farms, pubs, conversations and dreams are often realised in audio recordings, creating an enveloping experience and also paying homage to the beautiful original radio play form.” Set in the tiny seaside village of Llareggub, Under Milk Wood is a story about people, and the many thoughts and dreams they have. It is a performance that, “Reminds us that we are all rather absurd but never the less loveable,” Lodge says. “Nothing is more entertaining than seeing our own foibles, absurdities and failures and I hope that when people see the show, they feel like they’ve just been somewhere maniacal and magical, but somewhere not too far from home.”

Jun 30- Jul 18, Sidetrack Theatre, 142 Addison Rd, Marrickville, $15-30, 9550 3666, sidetrack.com.au

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