Photos Reviews

Under Milk Wood

November 1983

by Dylan Thomas, directed by Philip Jones

Cast:

First Voice (The Author) - Mary Jones

Second Voice (The Director) - Dick Dann

Captain Cat - Brian Bowker

The Drowned - Ben Grimsey, Steve Bright, Jim Orford, Roy Wheeler & Roland Cranmer

Rosie Probert - Margaret Butt

Mog Edwards - Gordon Halliday

Myfanwy Price - Joyce Evans

Jack Black - Roland Cranmer

Mr. Waldo - Mike Jeans

Mrs. Waldo (mother) - Joan Bowditch

Mrs. Waldo (wife) - Alison Lambourne

The Neighbours - Lynn Trout, Miranda Leger, Sybil Hopson & Karen Barrett

Matti Richards - Louise Wigfield

Matti's Mother - Carol Pettit

Dulcie Prothero - Margaret Butt

Effie Bevan - Marie Berry

Lil the Gluepot - Katherine Halliday

Mrs. Flusher - Joyce Evans

Preacher - Ben Grimsey

Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard - Miranda Leger

Mr. Ogmore - Gordon Halliday

Mr. Pritchard - Jim Orford

Gossamer Beynon - Louise Wigfield

Organ Morgan - Roland Cranmer

Mrs. Organ Morgan - Sybil Hopson

Utah Watkins - Fred Lewes

Mrs. Utah Watkins - Joan Bowditch

Ocky Milkman - Steve Bright

P.C. Attila Rees - Mike Jeans

Willy Nilly - Ben Grimsey

Mrs. Willy Nilly - Joyce Evans

Lily Smalls - Karen Barrett

Mae Rose Cottage - Katherine Halliday

Butcher Beynon - Roy Wheeler

Mrs. Beynon - Joan Bowditch

Rev. Eli Jenkins - Philip Jones

Mr. Pugh - Jim Orford

Mrs. Pugh - Alison Lambourne

Production Team:

Mary Ann Sailors - Marie Berry

Sinbad Sailors - Jeff Harreld

Dai Bread - Roland Cranmer

Mrs. Dai Bread One - Margaret Butt

Mrs. Dai Bread Two - Lynn Trout

Polly Garter - Diana Lucas

Nogood Boyo - Cass Thorne

Lord Cut-Glass - Fred Lewes

Voice of the Guidebook - Lynn Trout

Cherry Owen - Cass Thorne

Mrs. Cherry Owen - Margaret Butt

Old Man - Fred Lewes

The Shoppers - Alison Lambourne, Karen Barrett, Carol Pettit & Joyce Evans

Evans the Death - Steve Bright

Fishermen - Fred Lewes, Roy Wheeler

Children's Voices - Lisa Thorne, Duncan Thorne, Joanna Lambourne, Joe Hogg & Rachael Thorne

Child - Kate Trout

Bessie Bighead - Marie Berry

Women's Voices - Karen Barrett & Alison Lambourne

Dancers - Karen Barrett & Katherine Halliday

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Director - Philip Jones

Set Design - Diana Lucas

Set Construction - Mike Trout & Brian Bowker

Costumes - Olive Rumford

Properties - Rosemary Stephenson & Janet Matthews

Lighting - Barry Matthews

Sound - Richard Price

Production Secretary - Carol Pettit

Publicity - Lynn Trout & Alison Lambourne

Prompts - Carol Pettit & Joan Bowditch

Front of House - Anne Atkinson

Reviews:

From Exmouth & East Devon Journal:

...extremely well presented and performed.

Under Milk Wood is brought to life

In their productions over the past three or four years, the Topsham-based Estuary Players have proved themselves to be a group of very competent performers, always ready to show originality in their choice of plays, and painstakingly meticulous in their staging.

Last week's presentation of Under Milk Wood certainly confirmed all these attributes.

The unique style of Dylan Thomas, which has been described as 'poetry, fun, schoolboy bawdiness and verbal virtuosity', may not be everyone's cup of tea.

But even those who find the Welsh wizard not to their liking would have to admit that the Estuary Players' production of his best known work was extremely well presented and performed.

Under Milk Wood outlines life in a Welsh village during a 24 hour period, highlighting the dreams, the hopes, the fears, the loves and the gossip of the various inhabitants.

The Estuary Players' production used two narrators (Mary Jones and Dick Dann) plus 26 players who portrayed a cast of more than twice that number by doubling and trebling up.

With the involvement of so many characters, the fact that the action moved so smoothly, with all the intricate moves quietly and efficiently performed, says much for the direction of Philip Jones as well as the ability of those taking part.

Diana Lucas had designed a most imaginative set, constructed by Mike Trout and Brian Bowker, and the production was also helped by some effective lighting and sound effects for which Barry Matthews and Richard Price were respectively responsible.

The players who brought the village characters very much to life were Brian Bowker, Ben Grimsey, Steve Bright, Jim Orford, Roy Wheeler, Roland Cranmer, Margaret Butt, Gordon Halliday, Joyce Evans, Mike Jeans, Joan Bowditch, Alison Lambourne, Lynn Trout, Miranda Leger, Sybil Hopson, Karen Barrett, Louise Wigfield, Carol Pettit, Marie Berry, Katherine Halliday, Fred Lewes, Jeff Harreld, Diana Lucas, Cass Thorne, Kate Trout and director Philip Jones himself.

Back stage helpers included Olive Rumford (costumes), and Rosemary Stephenson and Janet Matthews (properties), while Anne Atkinson looked after front of house and the production secretary was Carol Pettit.

- Reviewed by: George Pridmore

Photos:

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