Under Milk Wood

by Dylan Thomas

directed by Kenneth Spencer

Performed at the

Nuffield Theatre

on

4th to 8th June 1974

.... they're all in the Maskers' 'Milk Wood' ...

The Maskers are staging Dylan Thomas's rollicking radio play "Under Milk Wood" --- exactly 20 yeras after it was first broadcast. It's not long though since Thomas's brilliant piece of imagery was last seen at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton --- Theatrescope brought it in 1971. But the play is such a masterpiece that it can well stand another production in such a short space of time.

Theatrescope staged it very simply with only seven players. Ken Spencer, who is both directing next week's production and playing Captain Cat, has opted for a large cast with 43 Maskers taking part and 12 children from the Mini Maskers. Only a handful will be doubling --- and that happened by accident rather than by design.

Ken is staging the village in stylised form, with 14 levels leading up to a hill. "It's a difficult play to stage because you have got the problem of going from house to house," said Ken. "And you have to create the village without all the trimmings --- otherwise they can overpower the poetry of the play.

One of the Society's Welsh players has been enlisted to give special sessions to help the cast with the accent. He has decided on a general accent rather than setting it in a particular patch of Wales. Ken has cast two trained singers for the roles of Polly Garter and Mr Waldo -- Jocelyn Eames and David Jupp.

David Bartlett has the role of the narrator, originally taken by Richard Burton. Other familiar names in the cast are David Pike who plays the Reverend Eli Jenkins, Pete White (Mr Pugh), Graham Buchanan (Willy Nilly and Butcher Beynon), Mollie Manns (Rosie Probert), Judy Rake (Myfanwy Price), and Ann Archer (Mrs Ogmore Pritchard). Sheila Chitnis, who used to appear regularly on Southern Television's "House Party" has her first speaking role with the Society -- she plays Mrs Dai Bread One.

 

The Southern Evening Echo wrote;

There are some delightful moments --- Graham Buchanan's Willy Nilly, David Pike's Reverend Eli Jenkins, Judy Rake's Myfanwy Price and Ron Pearson's Cherry Owen, who all manage to bring the characters to glorious life....



 
Cast played by:
The NarratorDavid Bartlett
Dancing WilliamsHugh Lewis
Tom-FredDerek Sealy
Jonah JarvisDennis Grist
Alfred Pomeroy JonesDavid Thomas
Curly BevanRobert Wilson
Captain CatKenneth Spencer
Rosie ProbertMollie Manns
Myfanwy PriceJudy Rake
Mog EdwardsDavid Fry
Jack BlackDavid Thomas
Waldo's MotherJo Bartlett
Young WaldoMiles Spencer
Mr. WaldoDavid Jupp
Mrs. WaldoSonia Morris
The NeigboursCarolyn Bristow, Sheila Clarke, Daphne Rothwell, Jane O'Sullivan
Young MattiSarah Nicholson
Matti RichardsSheila Young
PreacherDennis Grist
Dulcie ProtheroMary Kilminster
Effie BevanRuth Lewis
Lil the Glue-potMarcia Dennis
Mrs. FlusherMollie Manns
Mrs. Ogmore-PritchardAnne Archer
Mr. OgmoreBecket Pennington-Legh
Mr. PritchardKen Hann
Gossamer BeynonClaire Camberton
Organ MorganRichard Jenkins
Utah WatkinsGeoffrey Wharam
Mrs. Utah WatkinsJo Bartlett
Ocky MilkmanRobert Wilson
Cherry OwenRon Pearson
P.C. Attila ReesHugh Lewis
Willy NillyGraham Buchanan
Mrs. Willy NillyCarol Pierce
Sinbad SailorsBrian Stansbridge
Lily SmallsSandy White
Mae Rose CottageKim Spencer
Bessie BigheadJane O'Sullivan
Butcher BeynonGraham Buchanan
Reverend Eli JenkinsDavid Pike
Cast (continued) played by:
Mr. PughPete White
Mrs. Organ MorganAngela Stansbridge
Mary Ann SailorsLilian Gunstone
Dai BreadDerek Sealy
Polly GarterJocelyn Eames
Nogood BoyoPeter Warne
Lord Cut GlassChristopher Boxall
A Guide BookSonia Morris
Mrs. PughSheila Clarke
Mrs. Dai Bread OneMargaret Hayward
Mrs. Dai Bread TwoSheila Chitnis
Mrs. Cherry OwenAvril Woodward
Mrs. BeynonCarolyn Bristow
Old ManGeoffrey Wharam
Maggie RichardsMyfanwy Bartlett
Ricky RhysAdrian Clarke
Tommy PowellAndrew Perkins
Our SalJulie Latham
Little GerwainJonathan Perkins
Billy SwanseaLance Andrews
Nasty HurnphreyStephen Curnow
Jacquie with the sniffWendy Collins
GirlsSarah Buchanan, Helen Wharam
BoyAndrew Wharam
Mrs. Twenty ThreeCarol Pierce
Evans the DeathDerek Sealy
The Glee PartyJohn Hoskins, Dennis Gooch, Peter Robson

For the Maskers  
Technical DirectorRon Tillyer
Wardrobe MistressJo Bartlett
Wardrobe AssistantsDiane Field, Beryl Guerrera
PropertiesJoy Winfield
LightingColin Jurd
SoundGeoff Grandy
Hon. Business ManagerJohn Paget
PublicityGraham Buchanan
PhotographyAlan Dedmen
Lighting DesignDerek Jones
 

click on a photo to enlarge it

×
Lillian Gunstone
Judy Rake
Jane O'Sullivan? and ?
David Bartlett as The Narrator
Mollie Manns as Rosie Proert and Ken Spencer as Captian Cat
David Pike? and Hugh Lewis?
The Cast
Sheila Chitnes
??
Sandy White
Carol Pierce and Graham Buchanan
Mollie Manns
Shiela Chitnes
Shiela Chitnes
?? and David Jupp
 
×

Thank You

Your message has been sent. You should receive a confirmation email shortly. If the email does not arrive it is possible that your email address was not entered correctly, please try resubmitting your enquiry.

Shirley's own LOCAL theatre!

Maskers Theatre Company
Off Emsworth Road
Shirley
Southampton
SO15 3LX

Registered Charity 900067

Established 1968

 Contact Us

×

Our postal address is: Maskers Theatre Company, Unit 1, Off Emsworth Road, Shirley, Southampton, SO15 3LX

General Enquiries Form

Please use this contact form for contacting us about any issue. Use the drop-down list to ensure your enquiry gets directed to the correct person.





Any contact details provided will only be used in relation to your inquiry and will be deleted after conclusion.

 Support Us

 Join Us

Join our Email list
and receive updates
about our shows

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
Are you a member of Maskers Theatre Company?

The Maskers Theatre Company will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing by email. Please confirm you would like to hear from us by ticking the box below:

You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at marketing@maskers.org.uk. We will treat your information with respect. For more information about our privacy practices please visit our website maskers.org.uk/subscribe.php By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

×

 Update Contact Details

Other local theatre events

Some of our performance venues:
Maskers Studio Theatre
The Berry Theatre
Townhill Park House

View our Image Gallery

Access Members Site (Maskers Members only)