Under Milk Wood (2003)

De: Dylan Thomas

Narrado por: Richard Burton

Richard Burton's voice has been digitally remastered and seamlessly mixed with an all-Welsh cast to create a magical, fresh visit to the unique but universally recognisable world of Llareggub. Richard Burton's inimitable narration as the Narrator in the BBC's 1963 recording of 'Under Milk Wood' was hugely acclaimed. In this 2003 production, the famous radio play has been given a fresh lease of life. Richard Burton's unforgettable performance joins a celebrated all-Welsh cast in a highly-acclaimed dramatisation of this classic 'play for voices'. Touching, eerie and very funny, the play tells the story of a day in the life of the inhabitants of a small Welsh seaside town, their dreams and routines, their loves and regrets, their hopes and fears. With characters and phrases that have entered common parlance, the play opens with 'To begin at the beginning' and features such much-loved characters as No Good Boyo, Lilly Smalls, Polly Garter, Organ Morgan and Captain Cat. Among the all-Welsh cast are Sian Phillips, Matthew Rhys and Glyn Houston, as well as a special guest appearance by John Humphrys. With an entrancing new musical score by John Hardy, this production is set to become the classic version of a spellbinding play.

This town's as full as a lovebird's egg.

"This town's as full as a lovebird's egg."
- Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

This book has languished on my shelf.
Ignored.
Left alone.

I bought this book years ago. It was a deal. It was a steal. It was $2 at Goodwill. I recognized Dylan Thomas and knew it was a Folio edition. $2? Value? Done. I brought it home, put it on the shelf. Thought about it only narrowly. I figured it was a book of poetry. Poems. Fights against the dying of the light and whatnots.

Nope. It is certainly poetic. Lyrical. Whimsical. A play, however. Meant for many voices. An innovation for Radio. Meant to be read. Think of later James Joyce, but something easy to understand. A well-spoken lust dream in a Welch coastal town.

So, ignored on the shelf? Why now? I'm trying and dying to read 100 books, during the first 100 days of either the year (closer) or year + Trump's 100 days (more than 100 I guess). So on days when I don't have 4+ hours to read, or the book I want to read is bigger than 240 pages, I generally use small books of poetry or philosophy to bridge a larger book into smaller bites without violating my first rule (1 book a day). So, yes, I am anal retentive about even things I enjoy.

So, back to Under Milk Wood. If you have the opportunity to read it, read it. If you have the opportunity to listen to either Dylan Thomas & Co read it, listen. Richard Burton & Co is also a nice treat.

Some of my favorite lines:

"It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black, the cobble streets silent and the hunched, courters'-and-blackrabbits' wood limping invisible down to the shoeblack, slow, black, crowblack, fishingboat-bobbing sea."

"From where you are you can hear their dreams."

"And before you let the sun in, mind it wipes its shoes."

"And high above, in Salt Lake Farm, Mr Utah Watkins counts, all night, the wife-faced sheep as they leap the fences on the hill, smiling and knitting and bleating just like Mrs. Utah Watkins."

"...who kissed her once by the pig-sty when she wasn't looking and never kissed her again although she was looking all the time."

"Time Passes. Listen. Time passes. An owl flies home past Bethesda, to a chapel in an oak. And the dawn inches up."

"There is no leg belonging to the foot that belongs to this shoe."

Not the cast I was expecting.

I had tapes of this years ago which I played to death and remember very well. several of the characters are different in this version.

always

how perfect. sweet and sad. the writing and the voices are masterful. my favorite book

Thomas has a way with English language that is almost unbelievable in it's scope of expression

My family was from a small Welsh town. We go back periodically for visits. I think I have met all the characters in Under Milkwood. Richard Burton's performance' and all the others in the recording for that matter, was beyond superb.

Lyrical, melodic play for voices brought to life

This beautiful prose play is brought to life by an excellent cast lead by Richard Burton. The wonderful turn of phrase and intimacy of the inner thoughts are well realized, punctuated by Dylan Thomas ' mastery of the English language. The listener follows the townspeople through a surreal dreamland of memorable characters and language. this play is a masterpiece, masterly performed and should be heard by all. A big thank you to Audible for making this classic available to all.