| Cheer and Joy to Round Off the Year of Dylan |
At Wales Theatre Company |
| A Child’s Christmas In Wales -Wales Theatre Company/ Swansea Grand Theatre , Lyric Carmarthen , November 20, 2014 |
A new verb is to be heard this autumn. To be “Dylan-ed out” speaks for itself. In truth the actual sentence ran “I thought I might be Dylan-ed out…but wasn’t.” A whole weekend of Dylan-alia has yet to come in December in Aberystwyth. As the Hollywood mogul put it “Include Me Out.” But the movers and makers of DT100 should be well pleased. It has helped mightily that the writing accomplishment has a depth, and a breadth, to it that can stand up to such intensity and scrutiny. The prodigy and philanderer of myth is only so interesting. One of the most revelatory pieces has been the quiet documentary that took the lid off the wartime years in the film industry.Nine performance events across theatre, dance and opera inspired by Dylan Thomas have appeared on this site alone, and there have been others. With “A Child’s Christmas In Wales” director Michael Bogdanov and collaborators have made a coda of enchantment to a year of splendour. The adaptations of “A Child’s Christmas In Wales” are various. One, curiously, still had the Cwmdonkin-ites located in mid-summer come the interval. This version forgoes the detail and characterisation that Adrian Mitchell put into his adaptation. The haunting sadness of Aunt Eleri and the communist fixity of an uncle are gone. This adaptation follows faithfully the arc of the day from excited opening of the Christmas stocking to bedtime dialogue between boy (Dafydd Rhys Evans) and sage adult (Russell Gomer) in woollen waistcoat, who stands outside the action. At least not quite: at one point Gomer lends himself to be the hose so the fire brigade may douse the burning turkey. This version’s distinction is the music by Jack Herrick, fourteen numbers from upbeat to lyrical to hymn. A cast of ten ensures a harmony of singing richness. The instrumental texture includes musical director Terry Mortimer’s piano, Stephen Hickman’s guitar and Lauren Roberts’ accordion, although the cast are multi-instrumentalists. Jak Poore swaps violin for mandolin, guitar and drums. Heledd Gwyn is on flute and whistle but may also be seen on double bass. Overseeing the other musicians is a harp, with its appropriate light cover of snow. Mali Llywelyn plucks it, when not downstage playing Bethan, Megan and Aunt Hannah. Christmases past, those of childhood, can never be regained. That is the motif. Bells chime on this Christmas Day. Sean Crowley’s design of rich evocativeness has a Victorian lamp-post topped with snow. A giant backcloth shows a panoramic view of Swansea Bay, the sky’s light suggesting a gradual winter dawn. The young Dylan plays in the snowy park, not just with gang Dan, Jim and Jack on Christmas morning but perforce with cousins in the afternoon as well. Scarves are long, tartan, and home-knitted. Tam o shanters are as shapeless as tea cosies. Kathryn Dimery wears long pigtails. Within number five Cwmdonkin Drive a gift as simple as a machine that prints tickets is cause for delight. It is offset by an uncle’s present of a worthy book that tells young Dylan all there is to know about the wasp. The sensual relish of food is high, including butterscotch, liquorice and roasted chestnuts straight from the open fire. Three pot-bellied uncles convene for postprandial cigars and rumination. But it is a different time and alcohol is drunk sparingly in the “splendidly ugly sea town.” Rum is cautiously taken by the thimble-full. Anthony Williams is choreographer. The dance that accompanies the Christmas pudding is unabashed jubilation. After the telling of ghost stories the family gathers to make their own entertainment. Dafydd Rhys Evans lets loose a Cossack-inspired display of high energy. It may not be strictly historical but it is fearsomely impressive. The tour of “A Child’s Christmas In Wales” continues until 7th December to Llandudno, Cardiff, Aberystwyth and Brecon. |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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