Under Milk Wood - National Theatre

[jgblunners]

I had a totally different experience to the post above when I attended on Saturday evening. Our seats were front stalls so our arrival time was 7:10-7:20 and we got there around 7:15. No queue outside, we got straight through all of the arrival stations very smoothly and I was very impressed by how proactive and knowledgeable the staff were about the whole process.

As for the play itself, I agree with some other people who have said that the framing device didn’t really add much (and the transition from the new scene into the actual Dylan Thomas was painfully obvious), but otherwise I very much enjoyed it. I found both the language very atmospheric and lyrical and didn’t mind the lack of plot - in fact I think the strength of the piece is that it sweeps you into the lives of the people in this village and all you have to do is sit back and let it wash over you.

And how wonderful it was to be back in the NT once again!

[jgblunners]

Jun 19, 2021 6:02:05 GMT theatrelover123 said:

Could somebody who has seen the show let me know what the framing device is please? With spoiler tags. Thanks.

SPOILER: Click to show

The opening scene is set in a care home for the elderly. The village is then brought to life from the memories of one resident who is particularly afflicted by dementia - the other residents and staff of the care home populate his memories and play the roles of the various townspeople.

[frosty]

Shame, I was looking forward to being back in the National, but given the previous comments, I have decided to get a credit voucher to use at a later date when there are less restrictions. Part of the whole theatre experience for me is to have a drink and chat in the foyer beforehand, and I feel very cheated if there isn't an interval! This all sounds very tedious for not much reward, so it's a no from me.

[lynette]

Just read the spoiler and read it aloud to my daughter. “They haven’t thought about their audience have they? “ 😂.

[Jan]

Jun 20, 2021 20:28:11 GMT lynette said:

Just read the spoiler and read it aloud to my daughter. “They haven’t thought about their audience have they? “ 😂.

That framing device is exactly the type of thing I like, based on the comments here it's absolutely the only thing that could induce me to see this production. 

[duncan]

Jun 20, 2021 20:15:50 GMT frosty said:

Shame, I was looking forward to being back in the National, but given the previous comments, I have decided to get a credit voucher to use at a later date when there are less restrictions. Part of the whole theatre experience for me is to have a drink and chat in the foyer beforehand, and I feel very cheated if there isn't an interval! This all sounds very tedious for not much reward, so it's a no from me.

So there is Llareggub chance of you going?

[frosty]

Jun 21, 2021 9:12:28 GMT duncan said:

Jun 20, 2021 20:15:50 GMT frosty said:

Shame, I was looking forward to being back in the National, but given the previous comments, I have decided to get a credit voucher to use at a later date when there are less restrictions. Part of the whole theatre experience for me is to have a drink and chat in the foyer beforehand, and I feel very cheated if there isn't an interval! This all sounds very tedious for not much reward, so it's a no from me.

So there is Llareggub chance of you going?

Haha - had to google that reference, but no, giving this one a miss :-)

[theatrelover123]

Exchanged my tickets for a credit voucher earlier

[theatrefan77]

I was thinking of doing the same, but I'll probably end up going on Friday as planned. Hope I don't regret it!

[londonpostie]

Jun 18, 2021 8:16:32 GMT andrew said:

I enjoyed it, and didn't mind the framing device, although my social media addled brain started to drift in the latter third. There's quite a lot of stuff before the actual play gets going as part of the new material, the play could definitely have started from when Michael Sheen walks in instead of the 10-15 minutes (or at least what felt like it) of the stuff before. I thought it was directed wonderfully, I thought Sheen was really excellent, as was the rest of the cast. Not my favourite play, I kind of wish the NT was opening with some complete barnstormers which it's current 2 plays haven't quite turned out to be, but I liked it.

Yes, agree. I also feel reluctant to criticise at all atm given I haven't actually concentrated for 1 hour 45 mins for a very, very long time now; I drifted in and out a couple of times and have no idea if it was me or the play.

The framing device was imaginative and ambitious and worked well, though I hope they reduce the pre-Sheen section at the beginning as they were losing me quite quickly towards the end of that period.

I'm glad to have seen this, it turned out to be quite a lot more than the Dylan Thomas text on a stage.

[lynette]

I saw the last manifestation of this ‘play’ and while I enjoyed it, it wasn’t that brilliant theatrically. What amazes me is that they choose to out on a radio play to try to restart the theatre after the closure. Daft. If they have Michael Sheen available why not choose a big meaty production? They must have a pile of stuff in the office, some of which will be good. It’s like the person who chooses the plays only knows what his fourth form teacher dragged out of the cupboard on a Friday afternoon because there were just enough copies to go round…

[londonpostie]

I assumed UMW was mooted to him as bait.

[Deleted]

www.theunderstudy.co.uk/2021/07/michael-sheen-wants-you-to-turn-off.html?m=1

Apparently Sheen stopped the performance and told people to turn off their phones.

Finally!

[theatrefan77]

The day I went the audience behaved impeccably. 

The play was ok, but I found difficult to concentrate at times. I prefer to listen to the Richard Burton recording of it.

[Jan]

Jun 27, 2021 11:49:51 GMT londonpostie said:

I assumed UMW was mooted to him as bait.

Or Sheen came to them with it. Either way I doubt Sheen would be there unless it was this play.

[cavocado]

I saw it last night. I enjoyed it, but had mixed feelings about the framing. It worked well as a way of giving a purpose and structure to the disjointed narrative, but I found the added dialogue dull and too lengthy (15-20 mins before the 'real' play begins). 

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler - click to view}
They could at least have cut out all the dialogue about the decorators not clearing up after themselves and characters tidying away paintpots, etc. I'm not sure what that was meant to contribute to the play.

I think the main issue with staging UMW is that it was written as a voice play, and for me this wasn't really addressed. Visually it wasn't very exciting and it was hard to get a sense of intimacy in the huge Olivier. I liked the way the characters wandered in and out of each others' stories, but I think this would have had more impact in a smaller venue like the Dorfman.

Kudos to Andrew McBean, who read Ifan Huw Dafydd's roles (pinged by the Covid app I think) as well as playing his own. I am not sure I'd have noticed this if they'd not announced it beforehand, because he made the reading seem like part of the characterisation. The whole cast was impressive -  not just a star vehicle for Michael Sheen.

Overall it was enjoyable and worth going, and I didn't find it hard to focus for 1hr 45, but I was hoping for a bit more magic.

[caa]

I saw this a few weeks ago and if I'm honest I still don't quite understand why its been staged and in particular some of the choices made, the framing device is ok at the start but the the ending didn't work, but maybe I'm over thinking this. I have seen a number of Lyndsay Turner's productions, she has directed some good shows although I didn't like what she did with Top Girls and Light Shining but if anything it feels as if the director hasn't really given it a great deal of thought. Best reason for going is Micheal Sheen but at the end of the day it feels like a missed opportunity.

[jennapatchell]

Jul 14, 2021 21:44:07 GMT caa said:

I saw this a few weeks ago and if I'm honest I still don't quite understand why its been staged and in particular some of the choices made, the framing device is ok at the start but the the ending didn't work, but maybe I'm over thinking this. I have seen a number of Lyndsay Turner's productions, she has directed some good shows although I didn't like what she did with Top Girls and Light Shining but if anything it feels as if the director hasn't really given it a great deal of thought. Best reason for going is Micheal Sheen but at the end of the day it feels like a missed opportunity.

Agreed.

[david]

Having seen it tonight, I really do have mixed feelings about the whole experience. Having negotiated the various checkpoints of which there are many (surely they could have just had 1 at each entrance to make it a smoother process?) just to get to my seat in at the back of the Circle, I do wish the NT had made a bar available to purchase drinks tonight as it was really warm in that auditorium this evening (at least there was a free programme provided).

Anyway, as for the production, I felt it was ok at best. The cast were fantastic in delivering the prose with plenty of energy and humour, though as proceedings progressed, I really didn’t get any emotional connection to the piece at all and certainly my mind did start to wander over the 100 or so minutes. I really do wish someone during rehearsals or the early previews had got a pen and done some editing in the section prior to MS entering the stage. It was too long in my opinion and really didn’t add much to the piece as a whole.

I did wonder if being closer to the stage or staged in a more intimate auditorium I would have been more engaged as a result? I’m not too sure, but certainly walking out of the NT tonight, I didn’t feel like I’ve had a great night at the theatre and it isn’t production that would get into my top 10 theatrical viewing list at the end of the year.

[fossil]

Jul 14, 2021 21:52:01 GMT david said:

I did wonder if being closer to the stage or staged in a more intimate auditorium I would have been more engaged as a result? 

I was in row F of the stalls in front the the stage on Tuesday (having been lucky enough to pick up a £36 return that morning) and suspect david is correct about this production needing you to be close to the action as from my vantage point closer to the stage I thought this was a very good production.

This was the second time I had seen this production. I went to the matinee last Saturday and was seated in the second row of the stalls seats at the back of the stage. This was sold as a "restricted view" ticket. The only good thing about the seat was actually the excellent unrestricted view. Unfortunately for too much of the time this was an excellent view of the actors backs. The production was very much directed for the benefit of the audience to the front of the stage with only the occasional nugget directed to us poor folks at the back.

Ok I thought, at least I can enjoy Dylan Thomas's dialogue. Not so. Although I could hear the actors, much of the dialogue was rendered unintelligible by the acoustics of the theatre at the back of the stage. My suspicion is that sound came back from the sound reinforcement speakers in the auditorium with a slight delay by the time it reached us, which had a muffling effect on the actors speech. I am only guessing - I am no sound engineer! On my second visit, sitting to the front of the stage, I could hear every word so it was definitely a problem with the theatre acoustics.

It was a captioned performance so I had a go at following the words. Unfortunately the caption screen was positioned at too obtuse an angle to allow me to read it properly!

I left the theatre feeling I had simultaneously attended and missed a really good production. I was so annoyed that, for the first time in 50 years of going to the National Theatre, I emailed a complaint to the National Theatre.

I am so glad I was subsequently able to see (and hear) this production a few days later. I have been to a number of productions over the years where a director has not been sensitive to where all members of the audience were sitting, but last Saturday at the National was one of the worst examples I have encountered.

[edi]

Jul 15, 2021 19:24:33 GMT fossil said:

Jul 14, 2021 21:52:01 GMT david said:

I did wonder if being closer to the stage or staged in a more intimate auditorium I would have been more engaged as a result? 

I was in row F of the stalls in front the the stage on Tuesday (having been lucky enough to pick up a £36 return that morning) and suspect david is correct about this production needing you to be close to the action as from my vantage point closer to the stage I thought this was a very good production.

This was the second time I had seen this production. I went to the matinee last Saturday and was seated in the second row of the stalls seats at the back of the stage. This was sold as a "restricted view" ticket. The only good thing about the seat was actually the excellent unrestricted view. Unfortunately for too much of the time this was an excellent view of the actors backs. The production was very much directed for the benefit of the audience to the front of the stage with only the occasional nugget directed to us poor folks at the back.

Ok I thought, at least I can enjoy Dylan Thomas's dialogue. Not so. Although I could hear the actors, much of the dialogue was rendered unintelligible by the acoustics of the theatre at the back of the stage. My suspicion is that sound came back from the sound reinforcement speakers in the auditorium with a slight delay by the time it reached us, which had a muffling effect on the actors speech. I am only guessing - I am no sound engineer! On my second visit, sitting to the front of the stage, I could hear every word so it was definitely a problem with the theatre acoustics.

It was a captioned performance so I had a go at following the words. Unfortunately the caption screen was positioned at too obtuse an angle to allow me to read it properly!

I left the theatre feeling I had simultaneously attended and missed a really good production. I was so annoyed that, for the first time in 50 years of going to the National Theatre, I emailed a complaint to the National Theatre.

I am so glad I was subsequently able to see (and hear) this production a few days later. I have been to a number of productions over the years where a director has not been sensitive to where all members of the audience were sitting, but last Saturday at the National was one of the worst examples I have encountered.

Let me know if they reply you and also the email address you sent it to. There are many!

I had the same problem, back of stage, great view but zero understanding of the dialoge.

[fossil]

Jul 16, 2021 6:44:58 GMT edi said:

Let me know if they reply you and also the email address you sent it to. There are many!

I had the same problem, back of stage, great view but zero understanding of the dialoge.

I sent my complaint to [e-mail]. 

I have had an auto-acknowledgement but no actual reply yet.

[andrew]

Jul 16, 2021 13:23:59 GMT fossil said:

Jul 16, 2021 6:44:58 GMT edi said:

Let me know if they reply you and also the email address you sent it to. There are many!

I had the same problem, back of stage, great view but zero understanding of the dialoge.

I sent my complaint to [e-mail]. 

I have had an auto-acknowledgement but no actual reply yet.

That's the correct email address. They often route it to the relevant department, one time I got multiple responses from different NT operatives, all of them lovely.

[fluxcapacitor]

I went into this today with no expectations. I’m a proud Welshman who has seen various incarnations of Under Milk Wood, so I was expecting to “begin at the beginning” on the crazy journey it usually provides. When it started somewhere completely different, I really wasn’t sure what to make of it. The new prologue/setup took a moment to get into as it was rather unexpected, but then I slowly realised what they were going to do before they got to the original text, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Absolutely brilliant. Such a clever, yet simple, setup - and one which perfectly excused and contextualised a lot of the original text’s confusions, whilst hugely enhancing its heart.

Thoroughly enjoyed what was a surprisingly emotional couple of hours. So very glad I picked up a last minute ticket.

[fossil]

Jul 16, 2021 6:44:58 GMT edi said:

Jul 15, 2021 19:24:33 GMT fossil said:

I was in row F of the stalls in front the the stage on Tuesday (having been lucky enough to pick up a £36 return that morning) and suspect david is correct about this production needing you to be close to the action as from my vantage point closer to the stage I thought this was a very good production.

This was the second time I had seen this production. I went to the matinee last Saturday and was seated in the second row of the stalls seats at the back of the stage. This was sold as a "restricted view" ticket. The only good thing about the seat was actually the excellent unrestricted view. Unfortunately for too much of the time this was an excellent view of the actors backs. The production was very much directed for the benefit of the audience to the front of the stage with only the occasional nugget directed to us poor folks at the back.

Ok I thought, at least I can enjoy Dylan Thomas's dialogue. Not so. Although I could hear the actors, much of the dialogue was rendered unintelligible by the acoustics of the theatre at the back of the stage. My suspicion is that sound came back from the sound reinforcement speakers in the auditorium with a slight delay by the time it reached us, which had a muffling effect on the actors speech. I am only guessing - I am no sound engineer! On my second visit, sitting to the front of the stage, I could hear every word so it was definitely a problem with the theatre acoustics.

It was a captioned performance so I had a go at following the words. Unfortunately the caption screen was positioned at too obtuse an angle to allow me to read it properly!

I left the theatre feeling I had simultaneously attended and missed a really good production. I was so annoyed that, for the first time in 50 years of going to the National Theatre, I emailed a complaint to the National Theatre.

I am so glad I was subsequently able to see (and hear) this production a few days later. I have been to a number of productions over the years where a director has not been sensitive to where all members of the audience were sitting, but last Saturday at the National was one of the worst examples I have encountered.

Let me know if they reply you and also the email address you sent it to. There are many!

I had the same problem, back of stage, great view but zero understanding of the dialoge.

Six weeks on and I have not received a reply.