{"id":30287,"date":"2024-12-11T12:42:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T17:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=30287"},"modified":"2024-12-22T12:58:04","modified_gmt":"2024-12-22T17:58:04","slug":"late-poet-dylan-thomas-a-childs-christmas-in-wales-transformed-into-a-joyful-holiday-celebration-by-the-irish-repertory-theatre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=30287","title":{"rendered":"Late Poet Dylan Thomas\u2019 \u201cA Child’s Christmas in Wales\u201d Transformed into A Joyful Holiday Celebration by The Irish Repertory Theatre"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Play: A Child\u2019s Christmas in Wales
Writer: Dylan Thomas
Director: Charlotte Moore
Music: David Hancock Turner
Cast: Ali Ewoldt, Reed Lancaster, Ashley Robinson, Howard McGillin, Kimberly Doreen Burns, Polly McKie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When: Previews December 4, 2024,
Run: December 8- 29, 2024
Where: Irish Repertory Theatre
Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage
Address: 132 West 22nd St.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given his literary prominence, Dylan Thomas never quite situated himself in my brain except for his most famous poem “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” and the wonderful “Under Milk Wood.” Nonetheless, I now want to delve further into his work all thanks to a show I recently saw at the Irish Rep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though I\u2019m not only not Christian or Welsh, haven\u2019t ever been to the British Isles in the Winter nor sang carols, I was ready to don some big furry overcoat, gather round the fireplace, and sing joyously.
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This December, Irish Rep offers up its seventh special return of its joyous holiday classic based on Dylan Thomas\u2019s iconic \u201cA Child\u2019s Christmas in Wales.\u201d Artistic director Charlotte Moore\u2019s musical adaptation features rousing contemporary and traditional Christmas music interwoven with the popular story of that snowy Christmas Day in Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2002, Moore premiered this adaptation as part of “A Celtic Christmas.” There was a subsequent run in 2010, and then, the production was revived by popular demand, for the 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2022 holiday seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on a piece of prose by Welshman Thomas, \u201cA Child’s Christmas in Wales\u201d was recorded by the scribe in 1952. Emerging from an earlier piece he wrote for BBC Radio, the work is an anecdotal reminiscence of a Christmas from the viewpoint of a young boy, portraying a nostalgic and simpler time. It is one of Thomas’s most popular works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with his poetry, \u201cA Child’s Christmas in Wales\u201d doesn\u2019t have a traditionally tight narrative structure but instead uses descriptive passages in a fictionalized autobiographical style. It\u2019s designed to evoke a sense of nostalgia (however faux that might be) recalling an imaginary Christmas from the viewpoint of the author as a young boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas searches for a nostalgic belief in Christmases past \u2014 “It was snowing. It was always snowing at Christmas” \u2014 furthering his idyllic memory of childhood by describing the snow as being better and more exciting than the snow experienced in adulthood. There was none of that grumbling of adults, none of that weariness pronounced by most people in wrestling with the cold and mess. This dissertation, with exaggerated characters for comedic effect, illustrates how childhood memories are enlarged through youthful interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dylan Thomas<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Thomas was born at the start of World War One in the “ugly, lovely town” of Swansea \u2014 an industrial, coastal town on the South Wales Coast. He published his first volume of poetry, “Eighteen poems” in 1934 and went on to write many more volumes of poetry as well as many short stories, film scripts, broadcast stories and talks. By the time of unfortunately early death in 1953, he had toured the U.S. four times, with his last public engagement taking place at the City College of New York. A few days later, he collapsed in the Chelsea Hotel after a long drinking bout at the White Horse Tavern. On November 9, 1953, the author died in New York City\u2019s St. Vincent\u2019s Hospital at 39 years-old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His work is mainly known for a dark brooding Welsh Puritanism contrasted with strong emotions and sensuality. Ironically, though known as a “Classic Welsh writer,” he never spoke the language. Best known for “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” and “Under Milk Wood\u201d — which was broadcast by the BBC with the subtitle “A play for voices” \u2014 people have attempted films and plays of his work but none have been as successful as the simple radio version. And now comes this engaging theatrical adaptation to be seen this season at the Irish Rep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, few have experienced or really remember, this idyllic version of a Christmas. In this energetic version, Moore enhances this idealization through a fine crop of veteran actor\/singers long familiar to the Irish Rep including Ali Ewoldt (\u201cThe Phantom of the Opera\u201d), Reed Lancaster (\u201cTranslations\u201d), Ashley Robinson (\u201cMeet Me in St. Louis\u201d), Howard McGillin (\u201cThe Phantom of the Opera\u201d), Kimberly Doreen Burns (\u201cFinian\u2019s Rainbow\u201d) and Polly McKie (\u201cThe Butcher Boy\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to such a well-schooled cast, I felt like I had joined a family I had never known. So, after enjoys this 80+ minute long production, I was ready to gather up the cast, step out into the cold night and start singing away.<\/p>\n

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