Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas

Under Milk Wood is a 1954 radio drama by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, commissioned by the BBC and later adapted for the stage. The story is told by two omniscient narrators who invite the audience to listen to the dreams and innermost thoughts of the inhabitants of the fictional small Welsh fishing village Llareggub or “bugger all” spelled and pronounced backward. The villagers include Mrs. Ogmore-Pritchard, relentlessly nagging her two dead husbands; Captain Cat, reliving his seafaring times; the two Mrs. Dai Breads; Organ Morgan, obsessed with his music; and Polly Garter, pining for her dead lover. Later, the town awakens and, aware now of how their feelings affect whatever they do, we watch them go about their daily business. When Thomas was staying at New Quay, Cardiganshire, in West Wales, one winter, he went out early one morning into the still sleeping town and verses came to his mind about the inhabitants. He wrote the account of this as a short story named “Quite Early One Morning”. He continued to work on the idea for the remaining eight years of his life: in many ways prophetically, yet accurately describing and predicting his future.

This is a beautiful poem, staged in the unique Thistle Dew Dessert Theatre, by a magnificent cast in the moving Welsh dialogue taught by their own Phil Ryder.