Swansea High Street Gets Dylan Thomas Inspired Mural

A derelict nightclub opposite Swansea railway station has been transformed by artist Pete Fowler‘s mural Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Octopus, which celebrates Dylan Thomas and features other symbols of Swansea’s heritage. The mural has been commissioned by Swansea public art charity LOCWS International ahead of the 2014 centenary.

Edge of Love to be screened on location in Tenby

Edge of Love, the film that portrays the tempestuous relationships of Dylan Thomas, Caitlin Macnamara, and Vera Killick, in wartime Newquay, is to be screened in the Tenby house where some of the location filming took place. The screening is part of the Rooms With A View pop-up film festival staged by Films4Tenby from March 15th-17th.

Under Milk Wood – Radio Documentary

The Australian radio dramatisation by Lyn Gallacher of Douglas Cleverdon’s book about the development of Under Milk Wood, The Growth Of Milkwood, can be found here.

Richard Burton – No Longer Starless

Following a campaign by the Western Mail, actor Richard Burton has finally been honoured by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Burton, who was buried with a copy of Dylan Thomas’ collected poems and made many memorable recordings of Thomas’s work, was nominated for Oscars seven times. The star was unveiled  in a ceremony attended by members of Burton’s family and acting stars of today including Michael Sheen who gave a speech to mark the occasion.

Eggs Laid By Tigers

Danish band Eggs Laid By Tigers have set the words of Dylan Thomas to music on their album “Under The Mile Off Moon“. The band’s name is taken from a quotation from Thomas who wrote that he thought his early poems were  not imitations but were “wonderfully original things, like eggs laid by tigers”. Look out for the hidden image of Dylan Thomas on their album artwork.

Forthcoming Events

Under Milk Wood – Film – Screenings

Further screenings of Andrew Sinclair’s 1972 big screen version of Under Milk Wood.

Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, March 22nd
Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold, Flintshire, May 23rd

Actress Susan Penhaligon who played Mae Rose Cottage in the film version has talked to us about her memories of the filming.

Rodney Bewes “A Boy Growing Up”

Former Likely Lad, Rodney Bewes, is touring his Dylan Thomas inspired one man show “A Boy Growing Up” from February. The show features a number of Thomas’s short stories.

Bob Kingdom  ”Dylan Thomas – Return Journey”

Bob Kingdom is also performing his acclaimed one man show, Dylan Thomas – Return Journey.

Under Milk Wood

A number of productions of Dylan Thomas’s classic play for voices are planned.

Adelaide Fringe,  The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Thebarton, Adelaide, Australia 26th February – 7th March
Palace Theatre, Ontario, Canada 1st March – 2nd March
The Russett Players, The Hop Farm, Tonbridge, Kent – 8th & 9th March
Todmorden Hippodrome, West Yorkshire 8th & 9th March
Oxford Playhouse, Oxford 15th March – 16th March
Park Place Theatre, Halifax, Canada 19th March – 30th March
Canberra Repertory Theatre, Australia 12th April – 27th April
Bridgend College, Sony Theatre, Bridgend April 17th
Westacre Theatre, Norfolk 4th May

John Abbott College Dept of Professional Theatre of Montreal, Canada, are staging a production of Under Milk Wood at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. You can follow their exploits on twitter.

Laugharne Festival 

The annual festival weekend in the town that was the last home of Dylan Thomas takes place from the 5th-7th April. At this year’s festival, cartoonist and writer Martin Rowson will be drawing a cartoon of Dylan Thomas on the grass bank outside Laugharne Castle.

Do Not Go Gentle Festival

The festival based in Dylan Thomas’s home suburb of Uplands, Swansea, that launched in 2012, returns in 2013, 1st-3rd November.

Helen Griffin performing her one woman show “Caitlin” at last years
Do No Go Gentle Festival. Photo by Ami Marsden

Categories: News

Tags: arts, cinema, Dylan Thomas, events, literature, poetry, theatre, wales