About Under Milk Wood

Under Milk Wood, by iconic Welsh poet and author, Dylan Thomas, is an emotive and hilarious account of a spring day in the fictional Welsh seaside village of Llareggub. We learn of the inhabitants' dreams and desires, their loves and regrets.​

Play History

Thomas took to the stage as First Voice for his play’s 1953 debut in New York. Apparently, he’d been writing new sections on that day, completing the final few lines as the actors were preparing to go on stage!

​​

In 1954 and 1963, the BBC recorded radio productions of the play, both starring Richard Burton as First Voice.

The 1963 production saw a local cameo in the pupils of Albert Primary School, Penarth, who recorded background sounds for the broadcast.​ PODS were thrilled to echo this local connection with Evenlode Primary School, who kindly supported our production with similar sound effects.​

1971 saw a star-studded film adaptation, starring Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Peter O’Toole as the residents and voices of Llareggub, followed shortly by a PODS production of the play in 1972.

From the silver screen, to our screens at home; in 2014 the BBC broadcast a collage of famous Welsh voices and faces, laced with imagery inspired by the play. This broadcast celebrated the centenary year of the birth of the Dylan Thomas.​

​

PODS 2024

This brings us on to our own centenary year. Under Milk Wood marked our very first open-air theatre performance, presented with a stellar cast in the beautiful location of The Kymin, Penarth.