Irish Repertory Theatre presents

A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES

Written by Dylan Thomas
Directed by Charlotte Moore
Musical Direction: Mark Hartman
Costume Design: David Toser
Lighting Design: Michael Gottlieb
Stage Manager: Pamela Brusoski

Featuring: Jacque Carnahan, John Cullum, Katie Fabel, Kenneth Quinney Francoeur, and Ashley Robinson

Press Representative: Coyle Entertainment

Irish Repertory Theatre
103 East 15th Street
Through Sunday, January 3, 2016
http://www.irishrep.org/childschristmas2015.html
212.727.2737

This beloved Dylan Thomas’ poem surely gets you in the holiday spirit. The Irish Rep has complemented Dylan’s poem with some traditional and contemporary Christmas music as the memories of his childhood Christmases unfold. The ensemble of five actors engage in the poem’s essence of Christmastime - yearly traditions, singing, Christmas Eve dinner - reminiscing about the many silly incidents and the quirky aunts and uncles and friends.

John Cullum, a Tony award winning actor, tells the tale as the elder Dylan, and is joined by four other lively actors and a talented piano player. The ensemble seamlessly alternates roles of the many characters in Dylan’s memories, like when they were preparing to throw snowballs at Mrs. Prothero’s cats, described as "sleek and long as jaguars and horrible-whiskered, spitting and snarling.” But when a fire broke out in her home, the handy snowballs became weapons to put out the fire. The tale is brought to life through the wonder of a child’s eye in this small Welsh town.

Dylan’s lovely poetry makes these Christmas memories so vividly felt. Here’s a telling clip (one of many) from the tale: “Years and years ago, when I was a boy, when there were wolves in Wales, and birds the color of red-flannel petticoats whisked past the harp-shaped hills, when we sang and wallowed all night and day in caves that smelt like Sunday afternoons in damp front farmhouse parlors, and we chased, with the jawbones of deacons, the English and the bears, before the motor car, before the wheel, before the duchess-faced horse, when we rode the daft and happy hills bareback, it snowed and it snowed.”

The actors are musically talented group with wonderful voices. Some of the finer moments are told in song. The set was decked out in Christmas decor in every corner. It is a nostalgic tale told in colorful, intelligent prose, and is probably most appreciated by adults.

- Gloria Talamas -