'Under Milk Wood' underwhelming

Dylan Thomas described his "Under Milk Wood" as "a play for voices." The production, which details the lives of villagers in a small, fictional Welsh village, has been adapted for both film and stage, but to put it bluntly, "Under Milk Wood," currently at Theatre Intime, should have remained a radio play.

Thomas' writing is beautiful and eloquent, funny and poignant, but, quite frankly, it's not theater material. It is clear that, if heard on the radio, the language could come alive.

The problem with the play itself is that it does not have the arc needed to satisfy an audience. It simply does not go anywhere — nothing happens. There are many characters, all seen in such short spurts that we have no chance to get to know them. The result is that we can't empathize with them, and ultimately, we don't really care about them.

Given this, the directors, Susie Cramer-Greenbaum '07 and Zach Berta '07, and the actors, certainly had their work cut out for them.

My biggest gripe with the show as it stood almost a week before opening, when I saw it in rehearsal, is something that can easily be addressed: The actors need to slow down. The play's strength is its language, but I missed about half of what was said. In general, the actors speak far too quickly and softly, and their enunciation is weak. "Under Milk Wood" is almost like a poem, but I missed so much dialogue that I felt I needed a script to actually follow along.

The problem with the language is also amplified by some of the staging. The set, designed by Berta, has multiple levels positioned relatively far away from the audience. Often when the actors speak from the back part of the stage, they are much harder to hear.

Another problem arises from the lighting, also designed by Berta. At many points during the show, the actors are hidden in shadows. As a result, the audience misses the expressions on their faces and consequently becomes disconnected from the play.

I also found it difficult to distinguish the characters from one another. The cast is only eight actors, so most of them play more than one character. Because our encounters with them are so brief and because the actors have to jump quickly from character to character, many of the personalities are indistinct.

Two actors, however, give riveting performances. Dan Kublick '08 and Heather May '10 act together in the strongest scene of the show, one that is moving and on a level far above the rest of the play. Kublick has an ability to disappear into his characters in addition to a knack for physical comedy. I found myself looking forward to the next time he would be onstage. May is also very strong. She, more than any of the other actors, sustains a realistic portrayal of each of her characters, while also making each unique. She is also the only actor who consistently values every word of the text. I could always hear her, and I could identify all of her characters.

The adaptation is the weakest element of this production. But if all the actors slow down and relish the play's beautiful language, 'Under Milk Wood' could live up to the potential in its script.

This review is based on Tuesday's dress rehearsal of 'Under Milk Wood.' The play opens on Thursday, March 29.