BWW Reviews: ADELAIDE FESTIVAL 2015: DYLAN THOMAS - RETURN JOURNEY Is A Feast For The Ears

Reviewed by Barry Lenny, Monday 9th March 2015

Welsh writer, Dylan Marlais Thomas, had a relatively short life, being born in 1914 and dying in New York in 1953. Although only 39, he produced a considerable quantity of wonderful work that has ensured that his name will live on. Before his death he toured America , much as Charles Dickens had done, presenting his works to full houses of avid fans. Bob Kingdom recreated one of these events, in the luxurious surroundings of the state dining room of Ayers House. Anthony Hopkins was the original director of this production, which Kingdom has toured in the UK and the US. A few very lucky (sold out) Adelaide audiences have now joined the 80,000 people who have already seen and enjoyed this marvellous celebration of the life and works of this great man, Dylan Thomas - Return Journey.

Kingdom appears, carrying a book, and proceeds to the lectern, where he places it, announcing that he has a sore throat, which presumably accounted for the falling off of occasional sentences, unfortunately losing the final word or two. He is, though, Dylan Thomas from start to finish, with never a flickering moment of the actor ever showing through. Just as importantly, his love for the writings of Thomas shines out like a beacon. He seems to relish every syllable that he utters and, as a consequence, the audience is completely engrossed in his performance. I wonder how many others, as I did, silently recited their favourite poems and passages of prose in our minds, thinking the words along with his recitations.

Kingdom brought Thomas to life, in no uncertain manner, self-analysing what it means to be a poet and, more so, himself. He was a complex man, self-destructive, and somewhat erratic, and Kingdom does not overlook this aspect of the man, but his narrative takes on so much of Thomas's life, his schooling, his travels, all through his own writing.

Thomas's evocative description of his first school, his engagement in poetry through nursery rhymes that set his future, and his views and opinions on numerous subjects are tackled by Kingdom, with a very liberal sprinkling of wit and humour.

Many of Thomas's works are not so well know, but some are extremely famous, and popular, such as Under Milk Wood, A Child's Christmas in Wales, and Fern Hill, which are probably his best known works, along with the poem he wrote for his dying father, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, and their are plenty of other memorable pieces such as And Death Shall Have No Dominion, Before I Knocked, and The Force That Through the Green Fuse Drives the Flower.

Kingdom finds gems from both the best known and a few lesser known works, brings everything together, and leaves the audience with a thirst for more, in a performance that seemed to be over far sooner than my wristwatch was telling me. We can only hope for a return visit soon for those who missed out.

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