This is an extract from a letter from Dylan to Princess Caetani (October 1951) where he describes many of the characters in the play. There were many milestones [35] on the road to Llareggub, and these have been detailed by Professor Walford Davies in his Introduction to the definitive edition of Under Milk Wood. [36] The most important of these was Quite Early One Morning, [37] Thomas' description of a walk around New Quay, broadcast by the BBC in 1945, and described by Davies as a "veritable storehouse of phrases, rhythms and details later resurrected or modified for Under Milk Wood." [38] For example, the “done-by-hand water colours” of Quite Early One Morning appear later as the “watercolours done by hand” of Under Milk Wood. [39] A year later, in March 1938, Thomas suggested that a group of Welsh writers should prepare a verse-report of their "own particular town, village, or district." [5] Laugharne [ edit ]

The album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968) by The Kinks was inspired partly by Under Milk Wood, according to its creator, songwriter Ray Davies. Also, the Kinks song "Polly" contains the line "pretty Polly Garter". [180]Within a year Church was appearing in another film adaptation of the work, this time a Welsh language ver Laugharne, the poet’s home from 1939 to 1941 and again for the last four years of his life, has been cited by Thomas as the inspiration for Under Milk Wood . Although it’s likely the small Ceredigion town of New Quay (Cei Newydd) where Thomas and his family resided between 1944 and 1947, was also a source of material for the play’s setting of Llareggub. The streets and eccentric inhabitants of this fictional seaside village make up the play, with the listener guided through them by an omniscient narrator, who offers insight into the dreams and deepest thoughts of the characters across a day in the life. In this section you can listen to the full version of Under Milk Wood - A Play for Voices, recorded by the BBC in 1963, and broadcast on The Third Programme on November 10, 1963.

Ship building in New Quay: mainly brigs, barques and schooners. For example, some 99 schooners were built in New Quay between 1848 and 1870. Overall, more than 200 ships were built there between 1779 and 1890. There were six shipyards on the beach at New Quay, with as many smithies in the town, a foundry, and sail and rope makers. There are a number of publications about the town’s maritime history and residents: (1) S. Passmore (2012) Farmers and Figureheads: the Port of New Quay and its Hinterland, Grosvenor House. (2) R. Bryan (2012) New Quay: A History in Pictures, Llanina Books. (3) W. J. Lewis (1987), New Quay and Llanarth, Aberystwyth. Mrs. Organ Morgan – A shop owner who dreams of "silence," as she is disturbed during the day by Organ Morgan's constant organ-playing. Third Drowned’s question at the beginning of the play “How’s the tenors in Dowlais?” reflects the special relationship that once existed between New Quay and Dowlais, an industrial town in South Wales. Its workers traditionally holidayed in New Quay and often sang on the pier on summer evenings. [56] In 1988 a one-off stage performance (as ‘An Evening with Dylan Thomas’) was produced by Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin for The Prince’s Trust in the presence of HRH Prince Charles. The performance was based on an album version of the play produced by Sir George which featured more sung parts with music by various artists including George Martin and Elton John. Anthony Hopkins played the part of First Voice and directed the stage performance. The stage performance was recorded for television (directed by Declan Lowney) but has never been shown. Butcher Beynon – The butcher, dreams of riding pigs and shooting wild giblets. During the day he enjoys teasing his wife about the questionable meat that he sells.THOMAS HEWITT JONES (b.1984): Ballet Suite Under Milk Wood, String Music, Fantasy (Court Lane Ensemble), 4 Piano Miniatures (Christine Stevenson), Child of the Stable's Secret Birth for Choir (Choir of Clare College, Cambridge; Timothy Brown). - Records International". www.recordsinternational.com. Look. It is night, dumbly, royally winding through the Coronation cherry trees; going through the graveyard of Bethesda with winds gloved and folded, and dew doffed; tumbling by the Sailors Arms. Captain Cat – The old blind sea captain who dreams of his deceased shipmates and lost lover Rosie Probert. He is one of the play's most important characters as he often acts as a narrator. He comments on the goings-on in the village from his window. For more on Dylan drinking in Eynon’s pub, see online at Eynon butcher and publican which is based on an interview with Eynon: G. Burn (1972) "Dylan Thomas", Radio Times, October 26 The morning light begins to appear, and First and Second Voice are paused momentarily for some context. This is brought, fittingly, by the Voice of a Guide-Book. We learn that Llareggub is a once-prosperous fishing town that is slowly deteriorating. Its inhabitants are quirky and eccentric, very much fitting the stereotype of a coastal, industrial town. The Voice of a Guide-Book notes that most visitors will merely see a decaying fishing village; it takes a special eye and disposition to appreciate the nooks and crannies of Llareggub.