TIME PASSES: Butcher Huw Eynon of Eynon's in St Clears, with a portrait of his grandfather Carl Eynon, who is though to be the butcher on whom Dylan Thomas based his character, Butcher Beynon in Under Milk Wood.

Portrait of the Past

Carmarthen Journal 14th June 2006

by Sarah-Jane Williams

THE Laugharne Festival Players' historic performance of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood in Laugharne this summer, is set to be a coup de theatre.

Actors researching their parts in the locality have uncovered interesting details about the people who originally inspired Dylan Thomas's characters.

One of the protagonists, Butcher Beynon, is based on the grandfather of butcher Huw Eynon, of St Clears.

Mr Eynon said: "The Butcher's Arms, my grandfather's pub, was Dylan Thomas's watering hole. He ran the pub and the butcher's shop—he'd sell some meat then dash next door to pour a pint.

"Dylan knew my uncle and father well. He'd knock on my grandfather's door at any time of night and he'd have to serve him a drink."

Richard Griffith, a Laugharne man who works as a photographer for the police scenes of crime department, plays the part of Butcher Beynon in the festival performance.

His uncle was a butcher in Laugharne and his mother also worked in the old butcher's shop.

He said: "The character of Butcher Beynon is great fun to play. He's always winding up his wife — he teases her about cutting up corgis with a cleaver and eating cat liver. He pretends to butcher all kinds of animals and his wife believes him."

Mr Griffith also plays the part of Mr Cherry Owen. He added: "My grandfather was in a play with Dylan Thomas and it was while they were performing that Dylan decided Laugharne needed a play of its own, where everyone could play themselves, so this is something of a family tradition.

"The cast has been rehearsing diligently — we even practise in the street outside the Three Mariners sometimes."

The play will take place in the Millennium Hall on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings of the first week in August, as part of the Laugharne Festival. Anyone interested in sponsoring the play should contact festival committee secretary Lorraine Costley on 01994 427689.

Emotional play about Dylan's wife

Carmarthen Journal 16th August 2006
by Sarah-Jane Williams

A NEW play about Caitin Thomas, Dylan's wife written specially for the Laugharne Festival, will be performed this weekend.

Caitlin and Dylan: A Play About Youth, was written by Jackie Cornwall, a writer for Cardiff-based Everyman Theatre company with ideas contributed by Maggie Nicholls, also an actor with the company.

This emotional play, with only four characters .— Dylan, Caitlin, Dylan's father Jack and a landlady, explores how Caitlin overcame alcoholism to rebuild her life in Italy.

Maggie, a poet and social worker, suggested presenting poetry readings at the Laugharne Festival. The idea, coupled with her interest in Caitlin's life and combined with the playwriting impetus of Jackie, grew into a new drama.

Maggie sajd: "We wanted to change the focus to Caitlin. I read her book Double Drink Stories and then started researching her—I discovered she had written four books and wanted to be a dancer.
"She gave up drinking when she was 60 and rebuilt her life. I'm a social worker and have an idea of how hard it is to beat alcoholism. She was a remarkable woman," Maggie added that the company was excited about performing the play in Caitlin's hometown.

She said: "There isn't a better place to do it."
The play explores how Dylan and Caitlin first met, their relationship, what they sacrificed for each other and how they were influenced by their own past. Festival secretary Lorraine Costley is delighted the play was written specially for the festival. She said: "We attended the first read through at the Chapter Arts Centre and were delighted with it."

The play will be performed at the Millennium Hall on Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8 and include a drink. Call 01994 427689 to book.