09/05/2014

What do you think about Dylan Thomas?


Being the centenary of his birth, there has been a lot of coverage of the life and work of Dylan Thomas on TV and radio recently. I like Thomas' work, but I'm unsure if I should!

There is an old saying that the main difference between a Jewish Joke and an Anti-Semitic Joke is who's telling it – are they laughing with us or at us?

I would love Under Milk Wood if it was laughing with us, and hate it if it was laughing at us.

There were comments on Twitter about the recent broadcast version on BBC Wales decrying the fact that it wasn't broadcast on the BBC through the UK. I'm glad it was only on BBC Wales BECAUSE that meant it was laughing with us.

I don't know what Thomas' intention was. I suspect that it wasn't to take the piss in a My People Caradoc Evans way; but there is little doubt that the play has been used in that vain.

So should I love him or hate him? I can't make up my mind!

4 comments:

  1. I don't understand why Under Milk Wood should give non-Welsh people a reason to laugh at us.

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    Replies
    1. Me neither. They can laugh at us equally as well without any assistance from Under Milk Wood.

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  2. 'And now on BBC 1 we have a special investigation into female genital mutilation (or global warming; or technology today; or world politics; or whatever else is topical and worldly). And for our viewers in Wales, Dylan Thomas - Another Retrospective.'

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  3. And of course, the infamous quote regarding Wales : "Land of my fathers', the can keep it?"

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