Under Milk Wood Jazz Suite Arrives in Newport

14 May

A remarkable meeting of jazz and Welsh literary heritage is heading to Newport next week, as Ad/Lib Cymru presents Stan Tracey’s acclaimed Under Milk Wood Jazz Suite at The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre on Thursday 21 May.

Widely regarded as one of the most important works in British jazz, Under Milk Wood is often described as the defining masterpiece of legendary pianist and composer Stan Tracey. Inspired by Dylan Thomas’s iconic radio drama Under Milk Wood, the suite transforms Thomas’s vivid and eccentric world into a bold, atmospheric jazz experience — one that is as lyrical, playful and evocative as the original text itself.

For this special performance, the DT Jazz Ensemble will be joined by two much-loved Welsh figures: Siân Lloyd and Ieuan Rhys, adding an extra layer of storytelling and theatricality to the evening.

Siân Lloyd is one of Wales’s most familiar broadcasting voices, known to many for her 24 years with ITV as the network’s longest-serving female weather presenter. Alongside her television career, she has contributed to national newspapers including The Times and The Mail on Sunday, and has appeared on popular programmes including I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and Celebrity First Dates.

Actor Ieuan Rhys is perhaps best known for his long-running role as Sergeant Glyn James in Pobol y Cwm, but his stage and screen career spans decades. His credits include Doctor Who, Stella and The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, as well as acclaimed work with National Theatre Wales and National Theatre in London.

Whether you’re a lifelong jazz fan, a devoted admirer of Dylan Thomas, or simply looking for a memorable night out, this promises to be a rich and rewarding evening — celebrating two giants of British cultural life in one powerful performance.