No...really. LOL.  ;D

Let me explain.

We started a project thing today in English IV in which we must all choose a British writer from 1832-1951, and play the part of that person at a Victorian style tea party we will be having the week after next.

We must research our writer, based on an outline anf have it prepared before the tea party.

At the party we must read at least one selection of the writer's work, dress in a costume appropriate to our writer's life, bring a "prop" related to our writer's work or life, mention at least 3 facts about our writer's life, be able to talk comfortably about our writer's life, family, friends, accomplishments, and ideas, as well as the time period in which he/she lived. We should also be prepared to answer basic questions about our writer's life.

We must conduct ourself in proper etiquette. Extra credit will be given for vocal accents or dialects, more than three facts, and more than one prop.

I'm so excited. I get to be Dylan Thomas, a national symbol in Wales. I have to dress up like him..Here are a few pics..

http://217.204.10.75/img_bg/15632.jpg

http://www.dylanthomasboathouse.com/images/education/packs.jpg

http://www.masters-of-photography.com/images/full/brandt/brandt_dylan_thomas.jpg

http://www.swansea.gov.uk/media/images/i/a/Dylan%20and%20Caitlin%20Thomas.jpg

Not sure what kind of clothes to get exactly. I guess something that a Welshman in the 30s-40s would have worn, since that was Thomas' time.

He was reported to have drank quite a bit..so I think I will get some sort of clear bottle and fill it up apple juice to look like Whiskey. ;D

As for his hair..mine is rather straight, but from what I can tell he tended to part his in the middle, yet it was still a bit messed up despite being combed. I might use lots of hairspray to hold this affect if I can achieve it.

I wonder where the heck I could learn a Welsh accent, that would be so neat to get the extra credit for that..

So what do you all think?

I'm an actor, and as a big fan of Thomas this is like a dream come true. Even if it isn't an actual play or anything..we will be expected to be "in character".

Looks like a cool guy.  Though not as cool as this guy:

http://www.hln.org/pics/huey_rsc.jpg

Do you even know who Thomas is?

Apparently, he's a Welsh writer from the 30's and 40's.  Other than that, I know nothing.  Even so, Huey Lewis looks cooler.

Apparently, he's a Welsh writer from the 30's and 40's. Other than that, I know nothing. Even so, Huey Lewis looks cooler.


Take your foolishness elsewhere.

God I cannot believe you have never heard of Dylan Thomas. Some mediocre rock singer from the 80s isn't a thousandth of what Thomas was.

Take your foolishness elsewhere.

God I cannot believe you have never heard of Dylan Thomas. Some mediocre rock singer from the 80s isn't a thousandth of what Thomas was.


Wow.  You are nuts about this guy.  It:


Looks like a cool guy.  Though not as cool as this guy:

http://www.hln.org/pics/huey_rsc.jpg


was a joke, but I can see you didn't take it as such.  And Huey Lewis is not mediocre.

"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" - my favourite from a great poet.  Sounds like a wonderful English project Alex.  Have a good time getting to "know" Dylan Thomas albeit he was not a terribly happy soul :(

An aside:  My son plays rugby with a boy named Dylan Thomas. :)

Sounds like a fun project, Alex.  You must have a pretty cool teacher to come up with stuff like that.  Enjoy yourself.

"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" - my favourite from a great poet.  Sounds like a wonderful English project Alex.  Have a good time getting to "know" Dylan Thomas albeit he was not a terribly happy soul :(

An aside:  My son plays rugby with a boy named Dylan Thomas. :)


Thanks, jaytee. :)



Sounds like a fun project, Alex. You must have a pretty cool teacher to come up with stuff like that. Enjoy yourself.


Thank you, Dagwood. :)

---

Well I've got an old 50s style camel hair jacket(sport coat), and brown slacks, dress shoes, and a black turtle neck. I think that outfit is very 50s-ish, and he lived until 1953, so it would fall within the category of being from 'his time'.

And I have two different prop ideas. One is a photo album. I'm going to buy one, and fill it with printed out pics of Dylan at various parts of his life, and label them just like I would a family photo album. And I will label them in the first person, to enhance that aspect.

The other prop is I'm going to get an empty Jack bottle, take off the label(I'm sure it wouldn't be allowed if it had the label) and fill it with apple juice, for whiskey, since an essential part of the Dylan Thomas lore is that he was quite the drunkard.

Oh, and for my hair, I am going to get a small curling iron and curl it, and then comb out the curls a bit, part part of it to one side, and sort of halfway slick the rest back in a wave. I've been studying his hair in pictures, and I think that would look at least somewhat like how his was. And I will use a whole can of hairspray to make sure it stays(I have heavy, straight hair so curling it won't be an easy task, and keeping it curled and waved will be even more difficult). ;D

I also need to start working on my accent/dialect. But what is a Welsh person supposed to sound like?

Was he really a drunkard? Or was it like Poe (who was the greatest author of all time), where the lore exceeds the truth?


Oh not in the least. He was indeed a drunkard.

One of his most famous quotes is something he said just 5 days before he died(and his death was alcohol-related!):

"I just had eighteen straight whiskies. I think that's the record."

Dylan Thomas not only accepted his romantic image as the "drunken poet", he revelled in it. He didn't do it just for the indulgence itself, but because he liked the lifestyle and image of being a drunk. As odd as that may seen.

And I don't think Poe was the greatest author of all-time. That goes to John Steinbeck. And greatest poet goes to Dylan Thomas. ;)

I've never read John Steinbeck, but after reading "Angel of the Odd," he'd better be pretty darn good, 'cause there's no better story than "Angel of the Odd." Not to mention Poe's other great works of art, like "Hop-Frog" and "The Masque of the Red Death" and poetry like... crap, what was that one called? The one about the kingdom of the sea... How pathetic, I can't even remember the name of one of my favorite poems...


Poe never really appealed to me, to be frank. I never liked how his stories were so other-worldy and bizzare. Steinbeck has a much more 'real' style of writing.

"Of Mice And Men"
"The Grapes Of Wrath"
"The Pearl"
"Tortilla Flat"

Those are just a few of his novels.

I've never read John Steinbeck, but after reading "Angel of the Odd," he'd better be pretty darn good, 'cause there's no better story than "Angel of the Odd." Not to mention Poe's other great works of art, like "Hop-Frog" and "The Masque of the Red Death" and poetry like... crap, what was that one called? The one about the kingdom of the sea... How pathetic, I can't even remember the name of one of my favorite poems...


Annibelle Lee


Poe never really appealed to me, to be frank. I never liked how his stories were so other-worldy and bizzare. Steinbeck has a much more 'real' style of writing.

"Of Mice And Men"
"The Grapes Of Wrath"
"The Pearl"
"Tortilla Flat"

Those are just a few of his novels.


Isn't "Of Mice and Men" the one about the meat-packaging industry in Chicago?  Or is that something else?

i only ever read a handful of dylan thomas poems in school, from what i read they were excellent. as to the welsh accent, rent any movie with richard burton in it or listen to tom jones speak, when he sings he loses the accent.

i only ever read a handful of dylan thomas poems in school, from what i read they were excellent. as to the welsh accent, rent any movie with richard burton in it or listen to tom jones speak, when he sings he loses the accent.


Will do. Thanks for the tip. :)

Sounds like you have already put alot of though into this project.  Let us know how you do.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/audiointerviews/profilepages/thomasd1.shtml

Check out these cool audio files of Dylan speaking..wasn't what I expected. The Welsh accent sounds quite English, it could really fit in as another English accent. It doesn't stand out as seperate like an Irish or Scotish accent..

No...really. LOL.  ;D

Let me explain.

We started a project thing today in English IV in which we must all choose a British writer from 1832-1951, and play the part of that person at a Victorian style tea party we will be having the week after next.

We must research our writer, based on an outline anf have it prepared before the tea party.

At the party we must read at least one selection of the writer's work, dress in a costume appropriate to our writer's life, bring a "prop" related to our writer's work or life, mention at least 3 facts about our writer's life, be able to talk comfortably about our writer's life, family, friends, accomplishments, and ideas, as well as the time period in which he/she lived. We should also be prepared to answer basic questions about our writer's life.

We must conduct ourself in proper etiquette. Extra credit will be given for vocal accents or dialects, more than three facts, and more than one prop.

I'm so excited. I get to be Dylan Thomas, a national symbol in Wales. I have to dress up like him..Here are a few pics..

http://217.204.10.75/img_bg/15632.jpg

http://www.dylanthomasboathouse.com/images/education/packs.jpg

http://www.masters-of-photography.com/images/full/brandt/brandt_dylan_thomas.jpg

http://www.swansea.gov.uk/media/images/i/a/Dylan%20and%20Caitlin%20Thomas.jpg

Not sure what kind of clothes to get exactly. I guess something that a Welshman in the 30s-40s would have worn, since that was Thomas' time.

He was reported to have drank quite a bit..so I think I will get some sort of clear bottle and fill it up apple juice to look like Whiskey. ;D

As for his hair..mine is rather straight, but from what I can tell he tended to part his in the middle, yet it was still a bit messed up despite being combed. I might use lots of hairspray to hold this affect if I can achieve it.

I wonder where the heck I could learn a Welsh accent, that would be so neat to get the extra credit for that..

So what do you all think?
If you are playing the part of Dylan Thomas, in true context it would not be tea you will be drinking, it would be something stronger he enjoyed?

If you are playing the part of Dylan Thomas, in true context it would not be tea you will be drinking, it would be something stronger he enjoyed?


::) Yes he was quite the drunkard. Charlie Chaplin himself once told him so! But Thomas enjoyed it..interesting individual.

I am quite sloshed myself right now..darnit.

If you are playing the part of Dylan Thomas, in true context it would not be tea you will be drinking, it would be something stronger he enjoyed?



::) Yes he was quite the drunkard. Charlie Chaplin himself once told him so! But Thomas enjoyed it..interesting individual.

I am quite sloshed myself right now..darnit.


That is good, rehearsing for the part!