Golden days of yore

Dylan Thomas’ sweet remembrance of his childhood in Wales is the perfect antidote to the commercialism of Christmas. A Child’s Christmas in Wales is a subtle celebration of small moments and simpler times in a wee Welsh village, all seen through the innocent eyes of a child.

Through a tapestry of warm tales, Thomas embraces the eccentricities of relatives and townsfolk, and the magic of the holidays. There are gatherings of aunts and uncles, kids romping through the village, and constantly falling snow.

Above all, A Child’s Christmas is a word-fest. Thomas’ lyrical language trips off lips in a singsong symphony. The long, descriptive phrases wrap you in their cadence. “There were cats. … Sleek and long as jaguars and horrible-whiskered, spitting and snarling, they would slink and sidle over the white back-garden walls.”

Foothill Theatre Company honors Thomas’ lovely language by keeping it front and center. Young actor Samuel Thomas-Rose captures the boy Thomas, while the other five members of the cast expertly trade off narration, characters, storytelling and dialogue.

It’s a short show. You’re out in a little more than an hour, walking the Victorian streets of Nevada City, still basking in the language of Dylan Thomas.