BBC Two has given the green-light to a one-off biopic about Dylan Thomas titled A Poet In New York which will explore how Thomas was responsible for his own demise. Casting on the drama is currently underway, wuth production slated to commence this Summer in Cardiff. A Poet In New York will air on BBC Two in 2014.
Written by Andrew Davies (Quirke), A Poet In New York begins when Dylan arrives in the city on his fourth and fatal visit to rehearse, write and party. One of the most famous poets in the world by the early 1950s, Dylan’s popular and electrifying tours had also made him a much loved celebrity in America. He was on his way to Hollywood to write an opera with Stravinsky. But, before he headed west, he had to earn enough to fund the trip by fulfilling a commitment to take part in a production of the recently completed Under Milk Wood at the prestigious Poetry Centre in Manhattan. What might have been a triumphant new departure in his career and life turned instead into a requiem for a man whose life had spiralled out of control. Modern TV is producing with Griff Rhys Jones and Bethan Jones serving as executive producers. Aisling Walsh is attached to direct.
“It’s been such a privilege and a pleasure to work on this film; Dylan Thomas was a huge inspiration to me as I was growing up in a very similar environment to his in South Wales”, said Andrew Davies. “Although the script centres on his last days in New York, and the circumstances of his tragically early death, I want above all to celebrate his extraordinary, charismatic personality, his unforgettable poetry, and his passionate and stormy relationship with his wife Caitlin. “
