EPOSSUMONDAS PLAYS POSSUM

Does Epossumondas have “the sense he was born with”? When he disregards his mother’s warning about the loup-garou (werewolf) and follows a butterfly into the swamp, one can only wonder. In his forgetful way, Epossumondas wanders along and encounters an array of swamp creatures. Cynthia Darlow’s gentle Southern accent complements Colleen Salley’s distinctive storytelling. Darlow hisses, snorts, and snarls with the vitality of the meanest of swamp cats, snakes, hogs, and buzzards. The repeated phrases, such as “I don’t eat no dead meat,” are elongated; each moniker, such as “Honey” or “Sugar,” is as sweet as can be. As Epossumondas, Darlow is distinctively nasal and innocently confident. Swamp sound effects provide a realistic backdrop; an author’s note about the loup-garou concludes the production. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2011 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2011]