THE KOOKABURA AND OTHER STORIES

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with OUTBACK.]--Dal Burns left England for Australia as a mere lad of 17. This production is the "story" of his walkabout through the not-so-English colony down under. According to the author, this story includes not only tales of what he did and saw, but also tales of what he wishes he'd seen and done. Launching from Sydney, he journeys to the vast expanse of the Outback, enduring privation as well as meeting a host of colorful characters: a Gallipoli veteran, aborigines, and assorted tough mates. Burns's clear voice is soft and soothing, in contrast to the world he encounters. His adventures are fascinating; a large number of delightful songs set the mood and add color to the incidents he relates. The most memorable is a wonderful performance of "Lime Juice Tub." (This is even accessible via the work's Web site.) KOOKABURRA is Burns's retelling of a number of aboriginal tales. We are told the origin of the kangaroo, how a trickster is himself tricked, and how the cockatiel came into being. M.T.F. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 02/ JAN 03]