LITTLE WOMEN

Timeless classics can sometimes be a bit stale and leave you struggling to apply them to the present. Conversely, Alcott's themes of love, kindness and faith endure through the centuries. The March family, with its four spirited daughters, succeeds in any circumstances. In the St. Charles Players' dramatization, the parents' parts are well cast; but the children's parts are read too fast, and the laughter sounds forced. The vocabulary level is high, and the dialogue isn't realistic or natural for young listeners. Solo narration would better suit this ageless prose. Lovely hymns cue the tape sides. A.G.H. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 99]