ESCAPE! High Adventure

“Escape” is a half-hour dramatic series that played on CBS radio from 1947 to 1954. The adventure tales therein often came from literary sources but included original plays as well. This anthology of 20 programs from the '50s well illustrates the variety and varying quality of the individual episodes. They have not worn as well as some other old-time radio shows, such as “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar," though some still shine. One such is John Collier's unsettling "Evening Primrose," in which a sub-civilization living hidden in department stores punishes miscreants by turning them into mannequins. Though qualitatively uneven, all 20 plays are immensely listenable. As always, Radio Spirits has done a good job of restoring the old transcription discs. Y.R. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2009]