THE BEST OF YOUTH

Harvard-educated, reasonably wealthy, nervous around women, and a complete idiot, Henry Lang is almost an updated Wodehouse character, except that his story is not written for laughs. That's a shame because Kirby Heyborne's voice and characterizations seem made for comedy. His light tenor is perfect for Henry, and his portrayals of the other characters are on the edge of lampoon. But beyond Heyborne's voicings, the characters are not very interesting. Henry, in particular, is mostly a victim of circumstance, and his supposed literary talents are described but never shown. The climax, when he finally and suddenly takes action against the famous actor who is ruining his cousin's life, fails to convince. Too bad this isn't a comedy. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2013]