THE BIRTHDAY BOYS

Beryl Bainbridge’s historical fiction should be required reading. Her complex portraits of people and events allow us to experience the possibilities of the past. In this novel, we view Robert Scott’s 1912 Antarctic expedition through her incomparable lens. For her facts, she draws upon actual letters, journal accounts, and the memoirs of Apsley Cherry-Garrard, one of the survivors. Gordon Griffin’s performance is masterful. His characterizations imply confusion in the seemingly self-assured and bravery in unlikely heroes. These explorers harbor petty jealousies yet offer the potential for courageous acts. Griffin presents them with little sentimentality, boisterous enthusiasm,and the distinct sense of children boasting. Bainbridge’s mono-logues expose ingrained prejudices and class distinctions, casting light on the shadows found even in good men’s souls. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]