THE BAILEY GAME

Kim Hicks keenly brings to life just how mean children can be. The neat trick of transforming her accent from British English to Australian English in dialogue between characters adds realism and freshness to the story. Bullying gone too far is the major theme in this drama, but the lessons of real friendship and basic human kindness balance the plot. Hicks's rendition of playground antics and school pranks pulled off by teenaged intimidators reveals the true junior high school experience. Although the story is set in Britain, listeners everywhere can learn a lesson from this universal story of growing up in the harsh world of adolescence. D.L.M. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 03]