FIFTH OF JULY

Without scenery and the physical expressions of the actors, the time-specific setting of this play prevents an easy transition from staged performance to recording. Without the props and set to support the tone, the characters do not fully develop. Wilson's characters are hard to like, making the character of Gwen excessively shrill when there is nothing but her voice to express her motivations. Area microphones on the stage rather than body microphones on the actors create an uneven volume. Lines delivered off-stage are excessively muted. The recording’s lack of separate tracks is a disadvantage in returning to specific points in the play. R.F. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]