CUT TO BLACK

Portsmouth, England’s, mean streets provide the backdrop as DI Joe Faraday and his cruder counterpart, DC Paul Winter, try to trap Bazza McKenzie, a well-known local drug dealer. Currently, McKenzie appears to have gone straight, but the cops don’t believe it. The vacuum left by McKenzie’s going “‘legit” is being filled by street gangs and foreign suppliers. Sadly, this production is an unfortunate mismatch between material and narrator. Hurley’s plot is well constructed and should reflect excitement, danger, and occasional moments of droll police humor, but Tim Pepper’s reading is lackluster. While his accents ring true, his vocal tones are somber and dark, with little if any differentiation between characters. CUT TO BLACK is complex and thoughtful, offering an exceptional grasp of believable human conflicts. It deserves a more energetic reading. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 05]