GREAT EXPECTATIONS

A frustrated actor, Dickens himself entertained thousands in England and America with readings from his own books. But would his reading of GREAT EXPECTATIONS be better than this one? I seems likely. Angela Cheyne's 1977 performance unfortunately suffers from the poor recording equipment used at the time, which distorts at higher volumes and captures limited dynamic range. Even without these distractions, it is jarring to hear the young gentleman, Pip, portrayed through the distinctly feminine voice of Cheyne. In addition, Cheyne chooses not to give distinctive voices to the menagerie of Dickensian grotesques, which takes away much of the fun of the performance. P.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG 93]