GRIMM'S FAIRY TALES

Many tales of the Brothers Grimm have been well worn and aren't very interesting anymore. Some were never particularly interesting in the first place. ("Rumpelstiltskin" comes to mind.) That's why selection is as important as performance in an audio anthology of Grimm stories. Joss Ackland, who handles both tasks in this collection, has chosen an effective mix of the familiar ("Cinderella," " Little Red Riding Hood") and the more obscure ("The Singing Bone," "Faithful John"). His expressive storytelling--by turns gentle, frightening and humorous--brings a rare vitality to the familiar stories and fully engages the listener in those being heard for the first time. D.B. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 99]