THE PAINTED VEIL

Kitty Fane is a shallow, self-centered woman whose marriage in 1920s’ Hong Kong is a sham. Her affair is discovered by her husband, a bacteriologist, and when her lover refuses to marry her, she sullenly agrees to travel to China with her husband during a cholera epidemic. Kate Reading does a phenomenal portrayal of Kitty, progressively evolving her weaknesses into real character strengths by way of hardship, loss, and regret. She creates the aura of a full-cast production, switching effortlessly between characters—from Kitty’s arrogant lover to the French Mother Superior at the convent in China, where Kitty volunteers, to her broken-hearted husband. Elegant and thoughtful, Reading is a performance pro. B.J.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2007 Audies Award Finalist © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 07]