MUDBOUND

Six actors narrate Jordan’s Bellwether Prize-winning novel, delivering a top-notch performance. Kate Forbes shines brightest as Laura McAllan, who is uprooted from her urban life in Memphis when her husband purchases a farm in Mississippi. The actors in the production are particularly skilled at using their voices to reflect the nuances of power, race, gender, and the struggle to survive. The only low note is Brenda Pressley's turn as Florence, a worker on the McAllan's farm. Jordan describes Florence as a woman of preternatural strength, yet her voice doesn’t reflect that. Otherwise, every actor feels starkly real in this production, creating a vivid listening experience that depicts the ravages of oppression. J.T. 2009 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2008]