NEWES FROM THE DEAD

In mid-seventeenth-century England, Anne Green gives birth to a stillborn child. Thereafter, she is tried and sentenced to hang for infanticide. When her body is given to Oxford medical scholars for dissection, she is discovered to be still alive. The story unfolds in two parts—Anne’s account of how she came to be hanged and the amazing medical miracle as told by a young Oxford scholar. Rosalyn Landor creates a wide variety of common voices for Anne’s world and infuses her portrayal of Anne with appropriate innocence and bewilderment. Michael Page portrays the pomposity of the scholars, doing an especially fine job with the young, stammering Robert. The dual narration heightens the horror of this tale—based on a true story—making it a perfect choice for listening. S.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2010]