REDWALL The Wall

With the exuberance of Matthias and the mice of Redwall Abbey, this audio dramatization projects great enthusiasm, charm and dedication. The ensemble, which includes author Brian Jacques taking the role of narrator and nearly 20 actors, creates the lively fantasy, featuring the valiant Redwall mice, their woodland friends and wicked rat enemies. Styled as a radio-play, the program captures an immediacy as each character speaks in turn. There's a strong sense of real-time recording. The accents, all quite British--full of character and having great charm--may take some getting used to for young American ears. Details and subtleties will be revealed with each replay, making the performance even richer. This full-cast presentation offers a dramatic contrast to the single-voice reading by Ron Keith (Recorded Books). There will be some who prefer to experience the Redwall story with Keith's more subtle approach, but the energy of this cast is infectious. While it won't be everyone's cup of acorn tea, try listening to this saga of Redwall through speakers rather than headphones, and entertain a crowd. R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT 97]