BIG STONE GAP

Having cut her storytelling teeth on writing for television series like "The Cosby Show," Trigiani excels in this semi-autobiographical romp through Big Stone Gap, Virginia, in the 1970s as a woman tries to find some excitement in the thirty-fifth year of her very conventional life. Trigiani breathes vitality into the heroine, Ave Maria Mulligan, with her bright Southern inflections. And the cast of supporting characters also springs to life, thanks to her able performance. There are so many such colorful characters that at times it appears they're being trotted out, but the whole of the piece seems to sustain this whimsical yet compelling quest for life's adventure. R.A.P. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 00]