OLIVER TWIST

Jonathan Keeble's voice is well suited to Dickens's beloved story of a parish boy's progress. In particular, his British accent gives this production a nice "twist." His smooth, deep voice lends itself especially well to the words of the omniscient narrator. Keeble's depiction of the title orphan tends towards the high pitched, perhaps in an attempt to capture Oliver's naïveté, but the result sounds a bit forced. However, the other characters are spot-on. The voice of Fagin is superbly sinister, and the Artful Dodger's quick, clipped speech captures the essence of the young ruffian. Keeble adds refinement and polish to his voice for the highbrow Mr. Brownlow just as easily as he injects a base wickedness when portraying the villainous band of thieves. M.D. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2012]