THE WHITE CAT

Emma Thompson presents a warm, engaging telling of an eighteenth-century French fable about a beautiful white cat and a young prince trying to please his father. The story is rich with imagery and language, some that may be a little too complex, or too British, for its intended American audience. Thompson's voice is generally clear, and she has great fun with some of the character voices, but the sound levels vary considerably. The original music by Joe Jackson is equally rich in melody and sound and at times is more prominent than the storytelling. The second side of the program is just the music, as is the case with most Rabbit Ears productions. The wind instruments--oboe, clarinet, flute--present a fine, courtly, baroque atmosphere. R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 97]