THE JEWELS OF TESSA KENT

From unwed motherhood to movie stardom, Tessa is the classic poor little rich girl--poor in parenting skills and life expectancy; rich in acclaim, lifestyle, and the eponymous baubles. Would that Kate Harper were able to rise above Krantz's stylistic morass in the way that Tessa ultimately gets her life together. Parts of Harper's performance--the depiction of Tessa's martyr mother, for instance--are affecting, but she and Krantz fail to make us take either plot or players seriously. The whole thing seems steeped in bathos. Krantz's many fans shouldn't be deterred; they know what to expect. All others might listen elsewhere or try the abridged version J.B.G. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 01]