BRAVE DAMES AND WIMPETTES

Described on the cover as a "witty, incisive look at the role of women on screen and page," this is actually a catalog of famous novels, movies and TV shows, with Isaacs's verdicts on whether the female characters are "Brave Dames" (like Scarlett O'Hara) or "Wimpettes" (like Thelma and Louise). As a list of notable fictional women, it's mildly entertaining, but incomplete. Tracy Brooks Swope does little to enliven the proceedings. She possesses the deep voice Isaacs requires of a "Brave Dame," but her monotonous reading lacks color, variety and vitality. The performance also includes more than its share of mispronunciations and misreadings. S.P. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 99]