The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of Christie's more well-known books, and I think if you're already a fan of the book, you'll enjoy this.
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I'vThe Murder of Roger Ackroyd is one of Christie's more well-known books, and I think if you're already a fan of the book, you'll enjoy this.
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I've already reviewed the book itself, so this is just for the BBC full-cast production. The voice actors bring this story to life in a well-done radio play that includes sound effects and music. Everything remains faithful to the original, but it's all condensed, so you don't really get the buildup to the big reveal that you normally would. In other words, this isn't a substitute for the book, but more like a companion piece for those who have already read it.
This is only a review of the dramatization. The Hobbit was not an easy book for me to get through and I ended up going back over and over again, relistThis is only a review of the dramatization. The Hobbit was not an easy book for me to get through and I ended up going back over and over again, relistening to parts of the audiobook that I zoned out on. Certain writers, certain styles, and certain stories just don't work with my brain. Doesn't make them bad, it just means they are harder for me to pay attention to. If I'm interested, I'll block out everything else and completely become immersed in whatever it is. If I'm not, my mind wanders off to other things. Whether I'm reading a line or listening to a narrator, the result is the same.
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So. After I finished The Hobbit, I listened to the BBC Audio full cast dramatization to kind of shore up any rough spots and make sure I'd gotten the full gist of the story. And I've had great luck with BBC Radio's other dramatizations in the past. I highly recommend their Agatha Christie stuff. In other words, picking BBC was a no-brainer for me.
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Unfortunately, I would not recommend this to anyone who has the opportunity to listen to a different dramatization. There were several glaring drawbacks to this one for me.
First, the narrator telling the story pronounced Gollum's name weirdly. Maybe this is just a me thing, but I've heard it pronounced Gō-lum and Gă-lum but never Gō-loom. 1:05:35 <--if you want to google THE HOBBIT - 1937 J.R.R Tolkien - BBC RADIO DRAMA I'd love to know if I'm the only one that was thrown by this or if this is normal and I'm just an idiot.
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The music was AWFUL. I mean, really off-putting. They had that fantasy flute going in the background of a lot of the scenes. Normally, that's fine. The audiobook I listened to also had flute and drums and whatnot every now and then. But this director took his job to a whole new goddamn level. Okay, you know that off-key flutes playing My Heart Will Go On in the background of funny videos? I love those! They make me laugh so hard. THAT. I swear to god, that was the flute (and off-key horns) playing in the background. I was convinced by the end that the production had run out of money and it was one of the voice actor's kids on a recorder or something.
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I do love dramatizations but this ain't it, sis. I'm so glad I didn't pay money for this, and I probably need to write a letter of thanks to my library for taking that bullet for me....more
Exactly how important is it to be Earnest? If you've read, listened to, or watched this play, then you know the answer to that question is very importaExactly how important is it to be Earnest? If you've read, listened to, or watched this play, then you know the answer to that question is very important.
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The gist is that two young(ish) gentlemen both have aliases. Both of those aliases are Earnest, and both of them use said aliases to escape from responsibilities. And now they've both fallen in love. Each of these women met them while they were Earnest, and (in a twist that could only happen in a rom-com) both women feel that they could only love a man whose name is Earnest. It's a whole thing, trust me.
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Wilde's story pokes fun at the society of the day, skewering the emphasis that was put on having the correct parentage. But it's also just an excellent comedy in that you have two lying men in love with two women with unreasonable expectations. And that's why this is probably my favorite classic play. I can read/listen/watch this thing all day long. <--but not really. Because you'd have to be a helluva lot crazier than I am to do some shit like that. Highly Recommended....more
That Helena is a bitch. I know the big draw for this play is all the fairy goings-on, but upon re-reading/re-listening to it for the umpteenth time, I That Helena is a bitch. I know the big draw for this play is all the fairy goings-on, but upon re-reading/re-listening to it for the umpteenth time, I was more interested in the insane inner workings of Helena's mind.
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Ok. Get this. Hermia and Lysander are in love. But Hermia's dad wants her to marry Demetrius, and you know how dads can be about that sort of thing. For example, my husband really liked this boy that my oldest daughter dated several years ago. For the purposes of this review, we'll call him Kevin. In his eyes, Kevin was the best boyfriend his little girl could choose. My daughter didn't feel the same. As you may already know, daughters rarely like the guy their fathers want them to like. And now, because he's petty as hell, he refers to every poor boy that she brings home as Not-Kevin. Sometimes to their face.
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Now. Demetrius is determined to marry Hermia even though she obviously loathes him. Because some men find rejection sexy. And Helena is obsessed with Demetrius and follows him around like a puppy. Even though he obviously doesn't want her. Because some women find rejection sexy, too.
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You're probably wondering why Hermia and Lysander don't just give her father a bit of time to cool off with all this Demetrius stuff, right? Well, because if Hermia doesn't agree to marry Demetrius quick-like, her dad is going to send her to a convent (of Diana b/c this is set in Greece) or have her killed, which is his right under the law...but probably just the convent. Harsh, right? This guy makes my husband look tactful, and as you may realize from the above-mentioned story, that's not an easy thing to do. So, Hermia and Lysander make plans to meet in the woods, run off to the big city, get hitched, and live happily ever after.
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Remember how I said Helena is a bitch? Well, this is where Helena proves she is a level 10 clinger that will do anything for a scrap of attention. She rats her best friend Hermia's escape plan out to Demetrius! In the hopes that he...? What? Finds Hermia in time to stop her from marrying someone else? If Hermia is out of the picture, Demetrius will have to look elsewhere for matrimonial prospects! Helena is just shooting herself in the cooch by telling him that her rival for his love is sneaking off to get married. A real stalker would know this. <--just saying
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She. is. terrible. And if Demetrius weren't such a douchebag, I probably would have felt a little sorry for him getting saddled with such an obvious crazypants for the rest of his life.
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Ok. Enter the fairies. They have their own problems. The biggest of which is that Oberon is apparently jealous of how much time Titania spends doting on the son of her (now dead) human friend. God, men are so weird!
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So what happens? Lots of bickering, lots of crying, lots of fairy dust getting thrown around on the wrong people, lots of mistaken love, and of course a dude with an asshead. Sounds freakishly similar to my early twenties.
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I'm sure you know the story. I think most everyone has seen or heard this story in one form or another in their life. And if you haven't read the original play and want to, it's pretty easy to get into. I've read it a few times, but this time around I listened to the full-cast audio version. It's excellent. And I'd suggest that as an option to anyone who is interested. After all, this was supposed to be acted out, so it works well when you have voice actors doing their thing to bring Shakespeare's story to life. Highly Recommended....more
Don't put your partner on a pedestal. That's really the first mistake you make in a relationship. Except for those people who write jailhouse love lettDon't put your partner on a pedestal. That's really the first mistake you make in a relationship. Except for those people who write jailhouse love letters to serial killers. But that's a whole nother level of mistake and Wilde didn't cover it in this particular play.
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Ok, so if you don't already know, the gist is that an unscrupulous woman, Mrs. Cheveley, has come into the possession of a letter that Sir Robert Chiltern had written decades ago when he was in his early 20s. He was a poor clerk who sold the knowledge of the government's impending purchase of Suez Canal Company to a rich man who paid him for the information. This was the seed money that all of his wealth. And because of that wealth - political power. For all intents and purposes, he's been a very scrupulous politician ever since then. So when Mrs. Cheveley tells him that he must throw his support behind a fraudulent scheme to build a canal in Argentina (that she has heavily invested in), he balks. However, with the threat of exposure hanging over his head, he initially eventually gives in. But not just to save his career.
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Sir Robert loves his wife, Lady Chiltern, but she has based her love of him on this ideal that he represents to her. She loves him because he is so far above all other men and their weaknesses. And if his honesty and morality turn out to be less lofty than she thought, he feels he will lose her love altogether. So with the help of his best friend, the fashionably aimless Lord Goring, he tries to decide how to dig himself out of this mess.
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This is a comedy, so naturally, there are several crazypants events that happen to all of the characters to make sure that everything eventually pans out. <--for everyone except the nasty Mrs. Cheveley. Because she's just a bitch. I was surprised at how serious the undertone was in this one. I mean there really is a clear moral to the story in this one. BUT ALSO CUTE ROMANCE! <--so don't worry that you'll have to learn too much stuff if you read this thing.
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I'm pretty sure I've read this one before, but I truly appreciated this L.A. Theatre Works production this time around. The excellent voice cast and sound effects made it easy to close your eyes and imagine you were sitting in a theater as part of the audience. I would highly recommend giving this edition a whirl!...more
Twins: Freaky or Fun? Twelfth Night is Shakespeare's answer to that age-old question.
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While I was listening to this, I had no idea that Viola & STwins: Freaky or Fun? Twelfth Night is Shakespeare's answer to that age-old question.
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While I was listening to this, I had no idea that Viola & Sebastian were twins. As far as I knew, they were just siblings. But, apparently, they were (<--if I had read the blurb, I would have known this). And apparently, it was also easy to pass as a man 400 years ago! I guess if Gwen could do it (and still find time to write her ever-practical GOOP blog), then I could too!
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This is useful to know, in case I ever get that time machine in the basement working and then decide to travel back to the 1600s to trick another woman into falling in love with me. Otherwise, not quite as useful.
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Anyway. So what was this one about? Warning: Spoilers But, realistically, I probably didn't understand what actually happened in the play anyway, so everything in this review is more than likely wrong. Warning: Incorrect Spoilers
Ok, Viola & Sebastian went on a Carnival Cruise Vacation. It ended badly.As they typically do...
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Viola washes up on the shore of Illyria, thinking that her dear brother is lost at sea, and decides she needs to find a man!
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She makes a deal with a Sea Witch (view spoiler)[ disguised to look like the captain of the vessel that rescued her! [image]
(hide spoiler)], who turns her into a man, so she can infiltrate Prince Eric's Duke Orsino's household. She has 3 days to snag a kiss, or the spell will be broken! If that happens, the Sea Witch will plant her soul with all the rest of the poor bastards who made shitty impulsive deals! Kids, it's never a good idea to strike a bargain with someone who has the word WITCH prominently displayed in their name. Just sayin'.
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Right from the start, there are complications with Viola's plan. First off, the Duke is in love with someone else. HUGE problem. HUGE. Secondly, he wants her (now known as Cesario) to woo his lady-love for him. Yeah! Can you believe that shit? Hey, Olivia. Um, Orsino wants to know if you like him, or if you like him-like him? Unfortunately, girls don't like it when you send a representative. Grab your nuts and ask her out.
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But in Orsino's defense, Olivia had rebuffed his previous advances. A lot.
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Now, Olivia is very intelligent, because she knows Orsino can't possibly really love her, due to the fact that he doesn't know her very well. And at the same time, she's incredibly unintelligent, because she not only falls in love with Cesario after 5 minutes, but also fails to notice that the Dude Looks Like A Lady, and throws herself most unwelcomely at poor Viola.
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Meanwhile, there is a whole 'nother story happening with Olivia's Uncle Toby & his drinking buddy, Andrew (<--who also likes Olivia!). These two get together with Olivia's maid (and maybe someone else?) and decide to play a trick on a self-righteous guy named Malvolio, for calling them out on being obnoxious drunks. At least it was a harmless and tasteful prank. They just made Olivia (<--Malvalio also likes her!) think he might possibly be demon-possessed, and then threw him in a dark room and tormented him for days.
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Back to the love triangle! Cuz here's where things get weird. Remember how Viola's brother died? Surprise, he's alive! And in Illyria! And with the captain who saved him! Naturally, he thinks his sister drowned <--because it's hard to swim in a dress! So sad.
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But while he's out mourning, he runs into...wait for it...OLIVIA! And because her love runs so deep, she immediately mistakes him for his sister-in-drag and corners him to profess her undying love. She must be one hot piece of ass, because a few stolen moments with her, and Sebastian is head over heels in love. Then she proposes to him. Whoo-hoo! Feminism! Hundreds of years later, and we're almost there, ladies!
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Olivia (savvy lady that she is) seems to have kept a priest on standby just for this sort of occasion because 15 minutes later, those two are saying their vows.
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Don't worry, I'm sure they are going to be very happy. Let's check in on Malvolio, shall we?
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Well, he seems fine! {insert more shenanigans here} Duke Orsino finds out that Olivia is in love with Cesario, and starts hauling him away to be killed. Viola/Cesario accepts her fate because she loves Orsino so much that she would rather DIE than cause him pain. If it were me, I'd vote for pain. Sorry, Orsino. Olivia, desperate to save her man, calls in the priest to attest that they are married. Which just confuses the hell out of Viola. But not for long! Because good old Uncle Toby comes running in with a story about getting his ass kicked by Cesario, followed quickly by the Imitation Cesario (aka Sebastian). At which point, everyone realizes that there are TWO Cesarios in the house. Damn! Shit just got real!
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It only takes several minutes of ridiculous questions for each of the (painfully stupid) Wonder Twins to realize that their sibling isn't dead. Your father had a mole? *gasp* My father had a mole!
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I know what you're thinking... How does Viola keep from becoming fertilizer in the Sea Witch's garden of shriveled souls? Good question, random person! It turns out, once Orsino realizes that A) Olivia is off the market and B) Cesario is a girl, he immediately transfers his undying love to her. Boom! Done! Happy Endings for everyone! Including Olivia's maid (and Punk'd accomplice), Maria, who gets married to the drunken prize, Toby.
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Oh, and don't worry about Malvolio. They eventually let him out. I mean, yeah, he's pretty much scarred for life and wanders away swearing to have his revenge, but I'm sure he'll get over it.
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It's a little-known fact that Twelfth Night wasn't Shakespeare's first choice for the name of this play. Originally, it was going to be called How Stupid Can You Be? <--Read it on the internet. Must be true. Ok, maybe not. Regardless, this was a fun story, and I quite enjoyed it.
I listened to this one on a Playaway device, and I got to hear a full cast of characters, sound effects, and music. Definitely the way to go!...more
THIS! This is what happens when you jump into a rebound relationship with both feet. So, when the story opens, Romeo is desperately in love with RosaliTHIS! This is what happens when you jump into a rebound relationship with both feet. So, when the story opens, Romeo is desperately in love with Rosaline. But since she won't give up that pussy has sworn to remain chaste, he's all depressed and heartbroken. Annoying emo style.
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His friends, tired of his constant whining, give him a Beyoncé mixtape. He takes her words to heart, and her lyrics begin to mend his broken soul.
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His boys drag his sad ass to a party, and across a crowded room, Romeo spies his next victim. I mean, his really really for real this time True Love.
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Meet 13 year old Juliet. Who is 13.
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And how old is Romeo? Well, he's old enough to kill Juliet's cousin in a sword fight, so...yeah. Probably not 13. But since he's such a punk little pussy - what with the whining, sobbing, and spouting off crap poetry - I'm going to assume he's not much older than she is and say 15 or 16. If I'm wrong, don't correct me. It'll help me sleep tonight.
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Tragically, Juliet is a Hatfield, and Romeo is a McCoy. Their families have been feuding over a McCoy pig that was killed during a Hatfield moonshine run decades ago. Totally true. I swear. Needless to say, tensions are still running high. So. Shhhhh. They gotta keep their love on the down low. And it is love, dammit! I mean, they've stared at each other a whole bunch and had liketwo conversations.
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This time around, Romeo isn't going to make the same mistake as before, and let the new girl of his dreams slip through his fingers. Fuck, yeah! Time to get married! Because marriage will solve all your problems. No, really. Pinkie promise.
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And we all know what happened next, right?!
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Well...Ish. You know, I can't help but wonder what that first encounter would've been like if they'd met when they were older?
Romeo: Hey baby, Heaven must be missing an angel. Mind if I crawl up to your balcony tonight?
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Juliet: The fuck?!
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*taser crackles...Romeo screams*
At any rate, this isn't a romance, it's a cautionary tale. And a pretty funny one at that! I originally gave it 3 stars, but I had to bump it up for making me smile as I remembered all the fun I had mistakes as a young woman - without drinking poison! Between Romeo & Juliet both crying, moping, and twirling around like tweenage girls and the rest of the cast flailing around to accommodate these idiots, this was way better than I remembered it.
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I listened to this on Playaway, so I got to have the audio version with a full cast of characters, sound effects, and music. Loved it! Totally recommend going this way if you're planning on trying out Shakespeare....more
