The Old Curiosity Shop

This BBC production of Dickens' evergreen tearjerker could benefit from Callow's showmanship and understanding. It exemplifies the generic house style of the London studios in the 1970's and '80's, as opposed to some of the more contemporary and dynamic work being done at the time in the Beeb's regional operations. Competent but superficial, efficiently adapted and performed, deficient in personality, enjoyable if not first rate. Y.R. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

This 1841 exercise in pathos and villainy defines "Dickensian" in all its fascinatingly repulsive excess, containing as it does one of the most celebrated scenes in all Victorian fiction--the death of Little Nell. The abridgment heard here excises many of the author's tedious redundancies (he was paid by the word) while retaining most of what makes Dickens Dickens. Scofield, one of the giants of the British stage, turns the redaction into a lesson in actor's tact. He has decided to meet the melodrama head on but with the utmost control. He gives us the lush narrative intimately, as if reading to us at our elbow, and engraves the characters with all the vividness of an aural Daumier or Hogarth. He pulls out the stops on heaviness and gloom without actually becoming bogged down by them, his warmth and love of the material keeping him buoyant. In addition to his histrionic acumen and artistry, he possesses one of the most distinctive and exciting voices of the English-speaking world. It would be a pleasure to hear him read the London phone book. Warning: Sensitive listeners should purchase a box of Kleenex to keep handy before playing this recording. Y.R. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

For listeners who shy away from Dickens because of the oppressive length of some of his novels, audio programs like this one are an ideal alternative. THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP is the story of Little Nell, who really isn't that little, and her grandfather, who tries to build a fortune for her by gambling. At about three times the length of a stage play, this dramatization bites off a good chunk of the novel. While the production uses music and sound effects tastefully, the focus is on the acting, and the entire cast is excellent. Phil Daniels is suitably evil sounding in his role as Quilp, the creditor, and narrator Alex Jennings is the ideal scene-setter and guide. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Dickens milks pathos for all it's worth in this famously tear-jerking account of the trials and tribulations of Little Nell and her poor grandfather, proprietor of the title emporium, at the hands of fate, a feckless relative, and, especially, an evil dwarf. Nell's death scene is one of the most famous passages in all of Victorian literature. The fustian prose and numerous memorable characters are ably represented by Anton Lesser. Vocally, he paints a cloudy sky over the entire oral landscape, neglecting the irony and touches of humor that occasionally relieve the gloom. The abridgment he reads from retains much of the style, as well as the plot, of the original. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Anton Lesser is well known to those who love Dickens on audio. He's a consummate professional who brings the nuanced phrases and finely honed humor of Dickens to life. One of the author's darker tales, shot through with villains and fools led astray by the perceived power of money, this title requires an expert narration to deliver this story successfully. Lesser provides just that, switching deftly from the sweet and gentle Nell to her beloved grandfather and his tortured decline into a senile, conniving old man. Lesser's vocal strength is mesmerizing. He even manages to make Quilp, the grotesque dwarf obsessed with Nell's downfall, seem a little sympathetic as he depicts the character's tormented existence. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine