OUT OF ABATON: THE WOODEN PRINCE

Bemis’s wonderful steampunk version of “Pinocchio” is elevated far above the ordinary by Ralph Lister’s incomparable narration and the story’s accompanying music and sound effects. Lister’s handling of each character transition is seamless. Pinocchio, a young automa, is taken from the Venetian palace and sent to the fugitive alchemist Gepetto. As he bonds with his new master, Pinocchio begins his transformation into a living, thinking boy whose voice is at first timid and then confident as he adjusts to the new experience of having feelings. The music swells at each story revelation, and background sounds match each scene perfectly. When underground, there is the subtle drip of water; outside, the heavy beats of the winged lions and marching soldiers. A truly outstanding production. M.F.T. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2016]