OLD BABES IN THE WOOD Stories

On audio, Margaret Atwood's new collection of short pieces is a mixed bag, both texts and performances. Many of these entries are less stories than witty finger exercises. Examples: Atwood has a conversation with a post-body George Orwell. Hypatia of Alexandria dryly describes being murdered by a misogynist mob with clam shells. A man comes to realize his wife has the soul of a snail. A teenage girl believes her mother is a witch. Most of the professional performances, particularly Linda Lavin's and Bahni Turpin's, are crisply effective. Less successfully, Atwood performs most of the elegiac Tig and Nell stories herself, including the title story. Psychologically shrewd though she is, her Canadian inflections distract, and some will miss the smooth polish of the trained actors. B.G. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]