THE PLAYERS

Narrator Emma Gregory takes on this complex story of revenge, defeat, and political intrigue, set in 1685 Dorset, England. Charles II's illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle, James II, only to experience defeat and beheading. The Duke of Granville and his mother, Lady Jayne Harrier, secret allies of Monmouth, work to save his remaining soldiers from the gallows. Gregory's accents frequently fluctuate in strength, particularly throughout long-winded political discourse, distracting listeners from the confusing storyline. However, she delivers the hard-edged Dorset accent for the story's narrator and local residents, growls for the women, and provides a smattering of Dutch and highborn English for the aristocrats. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2025]