SKIOS

Frayn pens another intelligent farce, which does not skimp on the hilarity of misadventure and false identity. In contrast, Robin Sachs gives a witty, somber tone to his performance of various clueless characters, which belies their befuddlement. He matches Frayn's spot-on pacing chapter by chapter, keeping stride with the author's parody of intellectuals, pseudo-intellectuals, and imposters. Sachs's bemused delivery is especially endearing as he reveals the hypocrisy of pompous seekers of universal truth, hapless grifters, and public relations professionals. Implausible mistaken identities feature in this romantic comedy, which is reminiscent of both the Marx brothers and Shakespeare. An eminent “scientific management of science” authority arrives on the Greek island of Skios to deliver a keynote address, but the event dissolves into a mix of hi-jinks, rollicking schemes, and lust-driven fabrications. A.W. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2012]