LIAR & SPY

Georges has lots of issues. His best friend dumped him for the “cool” crowd, his family moved from their home to an apartment after his dad became unemployed, and he rarely sees his mother as she works extra shifts at the hospital. Now he’s encountering middle school bullying, the mysterious Spy Club, and Safer, an eccentric 12-year-old home-schooled loner in need of a friend. Jesse Bernstein does a good job of voicing Georges. Other aspects of the production fall short, such as the portrayal of one character who spells his words using Ben Franklin’s unconventional spelling rules, which are easier to understand with the eyes than with the ears. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2012]