Review of In The Embers

In The Embers
Reviewed by Michael Feir
overall Rating: 23/25

Produced by: Great Northern Audio
greatnorthernaudio.com

Available from:
zbs.org

Price at time of review: digital download $10.00 US

Cast and Credits:

• Edwin Strout – Digger Morgan
• Robin Miles – Kit Jeffers
• Olivia DuFord – Young Alice Jeffers
• Dawn Krosnowski – Susan
• Gordon Smuder – Tom
• Susanne Becker – Cindy
• Tom Joyal – Berringer
• Charlie Meitzner – Denny
• Dean Johnson – Epstein
• Jacquie Maddix – Old Alice
• E. G. Bailey – Reynolds

? Written and Produced by Brian Price and Jerry Stearns
? Recorded by Jerry Stearns
? Music by Mike Wheaton
? Songs by Mike Wheaton and Brian Price
? Directed by Brian Price
? Cover art by Christine Mitzuk
? Mixed at Froggy Acres, Fort Miller, New York, with Tom Lopez


The Story: 4/5
Every once in a while, stories manage to transcend what their descriptions would suggest. This is a case in point. Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm not really into jazz music or particularly interested in the history of musicians. This story has that as its core but draws in so many other things that it manages what no Math class I've taken ever did. It made me deeply care. I was left a bit shell shocked at just how much was packed into this feature-length audio drama.

Legal requirements force a construction company to halt work on a development project until an archaeological assessment is completed. Enter Digger Morgan, a young high-tech deeply committed archaeologist and friends. In the course of their excavations, Digger discovers that a moment of tragic death has been recorded within a charred wooden beam of what was once a barn. The voice of a jazz musician attempting to save her younger sister can clearly be heard. Drawn in by the mystery, Digger soon finds that the spirit of the once popular musician Kit Jeffers has somehow begun to inhabit his laptop computer. This drama explores many areas of thought including history, quantum physics, and even a kind of time travel. These threads are woven together into a surprisingly effective tale. I really don't want to damage your experience of this story any more than necessary so I'll leave you there to discover the rest. As my rating above indicates, the trip is well worth taking.

The Performance: 4/5

The actors were quite well cast and deliver fully throughout the story. The only exception to this spot-on casting would be Jacquie Maddix as the older Alice Jeffers. Something just didn't click there. To my ears, she simply didn't sound decrepit enough. She did, however, say her lines well. A matter of chosen voice being a bit off the mark rather than the effort or delivery. I honestly can't think of any other problems I had with any performance. Robin Miles was brilliant as Kit Jeffers. Edwin Strout was a splendid Digger Morgan. He pulls you right into his ob cession and makes it believable. Dean Johnson as the record store owner Epstein. I can appreciate his somewhat defensive approach to an unknown person's curiosity. As someone who has winced at what has been done with information I have provided out of a sense of generosity, I get where he's coming from.

The Sound craft: 5/5

The temptation when thinking of truly excellent sound work is to think epic. Dirk Maggs's splendid work on the final three phases of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy being a perfect example. However, some stories simply don't call for that kind of approach. This is a story of home and unfortunate history. It should and does convey that sense of natural familiarity. Nothing is artificially pointed to by musical cues or other sonic devices. When strange things happen, their impact is all the more felt when set against the low-key sonic approach taken by Price and Stearns. Great Northern Audio is better known for quirky comedic fair. They could have done things very differently. There are many moments where music or strange effects might have pushed the piece more into the comedic. For me, that would have wrecked the whole story robbing it of its power. They resisted the temptation at every turn and thereby earned full marks from me.

The Music: 5/5

A deliberate and wise choice was made not to score this drama in a traditional manner. The music heard was limited to what would be heard naturally by the characters. This emphasizes the importance of the pieces of jazz music when they actually appear. I feel somewhat ill-equipped to render a verdict on the jazz music not having been a fan. To my rather uninformed ears, it was quite well executed and certainly passes muster. It gives a central context to the characters and their journeys without overpowering them. I find myself placed in the strange position of giving the music full marks largely due to its absence. Any attempt to underscore the unfolding drama with movie-style fare would have reduced the power of the story.

The Overall Creation: 5/5

Nothing goes wrong with the mixing the ingredients of this quietly powerful audio drama. Its message is gently but oh so fully delivered. You won't come away wowed by crazy audio effects. Lovers of hard-hitting action may wish to look elsewhere. However, for people who can appreciate a journey of mind and character, you won't regret the time or money spent on this work. Be certain to grab the free Making of In the Embers documentary available on
www.zbs.org
It's well worth the listen just like extras provided with DVD releases. This documentary covers all aspects of the creation of In the Embers and left me very satisfied as a customer.