Aspects of love
Christopher Holmes
rirninally atmospheric music introduces Ian Rankin's Witch Hunt. The scene is set for a gripping detective thriller from the successful Rankin, this time writing as Jack Harvey. There is no trace of Inspector Rebus or the Glasgow low life of past successes; here the author tells a compelling tale of intrigue, double-cross and revenge, which translates superbly to tape. Nicola Walker — it was a brave but inspired choice to have a female narrator — succeeds in evoking and differentiating all the major characters. She represents a female Bob Hoskins or John Mc Vicar, gravely understating, often noir; and is equally enticing as the plodding special branch officer, Doyle, or the functional bureaucrat, Joyce Parry. But perhaps her greatest peformance is the French secret services officer, Dominique: steely, sassy and sexy. There are also some piquant one-liners, about, for example, the idiosyncratic suspension in 2CVs and the incomprehensibility of Pincheon's Gravity's Rainbow.
Witch Hunt builds to a gripping finale with the femme fatale, the witch of the title, tracked down for an early-hours game of cat and mouse around the ancient city of York. Walker holds the listener transfixed throughout. As the sinister theme tune emerges once more, the listener is left thoroughly satisfied, knowing it is only a matter of time before Jack Harvey appears again with another compelling tale.
There is always something to be gained from a biography or memoir being read by its author. And That's Not All, the autobiography of Joan Plowright, is no exception. Every scene, every story recounted, every nuance gains extra effect and feeling when spoken by Plowright herself. The three hours fly by, taking in all her major stage performances. Perhaps the most touching aspect of the book is how Plowright's devotion to her husband, Laurence Olivier, permeates every aspect of her busy life. When remembering her own career — starting Out at the Royal Court, taking on Shakespeare at the newly formed National Theatre, or playing to packed houses in New York — Plowright is gracious, authoritative and wonderfully self-effacing. When she speaks of 'Larry' her voice fills with dedication and truly selfless love.
A recollection of a journey in 1967 almost melts the tape. Olivier believes himself to be dying. In the taxi-ride to hospital in London the driver is asked to take detour after detour as the first knight of the stage revisits places from his past, believing this to be his final curtain call. When they arrive at the Old Vic, a group of carpenters, stage-designers and security men are put in a line for their director. The true pathos of this moment brought tears to my eyes as I felt the raw emotion of all present. And That's Not All is a must for anyone interested in the stage, Lord Olivier, or simply a series of diverse characters from our recent cultural history.
Martin Jarvis, the voice of the audio book, makes another useful contribution to his pension fund in Classic Love Stories. This collection represents a rather lovely idea: stories being read by husband and wife teams: Jarvis and Rosalind Ayres; Edward Fox and Joanna David. The concept works well throughout: Jarvis's reading of Wilde's 'The Sphinx Without a Secret' sets the cassette off in fine form. Kipling's 'Georgie Porgie', read by Edward Fox, is equally memorable. But the problem with the enterprise is that the collection is something of a misnomer. Classic love stories are, in reality, in short supply. There are certainly some nuggets of heartfelt emotion, The Singing Lesson' by Katherine Mansfield, read by Rosalind Ayres, being particularly pleasing. But the collection would have been better titled 'Unrequited Love', as heard in Sabine Baring-Gould's `Genefer', or Katherine Mansfield's 'Mr and Mrs Dove', both read by Rosalind Ayres. Or if not 'Unrequited' then maybe 'Aspects of Love' would suit better, as illustrated in 'The Patch on the Quilt' by Sapper, read by Edward Fox, or Dickens's superb sketch in The Bagman's Story', completing the collection, as it began, with the familiar tones of Martin Jarvis.
Classic Love Stories will provide a wonderful distraction for those long car journeys or the daily commute, but don't rely on the 'happy ever after' ending.
Witch Hunt, Orion, 112.99 And That's Not All, HatperCollins, £9.99 Classic Love Stories, CSA Tell Tapes, £13.99 (Tel: 020 8871 0220)
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