The Picture of Dorian Gray

One of the most famous of the original nineteenth-century gothic horror novels, this story follows glamorous and youthful Dorian Gray, who becomes corrupted by the fear of his own mortality. Soon, he discovers that while his portrait may age, he will not, a knowledge that leads to his ultimate downfall. Simon Vance's portrayal of each character is spot-on. His Lord Henry is casual, dismissive, and haughty. His Basil Hallward, the artist infatuated with Dorian, comes across as timid and pitiful but always endearing. Best of all, Vance's Dorian Gray exudes youth and impetuousness at the beginning, but quickly darkens once the character's madness takes hold. While at times seeming the slightest bit rushed, Vance nonetheless finds the essence of each character, making Wilde's work a delightfully creepy listen. A.A. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine


Oscar Wilde's witty prose, so often shaped into lovely aphorisms, cries out to be read aloud. As a result, this fine adaptation has a lot to work with, and the members of the cast deliver it well, bringing out both the glittering surface and underlying emotional resonance of this macabre tale of forbidden passion and hidden sin. As fits the prose, the actors often seem to be declaiming, and each line can stand alone. This makes the work all the more apt for audio production. The only weakness is an excess of sound effects. They aren't bad, but they aren't needed. Wilde's wit is enough in itself. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine