The Graduate

It's impossible to listen to the L.A. Theatre Works production of THE GRADUATE and not envision the 1967 movie starring Dustin Hoffman. And that's not a bad thing, especially when the audio version features the whiskey-voiced Kathleen Turner stepping into the role of the original cougar, Mrs. Robinson. If anyone can make listeners forget Anne Bancroft, it's Turner. With a nod to Hoffman, Matthew Rhys plays Benjamin Braddock, a young college graduate trying to find his way in the world. His path gets complicated when he has an affair with Mrs. Robinson and then falls in love with her daughter, played by Devon Sorvari. The actors make the performance come to life, a play for the theater of the mind. M.S. (c) AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

January 26, 2009
Graduating college provided no answers for Benjamin Braddock; it only furthered his frustration and angst with the world. Upon returning home, his disdain leads him into an affair with Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's business partner. However, no sooner does Braddock score with her than he is off courting her daughter, Elaine, in some perverse rendition of the Oedipal complex. Brick provides a strong narration of the text and executes believable voices for his male and female characters, as usual. His delivery of Benjamin is distinct enough to not seem derivative of Dustin Hoffman's performance in the 1967 film adaptation. However, Brick often portrays Benjamin as a whiney and petulant dolt much more than Webb's spare and sly 1963 novel suggests, which undermines the character's narrative. A Washington Square Press paperback.

Starred review from September 26, 2011
“Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me.” Those words, uttered by naïve college graduate Benjamin Braddock, haven’t been so compelling since Dustin Hoffman spoke them in the 1967 film adaptation of Webb’s novel. Now, Braddock’s famous line takes on new life via this full cast production from L.A. Theatre Works that infuses the classic tale with raw emotion and perfect comedic timing. Matthew Rhys delivers a standout performance as Braddock, making the role his own through an understated performance replete with subtle shifts in tone that will have listeners in stitches. The legendary Kathleen Turner is solid and reliable as always, capturing the flare and tenacity of Mrs. Robinson with the greatest of ease. This top-notch production is a fabulous listening experience.

Set during the sexual revolution of the 1960s, this classic story of a directionless college graduate is performed in all of its soap-opera glory. Benjamin Braddock is seduced into a summer affair with the frigid wife of a family friend but is soon conflicted over his attraction to his lover's daughter. Scott Brick displays a wide range of vocal styles and gives a melancholic yet playful performance that captures character personalities with precision. It's a superb delivery--from the high-pitched voice of insecure, sexually inexperienced Benjamin and the browbeating tones of his parents to the husky, sultry voice of Mrs. Robinson. Brick's sexy bass voice and measured pace make this a deliciously fun distraction listeners will enjoy. A.L.B. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine