Customer Reviews

Kaleidoscope

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"They fell..." "They fell like pebbles fall down wells... "

With this inauspicious beginning, the Mind's Eye Theatre does something that I never thought possible... They improved upon a master.

Ray Bradbury's original story "Kaleidoscope", of the last moments of a group of astronauts, is a truly poignant examination of humanity in freeze frame... A meteor destroys the rocket that the astronauts were travelling in before they could abandon ship with booster packs, thereby scattering them to the far reaches of the universe. The reactions of each man to imminent death is a true portrait of the variation of humanity.

The dramatic rendering of this story creates a sometimes clausterphobic, sometimes expansive feel, depending upon the reaction of each man. Hearing their final transmissions, their inner voices, their memories, and even their expectations of their very short futures makes one agonize and rejoice at each turn. This is voyeurism of humanity long before "Survivor" and "Big Brother". In this case, all of them have been voted off the island by something out of their control.

The superb acting, sound effects, and tight script turns an excellent story into a thrilling, poignant, emotionally taut masterwork. If you like Ray Bradbury, or if you just like good theater, buy this and all of the dramatic versions of his works. "There Was An Old Woman" is very enjoyable, if in a different vein...

Package received earlier than expected and in great condition! Using this as a resource for my theatre classroom since we are doing the play version. Very helpful!

Of all of the Bradbury Durkin-Hayes audiobooks, this is the weakest. "Kaleidoscope" is a good story, with the hopelessness being evident quickly, and it keeps well until the bitter end. "There Was an Old Woman" is hard to follow at first (it starts out as a one-woman perspective at first, but changes later). It's a good story too, but not as good as the others in the series. Both are definitely worth listening to though.

Kaleidoscope and There Was an Old Woman are both well acted and well told stories that you have to visualize in your mind what the characters and situation looks like. It is better then just a plain audio book where someone is just reading and even better then a TV show where there is little left to imagine. I do take issue with the commentary by Ray Bradbury at the end of the stories. He seems to say we should be afraid of time and death, which is something I don't believe. The fact that life in this universe is limited is what makes it precious and we don't know what lies beyond this life that also makes the journey that much greater. I also take issue with the notion that certain people that are "genetically endowed" should be given preferential treatment by not being put in harms way because of the creative contribution they will give to our society. Who is to say who will be a greater contributor to society because of there genes? And further more it is by not given anyone special consideration and watching them work and struggle by themselves is what brings about creative genius.