Tag: Dave McKean

The Homecoming by Ray Bradbury

SFFaudio Online Audio

The Homecoming by Ray Bradbury

Here’s an Octobery treat for you, The Homecoming by Ray Bradbury as read by Scott Lefebvre.

Timothy feels like an outsider at his family reunion – he just doesn’t fit in; he doesn’t drink blood, he can’t fly, and isn’t immortal – not the rest of the family, which is made up of witches, vampires and werewolves.

Here’s Lawrence’s stunning illustration of The Homecoming from Famous Fantastic Mysteries, December 1952:

Lawrence illustration of The Homecoming by Ray Bradbury

“Homecoming”, as it was first titled, was first published in Mademoiselle, October 1946, and was “plucked from the pile of unsolicited manuscripts” by Mademoiselle’s editorial assistant, Truman Capote. This came, apparently, after its rejection by Weird Tales – a market where Bradbury had often earlier seen print. Mainstream publication lead to mainstream awards, and to more mainstream publications. But, it also showed up, as did so many of Bradbury’s works as reprints in genre magazines, like Famous Fantastic Mysteries, and in more recent years even as picture book version, with illustrations by Dave Mckean.

The Homecoming by Ray Bradbury - illustrated by Dave Mckean

Posted by Jesse Willis

Review of The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr Punch: A Romance

Fantasy Audio Drama - Mr. Punch by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKeanThe Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr Punch: A Romance
By Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean; Performed by a Full Cast
STREAMING AUDIO LINK BELOW
1 Hour [AUDIO DRAMA]
Publisher: BBC Radio 3
Published: March 3rd 2005
Themes: / Fantasy / Mythology / Puppetry / England / Memory /

“That’s the way to do it!”

Audio drama is a hit or miss affair, but the BBC knows its stuff, so it is really terrific that they produced this adaptation of a Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s graphic novel. The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr Punch: A Romance is somber reminiscence of a young English boy’s familial experiences and the resonance it had with the seaside Punch and Judy shows. North American audiences probably aren’t familiar with the Punch and Judy so I’ll lay out the basics… Punch and Judy is a popular British puppet show for children, featuring Mr. Punch and his “bit of stuff” Judy. The performances consist of short scenes, each of which depict an interaction between the chaotic trickster Mr. Punch and one other character. The Punch and Judy show is always performed by a single puppeteer, (known in the trade as a Professor), which is why only two characters can be on stage at the same time. Mr. Punch is a hunchback who sports a hideous grin, beady piercing eyes, a giant chin, hooked nose and the dress of a court jester. Mr. Punch usually carries a stick, with which he happily beats the other character on stage. The other character could be Judy, her baby, a crocodile, the devil or even a string of naughty sausages. The plot of this particular audio drama shows us how the particular staging of a Punch and Judy show doesn’t vary the particular impact on the audience except when one has been cast in the play. McKean’s original piano score haunts the production and the actors all play their roles to perfection. While not as engaging as some of Gaiman’s later work this tale is nonetheless very neatly woven. This radio drama will be archived for one month on the BBC Radio 3 website. So listen while you may you naughty little sausages!

STREAMING AUDIO LINK:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio3_aod.shtml?radio3/thewire

Narrator …… Richard Dillane
Swatchell …… Alexander Morton
Grandfather …… Hugh Dickson
Morton …… Karl Johnson
Boy …… Jonathan Bee
Mermaid …… Rachel Atkins
Grandmother …… Susan Jameson
Father …… Stuart McLoughlin
Mr Punch …… Geoff Felix
Sister …… Frankie Dean
Music by Dave McKean and Ashley Slater
Directed by Lu Kemp

Posted by Jesse Willis