Focus on the Family audio dramas

Moderators: Ariel.of.Narnia, jesusgirl4ever, Ajnos

Post Reply
User avatar
Tenethia
Site Admin
Posts: 2647
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:43 pm
Location: Sticking my head in an oil jar... for some reason.

Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by Tenethia » Wed Aug 28, 2013 5:11 am

I'm going to listen to PC before I say anything more, but I figured through HHB was enough for now.
Oh my, this could be a long post for me. The Focus on the Family Radio Theatre dramas are, I believe, the first introduction to Narnia I had. I think my sister had tried reading the books to me before then, but I was fidgety and wasn’t able to enjoy them. Then I got hold of those audio dramas. They. Are. Amazing. It would be impossible for me to point out everything about them that I enjoyed, but I shall go through each of the dramas, and write what I remember.

In General

Each drama was very well-done. The best part to me was the scripting. It stayed true to the books! They changed some narration to characterization and cut out some book quotes, but they did keep all the best quotes in, and the plots went right with the books. The casting was also fantastic (I will get into that in more depth later on), as was the music.

The Magician’s Nephew

Squee! A beautiful start to the Chronicles was produced in this audio drama. The casting was pretty fantastic! They cast the perfect Jadis, one I actually preferred over Tilda Swinton. She was cold and harsh, and the voice was perfectly evil. The performance of Uncle Andrew was also exceptional. I didn’t realize you could capture “Mad Scientist” in your voice, but that actor did that for me. His voice portrayed the wretched “courtesy” he showed Digory in that first scene, and continued when he wished to kill the lion and become a millionaire.

Also, he did enjoy his brandy. That was very book-verse.

Digory was amazing also. I think the thing I remember most was the love he had for his dying mother. You could just tell in his voice that he really felt what he was saying. Oh, I also remember his conversation with his uncle. He was very indignant and protective of Polly, and I really appreciated that. While we’re on the subject of casting, we may as well cover Aslan. I personally liked him, though I know people who would say differently. I definitely preferred the Walden Aslan over the audio drama verse Aslan, but I still liked that one. His voice always had a growl in it. Not a bad growl, but if you imagined a lion talking, and his voice being low and (I suppose) you could say gravelly. It was more a personified lion than a human.

Aslan’s song. I am not quite sure if it was the song he was singing that was playing, or background music, but I think they meant it to be his song. It was definitely not the way I’d imagine a lion to sing, though when you read the book you understand that there were high notes and low notes. The song was almost like a choir, and I think it may have had some bells too, but I’m not sure anymore. Anyway, I never drew a conclusion on whether I liked that or not.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Double-squee! Now I get to talk about the Pevensie’s! Yay! Peter was fantastic. The voice (in my opinion) reminded me of William Mosely, but it was a beautiful Peter. A book-verse Peter. Those are the best. Susan was very motherly, and wasn’t pouty like in the movie. Her voice was similar to Anna’s, but a much preferred voice than hers. Edmund was awesome. I’m not sure what was up with his voice, or how exactly to describe what it was like. His voice wasn’t exactly nasal, I don’t think, but not exactly /not/ nasal… I loved him anyhow. Lucy. Oh, Lucy was amazing! I could go on and on about that actress. She was just like I’d imagined Lucy to sound like, had a very sweet and child-like personality, and *squee*.

OK, on with it. Mr. Tumnus was also well-cast. Much preferred over James McAvoy. The tune he played for Lucy didn’t exactly make me want to cry so much as jump for joy and dance and learn it on my own flute, but then I wonder if any human tune is even possible to do that. I’ve certainly never heard one.

The scene of the sacrifice made at the stone table was terrific. It was intense, and tearful and very difficult to describe.

The Horse and his Boy

Pardon me while I lounge around on my favorite audio drama. It had talking horses and Aravis. And Cor and Corin. And older Edmund and older Susan. And it was awesome.

OK, let’s get started with Bree and Hwin. They were like I described Aslan. Rather than being a horse with a completely human voice, Bree and Hwin were horses with humanized voices, the way you’d imagine a horse would talk if it could, with whinnies and broo-hoo-hoos and broo-ha-has. I personally enjoyed it.
Aravis was awesome. Her voice was perfect, and portrayed the pride she had, and her voice seemed to become softer as she changed through the drama. And the Calormen speech – oh, it’s poetry :P am I the only one to think that?

Lasaraleen was a winner. Her voice was almost nasally and very lazy. This drama gave me a love/hate relationship with her. I love her character and the way she was played and even a bit how she was so… out there… but it made me disgusted with her just the same when she was being a jerk after being behind the sofa.

And speaking of being behind the sofa, they cut out the grand vizier in that scene. Not a good move. It was much shorter than I believe it should have been. I needed more poets. And more of Aravis seeing her betrothed face to face and not marrying him. After all, that /is/ why she’s running away. Rabadash was simply amazing though. He was the perfect balance of sneaky and courteous. His voice was really amazing. Besides that, the Tisroc was also rather well done in that scene.

Cor and Corin were winners. I loved Corin. His voice was amazing, so mischievous! And King Lune was also great…. I had no idea it was possible to tell how what somebody looked like by their voice, but when I heard him, I imagined him just as the book said he was (that would be fat and jolly) And the line that sticks most with me from the segment where Shasta first meets Lune: “Corin! My son! And on foot and in rags! What?!” Not a line in the book, but adds a bit, I think, without taking away from the book-verse stuff.
Do I have to stop here? I loved the grown-up Susan.

Ooooh, and one moment I really loved! When Shasta was in Tashbaan in the streets, the Lords of Narnia spot him and grab him. In the book, it had describe them as walking with a spring in their step and whistling and bare-headed. In the audio drama, they had them actually whistle and they had some amazing music playing just in the background. It would have been fine without the tune, but the tune was so… Narnian-lords-going-through-tashbaan-looking-for-a-prince-ish that it really added to the scene.

OK… I really should stop there. Chocolate pudding to those who have read thus far!

So I was wondering what everyone else thought of the casting and the scripting and what not.
Image
Lady Tenethia, Moderator and Contributor
This is my favorite scripture passage ^.^
User avatar
Ariel.of.Narnia
Site Admin
Posts: 11696
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:21 pm
Location: hiding in a wardrobe
Contact:

Re: Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by Ariel.of.Narnia » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:50 pm

The audio dramas were also my first introduction to Narnia (though the books still seemed like a whole new world when I read them later). The music was great, I approved of most of the voices (the only one I currently remember not agreeing with at all was David Suchet as Aslan... though Jadis might have been on that list too? it's been a while... oh and I-have-a-stuffy-nose PC Caspian :) ). I loved how close they are to the books and how vivid the voices are (eg: Trufflehunter has that soft, earthy voice; LotGK was all trilly and bright; Reep (as much as I love Eddie Izzard and Simon Pegg's voices in the movies) was good and mousy; etc). The intros and outros by Douglas Gresham were a great touch.
And a ton of stuff I can't seem to remember right now.
Yeah. I like the audio drama. A lot. :D
knight and scribe
Image
lyrics from TobyMac's "New World"
User avatar
ShiofNarnia
Knight
Posts: 720
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:10 pm
Location: Am I on the Grid?

Re: Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by ShiofNarnia » Wed Sep 18, 2013 4:12 am

Yeah they follow the books well; and I agree Ariel, I don't like Aslan's voice, which is terrible - you should be able to like his voice. I like the narrator's voice. I think I remember liking Rilian's voice.
Image
Lady Shi, Royal Photographer and Otter Keeper
User avatar
Ajnos
Site Admin
Posts: 468
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:07 pm
Location: Where the Stars are Strange

Re: Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by Ajnos » Wed Sep 18, 2013 8:37 am

Alas, I've never heard the FotF dramas. I really need to do something about that.

I've heard other people complain about Aslan's voice in it though. Which is interesting; because it was David Suchet, who's really a good actor (I know him best as Poirot). Of course, being a good actor doesn't mean his voice is suitable as Aslan. I actually heard him voice Aslan at the LWW play that Silkdash and I went to see in London. I thought he was okay in that, but considering the unusual costuming and props, I was focussing on things other than his voice ;)
Image
Thank you for the set Happy!!

Born a Daughter of Eve; Now a Daughter of the Second Adam
User avatar
Tenethia
Site Admin
Posts: 2647
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:43 pm
Location: Sticking my head in an oil jar... for some reason.

Re: Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by Tenethia » Wed Sep 18, 2013 4:45 pm

Yay, Ajjie liked the Aslan! I preferred the voice of the movie Aslan, however, I did happen to like this version. It wasn't a human voice. It was more.... humanized... You know, what would a lion sound like if he was human?
Image
Lady Tenethia, Moderator and Contributor
This is my favorite scripture passage ^.^
User avatar
Ariel.of.Narnia
Site Admin
Posts: 11696
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:21 pm
Location: hiding in a wardrobe
Contact:

Re: Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by Ariel.of.Narnia » Wed Sep 18, 2013 5:34 pm

Ajnos wrote:Alas, I've never heard the FotF dramas. I really need to do something about that.
Yes. Yes you should. :D
knight and scribe
Image
lyrics from TobyMac's "New World"
jasmine_tarkheena
Fanatic: At the broken stone table
Posts: 250
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2022 3:34 am

Re: Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by jasmine_tarkheena » Thu Feb 17, 2022 11:47 pm

I have streamed the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre Adaption of Narnia. I thought they were really good, and for the most part, stayed true to the books.

I really like the prologue and epilogue by Douglas Gresham, C.S Lewis's stepson. It's nice to hear the story behind the books. In The Magician's Nephew, Douglas Gresham explained how both he and CS Lewis have each lost their own mothers when they were still young.

There is quite a lot I could say about the casting. David Suchet as a powerful voice as Aslan. He is perhaps the hardest character to get right. The kids do a superb job. Elizabeth Eaton brings out the innocence in Lucy. Matthew White does a superb job as Edmund. Katherine Suchet, who is David Suchet's daughter in real life voices Susan. Then Freddie Fiendly portrays Peter, who brings such leadership in his voice. Then there's Steven Webb as Eustace. Then you have Jade Williams as Jill. So each of the children do a superb job. Even the villains do a superb job. Victor Spinetti, who have previously voiced Mr. Tumnus in the 1979 animated adaption of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, voices Shift the Ape in The Last Battle. Who knew? Stash Kirkebride brought out the threat in Rishda Tarkaan, though he does come off as too over the top at times. Then Elizabeth Counsel portrays the White Witch. She brought out the villainess streak in her.

So there is much to say about the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre.
User avatar
Ariel.of.Narnia
Site Admin
Posts: 11696
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 7:21 pm
Location: hiding in a wardrobe
Contact:

Re: Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by Ariel.of.Narnia » Fri Feb 18, 2022 8:39 pm

I didn’t realize there was an animated!Narnia voice in the FotF cast! That’s so cool!
knight and scribe
Image
lyrics from TobyMac's "New World"
jasmine_tarkheena
Fanatic: At the broken stone table
Posts: 250
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2022 3:34 am

Re: Focus on the Family audio dramas

Post by jasmine_tarkheena » Fri May 27, 2022 2:47 pm

I can almost see the epilogue in each episode almost sounding like a curtain call.
Post Reply

Return to “Audio books and dramas”