I mentioned in a post about Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead that a new Audible Originals audio drama would be coming out, and now I’ve listened to the adaptation.
It’s a stunning production, the sort of thing I’ve always wished for, as a fan of BBC Radio dramas. “Why can’t we have audio fiction in the U.S.?” I’ve always wondered. What makes us not like it when the Brits do like it? Paramount Studios has a whole audio division — who knew? I guess I have been aware that scripted podcasts have become a thing, and plan to dig into it all.
Imagine a universe where this adaptation was as popular as a newest HBO Sunday night series, and there were podcasts about it, and people talking about it among their friends and coworkers, and debates on social media. But I haven’t seen much coverage of it at all.
Something about it feels different from BBC radio dramas, but I can’t put my finger on what it is. I noticed this one felt more “produced.” It has more sound effects, which seems intrusive at times.
Anyhow, I liked it. There’s a little more narrative invention than I’d prefer, but I’ve never been a purist about adaptations needing to be strictly faithful to their original texts. Audio productions and print novels are different media. Details and structure might have to change. I learned that 50 years ago in a college class called “Fiction to Film.” Keeping to the text doesn’t make an adaptation good or bad, and there’s no such thing as thinking either the book or the movie is “better.”
And things have to be left out. I can see why they cut Mr. Dick out of the story. He doesn’t advance the plot. But I did miss him.
Reader reviewers hated that the story was changed. Maybe that’s because Audible is mainly books spoken word for word, not adaptations of them. This is not an audiobook. Reader comments like “I hated the narrator” don’t even apply really. They didn’t seem to get it. UK readers liked it better.
Filmmaker Sam Mendes is credited as executive producer. I wonder how much he had to do with it. Shoot, I wonder what an exec producer for an audio drama even is.
Audible Originals are free with the Premium Plus membership tier. They encompass more than audio dramas.