The Truth APM, 18 October 2012
Edgar Allan Poe continues to fascinate listeners and readers of all ages,
over a century and a half after his death. A recent anthology ADAPTING POE (Palgrave, 2012), includea a variety of contributions
looking at the way in which his stories have been adapted in films, television, popular music, video games and graphic novels.
A trawl through the internet will yield some wonderful radio adaptations (some of which I have previously reviewed on Radio
Drama Reviews).
Produced to celebrate Hallowe'en, The Death of Edgar Allan Poe is based
on the experiences of listener Matthew Mercier, the caretaker of the author's last home. With the help of Truth APM
regulars Ed Herbstman, Chet Siegel and Louis Kornfeld, producer/director Jonathan Mitchell imagines what Poe's last hours
might have been like.
It would be unfair of me to reveal too much of the plot, but suffice to say that
the drama involves drunkenness, violence and haunting beyond the grave. Poe's stories often depict characters reaching
back from the dead to haunt those who are still living; this is precisely what happens in Mitchell's drama. Those
who want to find out more about the conflicting theories surrounding Poe's death can find ample resources online.
This production, as ever with The Truth APM's repertoire, was crisply
written and convincingly vocalized.
