Audio Book Review: The Withering of Willoughby and the Professor

This is a very strange audio with lots of craziness. It is compiled from weekly broadcast episodes.

The Withering of Willoughby and the Professor

by Joe Bevilacqua  

• Audible Audio Edition
• Listening Length: 8 hours and 8 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: Waterlogg Productions
• Audible.com Release Date: June 13, 2011
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0055T6XMK

Genre:  Fantasy Comedy, Sci Fi
My Rating:  3.75 of 5.0  (4.25 for performance; 3.0 for story)

As heard on Sirius XM Radio and NPR stations!

This is epic science-fiction fantasy comedy, in the Monty Python/Terry Gilliam vein, about a boy and his professor who travel willy-nilly across time and space in a failed attempt to ''cure the world of all its ills''. Produced, directed, and voiced by Joe Bevilacqua, with David Garland and Margaret Juntwait, written by Joe Bevilacqua and Robert J. Cirasa, theme music by David Garland, musical numbers written by Joe Bevilacqua, performed by the Paul Salomone Trio with Paul on piano, Ed Fuqua on bass, and Jim Mason on drums.

Review:
The Professor is trying to rid the world of ills with the help of his eager, young assistant, Willoughby. The efforts begin trying to transport a box of roaches away from civilization but they end up transporting themselves along with the box to foreign sands.  Then, through mishaps at the lab, they begin bouncing backward and forward in time and space meeting some strange characters along the way.  

The author wrote the musicals pieces and they really are quite fun; I liked them alot. The sound effects for the most part are wonderful. Unfortunately the story sometimes gets lost and overwhelmed by the sound but I’m not sure that isn’t intentional. There were several episodes that seem to be unrelated or at least very off track.  Then again... I hadn’t thought about this being a comedy in the vein of Monty Python which should have given me a clue that things might go far afield.  The story eventually rolls back onto the theme but still doesn’t have a clear resolution for me, although the Professor does seem to realize that he may make things worse by interfering with nature. There is some toilet humor, another “ala Monty Python” trait. Also parts of the story and some of the effects may be scary for young children so I suggest parental listening before sharing.

** Added comments: In emailing with the author I learned that there will be more episodes so that is why there was not a clear ending. I also learned that Joe is the SOLE voice (except for the addition of a female in the 16th episode.) That he does all of these voices himself is really extra remarkable.

I would give this a 4.25 for audio performance but I have to give it a 3.0 for the story.  However, if you are a person who really likes “wacky” as well as fun audio, this would be a good pick.  The author was kind enough to send along some other audios, including Sherlock Holmes and Abbott and Costello. I am looking forward to listening to those and will share comments on them when I do.

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Thank you to Joe Bevilacqua and AudioJukebox for providing this Audio fun.
I will include this on my ARC, New Authors and Audio Challenges.