Cyrano

Filmed by the BBC, the latest entry in GlobalStage's children's theatrical series presents the familiar Cyrano story via a three-person cast, sparse production details, and introduction by the scholarly Elizabeth McNamer and her 12-year-old sidekick Preston. The acting and adaptation are first-rate, but the language; paucity of action, set, and costume; confusing duplication of roles; and adult themes would little appeal to the targeted 6-to-14-year-old age group, I fear. Rather, the reasonably-priced tape should find a place in high school, college, and adult collections, whose audiences will have to overlook the juvenile trappings inherent in the introduction (and in a section on the sound effects used throughout the play) and just concentrate on the beautifully-acted, poignant script. Recommended. Other titles in the series include: Pinocchio (VL-7/98), Frankenstein (VL-9/98) and Far From the Madding Crowd (VL-9/98). Aud: H, C, P. (K. Glaser)