NBC University Theater: Babylon Revisited

John Dehner’s narration is the beating heart of this production, but it’s the full cast—every sigh, slurred word, and brittle laugh—that sells the drama. Dehner’s Charlie is a man unraveling in real time, his voice a cocktail of exhaustion and hope. The supporting players, particularly the women in Charlie’s life, are less caricatures than living, breathing obstacles to his redemption. The audio quality, with its slight vintage hiss, only heightens the intimacy, as if you’re eavesdropping on a conversation through a thin hotel wall. That said, the adaptation skips some of Fitzgerald’s lyrical flourishes, reducing his prose to serviceable radio dialogue. The ending, while thematically powerful, feels rushed compared to the lingering ache of the original short story. Still, the production’s flaws are part of its charm—a reminder that even the greatest literature can be reshaped into something flawed but vital. If you’re a purist, this won’t replace Fitzgerald’s words on the page, but as a piece of audio theater, it’s a gem worth hearing.