You've read all seven Harry Potter novels. You've seen all the movies. But have you listened to the unabridged Harry Potter audiobooks, read by Jim Dale? If you're a Potter fan, you owe it to yourself to try them.
The reader: Jim Dale
Jim Dale in an English actor with an impressive list of film, stage, TV, and songwriting credits. But to many fans of J.K. Rowling's wizarding books, Dale is best known as the voice of the seven Harry Potter audiobooks. And what a voice it is! Dale adopts a unique voice for every character in the novels. Other audiobook readers have done this too, but no one does it better than Dale.
Dale's Dumbledore
His Albus Dumbledore, for example, is utterly convincing. This Dumbledore has a reassuring, wise, sometimes creaky voice; he rarely speaks quickly, even in times of stress. Dumbledore's voice is the book's voice of reason; it is the voice that delivers Rowling's core themes, such as her belief that our "choices" define us, not our abilities. Dale treats this all-important voice with appropriate respect. Every scene with Dumbledore crackles.
Harry and other male voices
The other male voices are just as good. Dale's Harry Potter often has an even-handed, reasonable voice, but it modulates to suit the moment: Dale's Harry is at turns earnest and impulsive, smart and short-sighted, heroic and foolish. Dale's Ron Weasley speaks more quickly and roughly than Harry, as befits a somewhat hotheaded red-head. Ron's dad, Arthur Weasley, has an amusing, slightly pompous voice, with rounded vowels and clipped consonants. (On the other hand, the Weasley twins have voices that are rather hard to distinguish; perhaps Dale did this intentionally.)
Dale's Hagrid has a blustery brogue that conjures up the half-giant so convincingly that one has to remind oneself that the reader is the same guy voicing everyone else. Sirius Black has a gruff, dog-like bass-baritone. It doesn't seem to make sense when you first meet Sirius, but as you learn more about him, it fits. Dobby has an appropriate squeak. Cornelius Fudge talks like a bureaucrat, with a nasal quality to everything he says.
Dale is especially good at menacing voices. Severus Snape has a thin tenor with a silky veneer; it is dangerous, intelligent, mysterious. Draco Malfoy's voice is often described in the books as a "drawl," and this Malfoy does indeed drawl, often speaking in a slow, taunting tone. Malfoy's father Lucius is appropriately patrician. Crabbe and Goyle sound like trolls – on the rare occasions on which they actually manage to form words. Voldemort's voice is high-pitched and fierce, as described in the books, but Dale varies the tone enough to keep it interesting.
Perhaps the most amusing voice is that of Vernon Dursley: he has a clipped, reedy whine that pierces the eardrum, rather like the drills his company manufactures.
Hermione and other female voices
Dale's women are, if anything, even more impressive. Hermione has a soft, intelligent voice, and she speaks quickly and authoritatively, just as one would expect. Minerva McGonnical has a lovely Scots lilt, sometimes punctuated by a high-pitched squeak that adds a hint of vulnerability to her stern persona. Delores Umbridge is described in the books as resembling a toad, but thankfully Dale chose to give her a whining, simpering mezzo-soprano rather than a creaking low alto. Her voice grates like the proverbial nails on chalkboard – altogether fitting for a bad teacher. Aunt Petunia also grates, but less so as we learn more about her. Bellatrix has an interesting accent (French? Greek?) that gives her character an exotic tinge.
Madam Hooch, the Quidditch referee, is downright hilarious: at least to this ear, she always sounds drunk. Her voice fits her name! Dale may not have intended this, but whatever his intention, the effect is delightful. Professor Trelawney likewise has a slightly inebriated sound, as if she's had one too many nips of cooking sherry.
Some listeners may be surprised to hear that Ginny Weasley speaks in a baritone, which at first listen sounds odd, given that she's the youngest of the Weasley clan. Still, the voice serves to distinguish her from the remaining Weasleys, and it has a husky, sultry quality that seems more fitting in the final two books, when she embarks upon romance. Interestingly, Dale also chose to give Luna Lovegood a low voice, which certainly does set her apart from other characters. Some may prefer Evanna Lynch's more ethereal Luna in the films. Cho Chang has a quiet, appealing voice; some listeners may find themselves rooting for her, rather than Ginny, in the contest for Harry's affections.
Dale as narrator
Much of Dale's best work is in the role of narrator. He narrates with dash and style. This is his own voice, for the most part, and it is well-suited for the material. He has obvious respect for Rowling's material, and he treats it seriously throughout. He also has a good sense of comedic timing; he sees the humor in the novels and conveys it well. Some narrators might have had trouble keeping the reader's interest while reading a list of potion ingredients or school supplies, but Dale pulls it off. He even puts his singing and songwriting talents to good use, composing his own melody for "Weasley is our King," among other tunes. It is a bravura performance.
To be sure, there are a few minor glitches. You can sometimes hear when one recording session stopped and the next started, as Dale's voice occasionally sounds a half-note higher or lower at the start of a new segment. Also, Dale was apparently persuaded to change his pronunciation of Voldemort's name. At the start of the books, it's "VoldeMORE," French-style. By the end of the books, it's "VoldeMORT," as in the movies. Some listeners may prefer Dale's first pronunciation; it has a more mysterious air to it.
Audio magic
But these are quibbles. These audiobooks are a magnificent achievement. You may think you've experienced all the Potter saga has to offer, but these discs add something significant to the franchise. They have a different feel than either the books or the movies. The pacing, the characterization, the atmosphere – it's all slightly altered, in a good way.
If you have a long commute, fire up the first audio disc and give it a listen. Chances are, you'll want to keep listening. These audiodiscs, like the wonderful books that inspired them, are the stuff of magic.
Geoffrey Watson - Geoffrey Watson teaches and writes about international law, legal issues pertaining to the Middle East, contract law, and legal history.
