Shows
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„PICTURES FROM ITALY š: with Pete OrfordIn the July of 1844 Dickens, his wife Catherine, their five children, his sister-in-law Georgina - plus three servants and their dog Timber - left London for Italy. What followed was an extraordinary adventure for them all.Returning to the series to talk to Dominic about his new Oxford University Press edition of Pictures From Italy is the inimitable Dr. Pete Orford also returning to read excerpts from the book is the brilliant actor Tom Andrews ...The recording Vivaldi's Four Seasons has been granted under license from Epidemic Sound
2025-08-1637 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The Manuscript at Staplehurst: with Leon LitvackBonus Episode!In which Dr. Leon Litvack recounts Dickens' dramatic retrieval of Part 16 ofĀ the Manuscript of Our Mutual Friend from the swaying carriage at Staplehurst; and reveals, here for the first time, a key discovery he has made; plus the cut sections he has restored in his new Oxford University Press Edition of the novel ... Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank you s...
2025-08-1317 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„OUR MUTUAL FRIEND š: with Leon LitvackDominic is joined by Dr. Leon Litvack whose new edition of Our Mutual Friend for Oxford University Press will be published in NovemberLeon is a reader at Queenās University Belfast, and is an expert analyst of Dickensā letters, manuscripts & handwriting. As well as being the Principal Editor of the Dickens Letters Project and Joint General Editor of the Oxford Edition of Charles Dickens, he sits on the Advisory Council for the UKās National Records and Archivesā¦And returning to the series t...
2025-08-0844 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Vincent Van Gogh: with Carol JacobiVincent Van Gogh was an avid reader of Dickens. Throughout his life Dickens' works provided not only a mental 'scaffold' that helped him to believe in his own mission as an artist, but also pull himself out of deep depressions ...Here to talk to Dominic today about the powerful connection between Dickens and Van Gogh is the inimitable Carol Jacobi, Curator of British Art (1850-1915) at Tate Britain where her many exhibitions included the celebrated Van Gogh in Britain ā¦Here are links to paintings discussed in the episode:Mi...
2025-08-0140 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The Verse of Charles Dickens: with Lydia Craig & Emily MiddletonDickens' genius as a novelist is acknowledged the world over ... but what was he like as a poet?Joining Dominic today to find out are the inimitable Dr. Lydia Craig & Dr. Emily Middleton who have just co-authored The Verse of Charles Dickens (Edinburgh University Press) Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank you so much!Host: Dominic Gerrard
2025-07-2538 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„(Encore!) BLEAK HOUSE š: with Stephen FryAhead of a new series Dominic re-shares the most popular episode of this show so far! Bleak House with the inimitable Stephen Fry who takes the listener on an intricate journey through the fog and mystery of Dickens' thrilling masterpiece.And reading extracts from Esther's narrative is the brilliant Sally ScottAnd here is a link to Miriam Margolyes' unabridged audiobook of Bleak House mentioned in the episodeSupport the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support...
2025-07-1549 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„GEORGE SILVERMAN'S EXPLANATION š: with Emily MiddletonHot on the heels of Dominic's audiobook of George Silverman's Explanation comes the discussion with Dr. Emily Middleton (formerly Bell) ā¦ who weāve met before in the episodes on Oliver Twist and The Lazy Tour of Two Idle Apprentices ā¦Emily is working on George Silverman, and other rarer Dickens stories for Oxford University Press, and has just published The Verse of Charles of Dickens for Edinburgh University Press which she has co-authored with Dr Lydia Craig. ( There is a joint episode on this with Emily and Lydia already waiting in the wings...
2025-05-1642 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„George Silverman's Explanation (Audiobook): Read by Dominic GerrardDominic reads George Silverman's Explanation - one of Dickens' rarer short stories - ahead of an upcoming discussion with Dr. Emily Middleton ... Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank you so much!Host: Dominic GerrardSeries Artwork: LĆ©na GibertOriginal Music: Dominic Gerrard
2025-05-121h 16Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Pickwick's Legacy ...Here are two fragments that didn't make the cut in the previous episode on THE PICKWICK PAPERS ...Prof. Hugo Bowles talks about the afterlife of Pickwick & Gina Beck reads an extract where Pickwick is observed from a window by a Scientific Gentleman! Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank you so much!Host: Dominic GerrardSeries...
2025-04-2206 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„THE PICKWICK PAPERS š : with Hugo BowlesDominic is joined by the inimitable Prof. Hugo Bowles who is currently working the OUP edition of The Pickwick PapersĀ to guide us through this riot of a novel - if it is a novel?Ā Hugo is an alumnus of both Oxford and Cambridge where he read English, Classics and Applied Linguistics. For over three decades he lectured at four Italian Universities and is the author of Dickens and Stenographic Mind (published by Edinburgh University Press). We last caught up with Hugo in his joint episodes with Dr. Claire Wood as th...
2025-04-2148 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„A Tour of 48 Doughty Street: with Jordan Evans-HillTodayās episode is A Tale of Two Podcasts where Dominic teams up with Jordan Evans-Hill: creator and host of the Charles Dickens Museumās Inimitable podcast.Here Jordan takes the listener on a tour inside number 48 Doughty St - the house where Dickens lived and worked as he completed Pickwick, wrote the entirety of Oliver Twist & Nicholas Nickleby and began Barnaby Rudge ā¦Jordan is a former footman from the Royal Household where he served the late Queen Elizabeth II. He is also a writer, having recently comple...
2025-02-0732 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„A Jane Austen Year ...Dominic has helped create a sister podcast to mark the 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen's birth!A Jane Austen YearĀ is told by the people that work at Jane Austenās House - the idyllic Hampshire cottage, in the south of England, where Jane Austen wrote her world famous novels.On the first of every month a new episode of letters, scenes from the novels, recipes & talks about the objects in the house, will be published.And every sound you hear - including the birds - w...
2025-01-1001 min
A Jane Austen YearJanuaryA Jane Austen Year transports you to Jane Austenās House in Chawton, the idyllic Hampshire cottage where Jane Austen lived and wrote her globally beloved novels ā now a beloved museum.Each month, join us on a seasonal journey through Jane Austenās novels, the story of her life and the world she lived in. Discover scenes, letters, recipes, and objects from the museum collection, bound together with readings and sounds recorded in the House itself.Each episode is recorded by the people who work at Jane Austenās House, caring for this special...
2025-01-0120 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Part Two) š : with John BowenWelcome to Part Two of Dominic and John Bowen's journey through A Christmas Carol ...With readings again from Hollie Hales and violin parts performed by Alexis Bennett.HAPPY CHRISTMAS !!! Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank you so much!Host: Dominic GerrardSeries Artwork: LĆ©na GibertOriginal Music:
2024-12-2852 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Part One) š : with John BowenItās Christmas Eve, and Dominic takes a deep dive with you all through A Christmas Carol. Returning to the series is the inimitable Prof. John Bowen (who recently worked on David Edgarās Carol adaptation for the RSC) and who like many of us, re-reads this ghostly little book every Christmas and has pondered its power and meaning for decades.The Carol Philosophy that Dickens expresses so generously in this story is truly universal: everyone has a chance to change and not be fixed, or branded, as the worst version of t...
2024-12-2455 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„'What Brutal Hand ā¦?': with Lydia Craig*This episode focuses on the theme of domestic violence* Dominic shares a bonus fragment from his last interview with Dr. Lydia Craig on The Haunted Man and The Ghost's Bargain ...It is a moment in the story where Redlaw comes across āa woman sitting on the stairs, either asleep or forlornā and āwhose headā is ābent down on her hands and knees.ā Redlaw sees that her arms are āblack, her face cut, and her bosom bruised.āItās a deeply powerful, moment in the story, that reveals Dickensā compassion not only for the poo...
2024-12-2404 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN š : with Lydia CraigTodays episode is on Dickensā final Christmas Book The Haunted Man and the Ghostās Bargain. A deeply powerful story, where the chemist, Stephen Redlaw is offered the chance to forget all his painful memories by a Phantom who is a ghastly copy of himself drawn from the shadows in his study. Redlaw accepts the ghostās bargain ā¦ but then faces a desperate struggle to have this spell lifted again, when to his horror he discovers that his new gift has a 'King Midas' quality of infecting everyone he meets (or nearly everyone) with the same curse of forgetting ā¦Ā Ā Light i...
2024-12-1354 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The Christmas Illustrations: with Lucinda HawksleyThis episode marks the 3rd birthday of Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Ā Ā In this first Christmas episode for 2024 Dominic is joined again by the critically acclaimed author, broadcaster, and art-historian Lucinda Hawksley. And as they return to Dickensā Christmas books their focus this time is on the illustrations found in each of them.Many of you will of course be familiar with the name of John Leech, whoās images for A Christmas Carol are now inseparable from Scroogeās story, and how we picture it, but as we move on...
2024-12-0748 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„CHRISTMAS IS COMING !!! āļøš©āļøšš»Welcome to CHRISTMAS at Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The very first of our special Festive will go live shortly ...And If youāre new to this series, there are some incredible episodes already waiting for you to listen to. Interviews with leading actors, academics, writers, historians, and descendants of the great man him self!Guests such as: Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Armando Iannucci, Rosie Holt, John Mullan, Lucinda Hawksley, Robert Douglas Fairhurst, Andrew Davies & Alice Loxton ā¦ and many many more!I hope you have as much fu...
2024-11-3000 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„(rough) GEORGE SILVERMAN'S EXPLANATION š: with Emily BellEver wondered how Charles Dickens, one of the most celebrated writers in the English language, managed to portray such profound insights about poverty and psychological trauma in a much lesser-known work? Emily and I are diving into that seldom-explored territory as we dissect George Silverman's Explanation and how Dickens' own experiences color the narrative. We also discuss the intriguing proto-modernist opening of the story and its impact on our understanding of the plot.From the young protagonist's moral dilemmas, the gothic farmhouse setting, to the fascinating character of Brother Hawkeyard, we bring to light the lesser-known Dickensian themes...
2024-11-2438 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The Gordon Riots: with Ian HaywoodDominic is joined today by the inimitable Professor Ian Haywood, of the Centre for Inclusive Humanities at the University of Roehampton. Together they delve into the astonishing 'Riots of Eighty' that gripped London for a week and were brought thrillingly to life in Dickens' Barnaby Rudge ...Ian is a specialist in the radical politics and visual culture of the period of 1750-1850, and has published extensively on that period in books such as Bloody Romanticism: Spectacular Violence and The Politics of Representation and Queen Caroline and the Power of Caricature in Georgian England (for Palgrave); and...
2024-06-0450 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„DROOD ...š And Our Endless Attempts To End It: with Pete OrfordDominic is joined again by the inimitable Dr. Pete Orford for Part II of his examination of The Mystery of Edwin Drood ... Peteās book Edwin Drood: Charles Dickensā Unfinished Novel And Our Endless Attempts To End It ā¦ (Pen & Sword books) is our guide throughout. It is a hugely entertaining read where scholarly citations and tomfoolery combine with vibrant illustrations by Alys Jones ā¦ there is a link purchase this in the description.And reading extracts today, it is an honour to welcome the fantastic actors Joseph...
2024-05-1540 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Beyond Realism: Online Symposium 17th May ... with Dr. CĆ©leste CallenThis Friday 17th May listeners can join an online symposium Charles Dickens: Beyond RealismĀ ... Ā hosted by the Centre For Nineteenth Century Studies & Dr. CĆ©leste CallenThe link to register is here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=i9hQcmhLKUW-RNWaLYpvlGP-wSu2R1JFpVjsNyCAKKVURjI2MkFVUDRGNDBBODBEVEQ4RzNUV1RaOS4uChair and Guest Speakers include:Kirsten MillsEmily VincentJohn BowenJonathan WildCĆ©leste CallenLara VirreyChris LouttitAmy ColesClaire Wood...
2024-05-1303 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Mrs Dickens: with Emily HowesDominic is joined by the inimitable Emily Howes, author of The Painters Daughters, who is currently writing her second book, Mrs Dickens,Ā all about the life of Catherine Hogarth and her marriage to Charles Dickens ā¦Ā Emily is an alumna of Cambridge University, where she was a member of the famous Footlights. After gaining a First in English, she studied Lecoq at the London School of Performing Arts. She then went on to create work for theatre, radio and television. Highlights including two series of her show The Ladies BBC Radio 4, and performing in Tim Minchinās Rocking On for BB...
2024-04-1236 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„London Tide: with Ben PowerDominic meets Ben Power backstage at Londonās National Theatre who takes a break from rehearsals to talk about London TideĀ - an exciting new staging of Our Mutual Friend - Ā which he has adapted with songs composed by the award-winning PJ HarveyBen is a Tony Award winning, and a BAFTA & Olivier Award nominated writer for stage and screen, and an Associate here at the National. His adaptation of The Lehman Trilogy, directed by Sam Mendes, has become an international theatrical juggernaut, playing in London, New York, San Francisco and Sydney. His screen credits include the BBC seri...
2024-04-0529 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„NEW EPISODES FOR 2024 !!! š„A new series of Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„ will launch on Friday 5th April ...The first episode takes place deep inside Londonās Royal National Theatre, mid-rehearsal, for London Tide -Ā an exciting new adaptation of Our Mutual Friend, co-written by Ben Power and PJ Harvey.Previous series guests include: Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Armando Iannucci, Lucinda Hawksley, Andrew Davies, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Alice Loxton, John Mullan and many many more ā¦Support the showIf you like to make a donation to support the costs of produ...
2024-03-2301 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„NEW EPISODES FOR 2024 !!! š„A new series of Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„ will launch on Friday 5th April ...The first episode takes place deep inside Londonās Royal National Theatre, mid-rehearsal, for London Tide ā¦Ā an exciting new adaptation of Our Mutual Friend, co-written by Ben Power and PJ Harvey.Previous series guests: Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Armando Iannucci, Lucinda Hawksley, Andrew Davies, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Alice Loxton, John Mullan and many many more ā¦Support the showIf you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees...
2024-03-2301 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„"The Haunted Man" (Excerpt): Read by Tom AndrewsOur final festive extract comes from Dickensā last Christmas Book The Haunted Man and The Ghostās BargainĀ - read today by the fantastic actor Tom AndrewsTomās screen credits include: This England (for Revolution films & Sky Atlantic), Netflixās The Strays, Feelgood & Afterlife; HBOāS I Hate Susie and the BBCās Show Trial ā¦ His stage work includes the Royal National Theatre production of Major Barbara and The Accidental Death of an Anarchist in Londonās West EndIn the following scene Dr Redlaw - a celebrated chemist and teacher - is sitt...
2024-01-0209 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„āThe Battle of Lifeā (Excerpt): Read by Rebecca TanwenHappy 6th Day of Christmas! Todayās guest is the wonderful Rebecca Tanwen reading for us the opening pages of Dickensā 4th Christmas book The Battle of Life ā¦The story opens with a wide shot of an ancient battle ground, where the traces of the fight have lingered through the centuries, not only in the earth but in the minds of the generations that have lived afterwards. The narrative works its way through a kind of time-lapse describing the changing seasons over many decades before settling on an orchard where amongst the apple-pickers two sisters - Grac...
2023-12-3011 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„"The Cricket on the Hearth" (Excerpt): Read by Tom BennettHappy 5th Day of Christmas!The fantastic actor Tom Bennett reads an excerpt from Dickensā third Christmas book The Cricket on the Hearth ā¦Caleb Plummer and his daughter Bertha are poor toymakers in the service of the cruel, miserly Tackleton. As the scene unfolds we learn that Calebās daughter Bertha is blind, and that her father is constantly trying to shield her from the hardship and poverty of their lives ā¦ meanwhile even their poor hearth is visited by a cricket that may yet bring good fortune for them.Tomās screen cre...
2023-12-2913 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„"The Chimes" (Excerpt): Read by Carlyss PeerThe wonderful actress Carlyss Peer returns to the series to read an excerpt from Dickens' second Christmas Book The Chimes You'll be transported to Trotty's humble abode, feeling the chill of the London streets and the welcoming embrace of his heart as he opens his home to strangers, reminding us of the transformative power of kindness and community. Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank you...
2023-12-2311 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Christmas Carols: with Harry Christophers & The SixteenDominic is joined by the inimitable Harry Christophers CBE , founder and conductor of The Sixteen, one of the worlds most revered choral ensembles. With thanks to CORO for these stunning Christmas excerpts:Carol of the Bells Ā Apple / Spotify Pilgrim JesusĀ Apple / SpotifyOf a RoseĀ Apple / SpotifyĀ This Have I Done ... Apple / Spotify Lo, How a Rose e'er BloomingĀ Apple / SpotifyO Radix Jesse Apple / SpotifyĀ Past Three a Clock Apple / Spotify For unto u...
2023-12-2152 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„"The Holly Tree" (Excerpt): Read by Chris NayakThe wonderful actor Chris Nayak reads the from the First Branch of The Holly-Tree Inn - one of Dickens' rarer Christmas stories ā¦Ā Packed with self-deprecating humour, a fantastic snowy atmosphere, this a very pleasing festive narrative.Ā Chrisā stage credits include King Duncan in Macbeth at the Globe this year, and previously the RSC and West End. His screen work includes Coronation Street and We Hunt Together ā¦So sit back an enjoy this openingĀ excerpt from The Holly Tree InnĀ Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation...
2023-12-2013 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„A Dickensian Christmas Dinner: with Pen VoglerDominic is joined by the wonderful award winning food historian Pen Vogler who returns to the podcast to talk about Dickensian Christmas Dinners ...Focusing on Dickens' five Christmas books - A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life Ā andĀ The Haunted ManĀ -Ā Pen explores what the characters eat and why. From the Cratchit children 'basking in luxurious thoughts of sage and onion'; Trotty and Meg sharing a dish of a tripe outside on the steps; Edward and Mayās wedding; Dr. Jeddlerās breakfast out in t...
2023-12-2040 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„"A Christmas Carol" Stave One (Excerpt) : Read by Rosie HoltAward-winning actress, comedian, and satirist Rosie Holt returns to the series to read the opening of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol on the 180th anniversary of its publication today in 1843 ...Rosie makes regular appearances on BBC Radio 4 and as a satirist her work is so powerful that half the country seem to think sheās an actual Conservative Member of Parliament. This is both hilarious and deeply worrying. Her podcast, NONCENSORED with Eshaan Akbar and Brendan Murphy, was nominated for an ARIA this year, and her show Thatās PolitainmentĀ will tour in the Spring of 20...
2023-12-1911 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The Lost Portrait: with Emma RutherfordDominicās guest today is the inimitable Emma Rutherford who recalls her time working on the rediscovery of a lost portrait of Dickens, painted by Margaret Gillies in 1843, and lost for over a century until its serendipitous reappearance at a South African auction. A pivotal snapshot of Dickens' life, the portrait's story hints at the profound bond between Gillies and Dickens, a bond that may have helped shape A Christmas CarolEmma is an art historian, with a specialisation in portrait miniatures and silhouettes. Emma began her career at Londonās Victoria & Albert Musuem...
2023-12-1940 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„"Christmas at Dingley Dell": Read by Gina BeckLight up your holiday season with the enchanting narration of our guest, the brilliant Gina Beck as she transports us to the charm and warmth of a festive journey from Charles Dickens' Pickwick Papers in a way that is sure to stir the Christmas spirit in you. Gina has been a star of Londonās West End for nearly two decades playing the leads in Matlida, The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked & Les Miserables. Right now she can be seen in the current season of The Crown on Netflix.Reading adapted fr...
2023-12-1811 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„"CHRISTMAS IS COMING" !Welcome to Christmas at Charles Dickens a Brain on Fire!At midnight tonight - London time - the very first of our special Christmas episodes will go live. And If youāre new to this series, there are some incredible episodes already waiting for you to listen to. Interviews with leading actors, academics, writers, historians, and descendants of the great man him self!Guests such as: Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Armando Iannucci, Rosie Holt, John Mullan, Lucinda Hawksley, Robert Douglas Fairhurst, Andrew Davies & Alice Loxton ā¦ and many many more!I hope you...
2023-12-1700 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Charles Ignatius Sancho: with Paterson JosephThe award-winning actor and writer Patterson JosephĀ takes the listener on aĀ fascinating journey into the captivating life of Charles Ignatius Sancho, an African man who found favour among the highest reaches of 18th-century British society,Ā and who had a front-row seat to the infamous Gordon Riots of 1780 ...Sharing the inspiration behind his thrilling novel -The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho-Paterson shares his unique writing processes, heavily influenced by Dickens' immersive character development, and his uncanny knack for sensory detailHere is also a link to Pat...
2023-12-1550 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Palimpsest: with CĆ©leste CallenCeleste Callen returns to share her insights on how HenriĀ Bergson's theories of the 'superficial self' and the 'mechanical man' permeate through Dickens' novels such as The Signal-Man,Ā Bleak House,Ā Hard Times, The Chimes,Ā and Master Humphrey's Clock Celeste Callen holds a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature from King's College London and an MSc in Enlightenment, Romantic and Victorian Literature from the University of Edinburgh. She is a third year PhD candidate in English Literature at the University of Edinburgh. Her PhD research explores subjective temporal experience in Dickensā fiction,Ā through the lens of Henr...
2023-12-1325 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The Haunted Actor: with James SwantonDominic is joined by the inimitable James SwantonĀ who is performing A Christmas Carol, The Chimes and Haunted Man in person this year at the Dickens Museum. And for those of you listening outside the UK you can watch a live stream of his Haunted Man - filmed inside number 48 Doughty Street - on the 11th December.James read English at Selwyn College Cambridge. Since graduating his acting credits include Sikes and Nancy at Londonās Trafalgar Studios, Irving Undead and this yearsā upcoming BBC Ghost Story for C...
2023-12-0247 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Stuffed (A History of Good Food and Hard Times in Britain): with Pen VoglerDominic is joined by the award-winning author and food historian Pen Vogler who offers insightful reflections on how Charles Dickens used food as complex metaphors in his novels, that reflect the psychological and societal shifts during the Victorian era. The richly detailed food descriptions in works like A Christmas Carol and Little Dorrit reflect not just the era's celebrated dining etiquettes but sometimes Dickens' own discomfort in these settings.From Pen's new book Stuffed Ā there's also a hearty discussion on the role of food in society, particularly concerning feeding children, an i...
2023-11-2731 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The Gunpowder Plot (from 'A Child's History of England') š : Read by Dominic GerrardHost Dominic Gerrard reads Dickens' account of The Gunpowder Plot from his 1851 A Child's History of England ...Dickens transports back us to 1605, the era of King James I, Guy Fawkes and a conspiracy that shook the nation.This compelling narrative is a tribute to November 5th, a date that continues to resonate through the annals of history. Support the showIf you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrardThank...
2023-11-0519 minCharles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„Charles and Catherine: with Helena KellyIt is Publication Eve for todayās guest the inimitable Dr. Helena Kelly.Ā Her latest book The Life & Lies of Charles Dickens Ā (published by Icon Books) lifts the cover on what we think we know about Dickens from his friend and sanctioned biographer John Forster.In this episode we try to spend some time with Dickensā wife Catherine, and understand the enormous struggles they both went through: when Charlesā genius sent their lives into the stratosphere, right from the very start of their marriage, at a time when no-one had writ...
2023-11-0125 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„THE SIGNAL-MAN š: with John BowenDominic is joined by the inimitable Professor John Bowen who returns to this series to explore the hidden depths beneath the pages of one of Dickens' most iconic ghost stories -The Signal-ManWritten only a year after DickensĀ survived the Staplehurst Rail Crash, The Signal-Man finds an author grappling with trauma and the conflicted feelings of fear and wonder at the new railways, mixed with a desperate yearning to know in advance where danger lies ā¦Reading excerpts from the haunting tale is the fantastic actor and director Oliver Dimsdale...
2023-10-2742 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„THE LAZY TOUR OF TWO IDLE APPRENTICES š: with Dr. Emily BellDominic is joined by the inimitable Dr. Emily Bell who guides the listener through the rollercoaster that is Charles Dickens & Wilkie Collins' Lazy Tour of Two Idle ApprenticesĀ - a unique blend of travel writing and ghost stories seen through the eyes of the quintessentially BritishĀ characters of Francis Goodchild and Thomas Idle, who amusingly mirror their creators, Dickens and CollinsThis eccentric collection contains within its pages two fantastic ghosts stories - The Dead Hand &Ā The Ghost in the Brideās Chamber - and other dark flights of fancy that crash...
2023-10-2051 min
Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! š„The Shorthand Mysteries: with Dr. Claire Wood & Prof. Hugo BowlesAre you an unsung codebreaker? Does your knowledge and feel for Dickens mean that you could be the next person to crack some of the hieroglyphic mystery of the shorthand system that Dickens created for himself. Or are you able to trace the source of the writings that Dickens read from whilst dictating to his pupil Arthur Stone ā¦?A year ago Dominic caught up with Dr. Claire Wood & Prof. Hugo Bowles on their extraordinary Dickens Code project. Since they last spoke,Ā Claire and Hugo have not only won the Research Project of the Year: Times Higher Education Awa...
2023-10-1331 min