Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! đ„
Actor Dominic Gerrard hosts an exciting new series that explores the Life and Times of Charles Dickens: his extraordinary novels, who he was as a person, his career as a performer, and his activism. Guests include: Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Armando Iannucci, Alice Loxton, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Lucinda Hawksley, John Mullan, Pen Vogler, Andrew Davies, Rosie Holt, Bernard Cornwell .... and many more academics, writers, actors, directors and descendants of the great man himself! Along side these interviews there are special Dickens readings from across his works ...Thank you for listening đ„
Tue, April 22, 2025
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 show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, April 21, 2025
THE PICKWICK PAPERS đ : with Hugo Bowles
Dominic is joined by the inimitable Prof. Hugo Bowles who is currently working the OUP edition of The Pickwick Papers to guide us through this riot of a novel - if it is a novel ? 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 they spoke about their award-winning Dickens Code Project. Joining us today, to read extracts from this dizzying narrative is the wonderful actress Gina Beck . The sounds of horses, carriages, seagulls and nature are used with permission from Epidemic Sound Caution: Listeners please note that the topic of suicide is covered in the earlier parts of the Pickwick story. Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, February 07, 2025
A Tour of 48 Doughty Street: with Jordan Evans-Hill
Todayâs episode is A Tale of Two Podcasts where Dominic teams up with Jordan Evans-Hill : creator and host of the Charles Dickens Museumâs 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 ⊠Jordan is a former footman from the Royal Household where he served the late Queen Elizabeth II. He is also a writer, having recently completed his debut novel and he works as the Head of Marketing and Commercial at the Dickens Museum. And as you journey through the house you can follow the Dickens Museumâs online interactive tour and walk around the rooms virtually as we go. Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, January 10, 2025
A Jane Austen Year ...
Dominic has helped create a sister podcast to mark the 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen's birth! A Jane Austen Year is told by the people that work at Jane Austenâs 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 - were recorded in Jane Austenâs House and Garden. So pour yourself a glass of Orange wine, and follow the link in the description, to enjoy the first January episode of this series ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, December 28, 2024
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Part Two) đ : with John Bowen
Welcome 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 show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, December 24, 2024
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Part One) đ : with John Bowen
Itâs 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 Edgarâs 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 themselves. Dickensâ righteous anger here is channeled and diffused with goodwill, laughter and an unyielding determination to think only the best of people ⊠Joining the series again to read excerpts is the fantastic Hollie Hales and the violin you will hear throughout is played by the brilliant Alexis Bennett Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, December 24, 2024
'What Brutal Hand �': 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 âa woman sitting on the stairs, either asleep or forlornâ and âwhose headâ is âbent down on her hands and knees.â Redlaw sees that her arms are âblack, her face cut, and her bosom bruised.â Itâs a deeply powerful, moment in the story, that reveals Dickensâ compassion not only for the poor, but for women on the receiving end of violence and abuse at the hands of husbands, partners, fathers or sons ⊠Given that there is a spike in this cruel and vicious behaviour over the holiday season it makes this moment in Dickensâ final Christmas book a clarion call for our society today ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, December 13, 2024
THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN đ : with Lydia Craig
Todays episode is on Dickensâ final Christmas Book The Haunted Man and the Ghostâs 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 ghostâs bargain ⊠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 ⊠Light in the story comes in the form of Millie, one of Dickensâ good little women and a ministering angel to the people around her. Millie, her sparky husband William Swidger and her ancient father in law Philip, quietly try to help Stephen: turning up the lamps or decorating his study with that powerful wintry emblem, holly ⊠Dominic is joined by the inimitable Dr Lydia Craig , Lecturer in English at the University of Eastern Illinois. Lydia co-authored The Verse of Charles Dickens for Edinburgh University Press and her specialities include Nineteenth Century Race and Gender and The English Novel.She is both Associate editor of The Dickensian and The Charles Dickens Letters project, Co-editor of Dickens Search and Treasurer of The Dickens Society ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, December 07, 2024
The Christmas Illustrations: with Lucinda Hawksley
This episode marks the 3rd birthday of Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! đ„ 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 Dickensâ 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, whoâs images for A Christmas Carol are now inseparable from Scroogeâs story, and how we picture it, but as we move on through the rarer books The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life and The Haunted Man Leech is joined by other eminent artists such as Daniel Maclise, Richard Doyle, Clarkson Stanfield, Edwin Landseer, Frank Stone and John Tenniel ⊠Dominic caught up with Lucinda while she was putting the finishing touches to her new book Victorian Christmas (published by WW Norton ) which is a fun and festive look at all our Christmas customs , both ancient and modern, and the part her great-great-great Grandfather Charles Dickens played in popularising them for us today. There is a link to every Christmas illustration we talk about in this episode via the brilliant Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, November 30, 2024
CHRISTMAS IS COMING !!! âïžđ©âïžđđ»
Welcome to CHRISTMAS at Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! đ„ The very first of our special Festive will go live shortly ... And If youâre 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 ⊠and many many more! I hope you have as much fun listening to these episodes this Christmas, as I have had the honour to record them ⊠So wherever in the world you're listening from ... MERRY CHRISTMAS !!! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sun, November 24, 2024
(rough) GEORGE SILVERMAN'S EXPLANATION đ: with Emily Bell
Ever 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 present in this narrative. We also discuss how Dickens' financial struggles and childhood humiliation impacted his self-perception and subsequently his works. Our conversation then takes a more analytical turn as we delve into George Silverman's attempts to reconcile his past, present, and future, and how his love for Adelina might have influenced the story. Religion in Dickens' work is another fascinating topic we touch upon, with a particular focus on the depiction in Hard Times and George Silverman's Explanation. We examine the contrast between loud evangelical preaching and quiet contemplation and how Dickens' private faith may have influenced this. Additionally, we dissect the roles of the strong female figures in George Silverman's life and how they impacted his journey. As we wrap up, we ponder on the potential revival of George Silverman's Explanation and its possible impact. Get ready for a deep dive into this often overlooked gem by Charles Dickens. Support the show If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, June 04, 2024
The Gordon Riots: with Ian Haywood
Dominic 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 appropriately for today T he Gordon Riots: Politics, Culture and Insurrection in Late Eighteenth-Century Britain (for Cambridge University Press) ⊠Reading the following excerpts in this episode is wonderful actress Hollie Hales : 1, 2 & 16. Barnaby Rudge (C. 68 Dickens) 3. Sketches of Popular Tumults (Craik) 4, 5, 6, 11 & 13. The Scots Magazine (June 1780) 7 & 10. Narrative of the late Riots and Disturbances ... (Holcroft) 8. The Riot Act 9. Kentish Gazette (June 1780) 11. (Source to be inserted!) 12. King's Proclamation 14. Northampton Mercury (July 1780) 15. Oxford Journal (August 1780) The sound of crowds, gunshots & horses in this episode were used with permission from Epidemic Sound Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: Léna Gib
Wed, May 15, 2024
DROOD ...đ And Our Endless Attempts To End It: with Pete Orford
Dominic is joined again by the inimitable Dr. Pete Orford for Part II of his examination of The Mystery of Edwin Drood .. . Peteâs book Edwin Drood: Charles Dickensâ Unfinished Novel And Our Endless Attempts To End It ⊠(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 ⊠there is a link purchase this in the description. And reading extracts today, it is an honour to welcome the fantastic actors Joseph Chance and Dan Wheeler together they are part of a quartet known as The Apocalypse Players : an award-winning podcast where role-playing and improvisation combine to create immersive stories for eager listeners each week. Dominic also asks AI to try and write an ending to Edwin Drood with some truly hilarious results! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, May 13, 2024
Beyond Realism: Online Symposium 17th May ... with Dr. CĂ©leste Callen
This Friday 17th May listeners can join an online symposium Charles Dickens: Beyond Realism ... hosted by the Centre For Nineteenth Century Studies & Dr. CĂ©leste Callen The link to register is here : https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=i9hQcmhLKUW-RNWaLYpvlGP-wSu2R1JFpVjsNyCAKKVURjI2MkFVUDRGNDBBODBEVEQ4RzNUV1RaOS4u Chair and Guest Speakers include: Kirsten Mills Emily Vincent John Bowen Jonathan Wild CĂ©leste Callen Lara Virrey Chris Louttit Amy Coles Claire Wood Amy Waterson Andrew Smith Madeline Potter There will also be opportunities for an online Q&A after each talk! Support the Show. If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, April 11, 2024
Mrs Dickens: with Emily Howes
Dominic is joined by the inimitable Emily Howes, author of The Painters Daughters , who is currently writing her second book, Mrs Dickens , all about the life of Catherine Hogarth and her marriage to Charles Dickens ⊠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 Minchinâs Rocking On for BBC Radio 2. Emily is also a recipient of the Hans Cohn Scholarship for the study of existential pyscotherapy ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, April 04, 2024
London Tide: with Ben Power
Dominic meets Ben Power backstage at Londonâs National Theatre who takes a break from rehearsals to talk about London Tide - an exciting new staging of Our Mutual Friend - which he has adapted with songs composed by the award-winning PJ Harvey Ben 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 series The Hollow Crown and Netflixâs Munich: The Edge of War ⊠London Tide runs from 10th April - 22nd June 2024. You can book tickets here Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, March 23, 2024
NEW EPISODES FOR 2024 !!! đ„
A new series of Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! đ„ will launch on Friday 5th April ... The first episode takes place deep inside Londonâs Royal National Theatre, mid-rehearsal, for London Tide ⊠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 ⊠Support the show If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, March 23, 2024
NEW EPISODES FOR 2024 !!! đ„
A new series of Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! đ„ will launch on Friday 5th April ... The first episode takes place deep inside Londonâs Royal National Theatre, mid-rehearsal, for London Tide - 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 ⊠Support the show If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, January 02, 2024
"The Haunted Man" (Excerpt): Read by Tom Andrews
Our final festive extract comes from Dickensâ last Christmas Book The Haunted Man and The Ghostâs Bargain - read today by the fantastic actor Tom Andrews Tomâs screen credits include: This England (for Revolution films & Sky Atlantic), Netflixâs The Strays, Feelgood & Afterlife; HBOâS I Hate Susie and the BBCâs Show Trial ⊠His stage work includes the Royal National Theatre production of Major Barbara and The Accidental Death of an Anarchist in Londonâs West End In the following scene Dr Redlaw - a celebrated chemist and teacher - is sitting down to dinner one Christmas. He is full of grief and feels that each passing year only seems add to the store of regrets and painful memories ⊠Meanwhile the Swidger family: William, Millie, and the elderly Philip, visit Redlaw and gently try to cheer him ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, December 30, 2023
âThe Battle of Lifeâ (Excerpt): Read by Rebecca Tanwen
Happy 6th Day of Christmas! Todayâs guest is the wonderful Rebecca Tanwen reading for us the opening pages of Dickensâ 4th Christmas book The Battle of Life ⊠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 - Grace & Marion - are found dancing along to a harp and fiddle with total abandon ⊠As a voice artist Rebecca won this yearâs One Voice Award and previously the BBCâs Carleton Hobbs. Her theatre credits include Royal National Theatre production of Othello, As You Like It for the Oxford Shakespeare Company and Elephant 21 at the Royal Court. Her screen credits include The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime and Lionsgateâs Nacho XXL ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, December 29, 2023
"The Cricket on the Hearth" (Excerpt): Read by Tom Bennett
Happy 5th Day of Christmas! The fantastic actor Tom Bennett reads an excerpt from Dickensâ third Christmas book The Cricket on the Hearth ⊠Caleb Plummer and his daughter Bertha are poor toymakers in the service of the cruel, miserly Tackleton. As the scene unfolds we learn that Calebâs daughter Bertha is blind, and that her father is constantly trying to shield her from the hardship and poverty of their lives ⊠meanwhile even their poor hearth is visited by a cricket that may yet bring good fortune for them. Tomâs screen credits include his critically acclaimed portrayal of Sir James Martin opposite Kate Beckinsale in Love and Friendship, the HBO serie s Family Tree, Netlfixâs After Life and coming soon in 2024 House of the Dragons . He also starred as Del Boy in the Londonâs West End hit Only Fools and Horses ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, December 23, 2023
"The Chimes" (Excerpt): Read by Carlyss Peer
The 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 show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, December 21, 2023
Christmas Carols: with Harry Christophers & The Sixteen
Dominic 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 Apple / Spotify Pilgrim Jesus Apple / Spotify Of a Rose Apple / Spotify This Have I Done ... Apple / Spotify Lo, How a Rose e'er Blooming Apple / Spotify O Radix Jesse Apple / Spotify Past Three a Clock Apple / Spotify For unto us ... Apple / Spotify Amen ... Apple / Spotify God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Apple / Spotify Wassail Song Apple / <a href='https://open.spotify.com/track/12ssHnLJWfjIkzGbJ6h33R?si=9140e1346
Wed, December 20, 2023
"The Holly Tree" (Excerpt): Read by Chris Nayak
The wonderful actor Chris Nayak reads the from the First Branch of The Holly-Tree Inn - one of Dickens' rarer Christmas stories ⊠Packed with self-deprecating humour, a fantastic snowy atmosphere, this a very pleasing festive narrative. Chrisâ 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 ⊠So sit back an enjoy this opening excerpt from The Holly Tree Inn Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Wed, December 20, 2023
A Dickensian Christmas Dinner: with Pen Vogler
Dominic 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 and The Haunted Man - 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 Mayâs wedding; Dr. Jeddlerâs breakfast out in the orchard; and the Tetterby familyâs knucklebone of pork and pease pudding. Pen's books - such as Dinner With Dickens and Stuffed are available to buy here: https://thesohoagency.co.uk/authors/pen-vogler Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, December 19, 2023
"A Christmas Carol" Stave One (Excerpt) : Read by Rosie Holt
Award-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 sheâs 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 Thatâs Politainment will tour in the Spring of 2024. MERRY CHRISTMAS! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, December 19, 2023
The Lost Portrait: with Emma Rutherford
Dominicâs 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 Carol Emma is an art historian, with a specialisation in portrait miniatures and silhouettes. Emma began her career at Londonâs Victoria & Albert Musuem , and then for 15 years established and ran the Portrait and Miniatures Consultancy at Philip Mouldâs & Company This year she has set up The Limner Company Her publications include Without Hands The Art of Sarah Biffin ⊠a topic for a future episode! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, December 18, 2023
"Christmas at Dingley Dell": Read by Gina Beck
Light 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 Londonâs 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 from Chapter 28 of the Pickwick Papers by Dominic Gerrard ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sun, December 17, 2023
"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 youâre 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 ⊠and many many more! I hope you have as much fun listening to these episodes this Christmas, as I have the honour to record them ⊠So wherever in the world you're listening from ... MERRY CHRISTMAS !!! Dominic Support the show If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, December 15, 2023
Charles Ignatius Sancho: with Paterson Joseph
The award-winning actor and writer Patterson Joseph takes the listener on a 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, 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 detail Here is also a link to Paterson reading the audiobook of Sancho : https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/The-Secret-Diaries-of-Charles-Ignatius-Sancho-Audiobook/B09TD1SGLZ Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Wed, December 13, 2023
Palimpsest: with CĂ©leste Callen
Celeste Callen returns to share her insights on how Henri Bergson's theories of the 'superficial self' and the 'mechanical man' permeate through Dickens' novels such as The Signal-Man , Bleak House , Hard Times , The Chimes , 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 Dickensâ fiction, through the lens of Henri Bergsonâs philosophy of time. Her other areas of interest include representations of selfhood, memory, subjectivity and temporality, as well as reflections on the novel and the philosophy of time more broadly. Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, December 02, 2023
The Haunted Actor: with James Swanton
Dominic is joined by the inimitable James Swanton 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 Londonâs Trafalgar Studios, Irving Undead and this yearsâ upcoming BBC Ghost Story for Christmas Lot No.249 His inspirations are far ranging, and a brilliant English teacher by the name of Mr Crisp who took James under his wing when he was at secondary school and set him on the path that he still treads today ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, November 27, 2023
Stuffed (A History of Good Food and Hard Times in Britain): with Pen Vogler
Dominic 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 there's also a hearty discussion on the role of food in society, particularly concerning feeding children, an issue highlighted more than ever during the pandemic. With a nod to the inspiring campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford, Pen finds parallels in Dickens' advocacy for children's rights and a nation's duty to nourish its future generations. We take a bite into history with the contentious debates in Parliament over this responsibility and the impact of land Enclosures on the food system. Get ready also to rediscover the culinary history of forgotten ingredients like caraway seeds and dried broad beans. Pen also promises a future Christmas episode. So sit back, savour the flavour of history, and let's dig in! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sun, November 05, 2023
The Gunpowder Plot (from 'A Child's History of England') đ : Read by Dominic Gerrard
Host 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 show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Wed, November 01, 2023
Charles and Catherine: with Helena Kelly
It is Publication Eve for todayâs guest the inimitable Dr. Helena Kelly . Her latest book The Life & Lies of Charles Dickens (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 Dickensâ wife Catherine, and understand the enormous struggles they both went through: when Charlesâ genius sent their lives into the stratosphere, right from the very start of their marriage, at a time when no-one had written the handbook yet on how to cope with global fame ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, October 26, 2023
THE SIGNAL-MAN đ: with John Bowen
Dominic 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-Man Written only a year after Dickens 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 ⊠Reading excerpts from the haunting tale is the fantastic actor and director Oliver Dimsdale Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: Léna Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, October 19, 2023
THE LAZY TOUR OF TWO IDLE APPRENTICES đ: with Dr. Emily Bell
Dominic 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 Apprentices - a unique blend of travel writing and ghost stories seen through the eyes of the quintessentially British characters of Francis Goodchild and Thomas Idle, who amusingly mirror their creators, Dickens and Collins This eccentric collection contains within its pages two fantastic ghosts stories - The Dead Hand & The Ghost in the Brideâs Chamber - and other dark flights of fancy that crash in on the everyday. It is a work full of both silliness and mystery and (in spite of its title) the action hardly ever gives in to any idleness ... Reading the excerpts in this episode is the fantastic actor Adam Cunis Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, October 12, 2023
The Shorthand Mysteries: with Dr. Claire Wood & Prof. Hugo Bowles
Are 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 âŠ? A year ago Dominic caught up with Dr. Claire Wood & Prof. Hugo Bowles on their extraordinary Dickens Code project. Since they last spoke, Claire and Hugo have not only won the Research Project of the Year: Times Higher Education Award but have now - for the very first time - pooled all of Dickensâ surviving shorthand manuscripts into one place in a special online exhibition entitled - Decoding Dickens: The Shorthand Mysteries ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, September 29, 2023
Copperfield, Chuzzlewit ... Partridge? : with Armando Iannucci
Welcome to this special one-on-one chat with Armando Iannucci - one of the leading comedy writers and political satirists of our time - where we delve into his literary passions and influences. This lively conversation peels back the layers of Armando's lifelong love of Charles Dickens - Martin Chuzzlewit in particular -and his interest in John Milton's masterpiece Paradise Lost and how these literary giants have left an indelible mark on his work. How he would later go on to write, produce and direct his own adaptation of David Copperfield, and whether he agrees that the character of Alan Partridge belongs in Dickens' canon of comic creations! Plus his current work adapting his mock-verse poem Pandemonium for London's West End. With readings from the wonderful Rebecca Tanwen . Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, September 21, 2023
Dickens, Bergson & Time Travel: with CĂ©leste Callen
What does it mean to experience time? Is it a linear journey from past to present, or is it a complex and intricate web of memories, feelings, and experiences? Our guest today is the inimitable CĂ©leste Callen , from The University of Edinburgh , who delves into her thesis that explores subjective temporal experience in Dickensâ fiction, through the lens of Henri Bergsonâs philosophy of time. This episode explores Bergson's seminal works: Time and Free Will & Matter and Memory and Dickens' Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, The Haunted Man and his first person narratives David Copperfield & Great Expectations ... Readings in this episode are from the wonderful Sophie Reynolds and Peter Bray Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, September 14, 2023
THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD đ: with Pete Orford
Welcome to a new series of Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire!đ„ Today we take a deep dive into Dickensâ final, unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood ⊠Joining us to talk about this extraordinary book, is the inimitable Dr Pete Orford who is a Lecturer in English Literature, and Course Director for the MA research in Charles Dickens, at the University of Buckingham . Pete has written extensively on Shakespeare, Dickens but also Terry Pratchet, Philip Pulman and JK Rowling. With contributions to The Oxford Handbook and Blackwell Companion to Charles Dickens and he is currently editing Pictures From Italy for Oxford University Press. Pete is also the author of Edwin Drood: Charles Dickensâ unfinished novel and our endless attempts to end it - which means following swiftly on the back of this episode he will be joining us again to talk about all the âwhat ifâsâ and conspiracy theories that have sprung up in trying to solve the unanswered questions of what was Dickens going to write next at the point where his novel stops! But right now, in this first part, our focus is on the text that exists ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, July 15, 2023
Happy Holidays !!!
Charles Dickens: A Brain On Fire! đ„ will return on Friday 15th September with more exciting guests. Thank you for all your support, and if you would like to rate this series please award us some stars âïž âïžâïžâïžâïž on whichever platform you listen to us on! Have a wonderful Summer! Dominic Support the show If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, June 30, 2023
Dickens' Handwriting: with Emma Bache
What if their scribbles on paper could reveal intimate details about a personâs character, personality, and even their health? Charles Dickens , one of the greatest authors in the annals of literature, is under the microscope in this riveting conversation with Emma Bache , one of the UK's top graphologists. Emma offers her expert analysis on Dickens' handwriting, hinting at revelations that range from potential bisexuality, to insights into his tumultuous relationships with women. From the youthful writing of Pickwick to the poignant final page of The Mystery of Edwin Drood ... Emma's book Reading Between The Lines is fun way for you, the listener, to examine your own writing and what it could say about you! For full links to the manuscripts and other writing mentioned in the episode go to @DickensFire on twitter. The three Dickens extract links are here also: 1. The Pickwick Papers (The New York Public Library, Berg Collection) 2. A Christmas Carol (The Morgan Library & Museum) 3. The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Victoria & Albert Museum) Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, June 23, 2023
Paul Dombey's Wallpaper: with J.M. Varese
What do luxurious wallpapers, deadly poison, and supernatural elements have in common? Join host Dominic Gerrard for a captivating conversation with novelist and literary historian Jon Michael Varese as we unravel the mysteries of his latest novel, The Company . Set in 1870, this gothic tale follows the Braithwhite family as they grapple with the shocking discovery of a poisonous pigment in their wallpaper business. Jon shares his inspirations for this riveting story and how it mirrors modern issues like climate change and denial of truth. Here is a link to purchase The Company Here is also a link to purchase Lucinda Hawksley's Bitten By Witch Fever ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, June 03, 2023
The Mega Dickens Readalong: with Katie Lumsden
Dominic welcomes the brilliant writer Katie Lumsden back to the podcast. Katie's debut novel The Secrets of Hartwood Hall , published by Penguin's Random House, is now out in the shops (both sides of the Atlantic) and ready to be a part of your summer reading. Katie has also launched a The Mega Dickens Readalong , where you the listener are all invited to read all of Dickensâ novels in chronological order, so in this episode she shares her impressions of the first five books that have been read by the group so far: Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge. Reading excerpts from these first five novels is the wonderful actress, Olivia Mace . Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, May 19, 2023
Bleak Health: with Nicholas Cambridge
Dominic is joined by Dr. Nicholas Cambridge who is an Honorary Research Fellow in Humanities at the University of Buckingham and a visiting scholar in Medical Humanities at Nova Scotiaâs Dalhousie University. After qualifying as an electrical engineer, Nicholas switched career to became a GP and as a medical student won the first ever History of Medicine Prize from the Royal Society Medicine. He then worked for 25 years as a family Doctor in Surrey (in the south of England), but that prize he won as a student nearly 50 years ago seems to have planted a seed that in retirement is now growing to fruition. His new book, Bleak Health which gives a fascinating insight into the conditions that Dickens, his family and people in the 19th Century more widely, had to contend with. The primary sources in Bleak Health are Dickensâ own words where in his letters he confides to the people who are closest to him, about his mental, physical and emotional struggles throughout his life ⊠Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Wed, April 26, 2023
Biddy: with Laurie Ogden
Dominic is joined by the brilliant actress, poet & playwright Laurie Ogden . Together they talk about her experience filming her TV debut as Biddy in FX's Great Expectations ... Laurie's poetry collection Humaning is available to purchase here: Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, April 11, 2023
OLIVER TWIST đ: with Emily Bell
Dominic is joined by the brilliant Dr. Emily Bell who digs deep into Dickensâ second novel: Oliver Twist; or, the Parish Boyâs Progress ⊠Emily is a Lecturer in Digital Humanities & Digital Skills at the University of Leeds ; and is an alumna of both the University of Warwick (where she read English) and York where she completed her MA and Phd. She is also Editor of The Dickensian and is a researcher and consultant on programmes such the BBCâs Horrible Histories and Homeschool History ⊠In this episode Dominic reads excerpts from not only Oliver Twist but there are also clips from his performance of Sikes and Nancy which was filmed during lockdown at the Charles Dickens Museum - the very building where Dickensâ actually wrote this astonishing book. N.B. This conversation touches on some of the more disturbing themes in the novel - such as Nancyâs murder, Sikesâ hanging, and antisemitism - so just be aware if thatâs something you might find difficult to listen to. Enjoy the episode! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, March 30, 2023
Dickens Re-imagined: with Steven Knight
Dominic is joined by the inimitable Steven Knight who's exciting and daring screenplays include Peaky Blinders, Taboo and SAS Rogue Heroes. Steven also adapted the dark and thrilling FX A Christmas Carol (with Guy Pearce as Scrooge) and has now re-imagined Great Expectations in a new series led by Olivia Colman. Now screening on Hulu in the US and BBC One in the UK. Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, March 24, 2023
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ..." A Tale of Two Cities (Chapter One): Read by Dominic Gerrard
Host Dominic Gerrard reads the opening chapter of A Tale of Two Cities ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, March 17, 2023
Great Adaptations: with Harry Lloyd
Dominic is joined by the inimitable actor and Dickens descendant Harry Lloyd . Together they discuss their first impressions of FXâs new Great Expectations and Harry's experience of playing Dickens characters in previous BBC dramatisations of his Great Great Great Grandfather's works, and his career more widely. The copyright for this specific episode is owned by FX Networks. Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, March 03, 2023
UPROAR! with Alice Loxton
Dominic is joined by the inimitable broadcaster & historian Alice Loxton who takes us on a journey into the frenzied and scandalous world of London society in the Georgian Period ... Alice is a celebrated presenter on History Hit and her new book UPROAR! takes a look at the movers and shakers of the time as seen through the eyes of caricaturists such as James Gillray , Thomas Rowlandson & Isaac Cruikshank You can also follow Alice on Twitter , Instagram and TikTok Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, January 03, 2023
THE BATTLE OF LIFE đ: with Katie Lumsden
It's the 10th Day of Christmas ... and Dominic is joined by the brilliant writer Katie Lumsden where they attempt to examine, with fresh eyes, Dickens' long forgotten Christmas Book The Battle of Life ... An alumna of both Durham & Bath Spa Universities, her debut novel The Secrets of Hartwood Hall - set in 1852 - is now available to pre-order here . Katie also hosts the hugely successful Youtube channel Books and Things where she examines in detail the mountains of literature she reads her way through each year! And reading excerpts from The Battle of Life is the wonderful Sophie Reynolds who is the curator at Jane Austensâ House in Chawton. Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sun, December 25, 2022
Pip's Christmas Dinner: Read by Dominic Gerrard
Dominic reads a Christmas Day excerpt from Chapter IV of Great Expectations where Pip has to sit through the ordeal of a Christmas Dinner with a heavy conscience ... HAPPY CHRISTMAS! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, December 24, 2022
"Come in! and know me better man!" A Christmas Carol (Excerpt): Read by Dominic Gerrard
It's Christmas Eve! And Dominic reads an excerpt from Stave III of A Christmas Carol ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Wed, December 21, 2022
THE GOBLINS WHO STOLE A SEXTON đ(Then Wrote a Carol & Rang A New Year In!) with Claire Wood
Dominic is joined by the wonderful Dr. Claire Wood again for a special Christmas episode on Charles Dickens' The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton; A Christmas Carol and The Chimes ... Reading extracts from these stories is the brilliant actor Tom Andrews ... HAPPY CHRISTMAS!! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, December 19, 2022
A Christmas Carol (Live Stream): TONIGHT 6.30pm (GMT)
Celebrate the 179th Birthday of A Christmas Carol tonight - with a live stream of Dominic's magical adaptation filmed inside the Dickens Museum, 6.30pm (GMT): https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/virtual-show-dominic-gerrards-a-christmas-carol Directed by the award-winning Tim Carroll (Globe/West End) and Performed by acclaimed actor Dominic Gerrard (RSC/West End). With puppetry created by Mandarava and Violin sections performed by Alexis Bennett âWhat a gorgeous Carol ⊠Donât miss this brilliant young actor.â Miriam Margolyes âItâs all about atmosphere and language ⊠Itâs an extraordinarily dexterous performance.â Daily Mail â â â â â ⊠an exceptionally effective and powerful interpretation âŠâ The Stage â â â â â ⊠an emphatic and glorious triumph.â Tim Walker â â â â â âIt â s the perfect way to begin your Christmas. â Lucinda Dickens Hawksley Support the show If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, December 17, 2022
A Christmas Carol Live Stream: Monday 19th December 6.30pm (GMT)
Join Dominic for a live stream of his adaptation of A Christmas Carol on Monday 19th December at 6.30pm (GMT): https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/virtual-show-dominic-gerrards-a-christmas-carol Directed by the award-winning Tim Carroll (Globe/West End) and Performed by acclaimed actor Dominic Gerrard (RSC/West End). With puppetry created by Mandarava and Violin sections performed by Alexis Bennett âWhat a gorgeous Carol ⊠Donât miss this brilliant young actor.â Miriam Margolyes âItâs all about atmosphere and language ⊠Itâs an extraordinarily dexterous performance.â Daily Mail â â â â â ⊠an exceptionally effective and powerful interpretation âŠâ The Stage â â â â â ⊠an emphatic and glorious triumph.â Tim Walker â â â â â âIt â s the perfect way to begin your Christmas. â Lucinda Dickens Hawksley Support the show If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, December 12, 2022
A CHRISTMAS CAROL & Other Christmas Booksđ: with Robert Douglas Fairhurst
Dominic is joined again by the inimitable Robert Douglas Fairhurst who returns to this series to explore Dickens' five iconic Christmas Books: A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life & The Haunted Man ... Robert's latest book Metamorphosis: A Life in Pieces is available to order here Happy Christmas! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, December 05, 2022
Rose Theatre A Christmas Carol: with Morgan Lloyd Malcolm
Dominic is joined by the brilliant Morgan Lloyd Malcolm : whoâs writing for stage and screen includes her pivotal play Emilia - which won three Olivier Awards when it transferred from Shakespeareâs Globe to the West End - and a soon to be released adaptation of Josephine Hartâs Damage for Moonage, Gaumont & Netflix As a writer Morgan also works extensively with Clean Break : a feminist theatre company that engages and empowers women who have either experience of the criminal justice system or are at risk of entering it. Morgan has also written several pantomimes, and Christmas shows for children. All of these elements of her work have been woven into her magical new adaptation of A Christmas Carol which opens this week at the Rose Theatre, Kingston ⊠The music in this episode is taken from the show itself and has been composed by the hugely talented Eamonn OâDwyer Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, November 21, 2022
HARD TIMES đ: with Gage McWeeny
Dominic is joined by Gage Mcweeny , who is Professor of English at Williams College, Massachusetts. Gage is an alumni of both Columbia and Princeton, with a specialism in nineteenth-century literature; sociology; and culture. His book The Comfort of Strangers: Social Life and Literary Form (OUP) examines that Victorian phenomenon of new people emerging everywhere in the Great Cities as Industrialisation takes its hold in the 19th Century and how authors such as George Eliot, Oscar Wilde, Henry James and of course Dickens respond to it. He also wrote the introduction to the Longman edition of Hard Times . Reading extracts from Hard Times is the actor Ben Eagle and The Bookshop Band also appear in the episode with their song The Tumbling Girl ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, November 11, 2022
"Implacable November weather ..." Bleak House Chapter One: Read by Dominic Gerrard
Host Dominic Gerrard reads the opening chapter of Bleak House ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, November 04, 2022
Hulks, Convicts & Reform: with Anna McKay
Dominic is joined by the brilliant Dr. Anna Mckay who is a social and cultural historian who specialises in both 18th & 19th Century British Maritime history and the methods of confinement that were practised throughout that period. Anna's research has taken her to historic prisoner of war depots and penal colonies across the world. She has also undertaken archival research in the UK, Australia, Bermuda and Canada. Anna is also writing a book on the Hulks and is best placed to tell us how true to life Dickensâ portrayal of Magwitch really is ⊠Reading excerpts from Great Expectations and contemporary newspapers is the inimitable Matt Grinter Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, October 31, 2022
ANECDOTE: with Dr. Claire Wood đđ±đ„đ©
It's Halloween ... and the Dickens Code Decoders have uncovered Anecdote : a short ghost story which may have been written or improvised by the inimitable Boz himself! Claire Wood returns to introduce it and Dominic reads it for us ... HAPPY HALLOWEEN đ đ» ... Support the show If you like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, October 31, 2022
Ghosts & Murder (Live Stream): TODAY 31st October 7.30pm (GMT) đđ„đđ©đ»đ
It's Halloween .... and wherever you are in the world you can watch Dominic's Live Stream of Ghosts and Murder today at 7.30pm (GMT) from inside the Charles Dickens Museum in London. The film will be followed by an online Q&A with Dominic and Claire Wood - where you can ask them questions in real time! BOOK HERE: https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/ghosts-murder The film is three dramatic readings of Dickens' Sikes and Nancy; The Signalman and Wilkie Collinsâ The Dead Hand ⊠Here is a little background to each of the three stories: Sikes and Nancy was a reading that Dickens himself was at first afraid to perform. Fear and betrayal end in tragedy, as Nancy is followed one night over London Bridge and is wrongly accused of betraying Sikesâ gang. Dickensâ brutal and unflinching adaptation of the murder scene in Oliver Twist caused shockwaves among his audiences and itâs horror and humanity resonates as powerfully today as it did in 1870⊠The Dead Hand (by Wilkie Collins) follows a young traveller seeking shelter on a rainy night. Arriving at an inn, young Arthur Holliday learns the horrifying truth of what lurks there. This is one of Wilkie Collinsâ rarer ghost stories, packed with masterful suspense and humour⊠The Signalman is haunted by a strange figure standing by the mouth of a tunnel. Each time it appears, a terrible tragedy occurs on the line. Written only a year after Dickens himself survived the Staplehurst Rail Crash, The Signal-Man finds the author grappling with his trauma: his conflicted feelings of fear and wonder at the new railways, and a desperate yearning to know in advance where danger lies⊠Support the show
Fri, October 28, 2022
Dickens on Screen: with Andrew Davies
Dominic is joined by the inimitable Andrew Davies whose iconic screen adaptations include Bleak House, Pride & Prejudice, War & Peace, Les Miserablés, Middlemarch, Vanity Fair ... and many more! It all begins in 1976 with his iconic retelling of The Signalman ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: Léna Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, October 21, 2022
The Dickens Code: with Hugo Bowles & Claire Wood
In this bumper episode Dominic is joined by the brilliant Prof. Hugo Bowles from Italy's University of Foggia and welcomes back to the series the inimitable Dr. Claire Wood . Together they take the listener on journey inside THE DICKENS CODE : a project that seeks to crack the code of Dickens' unique form of shorthand, and decipher the author's hidden messages from 150 years ago ... To book for Dominic's GHOSTS AND MURDER live stream on Monday 31st October - which includes readings of Sikes & Nancy, The Dead Hand,The Signalman plus a live Q&A with Dr. Claire Wood - click here: https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/ghosts-murder You can watch wherever you are in the world! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, October 08, 2022
Ghosts and Murder: Live Stream 31st October 7.30PM (GMT)
This Halloween Dominic is taking part in a Live Stream + Q&A of Ghosts and Murder from inside the Charles Dickens Museum in London. You can watch it online - wherever you are in the world right here: https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/ghosts-murder Dominic will perform three dramatic readings of Sikes and Nancy, The Signalman and Wilkie Collinsâ The Dead Hand ⊠Here is a little background to each of the three stories: Sikes and Nancy was a reading that Dickens himself was at first afraid to perform. Fear and betrayal end in tragedy, as Nancy is followed one night over London Bridge and is wrongly accused of betraying Sikesâ gang. Dickensâ brutal and unflinching adaptation of the murder scene in Oliver Twist caused shockwaves among his audiences and itâs horror and humanity resonates as powerfully today as it did in 1870⊠The Dead Hand (by Wilkie Collins) follows a young traveller seeking shelter on a rainy night. Arriving at an inn, young Arthur Holliday learns the horrifying truth of what lurks there. This is one of Wilkie Collinsâ rarer ghost stories, packed with masterful suspense and humour⊠The Signalman is haunted by a strange figure standing by the mouth of a tunnel. Each time it appears, a terrible tragedy occurs on the line. Written only a year after Dickens himself survived the Staplehurst Rail Crash, The Signal-Man finds the author grappling with his trauma: his conflicted feelings of fear and wonder at the new railways, and a desperate yearning to know in advance where danger lies⊠Support the show
Wed, October 05, 2022
Ghosts at 48 Doughty St: with Emily Dunbar
Dominic is joined by the brilliant Dr. Emily Dunbar , curator at the Charles Dickens Museum in London . Today the museum launches its new exhibition To Be Read at Dusk: Dickens, Ghosts and the Supernatural ... Emily is here to guide us through what visitors can expect to encounter as they pass through the famous red door and cross the threshold of number 48 Doughty Street, London. Dominic's film Ghosts and Murder - which includes his readings of Sikes & Nancy, The Dead Hand and The Signalman - will be live streamed from the Dickens Museum this Halloween 31st October at 7.30 (GMT). Watch wherever you are in the world! Book here Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, September 27, 2022
The French Revolution: with Adam Zamoyski
Dominic is joined by the fantastic historian Adam Zamoyski who shares his insight into the origins of both Revolutionary thought and action in the last quarter of the 18th Century: what Dickens famously calls 'The Period' in his A Tale of Two Cities ... Adam's celebrated titles on the Age of Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars include: Holy Madness , 1812. Napoleonâs Fatal March on Moscow , Rites of Peace and Napoleon: The Man Behind The Myth ... This episode also contains both French Revolutionary and British Reactionary quotes and slogans read by the brilliant actress LĂ©na Robin You can watch wherever you are in the world! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, September 09, 2022
THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP đ: with Claire Wood
Dominic is Joined by the brilliant Dr. Claire Wood , who is a lecturer in Victorian Literature at the University of Leicester and a former research associate at the University of York. Claireâs writing on Dickens includes: Dickens and the Business of Death , published by Cambridge University Press. Claire is also a founder of the Dickens Code which seeks to crack the mysteries of Dickensâ unique form of shorthand - a project that has just been nominated for a Times Education Award .. Also joining us to read extracts from The Old Curiosity Shop the excellent actor, Gunnar Cauthery . Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, September 02, 2022
A Quick Hello ...
Dominic says a quick hello to thank you all for listening to Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! and to let you know ways in which you can help support this series. First you can sponsor or donate here : https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard You can also book for Dominic's live-stream of Ghosts and Murder which has been filmed for Halloween exclusively inside the Charles Dickens Museum : https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/ghosts-murder Watch this live stream and Q&A wherever you are in the world on Monday 31st October at 7.30pm (GMT) Thank you for listening! Support the show
Fri, August 19, 2022
Dickens and Travel: with Lucinda Hawksley
It's summer ... the perfect time to talk about Dickens' travels abroad. Dominic is joined again by the brilliant Lucinda Hawskley who returns to talk about her new book Dickens and Travel ... A perfect addition to your holiday reading! Mentioned also in the episode are two portraits which you can view here: Daniel Maclise's "Charles Dickens" ('Nickleby Portrait) 1839 Francis Alexander's "Charles Dickens" 1842 Plus Harry Styles' latest album Harry's House ! To book for Dominic's GHOSTS AND MURDER live stream on Monday 31st October - which includes readings of Sikes & Nancy, The Dead Hand,The Signalman plus a live Q&A with Dr. Claire Wood - click here: https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/all-events/ghosts-murder You can watch wherever you are in the world! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Wed, July 27, 2022
BLEAK HOUSE đ: with Stephen Fry
Dominic is joined by the inimitable Stephen Fry who takes the listener on an intricate journey through the fog and mystery of Dickens' thrilling masterpiece: Bleak House Reading extracts from Esther's narrative also is the brilliant Sally Scott And here is a link to Miriam Margolyes' unabridged audiobook of Bleak House mentioned in the episode If you'd like to make a small donation to support the running of this series please click here Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, July 08, 2022
"I called myself Pip" Great Expectations Chapter One: Read by Dominic Gerrard
Host Dominic Gerrard reads the opening chapter of Great Expectations ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sat, June 18, 2022
Waterloo: with Bernard Cornwell
On the 207th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo Dominic is joined by the inimitable Bernard Cornwell OBE. Author of the hugely successful Sharpe series which takes the reader through the Napoleonic Wars, Bernard's latest novel Sharpe's Assassin is now available in paperback and follows the events of the occupation of Paris immediately after Napoleon's defeat. Bernard has also written a straight history of Waterloo which is an indispensable guide to the campaign. Dickens was only 3 years old on that day, which defined Britain's global position for a century ... In this episode âOver the Hills and Far Awayâ is sung by Georgina White Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sun, May 08, 2022
Dickens in Carrara: with Marzia Dati
Dominic is joined by Marzia Dati : Professor of English Literature at Liceo Marconi High School and founder of the first Italian Branch of the International Dickens Fellowship, in her home town of Carrara. Marziaâs new book A Sentimental Journey through Carrara is a visitorâs guide to this remarkable town that sits at the foot of the Apuan Alps, as they slope their way down to the Sea ⊠These marble mountains gave Michelangelo the stone from which he cut the figure of his famous David, and today, if you stand in the lobby of the One World Trade Centre in New York, you will see that its walls are also decorated with Carraraâs unique marble ⊠Dickens visited Carrara in January 1845 and Marzia shares what he, and other famous writers and artists, found there. Grazie per l'attenzione! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, April 14, 2022
Grip: with Ravenmaster Christopher Skaife
Dominic is joined by Ravenmaster Christopher Skaife for a special episode on Grip. Chris looks after the world famous ravens at the Tower of London, and tells hilarious anecdotes about his Ravens and how ingenious Dickens' descriptions of these rare and wonderful creatures are in Barnaby Rudge ... This episode also includes special readings from curator of Jane Austen's House Sophie Reynolds. HAPPY EASTER! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, March 25, 2022
The Turning Point: with Robert Douglas-Fairhurst
Dominic is joined by Professor Robert Douglas-Fairhurst to discuss his extraordinary biography of Dickens The Turning Point: A Year That Changed Dickens and the World ... The year is 1851 and London's Hyde Park is centre stage with the opening of The Great Exhibition. It is also the year that Dickens sits down to write his masterpiece: Bleak House ... Thank you for listening! To support this series please follow the link below Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, March 08, 2022
BARNABY RUDGE đ: with John Bowen
Dominic is joined by the brilliant John Bowen : Professor of 19th Century Literature at the University of York. He is the author of Other Dickens: Pickwick to Chuzzlewit a book which focuses on Dickensâ early novels. Johnâs work has brought him in to close collaboration with many of the UKâs leading cultural organisations: such as the BBC, British Library, and the V&A. He was also was an academic advisor to David Edgarâs adaptation of A Christmas Carol for the RSC. In this episode they discuss Dickens' first historical novel set against the backdrop of the Gordon Riots of 1780. The 'forgotten' masterpiece that is Barnaby Rudge ... Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, February 17, 2022
The Life and Lies of Charles Dickens: with Helena Kelly
Dominic is joined by the celebrated Austen biographer Dr. Helena Kelly - author of Jane Austen, The Secret Radical Helena has completed a new, soon to be published, biography on Dickens and gives an exclusive interview about it here! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Mon, February 07, 2022
âI Am Bornâ David Copperfield Chapter One: Read by Dominic Gerrard
To mark Charles Dickens' 210th Birthday , Dominic reads the opening chapter of David Copperfield ... If you wish to make a small donation to this series - all coffees are hugely appreciated! Link here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard/c/2529502?uid=1728604 Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, February 03, 2022
Staplehurst: with Gerald Dickens
Dominic is joined by Dickens' Great-Great Grandson, Gerald Dickens . They talk in detail about the Staplehurst Rail Crash of 1865 and Gerald's new book on the tragedy Dickens and Staplehurst ⊠How the trauma of this experience effected Dickens and led him to write The Signalman ⊠They also explore Gerald's career as a celebrated performer of Dickens' works If you'd like to support this podcast series please feel free to make a donation here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard/c/2529502?uid=1728604 Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: Léna Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Thu, January 27, 2022
GREAT EXPECTATIONSđ: with John Mullan
Dominic is joined by the celebrated writer, broadcaster, journalist and literary critic: Professor John Mullan . They have a lively discussion on Great Expectations with a particular emphasis on some of the 'forgotten' characters - such as Biddy. John's celebrated book The Artful Dickens is a must read for anyone wanting to deepen their appreciation of Dickens' genius and influence on contemporary fiction If you'd like to support this podcast series please feel free to make a donation here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Fri, December 24, 2021
Re-Reading A CHRISTMAS CAROLđ: with Rosie Holt
It's Christmas Eve ... and Dominic's special guest is the brilliant actress, comedian and satirist, Rosie Holt and host of the NonCensored Podcast . This week, they have both re-read A Christmas Carol and are set to talk through what they found in each of the Staves. They also get massively sidetracked and talk about Itâs A Wonderful Life, Scrooged and The Muppets ⊠MERRY CHRISTMAS! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Wed, December 22, 2021
Dickens' Women: with Miriam Margolyes
In this episode Dominic is joined by the inimitable Miriam Margolyes . With a career spanning six decades, this celebrated actress has been a life-long fan of Dickens throughout. Now in her 80th year she has recently published her autobiography This Much is True ... A candid, unflinching, and hugely entertaining story of her life and career. In this course of this interview, Miriam talks in great detail about her one woman show Dickens and Women and gives an exciting announcement about its future prospects. And as it's Christmas ... the talk naturally turns to A Christmas Carol also! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Sun, December 19, 2021
Tim Carroll's A Christmas Carol
In this Christmas episode Dominic is joined by the Tony Award winning director Tim Carroll. They share their love for Dickens and discuss the process of creating two very different stage adaptations of A Christmas Carol . One a large ensemble production at The Shaw Festival Theatre , Ontario; the other a solo performance that has just been filmed inside the Charles Dickens Museum , London. This broadcast of this episode also marks the 178th Anniversary of the publication of Dickens' 'ghostly little book'. Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
Tue, December 07, 2021
Dickens and Christmas: with Lucinda Hawksley
In this first episode, Dominic is joined by Dickens' Great-Great-Great Granddaughter, the Writer and Broadcaster, Lucinda Hawksley . On a cold December morning they talk through Lucinda's book Dickens and Christmas , which has just been published in paperback by Pen & Sword Books. It follows the story of Dickens' earliest Christmas as an infant, through to the five great festive novellas he wrote during the 1840s. From A Christmas Carol to the Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain ... Lucinda's also shares her earliest memories of knowing who Dickens was and what she really thinks about each of the five Christmas books! Support the show If 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/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĂ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!
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