Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! 🔥

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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

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Host: Dominic Gerrard
Series Artwork: Léna Gibert
Original Music: Dominic Gerrard
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Dominic’s 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 London’s Victoria & Albert Musuem, and then for 15 years established and ran the Portrait and Miniatures Consultancy at Philip Mould’s & CompanyThis 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: Léna Gibert
Original Music: Dominic Gerrard
Thank you for listening!

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Happy 5th Day of Christmas!

The fantastic actor Tom Bennett reads an excerpt from Dickens’ 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 Caleb’s 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.

Tom’s screen credits include his critically acclaimed portrayal of Sir James Martin opposite Kate Beckinsale in Love and Friendship, the HBO series Family Tree, Netlfix’s After Life and coming soon in 2024 House of the Dragons. He also starred as Del Boy in the London’s 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: Léna Gibert
Original Music: Dominic Gerrard
Thank you for listening!

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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: Léna Gibert
Original Music: Dominic Gerrard
Thank you for listening!

Send us a text

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: Léna Gibert
Original Music: Dominic Gerrard
Thank you for listening!