Classics Out Loud

Are you a fan of classic literature and psychological thrillers? If so, you won't want to miss this chapter.

We join Mr. Utterson, a dry lawyer who remains after a dinner party to have a private conversation with Dr. Jekyll. Their discussion centers around Jekyll's will and a disturbing character named Mr. Hyde. As the conversation progresses, Jekyll's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, leaving Utterson with more questions than answers.

The tension in this episode is palpable, as we witness Jekyll's inner turmoil and Utterson's dogged determination to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Mr. Hyde. The two men have a complex relationship, built on a foundation of mutual respect and trust, yet fraught with secrets and lies. As Jekyll pleads with Utterson to help Hyde, despite his own misgivings, we can't help but wonder what dark secrets are lurking just beneath the surface.

With its masterful prose and deep psychological insights, "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" has captivated readers for over a century. This podcast episode offers a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the story and explore the complex themes that have made it a classic of both horror and psychological fiction. So if you're looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking listen, don't miss it!

Mr Utterson is frustrated by the will he holds for Dr Jekyll, having now realised the scandalous nature of the person who would inherit the entire estate in the case of Jekyll's disappearance: Mr Hyde.

Utterson decides to find Mr Hyde, and starts with his old friend Dr Lanyon. But Lanyon didn't know Hyde at all, and had not even been much in touch with Jekyll. Besieged by questions,  he sleeps badly with dreams of Hyde. Waking, he decides he must set eyes on him, and begins his own investigation. "If he be Mr Hyde", he says, "I shall be Mr Seek".

He loiters at all hours around the door he heard Mr Hyde went into during the incident described to him by Mr Enfield, and finally, he is rewarded. "My Hyde, I think", proposes Mr Utterson.

If you're a fan of mysteries and thrillers, you won't want to miss this podcast episode from Robert Louis Stephenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

The chapter, called "Story of the Door," introduces us to Mr. Utterson, a lawyer with a rugged countenance and a reserved demeanour. Utterson is a fascinating character, with a mysterious past and an enigmatic present. He enjoys the theatre but hasn't gone to one in twenty years, and he drinks gin alone to "mortify a taste for vintages." Despite his austere nature, Utterson has a soft spot for down-and-out men, often being the last good influence in their lives.

One day, while out for a walk with his friend Mr. Richard Enfield, they come across a sinister-looking door that seems out of place in the otherwise clean and inviting neighbourhood. Enfield tells Utterson a strange story about the door, involving  a little girl, a strange man, and a shocking act of violence. The mystery of the door and the strange story that surrounds leaves us wanting to know more about this incident and the characters involved.

It's a gripping book that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, and is completely unlike the movie adaptions of the book.

Don't miss out on this thrilling episode!

It's the fun and surreal podcast conclusion to Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." In this chapter, Alice finds herself on trial, accused of a crime she didn't commit. As she tries to defend herself, chaos ensues, with a jury of animals and a king who can't seem to remember his own rules.

The episode captures the zaniness of Carroll's writing, with its wordplay, nonsensical logic. and of course the antics of the animal characters, from the Lizard waving its tail in despair to the White Rabbit's frantic attempts to keep the trial on track.

If you're a fan of classic literature or just love a good story, this podcast episode is not to be missed. It's a delightful romp through a world where anything can happen, and often does, bringing Alice's dream to an end at last.

In this episode, listeners will be taken on a journey to the curious court of the King and Queen of Hearts, where Alice finds herself in the middle of a trial to determine who stole the tarts. As she observes the proceedings, Alice realizes that things are not quite what they seem, with quirky characters like the Hatter and the Dormouse offering testimony that only adds to the confusion. Proceedings are not helped by the fact that the allegedly stolen tarts are indeed in the court in front of everyone, or by the fact that the King is acting as judge and doesn't really seem to know what the rules are.

As the jurors scribble on their slates, Alice can't help but feel frustrated at their inability to spell simple words correctly. She even manages to take a squeaky pencil from one of them, causing chaos in the court. With each new witness, Alice becomes more embroiled in the case, and she soon realizes that there's much more to this trial than meets the eye. Will the true thief be caught, or will the King and Queen's reign of confusion continue? Tune in to find out in this charming and whimsical episode, setting us up for the book's climax in the next chapter, where Alice herself is called as witness.

The Mock Turtle tells Alice about his school years growing up under the sea, but is interrupted by the Gryphon who ask him to explain a dance called the Lobster Quadrille.  Of course it is as nonsensical as you could expect at this point and the Mock Turtle and the Gryphon act out the dance (sans lobsters) much to their own amusement.

The Mock Turtle does this while singing a song about a whiting and a snail, who are both invited to the dance but quite sensibly decline. Alice recites some verses herself after some encouragement and finally the Mock Turtle entertains them by singing a song about soup.

They hear a shout that the trial is beginning, and the Gryphon takes Alice by the hand to attend - leaving the Mock Turtle to sing to himself.

Alice encounters the Duchess once again, and although she finds her in a pleasant mood, she still makes some bizarre and confusing remarks. The Duchess insists that everything has a moral, and seems to enjoy finding morals in everything she sees, no matter how unrelated or nonsensical. Alice finds this strange, but tries to keep up with the conversation as best she can. However, their conversation is cut short when the Queen suddenly appears to drag Alice back to the croquet game.

Instead, she insists that Alice to meet the Mock Turtle so she can hear his story, and finds the Gryphon to accompany her.  After some awkward silences, the Mock Turtle finally starts its story, and Alice is glad that at least she's no longer under thread from the Queen.

Alice comes across a group of gardeners who are painting white roses red to avoid the wrath of the Queen of Hearts, whom she finally gets to meet.

The Queen of Hearts is shown as a ruthless ruler who threatens to behead her subjects for minor mistakes, while the gardeners are portrayed as fearful and subservient to her. Alice questions the absurdity of the system and refuses to be intimidated by the Queen's power, which leads to a confrontation.

While some believe that this chapter is part of a larger work that satirizes Victorian society and its values, and while the themes of the chapter reflect this satirical approach, the book is full of so much nonsense writing it's actually difficult to tell if this is intentional.

In any case, if you need a lesson in the challenges of playing croquet when the balls are hedgehogs and the mallets are actually flamingos, look no further.

This chapter describes a chaotic tea party between Alice, the March Hare, the Hatter and the Dormouse. When Alice arrives at the table, she is met with the unexpected offer of wine from the March Hare, despite the fact that there is no wine to be seen on the table. The Hatter, who has been observing Alice with great curiosity, decides to make a rude comment about her hair, causing Alice to scold him for his lack of manners.

As the conversation continues, the guests begin to ask each other riddles and engage in a game of wordplay. The Hatter asks the famous riddle, "Why is a raven like a writing-desk?" to which Alice confidently replies that she can guess the answer. However, the March Hare and the Hatter challenge her with a series of nonsensical comparisons, leaving Alice feeling flustered.

The conversation takes a curious turn when the Hatter asks Alice what day of the month it is, revealing that his watch only tells the date and not the time. This leads to a lively argument between the Hatter and the March Hare about the reliability of the watch and the quality of the butter that was used to lubricate it. Alice, who has been observing the antics of the Hatter and the March Hare, comments on the strange design of the watch, causing the Hatter to question why it should tell the time at all.

The chapter ends with the guests sitting in silence as Alice thinks about ravens and writing-desks, and the Hatter and the March Hare continue to bicker over the accuracy of the watch. The scene is full of playful banter and absurdity, making it a delightful and entertaining part of Alice's journey down the rabbit hole.

Get ready for a wild ride in this chapter of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland! Our protagonist is lost in a wood when she suddenly spots two peculiar footmen in livery, one with a face like a fish and the other with eyes like a frog. They exchange a mysterious letter from the Queen inviting the Duchess to play croquet, bowing low and getting their curly hair tangled in the process. Alice can't contain her laughter and runs back into the woods, only to knock on the door of the house later. But when she does, the Footman on the other side refuses to let her in because he's on the same side as her and the noise inside is too loud to hear her knock.
 
Suddenly, a large plate flies out of the door and almost hits the Footman! Despite the near-miss, he continues on as if nothing happened and tells Alice she can do anything she likes. In frustration, Alice opens the door and walks into a chaotic kitchen filled with smoke, a sneezing Duchess, a howling baby, and a grinning cat. Will Alice ever make sense of this madness? Find out in the next chapter!