Season 1 Episode 15

Victoria Regina is a historical drama written by Laurence Housman. The book was first published in 1934 and offers a captivating portrayal of the life and reign of Queen Victoria, one of the most iconic monarchs in British history. Housman's work explores the personal and public dimensions of Victoria's life, shedding light on her relationships, political influences, and the challenges she faced during her extensive reign.

The plot of "Victoria Regina" spans from Victoria's ascension to the throne at the tender age of 18 to her long and eventful reign, which lasted over six decades. Housman delves into Victoria's relationships with her beloved husband Prince Albert, her children, and key figures such as Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. The narrative unfolds through a series of dialogues and monologues, providing readers with insights into Victoria's thoughts, fears, and triumphs.

In 1938, "Victoria Regina" was adapted into a radio play as part of "The Campbell Playhouse," a renowned radio program hosted by the esteemed actor and director Orson Welles. The radio presentation brought the compelling story of Queen Victoria to audiences across the United States, with Welles himself lending his talent to the production. The adaptation aimed to capture the essence of the book's historical drama, allowing listeners to immerse themselves in the life and times of the iconic British monarch. Through the radio adaptation of "Victoria Regina" on "The Campbell Playhouse," Housman's work reached a wider audience, further solidifying its place as a noteworthy exploration of Queen Victoria's remarkable reign.

Books in Sound is a free podcast series that presents a collection of hundreds of the world’s greatest books through the magic of the performing arts.

Different from audiobooks: Instead of having a single narrator read an audiobook, these performances have a full cast of actors, suitable background music, and special effects that help define the drama.

Most presentations are from old time radio theater broadcasts that have been remastered to remove most of the hissing, clicking and volume fluctuations. Many of the presentations are from the 1930's and 1940's, so a significant amount of work went into the remastering process.

Most presentations are about one hour, some are multiple hours, and some are abbreviated presentation that last about half an hour, making this series wonderful for bedtime stories, self-improvement by learning about literature, or simply as a very imaginative form of entertainment.

The episodes are not sequential, but we do recommend listening to the complete collection starting with the first episode so that you can grow and benefit from the wide assortment of styles and content.

For more information visit https://www.booksinsound.com