The Devil's Dinner Hour

Join me tonight as we all scream for ice cream alongside the king of poisonous penny licks and the queen of fancy ices. We'll dive right into the heart of the dairy trade, and learn about the flavors, syrups and "special toppings" that made the Victorians brain freeze with delight.    The Devil's Dinner Hour is written, edited, produced, and hosted by Evelyn James  Music: David Fesilyan, David Ren...

Join me tonight as we tread the boards of the Victorian stage and learn what it was like for actors, directors, and writers as they navigated a world that didn't yet appreciate their gifts. We will experience a revolution that was started with song and dance, watch as theatre fires consume the streets of London, learn about Victorian special effects, lighting, and set design, and meet some interes...

Explore a world of stunning spectacle: The Victorian Circus. Let's take a stroll through the dusty sands of the circus ring, and learn what daily life was like for both performer and proprietor. In this episode, we will walk alongside misfits of every kind, color, creed, and identity who used their creativity and ingenuity to create a place, not only of danger, wonder, and excitement… but of belon...

Burning, Boiling and Beheadings, Oh my! The evolution of the Victorian capital punishment system will surely knock your socks off. So, call a carriage and break out your best cigars, as we navigate the eerily quiet, early morning streets of London to attend a public execution.  The Devil's Dinner Hour is a one-woman show, written, performed and produced by Evelyn James. © Music By: Fesliyan Studio...

Prepare yourself for a night of gruesome amputations, crazy drug parties, and mental breakdowns. So, sharpen those knives and put on your best blood-soaked apron as we dissect the Victorian Surgical Revolution. The Victorian Slang word of the day is sure to leave you in knots. Music by: David Fesilyan & David Renda   Sources: F. B. Smith, The People's Health 1830-1910 (London: Croom Helm, 1979), 2...

The Christmas tradition of sharing ghost stories was beloved by many in Victorian England. So, put on your warmest clothing as we explore a Victorian mid-winter, when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. Where ghosts roam and Scrooge groans a very un-merry, Humbug!   Music By: David Fesilyan tag: Victorian History Sources: Wilde, Oscar "The Soul of a Man Under Socialism" 18...

Roll up your sleeves, and let's carve into the Victorian's fascination and love for tattoos- that crossed both class and gender divides, empowering men and women alike to live their best lives and turn their bodies into living, breathing works of art. This episode has got liars, tigers and fairs, oh my! The Victorian slang term of the day will leave you asking for some baby powder.   Sources: Daws...

Tonight's episode will be about the noble art of bodysnatching... with some murder and mayhem thrown in for good measure. There will be tales of graveyard hi-jinks, friendships to die for, and close curtain calls with death. So, please grab your nearest shovel so we can dig into the dark dealings of death and how much doctors were willing to pay in the name of science and discovery. Music By: Davi...

Tonight, do I have a trick or treat, for you! I'll be carving my way into all the juicy bits and bobs that make up a Victorian Halloween. If you're ready for a night of fiery fruity fun, then look no further. There's a bowl of flaming raisins with your name on it. Looking for love? Who needs Tinder, when you've got the Magic Mirror Game. Nothing like the ghostly apparition of a future flame to set...

Death, Daguerrotypes, and Posing Stands, Oh My! Tonights episode is all about the wonderfully disturbing world of postmortem photography. So grab a spoon to lift up those eyelids as we explore death in all of its copper-coated glory and expose some myths in the process. The Victorian word of the day is sure to leave you feeling a bit buzzed.   (An example of how a posing stand was used to keep a c...

Grab a lantern to light the way, as we explore the gory and gothic world of Penny Dreadfuls. Meet creatures that slash people to bits, murderous bakers, killer vampires, and unscrupulous neer-do-wells. The Victorian slang term of the day is sure to leave you in a bit of a pickle. Music By: David Fesilyan & David Renda Sources: Troy. Youth of Darkest England: Working-Class Children at the Heart of...

Tonight we will be heading to the Victorian Market place! Not to buy food...but rather to sell our (no-longer loved) ones. So, if you have a not-so-special someone who has been driving you batty during this pandemic, feel free to throw a rope around their waist and bring them along, as we experience what it was like for the common Victorian man or woman to sell their spouse. Maybe you'll even draw...

Prepare yourself for an evening of mesmerism, crystal-gazing and ghostly possession. Please join hands as we call upon some friendly phantoms to find out why the Victorians were so fascinated with the spirit realm.         Sources: Owen, Alex. 1089. The Darkened Room: Women, Power and Spiritualism in Late Victorian England. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Julie Mathias, "Seeing is Believing:...

Welcome to the strange and often deadly world of Victorian beauty. In this episode, you'll find out what some of the hidden and not so hidden) ingredients were in beauty products of the era, as well as, discovering a whole new meaning for the saying, "Dressed to kill". At the end of the episode, the Victorian slang term I'll teach you is sure to add a little sweetness to your day. So kick back, re...

Looking for a fun night in? Well, look no further because you are cordially invited to attend...a Mummy Unwrapping Party. -- Just a quick disclaimer, this episode will get a bit dark, because the Victorians were B-A-N-A-N-A-S. If you aren't comfortable with hearing about mummies, corpses and the real and very dark shenanigans the Victorians got up to, I'd probably turn back now. -- Music by: David...