Classics Out Loud

Mr. Utterson receives a visit from Poole, Dr. Jekyll's butler. Poole is visibly distressed and tells Utterson that something is wrong with the doctor, who has locked himself up in his cabinet and has not come out for several days. Poole is afraid that something terrible has happened to Dr. Jekyll and asks Utterson to come and see for himself. Despite his skepticism, Utterson agrees to go with...

We join Mr. Utterson and Mr. Enfield on their usual Sunday walk, as they pass by the door that once belonged to Mr. Hyde. As they stop to gaze at the building, they find themselves discussing their previous encounters with the mysterious man, and they both express relief that they will never have to see him again. However, as they peer into the court, they see something that turns their blood cold...

Mr. Hyde has disappeared, and Dr. Jekyll has emerged from his seclusion, becoming more active in society and charitable works. However, Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and friend of both Jekyll and Lanyon, notices that Dr. Lanyon's appearance has deteriorated rapidly and that he seems to be terrified by something. Lanyon tells Utterson that he has had a shock and that he is a doomed man, refusing to s...

Mr. Utterson, the lawyer of Dr. Jekyll, visits his friend's laboratory for the first time and discovers a sense of strangeness that makes him uncomfortable. Dr. Jekyll looks deathly ill and confesses to his friend that he has received a letter that he is not sure he should show to the police. The letter is signed by Edward Hyde, who claims to have repaid Dr. Jekyll unworthily for a thousand g...

In "The Carew Murder Case," listeners are taken on a journey through the dark and foggy streets of London as a maid servant witnesses a brutal murder. The victim is Sir Danvers Carew, a man of high status, and the perpetrator is a certain Mr. Hyde, who is known to be of small stature and wicked-looking. The details of the crime are few, but they are both startling and chilling. As the st...

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...

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...

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 pre...

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...

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. Proceedin...

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...

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...

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 t...

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 h...

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&...

Alice comes across the Caterpillar sitting on a mushroom, who asks Alice who she is. But with all the strange things happening to her in Wonderland, Alice is having a hard time figuring that out herself. Despite the Caterpillar's short remarks, Alice stands her ground and demands that the Caterpillar tell her who it is first. But the Caterpillar just replies with "Why?" leaving Alic...

Alice has a curious adventure as she stumbles upon the White Rabbit who is frantically searching for his fan and gloves. The Rabbit mistakes Alice for his housemaid, Mary Ann, and demands she bring him his lost possessions. Alice, eager to prove herself, sets out on a wild goose chase to find the fan and gloves, and soon finds herself in a neat little house with a brass plate that reads "W. R...

The chapter opens with a bedraggled and damp collection of creatures gathering on the riverbank. They are all cross and uncomfortable, desperately trying to find a way to dry off. As the conversation goes on, Alice finds herself chatting with the animals as if they were old friends. The authority among the group, a mouse, calls for everyone to sit down and listen as it promises to dry them off. Wi...

In the chapter "The Pool of Tears," we see Alice's journey into the strange and fantastical world of Wonderland continue. After being surprised by her sudden growth spurt, Alice contemplates her appearance and worries about who will take care of her now far-off feet. She even jokingly considers sending presents to her own feet, but soon realizes the absurdity of it all. However, the...

Welcome to Season 5!   We are delighted to present Lewis Carroll's classic, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Like most of the books we tackle, there is much more to the book than you probably remember or are led to believe from movie adaptations. Alice's adventure begins by following a white rabbit down a rabbit-hole and into a strange and magical world. Along the way, Alice encoun...

The stunning conclusion to The Time Traveller, with final remarks from our narrator. "But to me the future is still black and blank—is a vast ignorance, lit at a few casual places by the memory of his story. And I have by me, for my comfort, two strange white flowers—shrivelled now, and brown and flat and brittle—to witness that even when mind and strength had gone, gratitude and a mutual ten...

Did it really all happen? Was it just a dream the Time Traveller had in his workshop?   The friend known as the editor believes it was all just a good story. Our narrator returns the following day to the workshop to investigate further and is told insistently that indeed, he really does travel through time. He is told, "I’ll prove you this time travelling up to the hilt, specimens and all.&qu...

The Time Traveller is back in the present he left from and recognises his surroundings, but something seems off. Suddenly, he realizes that he has returned to the exact spot he started from, but in the opposite corner of the room. He realises this is because the time machine has been moved by the Morlocks.   Recovering from his experience, he recounts the last few minutes of his adventure as he pr...

The Time Traveller travels further forward in time, determined to find out what happens to planet earth.     He experiences a world of desolation and strange creatures. He sees a huge red sun, motionless on the horizon, and is soon confronted by monstrous crabs. As he continues to travel, the sun grows larger and duller, the atmosphere thinner, and the creatures fewer.   Finally, he finds himself...

The Time Traveller arrives back at the same spot where he had arrived at the beginning of his journey and muses on his naivete at the time. He reflects on the beauty of the world and the complacency of the people, who were unaware of the dangers lurking beneath their feet.   He is surprised to find the bronze doors of the White Sphinx open and discovers the Time Machine within. As he prepares to l...