The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian Street Literature and Stories

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 32:00: 01:20: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 31: We open the scene on Sir Francis Varney is in his home. He is awaiting a visitor, whom he dreads. We learn from his nervous m...

This is our hour-long Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode, the second of our two weekly shows. It comes in two parts, to-wit: PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 44:30: 01:00: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: A dentist pounced upon and nearly choked to death by a gang of thieves. 03:15: SWEENEY TODD, THE BARBER OF FLEET-STREET, Chapter 72-73: We look in on Arabella to see...

This is our main one-hour Sunday-night episode. Including, after the break, the "Sixpenny Spookies" segment. PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 37:40: 01:10: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 29-30: Now we cut to a new scene, in a ruined abbey near Bannerworth Hall, in a dungeon-cell beneath which there is a man locked up, battered and dazed and bearing th...

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! This is our Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode, the second of our two weekly shows. It comes in two parts, to-wit: PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 45:30: 01:00: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: A priest is prosecu...

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! This is our main one-hour Sunday-night episode. Including, after the break, the "Sixpenny Spookies" segment. COMING OUT A DAY EARLY! PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 32:00: 02:50: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF B...

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 42:00: 00:55: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: The account of a murderous attack made on a landlord’s steward made 174 years ago today. 03:00: SWEENEY TODD, THE BARBER OF FLEET-STREET, Ch...

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 35:00: 01:05: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 27: Henry, the admiral and Mr. Marchdale present the three letters to Flora, anticipating she will be offended and angry with Cha...

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! This is our hour-long Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode, the second of our two weekly shows. PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS”: (Horrid, as in “horror”!) 01:00: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: An account of a 21-year-old man who stole jewels w...

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch, * for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! 03:20: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 26: Henry, the admiral and Mr. Marchdale present the three letters to Flora, anticipating she will be offended and angry with Charles for treating her so. Instead, they are surprised w...

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! This is a one-hour Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode! In two parts, to-wit: PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 38:00: This first segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter of Sweeney Todd, along with the more darksome,...

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! This is our main one-hour Sunday-night episode. Including, after the break, the "Sixpenny Spookies" segment. The first segment of the Sunday show contains a chapter of Varney the Vampire, along with sundry other tidbits of early-Victo...

A one-hour Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode! In two parts, the first grim and dark, the second salty and spicy; to-wit: PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 34:50: This first segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter of Sweeney Todd, along with the more darksome, loathly, and horrifying tidbits of the week: Tales of horrid murders, public executions, disasters, brutal cri...

Our main one-hour Sunday-night episode! This first segment of the Sunday show contains a chapter of Varney the Vampire, along with what we think of as the more humourous, melodramatic, and high-campy tidbits from this week’s explorations of early-Victorian street literature — INCLUDING ... 02:02: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 24: Admiral Bell, back from his meeting with Varne...

NOTE — for a glossary of "flash" terms used in this episode, see pennydread.com/discord. (Flash was the slang lingo used by the criminal underworld of the Regency and early Victorian period.) A one-hour Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode! In two parts, to-wit: PART I: "THE HA’PENNY HORRIDS," 0:00 — 32:30: This first segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter of Sween...

Our main one-hour Sunday-night episode! In two parts, to-wit: PART I: “The HALF-CROWN CAMPIES” segment: 0:00 — 32:00: This first segment of the Sunday show contains a chapter of Varney the Vampire, along with what we think of as the more humourous, melodramatic, and high-campy tidbits from this week’s explorations of early-Victorian street literature — INCLUDING ... 01:37: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or,...

A one-hour Ha'penny Horrid 'Hursday episode! PART I: "THE HORRIDS," 0:00 — 32:20: This first segment of the Thursday show contains a chapter of Sweeney Todd, along with all the more darksome and horrifying elements of the week — INCLUDING ... 02:30: DICKENS' DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: We hear of the sentencing to a lenient rap of a woman who, thinking her first husband dead...

Episode 1 of a new season! With new bed music and more ghost stories! 03:55: VARNEY, THE VAMPYRE; OR, THE FEAST OF BLOOD (1845), Ch. 22; In which — Henry, Charles, Mr. Marchdale, and Admiral Bell sit down for a planning meeting to decide what to do about Varney and Bannerworth Hall. They have just about decided to sell or rent it to Varney, but the idea of doing so under duress sticks in everyone’...

A half-hour- long (plus a bit) Ha'penny Horror 'Hursday minisode IN WHICH — 0:02:15: THE BLACK BAND, Chapter 22: IN WHICH:— Ballet dancer Clara Melville, seeing Sir Frederick Beaumorris’s valet arriving with his traveling-things, is plunged into despair. Meanwhile, Sir Frederick is very pleased with himself, and looking forward to the conquest of breaking Clara’s spirit, right after dinner...

A spicy (-ish) Tuesday Twopenny Torrid minisode IN WHICH — 0:01:50: THE BALLET-GIRL'S REVENGE, Chapter 10, IN WHICH —: We cut back to poor Edgar DeVille, who is being marched at pistol-point by the count into an inner chamber at the house, surrounded by the bloodthirsty ruffians in his gang of coiners and counterfeiters. A trap door opens in the floor before him, disclosing a deep well, in whi...

Episode 25 of Season Three! — A Sunday-evening full episode! 01:00: AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT OR TWO. 06:10: THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON (1843), Ch. 10; In which — We cut back to Mrs. Arlington’s pad. Richard Markham is a regular guest, and is well on his way to falling in love with her. Then one day, she realizes how deep his feelings have become and, warning him that she is unworthy of him, tells hi...

A half-hour- long (plus a bit) Ha'penny Horror 'Hursday minisode IN WHICH — 0:02:05: SWEENEY TODD, THE BARBER OF FLEET-STREET, Chapter 59: IN WHICH:— We return to the scene of Sir Richard Blunt in Mrs. Lovett’s pie shop. Once Mrs. Lovett has gone to bed, he slips down the stairs on which he followed her to see if he can learn anything more about the voice that answered her from the room be...

A spicy (-ish) Tuesday Twopenny Torrid minisode IN WHICH — 0:01:50: BLACK BESS (starring Highwayman Dick Turpin), IN WHICH —: CHAPTER 23: Turpin and King arrive at the Hand and Keys Inn as the sun is coming up — just in time — and wake up the ostler to get their horses stabled and cared for. Tom Davis sets out a big breakfast for them. And Dick once again sets to thinking … how is he going to get...

Episode 22 of Season Three! — A Sunday-evening full episode! 02:00: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE (1844), Ch. 21. In which — Admiral Bell is absolutely convinced, in spite of himself, and enthusiastically proclaims himself Team Flora. Then a scream rings out. The vampire has visited once again! They run for Flora’s room. Will she be OK? And can they catch the hideous vampire before he makes his escape from t...

A half-hour- long (plus a bit) Ha'penny Horror 'Hursday minisode IN WHICH — 0:02:00: THE BLACK BAND; OR, THE COMPANIONS OF MIDNIGHT, Chapter 21: IN WHICH:— We return to Clara Melville at the theatre. Reginald Faulkner has been wooing her for some time now, sending flowers every night, and eventually sending her a packet of books. We know a formalization of their relationship cannot be far...

A spicy (-ish) Tuesday Twopenny Torrid minisode IN WHICH — 0:01:52: THE BALLET-GIRL'S REVENGE, IN WHICH —: CHAPTER 9: Rose learns her captors are working for Count Lerno. Then she sees her chance and bolts for the door, with the young man in hot pursuit. But she takes a wrong turn! The only escape is over the roof … can she make it? Or will she end up in a shattered, lifeless heap in the stree...