2.07: Sweeney Todd and the loan shark. — A very angry young profligate. — A racy flash song about a buz-napper and a bawd! - The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian Street Literature and Stories

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:09):
A tip top evening to all you Bully Rocks, Bon Vivantes and
nights of the brush and moon. I'm your host, Finn JD John,
welcoming you back to the chafing crib.
It's Sunday night and that meansit's time once again for the
Penny Dreadful Variety Hour. So slip off your dew beaters and
top off your tumblers and swivelyour mazzards my way because

(00:32):
another rare noggin of Prattley in the form of the Penny
Dreadful Variety Hour is upon us.
Like spring Heeled Jack on a spring, tides ebb.
The Penny Dreadful Variety Hour is the show that carries you
back to the sooty, foggy streetsof early Victorian London when
the latest batch of the story papers hit the streets.
No, not the fancy ones full of sketches by Boz and comments

(00:55):
about Parliament, but the cheap scrappy ones that cost a penny
and that the hoity toity tulips and gunpowder tabbies called
Penny Bloods or Penny Dreadfuls.That's right, the good stuff,
like a snicker of neat Max, may be a little rough, but it does
the job. Here's what we've got in store
for tonight. First up, it's chapter 4 of The

(01:17):
Mysteries of London, or Stories of Life in the Modern Babylon by
George WM Reynolds, which first started publication in 1844, in
which we cut away to Mr. Markham's estate.
That gentleman's two sons are talking.
The elder Eugene, 19, has determined to shake the dust of
the family. Man's from his feet.

(01:38):
Having quarreled bitterly with his father, the other son,
Richard, 15, supported by the family Butler, begs him to
reconsider. Will he or will he follow
through on his determination to vanish from their lives forever?
Well, at least for 12 years. We'll find out soon, and after
we do, it'll be time for Chapter54 of Sweeney Todd, the Barber

(02:00):
of Fleet Street by James MalcolmReimer, which first started
publication in 1846. In this chapter, the customer
who wants artificial hairdressedguides Todd to his lodging
house, which his wife runs, and on the doorstep learns that the
gentleman who needs his peruke dressed is John Mundell, the
moneylender Todd pawned the pearls off on for 8000 lbs.

(02:22):
Sweeney Toddy is in a tight spotnow.
What will happen when he sees Todd?
Will he recognize in him the ugly but elegant Duke who pawned
off those priceless but unsellable pearls and then
Morris off like a summer's zephyr?
What will happen if he does? We'll soon be finding out.
Now with this episode, I'm starting a new regular feature

(02:43):
in every episode of the Penny Dreadful Variety Hour, The
terrible tidbit of the day. These are actually written by
Charles Dickens. I know he's a bit more upmarket
than we usually go in this show,but Dickens wasn't always
writing Victorian masterpieces like A Tale of Two Cities and
Oliver Twist. Every terrible tidbit of the day
is taken from a delightful book titled Dickens Dreadful Almanac,

(03:08):
a history Press title edited by Kate Ludlow.
It is subtitled A Terrible Eventfor Every Day of the Year.
Let me just read you the explanatory info on the back
cover of this wonderful little book, which you should totally
go and get yourself a copy of because it's a delight quote in
amongst the pages of Dickens Monthly supplements to Household

(03:28):
Words. The publication Household Words
a very strange and very British history Lyrics.
Under the headings of Narrative of Law and Crime and Narrative
of Accident and Disaster may be found an astonishing catalog of
terrible, grisly and most dreadful Victorian events.
Fires and railway disasters abound.

(03:49):
Shipwrecks, floods and quote horrible affairs leap from every
page. Some of the crimes would
surprise even the most ardent fan of crime fiction.
It is doubtful whether so many cases of such shocking violence
and awful ingenuity have been collected together in one volume
since. Sounds good, doesn't it?

(04:09):
Here is today's terrible tidbit.July 20th, a melancholy accident
from the incautious use of firearms occurred at Standen
House near Hungerford. Burke's the seat of the Reverend
JP Mitchell on the 20th. His youngest son had been rabbit
shooting, and returning home around 9:00 in the evening was

(04:29):
called by his two youngest sisters from the nursery window,
and in turning round to answer them the gun, which happened to
be loaded, went off and unhappily lodged the contents in
the forehead of the youngest, a fine little girl between 9 and
10 years of age, who survived only a few minutes.
The children at the time of the melancholy occurrence, had their

(04:49):
arms round each other's neck, but, strange to say, not a shot
touched the other. 1852 and in the next episode on Tuesday
night, we'll hear about a calamitous Steamboat explosion
that took place in 1850. Now tis time for chapter 4 of

(05:09):
the Mysteries of London. Tonight's Flash Academy
Vocabulary Award is tip the Monish to bust the Monish milad
and make them all yellow boys now white would give it a guess.
After the story we'll find out if you were right.
Last week in Chapter 3 of The Mysteries of London we opened
with the interesting youth trapped upstairs in the thieves

(05:30):
house. Determining on a desperate
attempt to flee the house, he slid up to the window to see if
the ruffians were looking and that was when one of them
spotted him. The youth knew he must flee for
his life, but his legs refused their office and he fainted upon
the floor. When he awoke, he was being
carried by the two ruffians downthe stairs and into the front
room with the black square. From the black square he smelled

(05:52):
A fetid odor and heard a gurgle of current.
They were going to throw him in the underground fleet river.
He screamed. He begged for his life, but the
ruffians replied that they couldnot do otherwise than kill him.
As yo and now as fly to the fakement as any one of us.
Down he went into the filthy subterranean fleet to his death.
Perhaps not. The next day, a letter in a

(06:14):
beautiful, cultivated feminine hand arrived at Mr. Markham's
place warning of the planned burglary.
Nothing happened. No attempt was made.
Maybe somebody on the inside passed the word along to the
burglars that they've been splitupon.
But about that Markham family, we're going to be meeting them
today, starting right about now.Chapter 4.

(06:38):
The Two Trees. It was between 8:00 and 9:00 on
a delicious evening, about a week after the events related in
the preceding chapters. The two youths issued from Mr.
Markham's handsome but somewhat secluded dwelling in the
northern part of the environs ofLondon, and slowly ascended the
adjacent hill. There was an interval of four

(07:01):
years between the ages of these youths, the elder being upwards
of 19, the younger about 15, butit was easy to perceive by the
resemblance which existed between them, that they were
brothers. They walked at a short distance
from each other, and exchanged not a word as they ascended the
somewhat steep path which conducted them to the summit of

(07:22):
the eminence that overlooked themansion they had just left.
The elder proceeded first, and from time to time he clenched
his fists and knit his brows, and gave other silent but
expressive indications of the angry passions which were
concentrated in his breast. His brother followed him with
downcast eyes, and with a countenance denoting the deep
anguish which oppressed him. In this manner they arrived at

(07:46):
the top of the hill, where they seated themselves upon a bench
which stood between two young ash saplings for a long.
Time. The brothers remained silent,
but at length the younger of thetwo suddenly burst into tears
and exclaimed. Oh, why, dearest Eugene, did we
choose this spot to say farewell?
Perhaps forever we could not select a more appropriate 1.

(08:08):
Richard returned the elder brother.
Four years ago. These trees were planted by our
hands. We have since called them by our
own names when we were want to separate to repair to our
respective schools. We came, hit her to talk over
our plans, to arrange the periodof our correspondence, and to
anticipate the pursuits that should engage us during the

(08:28):
vacations when we returned from our seminaries.
We hastened hit her hand in handto see how our trees flourished.
And he was most joyous and proud, whose sapling appeared to
expand the more luxuriantly. If we ever quarrelled, Richard,
it was here that we made our peace again, and seated upon
this bench we have concocted plans for the future which,

(08:50):
happily will never now be realized.
You are right, my dear brother, said Richard, after a pause
during which he appeared to reflect profoundly upon Eugene's
words. We could not have selected a
better spot. Still, it is all those happy
days to which you allude that now render the moment the more
bitter. Tell me, must you depart?

(09:10):
Is there no alternative? Can I not intercede with our
father? Surely, surely, he will not
discard 1 so young as you and whom he has loved, must still
love. Tenderly intercede with my
father, repeated Eugene, with anirony that seemed extraordinary
in one of his tender age. No, never.

(09:30):
He has signified his desire. He has commanded me no longer to
pollute his dwelling. Those were his very words, and
he shall be obeyed. Her father was incensed, deeply
incensed, when he spoke, urged Richard, whose voice was
rendered almost inaudible by hissobs.
And tomorrow he will repent of his harshness towards you.

(09:51):
Our father had no right to blameme, said Eugene violently.
All that occurred originated in his own conduct toward me.
The behaviour of a parent to hisson is the element of that son's
ruin or success in life. I know not how you can reproach
our father, Eugene, said Richard, somewhat reproachfully,
for he has ever conducted himself with tenderness toward

(10:12):
us, and since the death of our dear mother.
You are yet too young. Richard interrupted Eugene
impatiently to comprehend the nature of the accusation which I
bring against my father. I will, however, attempt to
enable you to understand my meaning, so that you may not
imagine that I am acting with duplicity when I endeavour to
find the means of extenuation, if not of justification for my

(10:34):
own conduct. My father lavished his gold upon
my education, as he did also upon yours, and he taught us
from childhood to consider ourselves the sons of wealthy
parents who would enable their children to move with a claw in
the elevated sphere of life. It was just this day year that I
joined my regiment at Knightsbridge.
I suddenly found myself thrown amongst gay, dissipated and

(10:57):
wealthy young men. My brother officers, many of
them were old acquaintances, andhad me, my companions at the
Royal Military College at Sandhurst.
They speedily enlisted me in alltheir pleasures and
debaucheries, and my expendituresoon exceeded my pay and my
allowance. I became involved in debts, and
was compelled to apply to my father to relieve me from my

(11:18):
embarrassments. I wrote a humble and submissive
letter, expressing contrition for my faults, and promising to
avoid similar pursuits in the future.
Indeed, I was wearied of the dissipation into which I had
plunged, and should have profited well by the experience
my short career of pleasure and folly enabled me to acquire.
I trembled upon that verge, whenmy father would either ruin or

(11:39):
save me. He did not reply to my letter,
and I had not the courage to seek an interview with him.
Again. Did I write to him?
No answer. I had lost money at private play
and had contracted debts in the same manner.
Those, Richard, are called debtsof honor, and must be paid in
full to your creditor, however wealthy he may be, even though
your servants and tradesmen should be cheated out of their

(12:01):
hard earned and perhaps much needed money all together.
I wrote a third time to our father, and still no notice was
taken of my appeal. The officers to whom I owed the
money lost at play began to lookcoldly upon me, and I was
reduced to a state of desperation.
Still I waited for a few days, and for 1/4 time wrote to my
father. It appears that he was resolved

(12:23):
to make me feel the inconvenience of the position in
which I had placed myself by my follies, and he sent me no
answer. I then called at the house, and
he refused to see me. This you know, Richard, what
could I do? Driven mad by constant demands
for money which I could not pay,and smarting under the chilling
glances and taunting illusions of my brother officers, I sold

(12:44):
my Commission. You were acquainted with the
rest. I came home, threw myself at my
father's feet, and he spurned meaway from him.
Richard, was my crime so very great, and has not the unjust,
the extreme severity of my father being the cause of all my
afflictions? I dare not judge between you,
said Richard mildly. But what does common sense

(13:05):
suggest? Demanded Eugene.
Doubtless our father knows best,returned the younger brother.
Old men are often wrong in spiteof their experience, in spite of
their years, persisted Eugene, my dear brother, said Richard.
I am afraid to exercise my judgment in a case where I stand
a chance of rebelling against myfather or questioning his

(13:25):
wisdom. At the same time I am anxious to
believe everything in your justification.
I knew you would not comprehend me, exclaimed Eugene
impatiently. It is ridiculous not to dare to
have an opinion of 1's own, my dear brother, he added, turning
suddenly round. You have been to eaten to little
purpose. I thought that nearly as much of
the world was to be seen there as at Sandhurst.

(13:48):
I find that I was mistaken. And Eugene felt and looked
annoyed at the turn which the conversation had taken.
Richard was unhappy and remainedsilent.
In the meantime, the sun had set, and the darkness was
gradually becoming more intense.Suddenly, Eugene grasped his
brother's hand and exclaimed. Richard, I shall now depart.

(14:10):
Impossible, cried the warm hearted youth.
You will not leave me thus. You will not abandon your father
also of a a hasty word that he has spoken, which he will gladly
recall tomorrow. Oh no, Eugene, you will not
leave the dwelling in which you were born, and where you have
passed so many happy hours. What will become of you?
What do you propose? What plan have you in view?

(14:31):
I have a few Guineas in my pocket, returned Eugene.
And many a princely fortune has been based upon a more slender
foundation. Yes, said Richard hastily, You
read of fortunes being easily acquired in novels and romances,
and in pastimes persons have enriched themselves suddenly.
But in the great world of the present day, Eugene, I am afraid

(14:52):
that such occurrences are rare and seldom seen.
You know nothing of the world, Richard, said Eugene almost
contemptuously. There are thousands of persons
in London who live well and keepup splendid establishments
without any apparent resources, and I am man of the world enough
to be well aware that those always thrive the best in the

(15:12):
long run, who have the least to lose at starting.
At all events, I shall try my fortune.
I will not, cannot succumb to a parent who has caused my ruin at
the very first entrance into life.
May God prosper your pursuits and lend you the fortune you
appear to aim at, exclaimed Richard fervently.
But once again, and for the lasttime, let me implore you, let me

(15:34):
entreat you. Do not put this rash and hasty
resolve into execution. Do stay.
Do not leave me, my dearest, dearest brother Richard.
Not all the powers of human persuasion shall induce me to
abandon my present determination, cried Eugene
emphatically, and rising from the bench as he spoke.
It is growing late, and I must depart now.

(15:55):
Listen, my dear boy, to what I have to say to you.
Speak, speak, murmured Richard, sobbing as if his heart would
break. All will be well, said Eugene,
slightly touched by his brother's profound affliction.
I am resolved not to set foot inmy father's house again.
You must return thither and packme up my papers in the few

(16:15):
necessaries, and you will not leave this spot until my return,
said Richard solemnly. I promise that, answered Eugene.
But stay on your part. You must faithfully pledge
yourself not to seek my father, nor in any way interfere between
him and me. Nay, do not remonstrate.
You must promise, I promise you all, anything you require, said

(16:37):
Richard mournfully. And after affectionately
embracing his brother, he hurried down the hill toward the
mansion, turning back from time to time to catch a glimpse of
Eugene's figure through the increasing gloom.
To satisfy himself that he was still there between the two
saplings, Richard entered the house and stole softly up to the
bedroom which his brother usually occupied when at home.

(16:59):
He began his mournful task of putting together the few things
which Eugene had desired him to select, and while he was thus
employed the tears rolled down his cheeks in torrents.
At one moment he was inclined tohurry to his father and implore
him to interfere in time to prevent Eugene's departure.
But he remembered his solemn promise, and he would not break

(17:19):
it. Assuredly this was a sense of
honor so extreme that it might be denominated false.
But it was nevertheless the sentiment which controlled all
the actions of him who cherishedit Tenderly.
Dearly as he loved his brother, bitterly as he deplored his
intended departure, he still would not forfeit his word, and
take the simple step which wouldprobably have averted the much

(17:40):
dreaded evil. Richard's sense of honor and
inflexible integrity triumphed on all occasions over every
other consideration, feeling, and desire.
And of this characteristic of his brother's nature Eugene was
well aware. Richard had made a small package
of the articles which he had selected, and was about to leave
the room to return to his brother, when the sound of a

(18:01):
footstep in the passage communicating with the chamber
suddenly fell upon his ear. Scarcely had he time to recover
from the alarm into which this circumstance had thrown him,
when the door slowly opened and the Butler entered the
apartment. He was a man of about 50 years
of age, with a jolly red face, asomewhat bulbous nose, small
laughing eyes, short Gray hair standing upright in front,

(18:25):
whiskers terminating an inch above his white cravat, and in
person considerably inclined to corpulancy.
In the height he was about 5 feet 7 inches, and he had a
peculiar shuffling rapid walk, which he had learned by some 25
years practice in little journeys from the sideboard in
the dining room to his own pantry and back again.
He was possessed of an excellentheart and was a good humid

(18:48):
companion, but pompous swelling with importance in the presence
of those whom he considered his inferiors.
He was particularly addicted to hard words, and as to use his
own expression, he was self-taught.
It is not to be wondered if he occasionally gave those
aforesaid hard words a pronunciation and a meaning
which militated a little againstreceived rules in a tire.

(19:11):
He was unequalled for the whiteness of his cravat, the
exuberance of his shirt frill, the elegance of his waist kit,
the set of his Kerzimir tights, and the punctilious neatness of
his silk black stockings and hiswell polished shoes.
Whoa, Master Richard, said the Butler as he shuffled into the
room with a white napkin under his left arm.

(19:31):
What in the name of everything indivisible is the matter now?
Nothing, nothing, Whittingham, replied the youth.
You had better go downstairs. My father may want you, if so be
your father wants anything. Tom will respond to the summons
as usual, said the Butler, leisurely, seating himself upon
a chair close by the table, where on Richard had placed his

(19:54):
package. But might I be so familiar as to
inquire into the signification of that bundle of shirts and
handkerchiefs? Meeting him, I implore you to
ask me no questions. I am in a hurry and.
Master Richard. Master Richard.
Cried the Butler, shaking his head gravely.
I'm very much a fear that something preposterous is going

(20:17):
to incur. I could not remain an entire
stranger to all that has transparent this day and I know
what it is, he added. Slapping his right hand smartly
upon his thigh. Your brothers are going to
amputate it. To what?
To cut it, then if you reprehendthat, better.

(20:38):
But it shan't be done, Master Richard.
It shan't be done waiting him. That's my noman Clitter, Master
Richard, said the old man doggedly, and it was one of the
fuss. You ever learned a pronounce?
Behold, ye Master Richard, I have a right to speak, for I
have knowed you both from your cradles, and loved you too.

(21:00):
Who was it when you come into this subliminary spear?
Who was it as nussed you and. Good witting and I know all that
and. I have no overdue curiosity to
satisfy Master Richard. Observed the Butler.
But my soul's inflicted to thinkyou and Master Eugene couldn't
make a friend of old Wittingham.I feel ear Master Richard here

(21:24):
in my bosom. And that worthy old domestic
dealt himself a tremendous blow up on the chest as he uttered
these words. I must leave you now,
Wittingham. I desire you to remain here
until my return, said Master Richard.
Do you hear Wittingham? Yes, Mr. Richard, but I don't
choose to do as you would wish him this year.
Instance. I shall follow you.

(21:45):
What? Wittingham?
I shall follow you, Sir. Well, you can do that, said
Richard, suddenly remembering that his brother had in no wise
cautioned him against such an intervention as this.
And pray God it may lead to some.
Good. Ah, now I see as I am rarely.
Wanted, said the Butler, a smileof satisfaction playing upon his

(22:07):
rubiconed countenance. Richard now led the way from the
apartment, the Butler following him in a stately manner.
They descended the stairs, crossed the garden and entered
the path which led to the top ofthe hill 2.
Trees, I suppose, said the old domestic inquiringly.
Yes, he is there, answered Richard.
But the reminiscence of the times when we planted those

(22:28):
saplings has failed to induce him to abandon a desperate
resolution. Ah, he ain't got Master
Richard's heart, I always know that, mused the old man, half
audibly as he trudged along. There are them, two lads, fine
tall youths, both black hair andintelligible black eyes,

(22:49):
admirably formed, straight as arrows, and yet so diversified
in disposition. Richard and the Butler now
reached the top of the hill. Eugene was seated upon the bench
in a deep reverie, and it was not until his brother and the
faithful old domestic stood before him that he awoke from
that fit of abstraction. What is that you Whittingham?

(23:11):
He exclaimed the moment he recognized the Butler.
Richard, I did not think you would have done this.
It wasn't Master Richard's fault, Sir, said Whittingham.
I was raver too wide awake not to smell what was a going on by
virtue of my factory nerves and so.
My dear, Whittingham hastily interrupted Eugene, I know that
you are a faithful servant to myfather and very much attached to

(23:34):
us on that very account. Pray do not interfere.
Interfere, ejaculated Whittingham, thoroughly amazed
at being thus addressed while a tear started into his eye.
Not Interfere, Master Eugene. Well, I'm I'm I'm regularly
flabbergasted. My mind is made-up, said Eugene,
and no persuasion shall alter its decision.

(23:56):
I am my own master. My father's conduct has
emancipated me from all deference to paternal authority.
Richard, you have brought my things.
We must now say it, dear my dearest brother, Master Eugene,
whither are you going? I am on the road to fame and
fortune. Alas, said Richard mournfully,

(24:16):
You may perhaps find that this world is not so fruitful in
resources as you now imagine. All remonstrances, all
objections are in vain, interrupted Eugene impatiently.
We must say it to you. But one word more, he added
after a moment's pause, as a sudden thought seemed to strike
him. You doubt the possibility of my
success in life, and I feel confident in it.

(24:38):
Do you pursue your career under the auspices of that parent in
whose wisdom you so blindly repose?
I will follow mine and dependentonly on my own resources.
This is the 10th day of July 18,3112.
Years hence, on the 10th of July1843, we will meet again upon
this very spot between the two trees.

(25:00):
If they still be standing, Remember the appointment.
We will then compare notes relative to our success in life.
The moment he had uttered these words, Eugene hastily embraced
his brother, who struggled in vain to retain him, and having
wrung the hand of the old Butler, who was now sobbing like
a child, the discarded son through his little bundle over
his shoulder, and hurried away from the spot.

(25:22):
So precipitately did he descend the hill in the direction
leading away from the mansion and toward the multitude in this
metropolis at a little distance,that he was out of sight before
his brother or Whittingham even thought of pursuing him.
They lingered for some time uponthe summit of the hill without
exchanging a word, and then, maintaining the same silence,
slowly retraced their steps toward the mansion.

(25:52):
Well, that was interesting, and the picture that is being drawn
here is fairly subtle by penny dreadful standards.
I mean, I certainly can't imagine the author of Spring
Hill, Jack or Black Bess drawingEugene's character with such a
fine brush. On one hand, he seems to have a
legitimate beef. His father's intransigence has
ended his military career. We have to assume that part of

(26:13):
the anger of the father is basedon guilt and having driven the
lad to the point of selling his Commission to pay his debts.
But Eugene's response to that momentary tantrum and the
contempt he treats Richard with give us a picture of a
fundamentally selfish kid. The service is probably well rid
of him. The 12 year plan is kind of an

(26:34):
interesting twist though. It reminds me quite a lot of
that Before Sunrise movie with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.
The best part of that movie in my book was at the end.
Kind of playing out in my head what the meeting in the park
might look like 6 months later. Anyway, in the next chapter we
jump ahead four years and Richard Markham's father has

(26:54):
died of a broken heart, leaving Richard to inherit the estate at
the tender age of 19. We then follow him to London
where in Hyde Park he meets a wealthy, well dressed man about
town. Or is he perhaps a man upon
town? We have our suspicions.
You may remember the definition of the Man upon Town versus the
Man About Town from the Hints toMen about Town book that we did

(27:18):
a heaping horrid on several weeks ago, several months now.
Anyway, he introduces himself asArthur Chichester, the Honorable
Arthur Chichester, and Arthur invites him to dine with a
friend that night. But is Arthur Chichester all
that? He appears.
He's a little too brassy. Almost as if.
Playing a role. And he sure can hold a lot of
liquor. So how much trouble is our naive

(27:40):
young friend in? We all be finding out, I guess.
Finally, let's get Professor Flash's official definition for
our first vocabulary word. Tip the monish.
Tip us the monish milad and makethem all yellow boys.
No white wood. It means to pay a debt or settle
A reckoning by handing over cash.
By implication, lots of cash. Yellow boys, by the way, refers

(28:03):
to gold coins. White wood is a reference to
silver coins. It's now time for an article
from the terrific Register, thattruly dreadful publication that
may actually have been the world's first true crime
magazine. Although liberally spiced with
ghost stories and other high enddrama tales, this nugget was
first published in the early 1820s.

(28:25):
Here we go, Massacre of Sin. Bartholomew Charles the 9th of
France, anxious to shed the blood of his subjects, was
desirous to present the Pope's legate with a ring, as a pledge
of the sincerity of his intentions.
This the legate refused to take,assuring him that the word of so

(28:47):
great a monarch was sufficient. But after the massacre of sin,
Bartholomew the king sent it to him with a suitable inscription.
When the news of the massacre was brought to Rome, Cardinal
Alexandrini exclaimed to the Pope God that he praised the
King of France as a kept to his promise.
A medal was struck upon the occasion at Rome with this
inscription Pontifix maximus colognai nakum probat.

(29:11):
On the accursed day of Saint Bartholomew, this Prince
threatened the King of Navarre with immediate death if he did
not directly declare himself to be a Protestant.
On another occasion he behaved with more good humor.
During the mass previous to the ceremony of the marriage between
the King of Navarre and PrincessMarguerite, Henry walked in the
choir of Notre Dame at Paris. Charles came out to him, took

(29:35):
off his velvet hat very richly decorated with diamonds, and
threw it into the choir. Now browser, said he.
You shall hear mass though it were, but to get your hat again
the only. Two Protestants he wished to
save from the massacre at Paris were his niece and his surgeon,
the celebrated Ambrose Pare. I cannot, said he, consent to

(29:55):
take away the life of a. Person who can save that of so
many others. A few days before he died, he
said to Paret, I do not know what ails me, but these three
days I find both my body and my mind in the same state of
agitation, as if I had a fever. Every instant, whether I am
awake or asleep, I see human bodies fit before my eyes,

(30:17):
covered with wounds and with blood.
I wish in the Massacre of Paris I had spared the innocent and
the young. Editor's Note The Saint
Bartholomew's Day Massacre was in 1572, a targeted group of
assassinations and mob violence directed against French
Calvinist Protestants. Rumor headed it had been

(30:39):
instigated by Charles the 9th Mother, Queen Catherine de
Medici. It started a few days after the
marriage of the King's sister Marguerite to Protestant King
Henry the third of Navarre, at which celebration many of the
wealthiest and most powerful Protestants had gathered for the
wedding. And so we had sort of a Red
Wedding scenario happen that wasthe Saint Bartholomew's Day

(31:01):
Massacre. It was paired with a bunch of
mob violence and ended up with 5000 to 30,000 people dead.
Before we move on to our next dreadful, let's pause to
appreciate one of the bits of poetical fervor that we've been
handed down from the early Victorian era via one of the old

(31:22):
great informal evening songbooks.
Specifically, it's The Convivialist, an extensive
collection of humorous flash andlove songs published circa 1833.
So actually not early Victorian,rather late Regency by Jay
Duncan of Holborn. This one is titled Paul
Tomkinson or Transported Love. It's a spoof sung to the tune of

(31:44):
Jack Robinson. A quadrille song that I know the
name of but little else so I'm going to read it for you like a
poem. Paul Tomkinson or Transported
Love, A very celebrated flash song tune.
Jack Robinson Bill Gobbins he was a leery Cove in the game of

(32:05):
the spell fly to every move witha flashy Marty fell in love a
bug kill his daughter Paul Tomkinson and never a couple
could come it like they They mixed it up on a clean shirt day
as he drove to Chalk Farm and ofone horse Chay the bug kill his
daughter Paul Tomkinson Fogle. One day Bill Gubbins had grabbed
from a Gemens cly and so he got nabbed for a Cove turned snitch.

(32:29):
So Bill he blabbed my eyes. Sad news for Paul Tompkinson for
the Robin by a red breast. He was taken away and in the
cage all night did stay, and afore the beak was toddled next
day and all unknown to Paul Tompkinson, The swell to the
wipes wore hard and fast for 14 Penarth down.
Bill was cast, so he sent a letter and in it asked to see

(32:50):
him in quad Paul Tomkinson. Then Paul went up in a gallows
Stew and swore helper Bob she'd be true, and in a funk they
sniveled a dew. Bill Gubbins and Paul Tomkinson,
now 15 years, had gone away whena convict ship put ashore one
day which landed Bill Gubbins from bottom House Bay, still
chock full of love for Paul Tomkinson.

(33:11):
That night he met with the Mott,you must know, who asked Bill
Gubbins to just have a go. I will, says Bill.
But first do you know a chickster here, Paul Tomkinson?
I don't know the name. The Mott declares so away to her
crib, Bill and her repairs. She opened the door and they
went upstairs. Bill had now forgot Paul
Tomkinson. When the old bod came up to
bring a light. She dropped the glim and squawed

(33:33):
with a fright. Hello, says Bob, why blow me
tight if the old bod ain't Paul Tomkinson?
Then she staggered back and spilt the pot and said at first
that she knowed him not, and said tucked up to another she'd
got. Why wasn't your name Paul
Tompkinson? Don't you remember this brooch
made of your hair which you Goveto meek from you?
Nowhere to be true, So help yourBob.

(33:55):
You swore, but you flummoxed me now.
Paul Tompkinson Then he picked up his Targary.
Oh, what a farce. He'd finished his fun and cried
A Lars that it ever should go for To come to pass, to be
chiseled by you, Paul Tomkinson But my fun king now shall soon
be dropped. So he nibbled A ticker, and with
it got stopped. So at 81 morn Bill Gubbins got

(34:15):
topped. So he croaked like a cock for
Paul Tomkinson. All right, let's go through
those. A Leery Cove is an alert fellow.
The game of the spell is working.
The crowd at a theater Fly to every move means of course,
awake or alert and knowledgeableof every move in the game of
basically pickpocketing folks atthe theater, Flashy Mott is of

(34:38):
course a somewhat unrespectable lady.
Clean shirt day was Sunday. A Fogle was a silk handkerchief.
Cly means a pocket for the Robinby a red breast is a complicated
pun. Robin as in robbing.
He did some robbing and he was nabbed by a red breast, which

(34:58):
means a bow. Street runner.
The beak is a magistrate. The swell means the gentleman
whose wiper he nabbed or Fogle. Quad means jail.
A gallows Stew means extreme worry and agitation.
Bottom house Bay probably means Botany Bay because Bill Gobbins
was transported for 15 years fornabbing this tiny little

(35:22):
handkerchief. A chickster means a disreputable
woman. She dropped the glim means drop
the light. The candle rather blow me tight
was a common expression that these guys that these guys used
by Baud, he means proprietress of the brothel.
He's patronizing. Toggery is clothes.
Chiseled, of course. Basically means the same as it

(35:44):
deems today. Nibble the ticker means stole a
watch. Bill Gubbins got topped means he
got hanged and he croaked like acock, which means he died
bravely on the scaffold. And that's it.
A bit of a long 1 today actually.
Finally, it's time for our last dreadful of the evening.
That would be Sweeney Todd, the Barber of Fleet Street.

(36:07):
Now for this story. Good old Professor Flash is
going to furnish us with the definitions of all the Flash
Can't words from the intro remember them.
I wish to tip top evening to allyou bully rocks, bon vivants and
Knights of the brush and moon. I invited you to slip off your
dew beaters and top off your tumblers and swivel your
mazzards my way and mentioned that it's the hoity toity tulips

(36:27):
and gunpowders who call our stories penny bloods and
dreadfuls. And yeah, I mentioned a snicker
of neat Max. You probably know most of these,
maybe all of them, but just in case, I will unpack the lot at
the end of the story. Now, last week in chapter 53 of
Sweeney Todd, we opened on Johanna Oakley moping and
whining to Arabella Wilmot. She was so maudlin and

(36:50):
overwrought and full of self pity that even Arabella got sick
of her. She suggested that the two of
them go out for a walk to blow off the steam.
Johanna jumped on the idea, but insisted that the walk be on
Fleet Street and that they go past Todd's shop again and again
and again, staring at it the whole while, until finally Todd
noticed it and came outside to shoo them away.

(37:10):
Johanna, the instant she saw him, gasped.
He did it. Which makes Todd suspicious, of
course. And luckily for Johanna, the
tableau was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Hector, AKA
Paisen, the dog, who bit him on the leg and wouldn't let go.
Then the Osler, who had adopted pies and ran up, made the dog
let go, and Todd crawled back into his shop, got a razor, and

(37:32):
came out again, demanding that he be allowed to kill the dog.
The Osler declined to allow any such thing, and offered to give
Todd instead a walloping. A crowd started to gather, and a
small boy remembered that this was the dog whose master
disappeared from Todd's shop. A general disturbance ensued and
the crowd took the dog's side until Todd gave up and went into

(37:52):
a shop to vent his spleen alone.Just then, a neatly dressed gent
entered the shop asking if Todd could dress artificial hair.
That was chapter 53. We'll continue with Chapter 54
right after this short break. Welcome back to the Penny

(38:16):
Dreadful Variety hour. Now where were we?
Ah yes, queuing up Chapter 54 ofSweeney Todd.
Chapter 54 Todd's announcement. Yes, said Todd as he commenced
stropping the razor upon his hand as though nothing at all

(38:37):
was the matter. I do anything in an honest and
religious sort of way for a living in these bad times.
Oh very well, a gentleman is illin bed and wants his peruke
properly dressed as he has an important visit to make.
Can you come to his house? Yes, of course.
But can't the peruke be brought here, Sir?

(39:00):
Yes, but he wants a shave as well, and although he can go in
a sedan chair to pay his visit, he is too.
I'll to come to your shop. Todd looked a little suspicious,
but only a little. And then he said.
It's an awkward thing that I have no boy at present, but I
must get one. I must get 1 and in the meantime

(39:20):
when I am called out I have no resource but to shut up my shop.
At this moment a stout man came in saying.
Shaved. Oh, you're busy.
I can wait, Mr. Todd. I can wait.
And down he sat. God looked at the newcomer with
a strange sort of. Scowl as he said.
My friend, have I not seen you here before or somewhere else?

(39:41):
Very likely. Said the man.
Humph, I am busy and cannot shave you just now.
I have to go out with this gentleman.
Very well, I can wait here and amuse myself until you come
back. Todd fairly staggered for a
moment, and then he said, Wait here in my shop and amuse
yourself until I come back. And no, Sir, I don't suffer

(40:03):
anyone. But it don't matter.
I come in, I am ready to attend you.
But stop. Are you in a very great hurry
For two minutes, Sir? Oh dear, no, not for two
minutes. Then it will just take me that
time to Polish off this gentleman, and if you will give
me the address, the time to cometo, I will be with you almost as

(40:25):
soon Sir, as you can get home, Iassure you.
Oh dear, no. Cried the stranger, who had come
in to be shaved, suddenly starting up.
I really could not think of sucha thing.
I will call again. It's only in Norfolk St. said
the applicant for the dressing of the artificial hair, and two
minutes can't make any difference to my friend at all.

(40:48):
Do you think, said the other, that I would really interrupt
business in this way? No.
May I perish if I would do anything so unhandsome?
Not I I will look in again, Mr. Todd.
You may depend when you are not going out.
I shall be passing again. I.
Know in the course of the day. Pre attend to this gentleman's
orders, I beg of you. Also saying the shaving customer

(41:08):
bounced out of the shop without another word and as he crossed
the threshold he gave a wink to Crotchet who was close at hand
and when that gentleman followedhim he said.
Crotchet Todd very nearly got meinto a line.
He was going out with the personwe saw go into the shop, but I
got away or else, as he said, hewould have polished me off.
Not a doubt of it in this here world, Foster said.

(41:31):
Crotchet. Oh, he's a Roman, he is.
We haven't come across Citroen as he is for one while, and it
will be a jolly lot of Sundays before we meet Swiss Citroen
over. It will, indeed.
Is Fletcher keeping an eye on the shop?
Oh yes, Roy is a trivet. He's that.
And so is Godfrey. While this brief conversation

(41:52):
was going on between the officers who had been left to
watch Sweeney Todd's shop, that individual himself accompanied
the customer whom he had been conversing with to Norfolk St.
Strand. The well dressed personage
stopped at a good looking house and said Mr. Mundell only lodges
here for the present. His state of mind, in
consequence of a heavy loss he has sustained, would not permit

(42:16):
him to stay in his own house at Kensington.
Mr. Mundell. Yes, that is the gentleman you
are to shave and dress. May I presume to ask Sir what he
is? Oh, he is a a kind of merchant,
you understand, and makes what use of his money he thinks
proper the. Same, gasped Todd.

(42:40):
The door of the house was opened, and there was no
retreat, although at the moment Todd felt as though he would
much rather not shave and dress the man of whom he had procured
the 8000 lbs upon the string of pearls.
But to show any hesitation now might bigot inquiry, and inquiry
might be awkward. So, summoning all his natural
audacity to his aid, Todd followed his guide into the

(43:03):
house. It was a little puzzled to know
who this person could be, until a woman made her appearance from
one of the rooms upon the groundfloor and cried.
There, now go out, dude, we don't want to anymore.
You have got your pocket money and so be off with you and don't
let me see your face again till night.
No my dear, said the well dressed personage.
Certainly not. This is the Barber.

(43:25):
But God bless it. Do you think I am blind?
That I can't see the Barber. Will you go?
The captain is waiting for me topour out his coffee and attend
to his other concerns, which nobody knows better than you,
and yet you will be perpetually in the way.
Oh no, my dear, I I only. Hoity, toity, are we going to
have a disturbance, Mr. B? Recollect, Sir, that I dress you

(43:46):
well and give you money, and expect you to make yourself
agreeable while I attend to the gentleman lodgers.
So be off with you. I'm.
Sure of all the troublesome husbands for a woman to have.
You are about the worst, for youhave neither the spirit to act
like a man nor the sense to keepout of the way.
Ha, said Todd. Both the lodging housekeeper and

(44:07):
his wife started at the odd sound.
What was that? Said the woman.
Only me, Madam, said Todd. I laughed slightly at that blue
bottle walking on the ceiling. That's all.
Wouldn't laugh, said Blissett ashe left the house.
And then the lady of the manse, turning to Todd, said You are to
attend to Mr. Mondell, poor man.You will find him in the front

(44:29):
room on the 2nd floor. Poor man.
Is he I'll, Madam? Oh, I don't.
Know, I rather think he's grizzling about some of his
money, that's all. But it don't matter one way or
the other. They say he is as rich as a Jew
and I'll take good care. He pays enough here.
Missus B. Missus B.
Cried a voice from the parlor. Yes, captain.

(44:52):
I'm coming. I'm coming, Captain.
The lady bounced into the breakfast parlor and closed the
door, leaving Todd to find his way upstairs as best he could.
After a hideous chuckle at the thought of Mr. Blissett's
singular position in society, hecommenced ascending the stairs.
He accomplished the first flightwithout meeting anyone, but upon

(45:12):
the second he encountered A servant girl with a pale, and
Todd gave her such a hideous glance, accompanied by such a
frightful contortion of his visage, that down went the pale,
and the girl flew upstairs againand locked herself in one of the
attics. Without waiting to ascertain
what effect the descent of the pale might have upon the nerves
of the captain and the landlady,Todd pursued his course to the

(45:35):
room whither he had been directed, and tapped at the
door. Come in, said a meek, tremulous
voice. Come in.
Todd opened the door, and stood in the presence of the man over
whose long tried skill and habitual cunning he had obtained
such a triumph in the affair of the pearls at Mundell Villa.

(45:56):
John Mundell now, though, was far from looking like the John
Mundell of the villa. He sat by the fire, wrapped up
in a flannel dressing gown, witha beard of portentous length.
His cheeks had fallen in, his brow was corrugated by premature
wrinkles, and the corners of hismouth were drawn down as though
a look of mental distress had become quite a thing of habit

(46:19):
with him now. Who are you?
He growled out as Todd came intothe room and with a show of
carefulness, closed the door after him.
Who are you, eh? Come to shave you, Sir, and
dress your hair. Cried Mandel as he gave a start.
Where have I heard that voice before?

(46:39):
Why does it put me in mind of myloss?
My 8000 lbs. My money?
Am I to lose another £8000 that will make 16,000 lbs.
Oh dear, Oh dear, Oh dear, who are you?
Speak, friend, who are you? Only a Barber, Sir, said Todd.
Come to shave you and dress yourhair into your well, Sir, shall

(47:03):
I call again? No, no, no.
My losses distract me. Only the Barber.
Oh, yes, to be sure. Only the Barber.
I must go to court and ask for the Duke of something good.
God, yes. I must see all the Dukes until I
find out my Duke, he who had my $8000 and has left me so poor

(47:24):
and wretched. Oh dear, Oh dear, my money, my
hard earned money. Oh gracious, if I were to lose
another 8000 lbs I should go madmad mad.
Shall I begin, Sir? Said Todd.
Begin. Begin.
What? Oh yes, Oh yes, my hair.
And I must be shaved too or theywon't let me in at all.

(47:46):
I will have the pearls or my money.
I will see all the Dukes and pounce upon my Duke.
Oh yes, I will have the pearls or the money.
Pearls, Sir, said Todd as he began to arrange the shaving
apparatus he had brought with him.
And did you say pearls? What do you know about pearls?
Who, I dare say never saw one. Bah, you a poor beggarly fellow.

(48:11):
But I will have them back, or mymoney.
I will raise London, but I will find them.
I will see the Queen herself andknow what Duke she gave the
pearls to. And then I will find him and
have my money and. Now, Sir, a little this way.
Oh dear, Oh dear. What do you charge?

(48:32):
Anything you please, Sir. When I come to a gentleman, I
always leave it to his generosity to pay me what he
pleases. More expense.
More expense. This means I am to pay for the
service done me and something else besides, for the sake of a
compliment upon my liberality. But I ain't liberal.

(48:52):
I won't be generous. Where's my money, My pearls?
And now we go to all sorts of expense to go to court and see
Dukes. Oh the devil, eh?
Hey. Sir.
Stop. What an odd thing.
Why? You are a very a very.
Very what, Sir, Said Todd, making a hideous face.

(49:15):
Like the Duke? Oh my fancy leads me astray.
Wait a bit, don't move. Mundell placed his hands over
his eyes for a moment, and then suddenly withdrawing them again,
he looked at Todd again. Yes, you are my Duke.
How came you to be a Duke? The villain?
Oh, if I could but see my pearls.

(49:35):
What Duke, Sir? I would give £500.
No, I mean, I mean £100. I mean that is £50 to know what
Duke. Screamed Mundell with vehemence
then suddenly lapsing into quietness.
He added. Shave me, shave me.
I will go to court and Saint James shall ring again with the
story of my pearls. Lost, lost, lost.

(49:58):
Did he abscond from his wife with them, or was he murdered?
I wonder, I wonder £800 gone allat once.
I might have borne such a loss by degrees, but damn it.
Really, Sir, if you will go on talking about pearls and Dukes,
the shaving brush will go into your mouth, and there's no such
thing as of awaiting it. Confound you, Go on, shave me

(50:20):
and have done with it. Oh dear, Oh dear.
John Mundell now contented himself by uttering drawn sighs,
with now and then the accompaniment of a hideous
groan, while Todd lathered his face with great affected care.
The size and groans both, however, ceased soon, and Todd
became aware that the eyes of John Mundell were fixed upon him

(50:42):
with a steady stare. No doubt the user was recalling,
bit by bit to his memory the features of the Sham Duke and
comparing them with Todd's. To be sure, upon the occasion of
his visit to Mundel Villa, Todd had taken every precaution to
disguise his features. But then it must be admitted
that the features of the Barber were rather peculiar, and that

(51:04):
John Mundell was professionally a more than ordinarily keen
observer. And thus it was that as Todd
lathered away, he became more and more impressed by the fact
that there was a startling resemblance between Todd and the
nobleman who had borrowed 8000 lbs upon the string of pearls.
What's your name? He said Todd.

(51:25):
A well to do man pours job. How very like you are to a great
man. Did you ever go to court?
I I think I am sure I've seen you somewhere.
Very likely, said Todd. For I often go there.
What to court? Nay, Sir, not to court, but
somewhere will you have the whiskers left just as they are,

(51:47):
or taken off entirely, Sir. Tap.
Tap. Came at the chamber door and a
boy peeped in saying. Please Sir, the tailor has
brought the things. I have to say.
I sure get the impression that James Malcolm Reimer wasn't the
biggest fan of the ladies in OldLondon.

(52:08):
Everyone we've met so far, except for the young pretty
damsels who have yet to see muchof the world, is kind of awful.
Missus Blissett is a pretty goodexample of this.
Johanna's mom also is pretty terrible.
And certainly Missus Lovett is adreadful person.
One expects sexism and early Victorian literature even from
lady authors, but Rhymer really seems to be trying to win a

(52:30):
prize or something. He man Women haters club.
Also, I've I've not been able tofigure out how John Mundell was
ruined by Todd not redeeming thepearls.
He did hang on to them, didn't he?
I don't remember Todd stealing them back from him.
Anyway, either I'm not reading closely enough or this is a flaw
in the story. It could be easily remedied

(52:52):
though by, you know, by having Todd steal the pearls back so it
doesn't ruin the story. It is fun to catch stuff like
that. Anyway, let's unpack our flash
can't lesson. I wished a tip top evening to
all you bully rocks, bon vivants, and Knights of the
Brush and moon. Bully rocks are underworld
muscle like the goons from a goon squad.
And you know what bon vivants are.

(53:12):
Of course I invited you to slip off your dew beaters and top off
your tumblers and swivel your mazzards my way.
Dew beaters are shoes, your mazzard is your head, and of
course tumblers are what you drink gin out of.
I mentioned that it's the hoity toity tulips and gunpowders who
call our stories penny bloods ordreadfuls.
Tulips are high class FOPS, Gunpowders are old women.

(53:35):
And yeah, I mentioned a snicker of neat Max Max, as I'm sure you
know by now, is gin. Before we mizzle off, we have
just time for one more tidbit from one of our short sources.
A poem, maybe a song, a scandalous rumor from the
Terrific Register, or maybe evena short article from Punch.
It's a surprise, and here it comes.

(53:55):
Now for this Over the Transom tidbit, I'm dipping into The
True History of Tom and Jerry, which was published circa 1858
for the first time by Charles Hindley.
A recollection of the culture that grew up around Pierce
Egan's characters. Corinthian, Tom, Jerry
Hawthorne, Bob. Logic in Life in London, his

(54:18):
serial that he put out in the 1820s.
By the 1850's the style of writing of Tom and Jerry had not
aged well and it today is very difficult to get through.
But as Hindley says, in the 1820s he made our grandparents
so very merry, and so in fact hedid.

(54:38):
This little comic song appears on page 88.
I don't know what the tune was that it was sung to, but it was
originally sung. But that being the case, I can
only read it to you as poetry, as a specimen of the age slash
term that isn't obvious from context.
Here we go. The Corinthians Diary, a
celebrated comic song written byT Greenwood, Esquire, and sung

(55:01):
by Mr. Vale at Sadlers Wells Theater in the character of Bob
Logic. Sunday got floored in groggy
plight. Monday quite stale, took ante
bilious. Pestered by nausea.
Nerves not quite right. Noisy duns quite supercilious.
A dish of mocha chovy toast removed the spasms.
Increased attrition. So started when I skimmed the

(55:23):
post to Tattersalls in high condition.
Tuesday Got cleaned at Rouge a Noir and done quite brown.
Was forced to toddle. So then I vowed to play no more.
Less like a lame duck. I should waddle, Wednesday
reflected, cursed each star, swore never more a card to
handle, went to Fives court, sawthem spar and patronized Crib

(55:45):
Neil and Randall. That, of course, is a reference
to boxing. Thursday bowled down to ask at
Heath to sport my blunt upon theraces.
Blunt, of course, is money. Rode my own mare almost to
death, for I had won three steeple chases.
Cleaned out again. I came away quite undismayed,
though out of feather, and at night I bolted to the play to

(56:07):
drown. I'll luck and care together.
Met with a spree too. Glorious phrase, so went to
work. I hate long parleys.
Kicked up a route and starred the glaze that means broke some
glass and milled in style. A brace of Charlies milled means
punched and a brace of Charlie'sas a pair of Watchmen Morris

(56:27):
away to all Max. Rooms.
Danced A quadrille, alert and showy, Called at the finish,
mops and brooms and tumbled to bed as drunk as Chloe.
Friday I went to see dear Nancy but found a covey there before
me was forced to bolt. I lost my chance but Kate I knew
would still adore me. So off I set, stayed Saturday my

(56:48):
comforts took then home departed.
Booked for next week with spirits gay I4 fresh game on
Sunday started that. Concludes this episode of The
Weekly. Penny Dreadful variety hour.
I hope you'll join me again nextweek.
Same spring healed time, same spring heal channel for our next
show. But there's no need to wait a

(57:08):
whole week. We've got 1/2 hour Tupany
Terrible Tuesday episode coming up in just two days.
In it we'll have Chapter 16 of Varney the Vampire or the Feast
of Blood, in which Charles Holland is trying to convince
Flora to allow him to stay and support her to spite her
potential incipient vampirism. He pleads his case in the Summer

(57:29):
House in the Garden But soft. Whose soft footfall is that
approaching the summer house? Could it be the vampire himself?
Plus, we'll have another spicy. Saloon Song.
A terrible tidbit of the day andmore flash, can't words and
maybe some other stuff too. All coming your way in Two
nights at Dick Turpin, scragginghour 537.

(57:51):
That's 1737 military time, this coming Tuesday, Eve 1.
Quick announcement before we move on.
To the outro, I have decided that the Joko sponsorships for
stuff like barren Ruggums, cryptocurrency rentals, therapy
robots, the honey Bunny browser plug in, they were just not.

(58:11):
I really enjoyed them don't get me wrong, but they feel off
brand to me when I'm listening to my show to do my dog fooding
and I'm feeling as I'm fitting more authentically Victorian
content into the program, they increasingly feel clunky and try
hardish. Does that make sense?
I mean, I feel like I'm the dinosaur comedian in the bad
joke T Rex meme so I just decided to eliminate them.

(58:34):
I'm also going to start pulling tidbits.
In. From other fun pieces of lowbrow
literary Victoriana like Punch magazine.
If you have any particular worksyou would like to bring to my
attention, I would love to hear from you.
Finn at pulp-lit.com or theme music is a version of Golden
Slippers, A minstrel show song written by James A Bland in
1879. This version is by Seattle old

(58:57):
time band $4.00 Shoe. For more of their music, see
$4.00 shoe.com. That's the number 4, the word
dollar and the word shoe all crammed together into one word,
all lowercase. Penny Dreadful Radio Hour is a
creation of pulp lit productions.
For more details, see pulp-lit.com.
Or as I said, to get in touch with me, I'm at
finn@pulp-lit.com. Thanks again for joining Mimi

(59:20):
Pippins. It's time now for us to mizzle.
So for the Penny Dreadful. Variety.
Hour I'm Finn JD Johns signing off and now fair forth and fill
up the rest of. The week.
Or at least the next two days, with all that is the tippy bye
now.

All Episodes

2.07: Sweeney Todd and the loan shark. — A very angry young profligate. — A racy flash song about a buz-napper and a bawd!

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}2.07: Sweeney Todd and the loan shark. — A very angry young profligate. — A racy flash song about a buz-napper and a bawd!