Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! šŸ”„

Dominic Gerrard
  • 4.9 (35)
  • Books

Actor Dominic Gerrard hosts an exciting new series that explores the Life and Times of Charles Dickens: his extraordinary novels, who he was as a person, his career as a performer, and his activism. Guests include: Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Armando Iannucci, Alice Loxton, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Lucinda Hawksley, John Mullan, Pen Vogler, Andrew Davies, Rosie Holt, Bernard Cornwell .... and many more academics, writers, actors, directors and descendants of the great man himself! Along side these interviews there are special Dickens readings from across his works ...Thank you for listening šŸ”„ 

  1. 3h ago

    The Plays of Charles Dickens: Joanna Hofer-Robinson & Pete Orford

    Dominic is joined by the inimitable Dr. Joanna Hofer-Robinson and Dr. Pete Orford, for a lively discussion on their new publication The Plays of Charles Dickens . This is the first ever critical edition of Dickensā€™ plays which include the early farces of The Strange Gentleman, The Village Coquettes, Is She His Wife, Or Something Singular, The Lamplighter ā€¦ and his later collaborations of Mr Nightingaleā€™s Diary, The Frozen Deep and No Thoroughfare ... Original cover headshot of Dominic Gerrard Ā© Jane Lloyd Original cover headshot of Joanna Hofer-Robinson c/o University of Warwick Ā© Original cover headshot of Pete Orford c/o University of Buckingham Ā© Background watercolour of Interior of St. James Theatre, London (c. 1835) by John Gregory Crace & sourced by Wikimedia Commons Piano music of John Hullah & Joseph W. Turner played by Dominic Gerrard Additional Sound Effects have been provided under license through Epidemic Sound Support the show If you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĆ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!

    The Plays of Charles Dickens: Joanna Hofer-Robinson & Pete Orford

  2. Aug 28

    A TALE OF TWO CITIES šŸ“š: with CĆ©line Prest

    Dominic is joined by the inimitable Dr. CĆ©line Prest who guides today's discussion on A Tale of Two Cities  - one of the most gripping, exciting and heart-rending stories that Dickens ever wrote.  CĆ©line completed her Phd at the Sorbonne University in 2016. Her doctoral research was awarded the AndrĆ© Topia Prize by the Chancellerie des UniversitiĆ©s de Paris, and the Robert B. Partlow Jr prize by the Dickens Society. In 2019 she published a new edition of The Pickwick Papers for Gallimard. And in 2023 she published a monograph Le Spectre du document dans lā€™Å“uvre romanesque de Charles Dickens ... Original Photo of CĆ©line Prest Ā© Chancellerie des UniversitĆ©s de Paris - Sylvain Lhermie / Original Photo of Dominic Gerrard Ā© Jane Lloyd / Original Dickens illustrations sourced from Michael John Goodman's incredible Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery Support the show If you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĆ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!

    A TALE OF TWO CITIES šŸ“š: with CĆ©line Prest

  3. Jul 11

    (Encore!) Copperfeld, Chuzzlewit ... Partridge? : with Armando Iannucci

    Ahead of a new series this month Dominic re-shares his popular interview with the inimitable Armando Iannucci! Armando is one of the leading comedy writers and political satirists of our time - where we delve into his literary passions and influences. This lively conversation peels back the layers of Armando's lifelong love of Charles Dickens - Martin Chuzzlewit in particular -and his interest in John Milton's masterpiece Paradise Lost and how these literary giants have left an indelible mark on his work. How he would later go on to write, produce and direct his own adaptation of David Copperfield, and whether he agrees that the character of Alan Partridge belongs in Dickens' canon of comic creations! With readings from the wonderful Rebecca Tanwen. Original cover headshot of Armando Iannucci Ā© Matt Crockett / Original cover headshot of Dominic Gerrard Ā© Jane Lloyd & Original Dickens illustrations sourced from Michael John Goodman's incredible Charles Dickens Illustrated Gallery Support the show If you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĆ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!

    (Encore!) Copperfeld, Chuzzlewit ... Partridge? : with Armando Iannucci

  4. Feb 28

    NEW EPISODES for 2026 !!! šŸ“š

    Charles Dickens: A Brain on Fire! will return in the summer ... In the meantime there are nearly 100 Episodes to enjoy with guests such as: Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Armando Iannucci, Andrew Davies, Alice Loxton, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Lucinda Hawksley, John Bowen, John Mullan, Rosie Holt,  Steven Knight ā€¦. And many more! And if youā€™d like to make a small donation to cover the costs of researching, recording and producing this series, wherever and whenever you listening to this you can follow the link below and buy a coffee! ā˜•ļø  Also - if you feel these episodes have earned a five star rating ā­ļøā­ļøā­ļøā­ļøā­ļø please consider scrolling down right now and added them there.  With Best wishes, Dominic x Support the show If you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĆ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!

  5. Jan 31

    Look Closer: with Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

    Dominic welcomes back one of the most celebrated guests of this series Professor Robert Douglas-Fairhurst ...  Robertā€™s latest book Look Closer: How to get more out of reading (published by Penguin) is an invitation to all of us to go deeper into our reading, and find greater joy and meaning in the works of great writers from all ages and backgrounds. With examples from Dickens (of course!) but also George Eliot, Shakespeare, Margaret Attwood, Samuel Becket, Jane Austen and many more ā€¦  Since they last spoke Robert has also published Metamorphosis: A Life in Pieces : a deeply powerful biography of his life and career, set against the backdrop of shock diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2017. Here are links to purchase Robert's books: Look Closer: How to get more out of reading Metamorphosis: A Life in Pieces The Turning Point: A Year That Changed Dickens and the World   A Christmas Carol & Other Christmas Books  Becoming Dickens: The Invention of a Novelist Original cover headshot of Dominic Gerrard Ā© Jane Lloyd / Original cover headshot of Robert Douglas-Fairhurst Ā© John Cairns / Background shows A hand-written manuscript of William Wordsworth's 'I wandered lonely as a cloud' also known as 'Daffodils' (1802) Ā© The British Library Board / Public Domain & Ullswater from Gobarrow Park (1819) J. M. W. Turner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Support the show If you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĆ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!

    Look Closer: with Robert Douglas-Fairhurst

  6. 12/24/2025

    The Muppet Christmas Carol: with Meredith Braun

    This Christmas Eve ... Dominic is joined by the inimitable Meredith Braun, who played Scrooge's love interest Belle - opposite Michael Caine (and Fozziwig!) - in Brian Henson's The Muppet Christmas Carol ... Meredith shares her memories of filming the role, whilst simultaneously playing Eponine in the iconic West End production of Les Miserables ... A special thank you to Tim Hutton at Stage Door Records for allowing the use of the recording of When Love is Gone  from Meredith's 2017 album of the same name ... When Love is Gone is available to purchase here at Stage Door Records or Amazon. It can also be streamed on Apple and Spotify HAPPY CHRISTMAS !!! Support the show If you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĆ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!

  7. 12/22/2025

    THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH šŸ“š : with Lydia Craig

    Dominic is joined again by the inimitable Dr. Lydia Craig where they dive into Dickens' third Christmas Book, with readings from the award-winning actress Penelope Rawlins The Cricket On The Hearth - published 180 years ago this year - explodes into life from the very start and hardly pauses for breath until the very end. Its unrelenting pace sweeps its characters along whether they be human, animal, insect or household object ā€¦  Centred around that fabled victorian fireside. Where dreams and visions appear happy in the glowing light but depressed in the shadows, there sits John Peerybingle with his pipe. His occupation as a carrier brings one of the many Christmassy elements to the book, in his daily round of delivering parcels out in the raw Winter weather. His wife Dot - as in the brightest little star that ever shone - is a young, energetic woman, who races about their home. Another Christmassy element in this story is the occupation of Toy-making. Enter Caleb Plummer and his blind daughter Bertha who make Dolls for the nasty, crab-faced Tackleton. And tearing in and out is the excited dog, Boxer seen as a spec in the distance one moment, then suddenly up close with his wet nose pressed into your face ā€¦ Last but not least, is the magical Cricket ... HAPPY CHRISTMAS !!! Intro Music and Additional SFX provided under license by Epidemic Sound Support the show If you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĆ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!

  8. 12/18/2025

    Dickens' Carol Manuscript : with Philip Palmer

    Dominic is joined by the inimitable Dr. Philip Palmer: Robert H. Taylor Curator & Department Head of Literary and Historical Manuscripts at the Morgan Library & Museum and custodian of Charles Dickens' one and only handwritten manuscript of A Christmas Carol ... Here Philip shares many of the secrets of the manuscript, such as the ideas and phrases that Dickens struck from his story (that can still be seen in the crossings out), and the expert care that goes into its preservation. Support the show If you'd like to make a donation to support the costs of producing this series you can buy 'coffees' right here  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dominicgerrard Thank you so much! Host: Dominic Gerrard Series Artwork: LĆ©na Gibert Original Music: Dominic Gerrard Thank you for listening!

See All (99)

4.9
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Actor Dominic Gerrard hosts an exciting new series that explores the Life and Times of Charles Dickens: his extraordinary novels, who he was as a person, his career as a performer, and his activism. Guests include: Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Armando Iannucci, Alice Loxton, Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, Lucinda Hawksley, John Mullan, Pen Vogler, Andrew Davies, Rosie Holt, Bernard Cornwell .... and many more academics, writers, actors, directors and descendants of the great man himself! Along side these interviews there are special Dickens readings from across his works ...Thank you for listening šŸ”„ 

Information

You Might Also Like