Episode 32 – An Evening’s Entertainment

A Podcast to the Curious - The M.R. James Podcast

In this semi-Christmas episode, Mike and Will don their druid costumes and head down to rural Dorset for some pagan goings-on in ‘An Evening’s Entertainment‘ by M.R. James!

Big thanks to Paul Warren for providing the artwork to the right, titled ‘The Unsearchable Way (A Warning to the Curious)’. For more of Paul’s artwork visit Paul’s Website.

This episode also features readings from the talented Debbie Wedge. Thanks Debbie!

Show notes:

• An Evening’s Entertainment by Black Mass (Relic Radio)
  We have the Relic Radio podcast for resurrecting this classic 1964 radio version of this story. Hilariously over-the-top in places, and with some crazy accents. Check it out!
• Rosemary Pardoe story notes (Ghosts & Scholars)
  These G&S show notes were a great help when researching this story.
• “The Old Man on the Hill” – Beelzebub in “An Evening’s Entertainment” by Rosemary Pardoe (Ghosts & Scholars)
  Pardoe has also written a very interesting analysis of the appearance of ‘lord of flies’ in this story.
• Just How Wicked was that Wicked Young Man? – A Look at “An Evening’s Entertainment” by Tina Rath (Ghosts & Scholars)
  Another excellent Ghosts & Scholars essay which tried to work out what is going on in this story.
• ‘Lucy and Harry’ books by Maria Edgeworth (Google Books)
  An example of the style of 19th century educational children’s book that James is parodying in style in this story.
• Cerne Abbas Giant (Wikipedia)
  The most likely ‘Old man on the hill’ is the Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset. Another (less priapic) possibility is the Long Man of Wilmington.
• Sun Cross (Wikipedia)
  The young man is found wearing a ‘little ornament like a wheel’, likely a sun cross.
• Lord of Flies (Wikipedia)
  The swarm of flies seen in this story is described by a local as ‘lord of flies’, a reference to the belief that beelzebub could manifest as a swarm of flies.