Podcasts about Ballantrae

This Is My Best | (31) The Master of Ballantrae (Agnes Moorehead, Ray Collins) [by Robert Louis Stevenson] || 1945-04-10Adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1899 novel "The Master of Ballantrae".

En este pódcast hablamos con «Eu» escritora de la aventura para Dama de corazones, Bhan-Draoidh, una de las 15 aventuras para este libro. Las parejas formadas por Alanna y Robert y por Rebecca y Kilian no se conocen, pero tienen algo en común: no atraviesan un buen momento sentimental. No saben si se mantienen juntos por el cariño del recuerdo de lo que sintieron, o si aún se quieren de verdad y es un bache más que superarán. Es el aniversario de ambas parejas y han decidido reavivar la llama del amor. Deciden aprovechar la oferta para parejas en el hotel del Castillo de Glenapp en Ballantrae, en Escocia. En este Castillo son expertos en paquetes de experiencias temáticas para parejas. El fin de semana del 29 de Abril al 1 de Mayo ha lanzado su valorada oferta anual temática de brujas y leyendas, que coincide con Beltane (festividad pagana de la fertilidad y la sexualidad sagrada). Es una ocasión especial para reencontrarse. Acompañadnos a conocer a su autora y esta aventura que como su nombre indica parece sencilla pero seguro que todo se complica... La música que se escucha al principio es The Edge de Swoop.

Drama: This is My Best “The Master of Ballantrae” 4/10/45 CBS, CBS Radio Workshop “Noh Plays of Japan” 4/7/57 CBS.

Covering the 1889 story, The Master of Ballantrae, written by Robert Louis Stevenson!

“Se llevó el vaso a los labios, y bebió el contenido de un solo trago. Dejó escapar un grito, vaciló, se tambaleó, se aferró a la mesa y permaneció allí, mirando con los ojos inyectados en sangre, jadeando con la boca abierta; mientras yo le miraba, un cambio, me pareció, comenzó a producirse: daba la impresión de que se hinchaba, el rostro se le oscurecía y los rasgos parecían fundirse y alterarse. Un instante después, me ponía en pié de un salto y retrocedía hacia la pared con el brazo levantado para protegerme de aquel prodigio, con la razón dominada por el terror.” Fragmento de EL EXTRAÑO CASO DEL DR. JEKYLL Y MR. HYDE. Robert Louis Stevenson. Las memorias de su infancia nos retrotraen a un niño enfermizo y excitable al cuidado de Alison Cunnighan, la querida nurse; “mi segunda madre, mi primera esposa” dejo escrito. De pequeño Robert pasaba las noches en vela, atormentado por los accesos de tos y perseguido por horribles pesadillas que luego describió en sus cuentos. Su juventud no fue mejor. Con todo, estudió derecho en su Edimburgo natal y empezó a enviar artículos a varias revistas londinenses. Su primer libro fue “Viaje a Tierra dentro”, de 1.878, en donde describe el viaje en canoa por Francia e Inglaterra sobre el que el autor escribió en el prefacio: . Le siguió “Viajes con un burro por los Cevennes” (1.879), que muestra el gusto por los personajes locales y el detalle pintoresco no exento de humor. En 1.879, Stevenson emprendió una expedición a California que casi le costó la vida. Y un año después se casó con Fanny Osbourne, en quién además de compañera, encontró una excelente crítica de su obra. De regreso a Europa buscó algún lugar donde restablecerse de su tuberculosis galopante, viajando por Suiza, Provenza y el sur de Inglaterra; pero la búsqueda fue infructuosa. Entretanto compuso la colección de ensayos “Virginibus Puerisque” en 1.881, y cuando su padre murió, se marchó a los Mares del Sur. En Valima, Samoa, se estableció por el resto de sus días, llegando a ser una especie de figura local. Fruto de aquella estancia fue “Cartas desde Valima”, que muestran una personalidad cordial y atrayente. Allí murió de un ataque de aplopejía el 3 de diciembre de 1.894 a los cuarenta y cuatro años. Cabe añadir a los ensayos ya mencionados “Estudios familiares de hombres y de libros” de 1.882, que representan un avance desde el punto de vista crítico, no obstante el tono subjetivo y espléndido reminiscente de “Virginibus Puerisque”. “Memorias y retratos” (1.887), es una recolección de descripciones aparentemente inconexas pero hilvanadas por la nebulosa del recuerdo. Es sin lugar a dudas un documento de primera mano si alguién desea conocer los años de primera juventud del autor transcurridos en Escocia. Sin embargo, donde Stevenson muestra la fortaleza de su genio es en las narraciones breves y las novelas. “Las nuevas noches árabes” de 1.882 y “Los hombres risueños” de 1.887, son colecciones de relatos urdidos sobre la descripción minuciosa de ambientes y pueden todavía encandilar a los aficionados a lo sobrenatural y lo fantástico. “Los ladrones de cadáveres” (1.894) es un bello ejemplo de relato vigoroso ambientado en sórdidas tabernas, noches lúgubres y venganzas de ultratumba. Cuenta la historia del estudiante de anatomía Fette y el médico MacFarlane a quienes compete el cuidado de los cadáveres suministrados por Burke y Hare, famosos asesinos de principios del siglo XIX. Intermediario entre éstos y la mesa de disección del Dr. Knox, célebre anatomista edimburgués, Fette no tarda en descubrir la criminal procedencia de la mercancía. Manteniendo el suspense hasta el final, Stevenson parece presentar una alegoría moralista contra aquellos que, con sus groseras operaciones, se atreven a desafiar el mundo del más allá. El humor negro hace su presencia en varios incidentes, por ejemplo, cuando un estudiante disputa a MacFarlane la cabeza de un muerto o en el momento en que el autor parece darnos su opinión sobre las prácticas anatómicas en los hospitales: >. Un carácter muy distinto lo ofrece el clásico de la literatura de aventuras “La isla del tesoro”, publicada en 1.883. Se trata de un relato que combina una trama fantástica pero muy bien estructurada. Stevenson describe las inquietantes pesadillas de Jim Hawkins y la aventura en el tonel, con la ayuda directa de la memoria autobiográfica. “Secuestrado” de 1.886, contiene algunas de las muestras más logradas de la recreación minuciosa y pintoresca de lugares. Finalmente, “El extraño caso del Dr. Jekyll y Mr. Hyde”, de ese mismo año, le abre a Stevenson las puertas de una merecida fama. Desde el momento de su publicación, que alcanzó la cifra de más de cuarenta mil ejemplares vendidos en medio año, hasta nuestros días, esta obra ha visto ininterrumpidas ediciones en casi todas las lenguas y en casi todos los países. Robert Louis Stevenson trabajó dentro de una tradición que al mismo tiempo integra mucho de las corrientes estéticas de su tiempo. No le es fácil al crítico calibrar el justo valor literario de este autor. Sus plásticas y brillantes descripciones responden enteramente a una ecleptica amalgama de subjetivismo e influencias de otros escritores ingleses. La inspitación de Walter Scott, a quién, según algunos supera Stevenson, se deja sentir en muchas de sus obras y, entremezclado con lo sobrenatural y los arabescos coloristas, Meredith asoma también en “El dueño de Ballantrae” de 1.889. Pero quizá el mayor logro de Stevenson, aparte los siempre discutidos aspectos de estilo, radique en la aplicación de la dimensión sencillamente humana a los personajes de la novela de aventuras, lejos de grandilocuencias heroicas e inverosímiles. En “El extraño caso del Dr. Jekyll y Mr. Hyde”, se unen dos personas distintas en una misma esencia; una acción sin precedentes en los anales de la literatura: las transformaciones sicofisiólogicas que la exagerada adoración de la ciencia acarrea a uno de sus más fieles devotos. Un tema eterno, el de la duplicidad que susenta la vida: el bien y el mal, son los elementos conjugados en este relato que excitó la imaginación de los victorianos con la misma intensidad con que continúa haciéndolo hoy. Symons, un amigo de Robert Louis Setevenson, le escribió a propósito de esta obra: >. Haciendo caso omiso de las advertencias de otros sabios, el Dr. Jekyll encamina la investigación científica por los derroteros de la medicina trascendental. Y, en efecto, las ciencia esotéricas le prueban dos cosas: ser superiores a las empírico – racionales de su tiempo y que el bien y el mal tienen raíces fisiológicas. A cambio de estos dos logros, Jekyll pagará un alto precio. El noble científico, mudando de estatura, piel y voz, y desplegando una inusitada energía muscular, se convierte, cual excrecencia del propio organismo, en una especie de recesión evolutiva que lleva por nombre Mr. Hyde. Tal vez acudan a la mente del lector las imágenes de la metamorfosis físico – espiritual del médico londinense, difundidas hasta la saciedad por el cine y a televisión, pero que, en ningún momento, desmienten la fuerza evocadora y el encanto mágico del texto. Nunca hasta entonces la ficción había sabido expresar con tanta intensidad y en número relativamente escaso de páginas la lucha denodada entre el vicio y la virtud. La animalidad aparece consustancial al hombre, dispuesta, como el ave fénix, a resurgir victoriosa de entre las cenizas de la racionalidad. Hasta las investigaciones recientes de la biología, el hombre ha sido considerado como un ser en que la parte racional se superpone a otra instintiva y primitiva; las fronteras entre una y otra, muy a menudo, se interpolan cuando no se confunden, como en el caso del noble Dr. Jekyll. Esta parábola parece tener algo de anticipación y de advertencia. Y, también, algo de ironía hay en el personaje stevensoniano, pues, no obstante la bestialidad recuperada, la vileza de su comportamiento y la crueldad de sus actos, Mr. Hyde jamás renuncia al confort de la civilización victoriana. Interesante es conocer de que manera se gestó la novela porque ello ayudará a entender y disfrutar mejor la obra. La biografía del autor nos remite inmediatamente a los impulsos procedentes de los estratos soterrados y fértiles de la mente de Stevenson – muchos le llaman > - que soñó parte de la historia en una noche de pesadillas. Tres días tardó en escribir el primer borrador, que no gustó a su esposa por el exceso de sensacionalismo. Emprendió entonces el comienzo del segundo y definitivo manuscrito, que concluyo con la misma brevedad. Ya en su juventud había tenido sueños donde se escenificaba la vida real como la misma vigilia. Esta especie de doble vida terminó cuando el médico le recetó un fármaco. Por otra parte, los procesos por los que un ser humano puede convertirse física y mentalmente en otro distinto preocupaban a Stevenson, y quedó impresionado al ver cómo el alcohol y la enfermedad habían alterado el cuerpo y la mente de su amigo Walter Ferrier. “El extraño caso del Dr. Jekyll y Mr. Hyde” es una de las pocas narraciones victorianas en que el protagonista es un científico. Al parecer el Dr. Jekyll profundiza en el estudio de los procesos fisiológicos que tienen lugar en el cuerpo humano, >, dice el narrador refiriéndose a las tareas del sabio en el cuarto episodio titulado “El incidente de la carta”, para acto seguido entrar en el laboratorio. Cito el texto: >. En éste como en el pasaje en que descubre la pócima causante de la metamorfosis del doctor, la economía de los medios narrativos no impide que la escena se pinte sola. El autor, lejos de toda minucia descriptiva, da los elementos precisos para que todos y cada uno de sus lectores recreen, según su propia experiencia, el ambiente y los personajes en los que inserta su historia. En 1.883, tres años antes de la publicación de este relato, Wilkie Collins publicó la novela en tres tomos “Corazón y ciencia”. El protagonista es el fisiólogo Dr. Benjulia, megalómano sometido a la servidumbre de la ciencia. Su relación con los demás viene determinada por la observación distanciada y objetiva; cualquier método, por cruel que sea, le parece justificable si con él llega a realizar sus propósitos con mayor celeridad. El retrato que hace Wilkie Collins no induce al equívoco: es la descripción de un siniestro personaje que se extiende a lo largo de tres páginas. En cambio, Stevenson tan sólo dedica unas cuantas líneas a la apariencia física de Jekyll: los rasgos necesarios para suscitar las simpatías del lector. La acción de la historia se encargará, no obstante, de descubrir la verdad que las apariencias encierran, describiendo al doctor así: >. Se podía afirmar sin exageración que “El extraño caso del Dr. Jekyll y Mr. Hyde” es, en efecto, una de esas raras joyas de la literatura que por la universalidad del tema y la precisión estilística parece tener un puesto asegurado entre los clásicos de la prosa inglesa.

Un cachalot blanc monstrueux, une jambe perdue, une folie vengeresse : dans son adaptation du roman « Moby Dick » d'Herman Melville, John Huston filme les corps et les âmes d'un équipage embarqué dans une aventure périlleuse par le terrifiant capitaine Achab. Passionné par les récits d'aventures, le réalisateur suisse Andreas Fontana, dont le premier film de fiction, « Azor » (qui, ce 24 janvier, a été nominé quatre fois au Prix du cinéma suisse 2022), est sorti en 2021, raconte sa fascination pour le film de John Huston. Un film où l'on trouve, parmi les acteurs de la distribution, un membre de la famille d'Andreas Fontana. Les recommandations d'Andreas Fontana : - "Le Maître de Ballantrae", de Robert Louis Stevenson, Gallimard, 2000 - "Fin d'un jeu", de Julio Cortázar, Gallimard, 2005 - " Bric à Brac", de Joseph Reinhardt (album « Joseph Reinhardt with Dingo Adel and Jacques Montagne: Live in Paris 1966 ») - "M le Maudit", film de Fritz Lang, 1931 - "Das Mädchen und die Spinne", film de Ramon et Silvan Zürcher, 2021

Drama: This is My Best “The Master of Ballantrae” 4/10/45 CBS, CBS Radio Workshop “Noh Plays of Japan” 4/7/57 CBS.

Ballantrae and Henry are two brothers and Scottish noblemen, whose family is torn apart during the Jacobite rising of 1745...Uitgegeven door SAGA EgmontSpreker(s): B. J. Harrison

Zwei ungleiche Brüder, die sich hassen und um das Erbe des Familienbesitzes gegen die Engländer kämpfen. Ein Roman, der menschliche Abgründe ausleuchtet.

So we come to the conclusion of the 52 part Australian radio adaptation by George Edwards Production company in 1943. You will find all 52 parts, 2 per track for a total of 26 tracks on the Playlist "Jekyll and Hyde." Robert Louis Stevenson released his novella entitled "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" on January 5, 1886. He was also the author of "Treasure Island," "Kidnapped," "David Balfour," "A Child's Garden of Verses," "The Body Snatcher," "The New Arabian Nights," "The Master of Ballantrae" and many other poems, short stories. He was born on November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom and died on December 3, 1894 in Samoa. For a man who lived only 44 years, he was an incredibly talented and prolific writer.

Robert Louis Stevenson's 1899 novel, "The Master of Ballantrae," presented with amazing sound and dynamic Range!

Robert Louis Stevenson's 1899 novel, "The Master of Ballantrae," presented with amazing sound and dynamic Range!

Robert Louis Stevenson's 1899 novel, "The Master of Ballantrae," presented with amazing sound and dynamic Range!

Happy Halloween, Lovelies! Rebecca has a crazy story for ya'll today in honor of the holiday. Ever heard of the story of Sawny Bean? After marrying Agnes Douglas the couple moved to Ayrshire, Scotland and set up their home in Bennane Cave, located near Ballantrae. This story features cannibalism, scary caves, how the family preserved their food, and incest (so if any of this is a sensitive subject, put your mental health first and tune in next week). This week's drink break is brought to you by the incredible ladies that make up the Wine and Crime Pod! Wine & Crime is a true crime / comedy podcast. Join three friends as they chug wine, chat true crime, and unleash their worst Minnesotan accents! Find links to their show (and a bunch of other fun stuff) in this week's blog post: https://wp.me/paqGnY-dG Website: https://theladiesofstrange.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theladiesofstrange Links to our social media and other fun stuff: https://www.theladiesofstrange.com/links/

Chris Dolan has published four novels (Ascension Day, Redlegs, Potter's Field and Aliyyah), two collections of short stories and two non-fiction books. He has had three full-length stage plays produced internationally, with five shorter pieces and four collaborations with Spanish dramatists. He has written over 50 hours of television, and more of radio drama. He has worked in collaboration with visual artists on several pieces of public art, has published poems, broadcasts regularly and writes for Scottish and London newspapers. Novels Ascension Day (Headline Review, 1999) won the McKitterick First Novel Prize. "…Dolan's post-industrial and post-imperialist Glasgow: "[s]uch quiet, modest little groupings of streets, yet their shadow stretched and fell for thousands of miles, as afar as Africa, India, America." This long-range view gives the novel great power, as Dolan draws his characters inexorably together, in the lost, once-great, city on the Clyde." – Christopher Hart, . Redlegs (Vagabond Voices, 2012) "Good things come to those who wait, and this is a good thing… An engrossing and compelling novel... lingering richly in the memory… A fine novel" – . Short stories Poor Angels (Polygon, 1995) was shortlisted for the , and included both the winning story for 1995  / Macallan Prize (Sleet and Snow), and runner-up the following year (Year of the Vezzas). "He holds you in a tight grip right from the start and manages to combine a sense of raw nostalgia with a profoundly moving atmosphere of love and loss." –  on Sleet and Snow. Non-fiction titles An Anarchist's Story: The Life of  ( 2009) "Dolan's book is both personal and universal." – . Plays His first play was The Veil (1991), Sabina (1998),  (2000), and The Angel's Share (2000). Writing for screen and radio Some of his work has appeared on the radio, including four original plays and many adaptations, including 's , The Master of Ballantrae by  and several of Ian Rankin's Rebus novels. His four-part modern take on  was broadcast in October 2012. He has written for , , and . He has written such screenplays as Poor Angels and Ring of Truth as well as TV drama documentaries, An Anarchist's Story: The Life of Ethel MacDonald, Barbado'ed both broadcast by  and Red Oil for . He also has written extensively for , , , and  for which he has been writing since its inception.

In this episode I talk with Euphie Wood of Bunessan. I spoke to Euphie in her home the other day, at the start of January 2019. It was a great pleasure to spend time in Euphie’s company, although we’d met some time ago, we’d never really managed to have a proper chat. I’m delighted that we got the opportunity to speak together this week. I’m pleased to say that there’s a Gaelic section in this episode, too. 

If you’re curious about any of the subjects we talk about, please feel free to visit our website at whatwedointhewinter.com to find links that will allow you to investigate further. If you have time and are so inclined, I’m running a short online survey that I’ll keep up until the first week of February to find out about how you engage with What We Do In The Winter.  You can find a link to it in the text along with this podcast file, on our website and on social media.  I’m looking to build more of an audience for the podcast, and I’d like to know how you interact with it at present to allow me to understand how to grow it. 
It can be found on this link: https://goo.gl/forms/xNuWBKB2aTiKmi1k1.  

Thank you for your time! 
Episode Links:
 Ross of Mull Historical Centre https://romhc.org.uk/ Attie MacKechnie 
http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/person/1033;jsessionid=4985EC5C237D069931A1A58F92C9ADD5 
https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/attie-mackechnie-1-674582 Ardchiavaig - https://canmore.org.uk/site/148381/mull-ardchiavaig Lochinvar poem https://lochinvar.ltd.uk/about-us/lochinvar-poem/ H & I Film Guild - https://hifilmguild.gla.ac.uk/ The Master of Balantrae - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Master_of_Ballantrae_(1953_film) Tea With Chrissie https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tea-Chrissie-Story-Burg-Ardmeanach/dp/0953189015 Brigadier Ronald Cheape of Tiroran tune https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGVRlaGZJlA Soil and Soul https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soil-Soul-People-versus-Corporate-ebook/dp/B008QWCS0Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1547074936&sr=8-1&keywords=soil+and+soul Dugie’s Shop http://www.dervaigshop.co.uk/ Kiel School https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keil_School Oestende Boat explosion https://canmore.org.uk/site/102437/ostende-loch-na-lathaich-mull The Appin Murder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appin_Murder Hill of the red fox https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hill-Red-Fox-Contemporary-Kelpies-ebook/dp/B00GL9R8Z4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1547119267&sr=8-1&keywords=hill+of+the+red+fox Kidnapped https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kidnapped-Oxford-Worlds-Classics-Stevenson/dp/0199674213/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1547119288&sr=8-2&keywords=kidnapped Erraid https://www.erraid.com/ Patronymics https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Scotland_Names_Personal Thank you for listening!

Matthew Sweet with Philip Lane on the film music career of William Alwyn, composer of over 80 scores including "The Magic Box", "The History of Mr Polly", "The Swiss Family Robinson" and "The Crimson Pirate". Matthew discusses Alwyn's contribution to British film with Philip Lane, and finds out more about Philip's tireless work to track these sometimes lost scores down and bring them before the public. Volume 4 of the CD series "The Film Music of William Alwyn" has just been released with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Rumon Gamba. The programme includes highlights from across William Alwyn's career including music from "The History of Mr Polly"; "The Master of Ballantrae"; "Manchester - A City Speaks"; "Desert Victory"; "The Rocking Horse Winner"; "Svengali"; "The Card"; "The Swiss Family Robinson" and "They Flew Alone". The Classic Score of the Week is Alwyn's music for the 1946 film "Odd Man Out".

Author of The Jekyll Revelation published by Amazon Publishing's 47North Imprint   Interview ‪starts at 10:00 and ends at 43:22 "I used to joke around that I could walk up to a table at any bookstore, and any book that wasn't published by the major houses—I could smell it a mile away. There was something wrong about the typography. The cover was somehow cheap looking. I didn't feel quite right. The margins weren't right when you looked at the text inside, that sort of thing. They have corrected that now. And The Jekyll Revelation, which they just recently sent me a box of is an absolutely beautiful book that I am proud to put on my shelves. The cover art is spectacular. It wraps around from the front all the way to the back. It's indistinguishable from anybody else's books. In fact, in many ways its better."   News Earplay skill on Alexa “Earplay: Alexa Hosts a Transformative New Way to Tell Stories” by Len Edgerly at Medium - October 28, 2016 Earplay website Eastgate Systems, creator of the Storyspace hypertext tool   Tech Tip Prime Photos   Interview with Robert Masello The Jekyll Revelation by Robert Masello The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Dracula by Bram Stoker Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson The Master of Ballantrae by Robert Louis Stevenson “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley The Romanov Cross: A Novel by Robert Masello The Medusa Amulet: A Novel of Suspense and Adventure by Robert Masello Blood and Ice by Robert Masello   Content New York Times 2016 Bestseller List at the Kindle Store   Next Week's Guest Jonathan Myers, co-founder and chief executive officer of Earplay. A tool for sharing Kindle Chronicles episodes: Overcast.fm Music for my podcast is from an original Thelonius Monk composition named "Well, You Needn't." This version is "Ra-Monk" by Eval Manigat on the "Variations in Time: A Jazz Perspective" CD by Public Transit Recording" CD.  Please Join the Kindle Chronicles group at Goodreads!  

In 1900 three lighthouse keepers vanished from a remote, featureless island in Scotland's Outer Hebrides. The lighthouse was in good order and the log showed no sign of trouble, but no trace of the keepers has ever been found. In this episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll explore the conundrum of the men's disappearance -- a classic mystery of sea lore. We'll also ponder the whereabouts of Robert Louis Stevenson's birthday, admire Esaw Wood's quest for a wood saw that would saw wood, and wonder why drinking a glass of water might necessitate a call to the auto club. Sources for our segment on the Flannan Isles lighthouse: Christopher Nicholson, Rock Lighthouses of Britain, 1983. "The Mystery of Flannan Isle," Northern Lighthouse Board, retrieved June 18, 2014. Mike Dash, "The Vanishing Lighthousemen of Eilean Mór," Fortean Studies 4 (1998). Sources for the story about Robert Louis Stevenson's bequest of his birthday: Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Graham Balfour, Works, Volume 24, 1905. Elmo Scott Watson, "Famous Writer Gave Most Unusual 'Christmas Gift' in All History," Ironwood [Mich.] Times, Dec. 23, 1938. “Inherits Birthday,” Sherbrooke [Quebec] Telegram, Jan. 11, 1934. Here's the deed: Vailima, June 19, 1891. I, Robert Louis Stevenson, Advocate of the Scots Bar, author of The Master of Ballantrae and Moral Emblems, stuck civil engineer, sole owner and patentee of the Palace and Plantation known as Vailima in the island of Upolu, Samoa, a British Subject, being in sound mind, and pretty well, I thank you, in body: In consideration that Miss Annie H. Ide, daughter of H.C. Ide, in the town of Saint Johnsbury, in the county of Caledonia, in the state of Vermont, United States of America, was born, out of all reason, upon Christmas Day, and is therefore out of all justice denied the consolation and profit of a proper birthday; And considering that I, the said Robert Louis Stevenson, have attained an age when O, we never mention it, and that I have now no further use for a birthday of any description; ... And in consideration that I have met H.C. Ide, the father of the said Annie H. Ide, and found him about as white a land commissioner as I require: Have transferred, and do hereby transfer, to the said Annie H. Ide, all and whole my rights and privileges in the thirteenth day of November, formerly my birthday, now, hereby, and henceforth, the birthday of the said Annie H. Ide, to have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the same in the customary manner, by the sporting of fine raiment, eating of rich meats, and receipt of gifts, compliments, and copies of verse, according to the manner of our ancestors; And I direct the said Annie H. Ide to add to the said name of Annie H. Ide the name Louisa — at least in private; and I charge her to use my said birthday with moderation and humanity, et tamquam bona filia familia, the said birthday not being so young as it once was, and having carried me in a very satisfactory manner since I can remember; And in case the said Annie H. Ide shall neglect or contravene either of the above conditions, I hereby revoke the donation and transfer my rights in the said birthday to the President of the United States of America for the time being: In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of June in the year of grace eighteen hundred and ninety-one. Robert Louis Stevenson. Witness, Lloyd Osbourne, Witness, Harold Watts. To Ide Stevenson wrote, "Herewith please find the Document, which I trust will prove sufficient in law. It seems to me very attractive in its eclecticism; Scots, English, and Roman law phrases are all indifferently introduced, and a quotation from the works of Haynes Bailey can hardly fail to attract the indulgence of the Bench." A bizarre coincidence: Just before we recorded this episode I discovered that Robert Louis Stevenson's cousin, David Alan Stevenson, designed the Flannan Isles lighthouse! I'd had no inkling of this in planning or writing the episode; the two stories are set literally a world apart. "The Story of Esaw Wood," by W.E. Southwick, from Carolyn Wells' 1918 anthology Such Nonsense!: Esaw Wood sawed wood. Esaw Wood would saw wood! All the wood Esaw Wood saw Esaw Wood would saw. In other words, all the wood Esaw saw to saw Esaw sought to saw. Oh, the wood Wood would saw! And oh, the wood-saw with which Wood would saw wood. But one day Wood’s wood-saw would saw no wood, and thus the wood Wood sawed was not the wood Wood would saw if Wood’s wood-saw would saw wood. Now, Wood would saw wood with a wood-saw that would saw wood, so Esaw sought a saw that would saw wood. One day Esaw saw a saw saw wood as no other wood-saw Wood saw would saw wood. In fact, of all the wood-saws Wood ever saw saw wood Wood never saw a wood-saw that would saw wood as the wood-saw Wood saw saw wood would saw wood, and I never saw a wood-saw that would saw as the wood-saw Wood saw would saw until I saw Esaw Wood saw wood with the wood-saw Wood saw saw wood. Now Wood saws wood with the wood-saw Wood saw saw wood. Oh, the wood the wood-saw Wood saw would saw! Oh, the wood Wood’s woodshed would shed when Wood would saw wood with the wood-saw Wood saw saw wood! Finally, no man may ever know how much wood the wood-saw Wood saw would saw, if the wood-saw Wood saw would saw all the wood the wood-saw Wood saw would saw. You can listen using the player above, or subscribe on iTunes or via the RSS feed at http://feedpress.me/futilitycloset. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

Gillian Lynne is best known as the choreographer of Cats and Phantom of the Opera, among other West End hits. She received a lifetime Olivier Award earlier this year. But her career began more than seven decades ago, when she was spotted as a dancer by Ninette de Valois. She danced during the War, with doodlebugs falling around her and just two pianos in the pit - no orchestras, as all the men were away fighting. She danced in the first night at Covent Garden after the War, when audiences dusted off their evening clothes. She then moved into movies, playing a gypsy temptress in The Master of Ballantrae opposite Errol Flynn. The sexual chemistry wasn't confined to the screen - she and Flynn had an affair, though his drink problem meant 'He wasn't a great lover. At the end of the day, he couldn't... But he was a beautiful man.' As she developed as a choreographer, Gillian Lynne worked with the leading composers of the day, including Sir Michael Tippett. In fact she asked him to make changes in his Ritual Dances (from The Midsummer Marriage) so it would become a bit clearer what on earth was going on. 'I said to Colin Davis, I don't know what this is about. But I think it's about orgasms. He said, "Quite right, dear girl. Quite right!"' Now 87, Lynne talks frankly about her career, and people she has worked with, like Frederick Ashton and Dudley Moore. She is still working - 'If I didn't I'd keel over' - and thanks to her daily workout, she is still enviably fit. She tells the story of finding love for the first time when she was in her 50s - with a man 27 years younger than herself. She's naughty, irreverent, and fun; this is also priceless social history. Music choices include Fauré, Walton, Vaughan Williams, Tippett and Errol Garner. First broadcast in September 2013.