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  Southern Fried Shakespeare - A...

  Robert James

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  Welcome y'all! This project was created for those who think they don't like Shakespeare. It is a completely unsanctioned and unconventional interpretation of some of the works of William Shakespeare. If you are a purist be forewarned! I have always been fascinated with the written works of Shakespeare since I was a child trying to decipher the giant volume of his works I discovered in my father's library. I knew it was important historically but the language had me often running to a dictionary in those pre-Google days. Understanding a live performance was an equally challenging task as the British accents combined with the lambic pentameter rhythm left me struggling to understand the meaning. But once you figure what he's saying you realized these timeless stories of dysfunctional families and political intrigue are just as relevant today as 400 years ago. Every actor in training experiences the works of William Shakespeare to some degree. While memorizing lines I would try various characters and accents. For Richard III's famous opening monologue I settled on a genteel aristocrat from the Southern United States. I shared with my instructor and after some initial eye rolls he had to admit it was easier to understand. Eventually I created a one man show around the idea and wrote original songs that I believe express the emotion and underlying intentions of the pieces. And of course what's a variety show without an MC or two. In this case two squabbling siblings Auntie Bella and her twin brother Beauregard to bring a small respite to the drama. During the COVID pandemic I decided to record an audio version of the show. I hope you enjoy my family of misfits as much as I did creating them. But hey, to thine own taste be true. Cousin Willy must have had a sense of humor to write some of this stuff!

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  The Island of Doctor Moreau

  H. G. Wells

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  "Not to go on all-fours; that is the Law. Are we not Men?"
  
  After being shipwrecked in the South Pacific, Edward Prendick is rescued and brought to a remote island inhabited by the brilliant, exiled physiologist Dr. Moreau. There, Prendick discovers a nightmare beyond his wildest imagination: a population of grotesque "Beast Folk"—animals transformed into humanoid shapes through the agony of vivisection and surgical grafting. As Moreau attempts to "carve" the animal out of the beast, the primal instincts of his creations begin to resurface. This chilling masterpiece is a foundational text of biological horror that questions what truly separates humanity from the beasts of the field.
  
  The "Law" and the Divine Surgeon: At the heart of the novel is the "Law"—a series of chanted prohibitions meant to suppress the animal instincts of the Beast Folk. Moreau acts as a cruel, indifferent god, using pain as a tool for "civilization." Wells uses this premise to satirize religion, social conditioning, and the Victorian belief that science alone could perfect human nature.
  
  A Critique of Scientific Hubris: Dr. Moreau is the ultimate "mad scientist," driven by a cold, intellectual curiosity that completely ignores the suffering of his subjects. The novel remains startlingly relevant in the age of genetic engineering and organ transplantation, serving as a cautionary tale about the ethics of "playing God" with the building blocks of life.
  
  A Descent into the Primal: As the social order of the island collapses, Prendick is forced to confront the beast within himself. The novel's haunting conclusion, where the protagonist returns to London only to see the animal eyes and instincts in his fellow humans, is one of the most powerful and unsettling endings in English literature.
  
  Enter the House of Pain. Purchase "The Island of Doctor Moreau" today and discover the animal truth.

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  Dracula

  Bram Stoker

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  tbc

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  Wessex Tales

  Thomas Hardy

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  Step into the evocative realm of rural England with "Wessex Tales" by Thomas Hardy, a collection of short stories that brilliantly capture the essence of Victorian life. Set in the fictional region of Wessex, these tales explore the lives of ordinary folk facing extraordinary circumstances. Themes of love, tragedy, superstition, and fate intertwine as Hardy delves into the human condition with his signature depth and empathy. Each story, rich in local color and historical detail, paints a vivid portrait of 19th-century rural society, making this collection a timeless literary treasure.

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  The Story of Doctor Dolittle

  Hugh Lofting

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  "Why can't a man learn to speak the language of the beasts?"
  
  John Dolittle, MD, is a respected physician in the quiet town of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh—until his growing collection of pets frightens away his human patients. Armed with the secret knowledge passed down by his wise parrot, Polynesia, the Doctor learns to speak the languages of the animal kingdom. From the smallest mouse to the largest elephant, Dolittle becomes the world's first "animal doctor." When a dire message arrives about an epidemic among the monkeys in Africa, the Doctor sets sail on a perilous journey that introduces him to the rarest creatures on Earth, including the two-headed Pushmi-pullyu.
  
  A Legacy of Compassion: Hugh Lofting famously began writing these stories in letters to his children from the trenches of World War I. Seeking an alternative to the violence he witnessed, he created a hero whose greatest weapons are empathy, linguistics, and a deep respect for all living things. The Doctor's house becomes a sanctuary where the "Animal Family"—including Jip the dog, Gub-Gub the pig, and Dab-Dab the duck—live in harmony.
  
  The Grand Adventure: The voyage to Africa is a masterclass in early 20th-century adventure. From escaping the King of the Jolliginki to crossing the "Precipice of the Barbary Coast," Lofting blends high-seas drama with the gentle humor of the Doctor's eccentric personality. It is a story that celebrates the idea that the "wild" world is not a place to be conquered, but a community to be understood.
  
  Discover the magic of communication. Purchase "The Story of Doctor Dolittle" today and start listening to the world around you.

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  The Time Machine

  H. G. Wells

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  In The Time Machine we are thrown 800,000 years forward - into an age where the Earth is slowly dying. There we discover two bizarre peoples—the ethereal Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks.
  
  Published in 1895, Wells' masterpiece captivated readers on the threshold of a new century.

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