The Canterville Ghost (radio)

“The Canterville Ghost” is a program from the American radio anthology series Radio Tales. The anthology series adapted classic works of American and world literature for the radio. The series was a recipient of numerous awards, including four Gracie Allen Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television (in 2004, [ [http://www.awrt.org/press-releases/2004/Press_Release_%20Announce_Winners.pdf "AWRT Press Release"] AWRT.org. Accessed March 21, 2008] 2003, [ [http://www.npr.org/about/press/030402.gracie.html "NPR Productions Win Gracie Allen Awards"] NPR.org. Accessed March 21, 2008] 2001, [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20011126020253/www.awrt.org/awards/2000GracieWinners.html "2001 Gracie Allen Award Winners"] AWRT.org, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008] and 1998 [Hear Here: "Tales by American Masters". AudioFile Magazine, pg. 8, Feb/March 1999, Vol. 7, No. 5.] ) a New York Festivals WorldMedal, [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20050207122048/http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/res/pdf/2004RPwinners.pdf "2004 Winners, Radio Programming and Promotion, New York Festivals"] NewYorkFestivals.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008] and a Golden Reel Merit Award. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010802161539/www.nfcb.org/2001reelsinfo.html "NFCB Announces 2001 Golden Reel Award Winners"] NFCB.org, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008] “The Canterville Ghost" program from the Radio Tales series was an adaptation of the classic novella The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde.

Broadcast history

The Radio Tales production of “The Canterville Ghost” was first broadcast via NPR on July 3, 2001. [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Summer 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. III] The program encompassed two half-hour installments that were distributed to NPR member stations as part of the NPR Playhouse cultural series. Since November 28th, 2002, the entire Radio Tales series has aired in reruns on the Sonic Theater channel (163) of the XM Satellite Radio service. [ [http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/features/sonictheater.xmc "Sonic Theater"] XMRadio.com. Accessed May 22, 2008.] “The Canterville Ghost” program debuted on the Sonic Theater channel on October 18, 2003.

Production information

The program was produced and script edited by series producer Winnie Waldron, who also served as the on-air host. [ [http://www.winifredphillips.com/wp_bio.html "Winifred Phillips Official Site: Biography"] Winifredphillips.com. Accessed May 19, 2008] Composer Winifred Phillips created over twenty-eight minutes of music for the program, and also performed as the featured actress. [ [http://www.mninter.net/~jstearns/nprPH.html#top "NPR Playhouse - January - March, 2001"] MNinter.net. Accessed March 21, 2008.] “The Canterville Ghost” was part of the sixth year of Radio Tales on NPR Playhouse. [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Summer 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. III]

Media

The Radio Tales production of “The Canterville Ghost” has been available in numerous formats and venues, including burn-on-demand CDs manufactured and distributed by MP3.com [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20031129193548/artists.mp3s.com/artists/33/npr_radio_tales.html "MP3.com: Radio Tales"] MP3.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed July 15, 2008.] and Ampcast.com. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20060212003627/http://www.ampcast.com/music/25229/artist.php "Ampcast.com: Radio Tales"] Ampcast.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed July 15, 2008.] Beginning in 2005, programs from the series, including “The Canterville Ghost” program, have been available for download via the Audioville.co.uk web site. [ [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=570&ProductCategoryId=59 "audioVille | Stor>>Fiction | Radio Tales | Download Audio Books, Podcasts and more in MP3. Comedy, Fiction, sport, news, science, drama."] Audioville.co.uk. Accessed October 8, 2008.]

Opening narration

Plot summary

Ghost stories do not deter the American, Mr. Otis, from purchasing the Canterville Estate. Mr. Otis, his wife and their two children arrive at their new home. The housekeeper Mrs. Umney tells them that one of the former lords of the manor, Sir Simon de Canterville, had murdered his wife in the library, leaving a permanent stain on the carpet. Using a stain remover, Mr. Otis removes the stain. But the next morning, the bloodstain has returned.

Mr. Otis removes it again, but it returns the next day, and the day after that. That night, Mr. Otis hears the rattling of metal in the hallway, and on going out, sees a ghost dragging noisy chains from the wrists and ankles. He tells the ghost to use a lubricant on the chains.

The ghost flees, offended that Mr. Otis was not frightened, and resolves to seek vengeance. Several days pass without incident, except for the recurrence of the bloodstain in many odd colors. On Sunday, the ghost attempts to don a suit of armor to scare them, but falls from the weight. When the Otis family comes to see what caused the noise, the ghost lets out a peal of demonic laughter. Mrs. Otis offers him a bottle of ‘stomach remedy’ for his digestive disorder.

Several days later, the Canterville ghost encounters a spectre in the hall. He runs and hides, but then decides to confront the ghostly newcomer… only to discover that it had been a broomstick, a bed sheet, and a hollow turnip arranged to look like an apparition. The ghost recognizes the handiwork of Mr. Otis’ mischievous son, and gives up hope of frightening the American family.

One day, Mr. Otis’ daughter Virginia encounters the ghost. Virginia engages him in conversation. Surprised, the ghost finds himself confessing his crimes, beginning with the theft of Virginia’s paints (used to restore the bloodstain) and ending with the murder of his wife (for which his two brothers-in-law had repaid him by starving him to death). He also confesses his inability to sleep. His only rest is in the grave, but that is now barred to him. He tells Virginia that if she prays for him, he may yet know the peaceful slumber of death. She agrees to do so. The wall before them fades away, and Virginia steps through with the ghost.

Later, the Otis family scours the house and grounds for Virginia until that night, when a hidden wall panel flies back and Virginia steps out. She leads them through the secret passage to where the skeleton of Sir Simon de Canterville lies in chains, as he had been affixed by the brothers of his murdered wife. Virginia tells them that Sir Simon de Canterville’s sins have been forgiven.

References

External links

* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=570&ProductCategoryId=59 The Canterville Ghost Streaming Audio Samples Audioville]
* [http://www.radiotales.com/ The Official Radio Tales® Web Site]
* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view_productcategory.php?Id=59 Radio Tales Streaming Audio Samples on AudioVille]
* [http://www.http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=163 XM Satellite Radio – Information on the Sonic Theater Channel]