Queer Gothic

Recorded on location at Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham, Sarah Waters explores the queer roots of gothic literature and architecture.

Not only was Horace Walpole the author of the first gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto, in 1764 but he also built Strawberry Hill House - his own fantasy gothic villa, a white fairytale-looking castle with turrets, arches, cloisters and extravagant interior design to match. As Sarah explores the house, she is joined by Dr Dale Townshend, Professor of Gothic Literature at the Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies, and writer Holly James Johnston who created the LGBTQ+ Strawberry Hill House tour project.

While they explore this most unusual house, we also hear from:
Dr Caroline Gonda from St Catharine's college Cambridge,
Historian Dr Anthony Delaney,
Writer and academic Terry Castle,
Queer horror aficionado and film programmer Michael Blyth.

With the Castle of Otranto, Walpole also created the first gothic novel - an outlandish story of terror and horror, ghosts and supernatural happenings. Transgressive, over-the-top, critical of traditional hierarchies and family structures, queerness found a home in the gothic from the very beginning. It's one of the most enduring and appealing genres and Sarah traces these early expressions of excess, of lustful monks, creepy castles, monsters, and lesbian vampires through to 20th century horror films.

Extracts from Carmilla, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2003; Christabel, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2001; The Monk, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1985, The Castle of Otranto first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1996.

Readings by Barnaby Edwards

Producer: Victoria Ferran
Exec Producer: Susan Marling

A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 3