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Dark Shadows Dramatic Readings, Audiobooks #15
The Blind Painter
“My curse… To be the greatest painter who ever lived! And yet, to never be able to see them for myself!”
The year is 1893, and struggling artist Charles Delaware Tate works alone in a garret in New York City. Frustrated by his lack of artistic genius, he seems doomed to a life of misery and failure.
And then he meets Eloise Verinder... and his whole world changes.
The year is 1920. Charles Delaware Tate now lives alone in a sanatorium. But he’s still painting, creating extraordinary works of art.
Even though he is completely blind.
A new nurse arrives, eager to hear the story of Charles’ rise and fall... and of his first encounter with Count Petofi...
The year is 1893, and struggling artist Charles Delaware Tate works alone in a garret in New York City. Frustrated by his lack of artistic genius, he seems doomed to a life of misery and failure.
And then he meets Eloise Verinder... and his whole world changes.
The year is 1920. Charles Delaware Tate now lives alone in a sanatorium. But he’s still painting, creating extraordinary works of art.
Even though he is completely blind.
A new nurse arrives, eager to hear the story of Charles’ rise and fall... and of his first encounter with Count Petofi...
- GenresHorror
Audio CD
First published May 31, 2011
24 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Morris
211 books72 followersJonathan Morris is one of the most prolific and popular writers of Doctor Who books, including the highly-regarded novels 'Festival of Death' and 'Touched by an Angel' and the recent guide to monsters, 'The Monster Vault'. He has also written numerous comic strips, most of which were collected in 'The Child of Time', and audios for BBC Audio and Big Finish, including the highly-regarded comedies 'Max Warp' and 'The Auntie Matter', as well as the adaptation of Russell T Davies’ 'Damaged Goods'.
Recently he has started his own audio production company, Average Romp. Releases include a full-cast adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Chimes', an original play, 'When Michael Met Benny', and three episodes of a SF sitcom, 'Dick Dixon in the 21st Century'.
For details visit www.averageromp.com
He also originated his own series, Vienna and script-edited the Nigel Planer series 'Jeremiah Bourne in Time'. He’s also written documentaries and for TV sketch shows.
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Recently he has started his own audio production company, Average Romp. Releases include a full-cast adaptation of Charles Dickens' The Chimes', an original play, 'When Michael Met Benny', and three episodes of a SF sitcom, 'Dick Dixon in the 21st Century'.
For details visit www.averageromp.com
He also originated his own series, Vienna and script-edited the Nigel Planer series 'Jeremiah Bourne in Time'. He’s also written documentaries and for TV sketch shows.
Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 9, 2020
Wow! This was 100% Dark Shadows at its best. Not only that, it's a decent horror story in its own right (in case you have no knowledge of Dark Shadows). This was read by Roger Davis (who played the character of Charles Delaware Tate in the original Dark Shadows TV show) and Nicola Bryant (perhaps better known as the Sixth Doctor's companion, Peri).
Background: On July 24, 1969, Episode 804 of "Dark Shadows" aired, introducing fans to Charles Delaware Tate (played by Roger Davis) as a painter hired by Count Petofi to paint the portrait of Quentin Collins. Tate is eventually shown to have magical powers with his paintings. What is not shown is the origin of his powers or how he originally became beholden to Count Petofi. That's where this story begins.
Charles Delaware Tate is blind and living at a sanatorium at the start of this story (in 1920), but he can still paint insanely life-like paintings. He is asked by his nurse for his life story and we travel back in time to 1893 when Tate's life changed forever...
This is a gripping and wonderful story (written by Jonathan Morris) and magnificently portrayed by the two actors. It is nice that so many of the original actors have been willing to return for Big Finish's Dark Shadows audio stories, and it is wonderful to hear Roger Davis again. This is a story about curses, and it does not have a particularly happy ending but it sets the stage so wonderfully. In the show we see Tate's interaction with Collinwood in 1897, and we see his end in 1970 (aged 100), and we get some snippets of information about what happened between 1897 and 1970 (we know he stopped painting portraits in 1920 and shifted to inferior landscapes, but we don't know why). This story fills in many of the gaps. It tells of how Tate gained his powers 1893 and what he did until 1897. Then it skips the Dark Shadows years and starts up in 1915 and explains his blindness, then continues to 1920 and reveals why he stopped with portraits in such a horrifying manner!
This took a really wonderful Dark Shadows character and filled in gaps that were wonderful. But, if you are not a Dark Shadows fan, never fear, it barely mentions his Dark Shadows appearances and is a great horror story that stands on its own. I'd recommend this to any Dark Shadows fan and, more than that, to any horror fan. It really does stand on its own.
Background: On July 24, 1969, Episode 804 of "Dark Shadows" aired, introducing fans to Charles Delaware Tate (played by Roger Davis) as a painter hired by Count Petofi to paint the portrait of Quentin Collins. Tate is eventually shown to have magical powers with his paintings. What is not shown is the origin of his powers or how he originally became beholden to Count Petofi. That's where this story begins.
Charles Delaware Tate is blind and living at a sanatorium at the start of this story (in 1920), but he can still paint insanely life-like paintings. He is asked by his nurse for his life story and we travel back in time to 1893 when Tate's life changed forever...
This is a gripping and wonderful story (written by Jonathan Morris) and magnificently portrayed by the two actors. It is nice that so many of the original actors have been willing to return for Big Finish's Dark Shadows audio stories, and it is wonderful to hear Roger Davis again. This is a story about curses, and it does not have a particularly happy ending but it sets the stage so wonderfully. In the show we see Tate's interaction with Collinwood in 1897, and we see his end in 1970 (aged 100), and we get some snippets of information about what happened between 1897 and 1970 (we know he stopped painting portraits in 1920 and shifted to inferior landscapes, but we don't know why). This story fills in many of the gaps. It tells of how Tate gained his powers 1893 and what he did until 1897. Then it skips the Dark Shadows years and starts up in 1915 and explains his blindness, then continues to 1920 and reveals why he stopped with portraits in such a horrifying manner!
This took a really wonderful Dark Shadows character and filled in gaps that were wonderful. But, if you are not a Dark Shadows fan, never fear, it barely mentions his Dark Shadows appearances and is a great horror story that stands on its own. I'd recommend this to any Dark Shadows fan and, more than that, to any horror fan. It really does stand on its own.
March 16, 2026
Twist ending, unexpected 😲
January 11, 2020
A brilliant story filled with emotion, curses and tragedy. A painter poor and hungry finds his masterpiece with a young woman and so his painting career begins. But when comes a miracle, a curse comes too.
This story was magnificently written by Jonathan Morris who brings in an incredible story with strong emotion. The performances in this were excellent as well Roger Davies and Nicola Bryant absolutely give it their all with this story and it's brilliant! 10/10
This story was magnificently written by Jonathan Morris who brings in an incredible story with strong emotion. The performances in this were excellent as well Roger Davies and Nicola Bryant absolutely give it their all with this story and it's brilliant! 10/10
November 10, 2024
Probably not a resounding introduction to the Dark Shadows world. Just an uninteresting story and poor voice acting.
November 15, 2016
This one was really good. A great, surprising little horror story which also gives us some background on Charles Delaware Tate. The story throws quite a few twists and turns at the listener. Nicola Bryant gets to play an iconic Dark Shadows character (no spoilers) and gives a wonderful performance.
October 29, 2020
This was a story true to the Dark Shadows model. Painter gets gift from evil being. Painter tries to get rid of gift but is cursed. Curse gets lifted but transfers to another person. This was definitely a dark shadows story.
January 17, 2022
Another great one! We get to know more about Tate and his powers, it's about curses and it has not a happy ending. But it's really good :)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews