Mercury Theatre

Lady Esther Presents

Srednie Vashtar

English · Dramatic Readings, Horror

Mercury Theatre on the Air brings dramatic adaptations of literature and other stories to radio, with Orson Welles among the central creative forces behind the series. Its productions use a company of performers to turn written material into vivid scenes through dialogue, sound effects, and music.

This broadcast presents “Sredni Vashtar,” a story by Saki, adapted for the program. The tale’s darkly comic sensibility and unsettling view of childhood make it a distinctive fit for Mercury Theatre’s literary dramas, where intimate conflicts can take on an eerie, theatrical intensity.

The result is a compact radio play shaped by performance and atmosphere rather than narration alone. Welles’s series is known for ambitious adaptations and expressive sound, offering listeners a dramatic encounter with a story’s characters and mood.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.