Drama - Old Time Audio · Various Authors

Cathy and Elliott Lewis - Candide

March 12, 2026·30 min·2 clips

You may kiss my hand, if you like—the moment Candide's naive optimism meets desire.

Kathy and Elliot Lewis open the program with a bit of ceremony. They present Candide as a classic and pass the telling to Larry Thor, whose narration keeps the story moving from one hard turn to the next. The story begins in Germany. From Baron Thundertentrunk's castle, the action runs into violence, confusion, and the kind of bad luck that makes optimism feel like a practical joke. Candide is left bleeding. An old woman rescues him, dresses him properly, and leads him toward the next shock, where Cunegonde turns up alive and hard to believe. The reunion arrives fast. Candide and Cunegonde trade astonishment and relief before the chief official bursts in and turns the moment into another escape. Jealousy cuts in. Candide and Cunegonde flee with help from three horses, reach the nearest seaport, and find a ship bound for a new world. South America waits. Candide is put through Bulgarian drill and made a captain on the spot, which fits the tale's habit of turning punishment into absurd promotion. The pace stays brisk. Dialogue snaps, narration resets the scene, and Fred Steiner's music gives the whole production a clean, theatrical pulse. Nothing sits still for long. Every scene feels like people talking themselves through a crisis, a bargain, or a rescue while the plot keeps moving under their feet. The tone stays straight-faced. That seriousness lets the comedy land without strain and keeps the moral pressure of Voltaire's story in view even when the action turns ridiculous. It plays like old radio. Listeners who like literary drama, sharp voices, and a classic that moves from disaster to escape in quick strokes will find plenty to follow.

As heard by us

A nimble Candide that sells its trouble through voice, pace, and old-radio poise.

Candide moves as a brisk tangle of bad luck, rescue, jealousy, and flight, introduced by Kathy and Elliot Lewis and carried by Larry Thor. The strongest stretches let the voices carry the sense of it: Candide sounds stunned, Cunegonde sounds vivid, and the production keeps…

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Why you'd press play

If you want Voltaire with a studio curtain, a classic on stage, and a quick getaway, start here.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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