History, hilarity, and histrionics characterize a new satirical radio-show podcast about the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. No Holmes Barred! is written, directed, and produced by Daniel Ciarrocchi (you may have seen him on Jeopardy!) and tells the dual stories of Daniel Burnham’s construction of the fairgrounds in Jackson Park and the bloody trail of murderer H. H. Holmes in nearby Englewood.
If this premise sounds like a certain best-selling work of narrative nonfiction that introduced millions of readers to the majesty of the White City and the devilish doings of the alleged serial killer, you’d be right … and terribly wrong. This self-described “independent passion project” is a raucously irreverent but captivating retelling, with plenty of historical tidbits expanded and lampooned for added enjoyment.
In Episode 1: “The Resurrectionists” (released April 15, 2023) we meet a young H.H. Holmes gas-lighting (figuratively; the real gruesome stuff comes later, we expect) his landlady. Then the action moves to the assemblage of architects anxiously planning the Columbian Exposition fairgrounds (“No steamboats!” insists one designer), and finally to a scene of ridicule of the clueless-but-conniving Patrick Eugene Prendergast. Oh, and there is an unusual commercial break for The Columbian Cookbook by Adelaide Hollingsworth that would make anyone want to quit smoking.
Episode 2: “The Irony Wheel” (released July 5, 2023) revolves (get it?) around plans for the giant metal centerpiece of the Midway Plaisance, but only after a string of proposals for truly terrible towers of terror. And speaking of which … an unconventional hotel starts going up near the Fair. You can check-out any time you like, but can you ever leave? How can you generate gold spinning a wheel? Listen and find out.
Episode 3: “Nobody Wants to Work Anymore!” (They are talking about 1893, right?) introduces listeners to a very confident Sophia Hayden trying to complete her architectural work on the Woman’s Building while resisting the meddling of Bertha Palmer. We also hear about Chicago entrepreneur James McElroy’s incredible plan (but did it really happen?) to pump spring water from Waukesha, Wisconsin, over 100 miles to the fairgrounds in Jackson Park. Dirtboy advises that this episode (released September 21, 2023) is NSFW.
No Holmes Barred! is available through many major podcast services.
“No steamboats!”
Hi Scott! This is Daniel Ciarrocchi, long-time lurker and the guy who wrote, produced, and acted in this podcast. I’m really grateful for you taking the time to not only listen, but post your thoughts. I know that I have a lot of listeners who hadn’t yet been introduced to the subject of this fair before, but I want to make sure that there’s plenty that the experts on this site and beyond can take from it, as well. I hope that you continue to enjoy, and I’ll do my best to repay you by making each new episode better than the last.
Also, while there hasn’t been much of a consistent schedule in terms of episode releases (as I’m sure you can tell), I would look for Episode 4 to be released around Friday the 13th (wait, how many days are in October again?). We just tracked the final voice for the episode, and even at the risk of jinxing ourselves, we should be able to get it out shortly. Stay tuned, and thanks again!