Cabinet of Curiosities: "Ticketmasters" (October 23, 2025)

Overview

In this episode of Cabinet of Curiosities, host Aaron Mahnke invites listeners on a journey through two extraordinary tales connected by the theme of tickets—whether to parties that test the limits of reality, or theater seats that sparked a clash between art and access. The first segment explores Stephen Hawking's legendary "party for time travelers," a whimsical scientific experiment with profound implications. The second delves into the historic Old Price Riots at London's Covent Garden Theater, uncovering the tensions between entertainment, class, and affordability in early 19th-century Britain.

Tale 1: Stephen Hawking’s Party for Time Travelers

[00:40 – 06:03]

Key Points and Insights

• Martha Stewart’s Legacy as Prelude
  The episode opens with a nod to Martha Stewart’s 1982 book Entertaining as a symbol of hosting perfection, setting the stage for an extraordinary party ("It just goes to show that hosting is an art. Steven understood that when he decided to throw a reception..." [01:19, C]).

• The Perfect Reception, with a Twist
  On June 28, 2009, Stephen Hawking hosted an impeccably prepared reception at the University of Cambridge, only for no guests to arrive.

• Hawking’s Remarkable Life and Mind
  Mahnke summarizes Hawking’s journey from Oxford to Cambridge, his struggle with motor neurone disease, and his groundbreaking work in physics. ("But while Hawking was physically limited, his mind traversed the cosmos." [02:35, C])

• The Secret of the Invitations Revealed
  The following day, Hawking instructed his assistant to mail the invitations—for the prior day’s party. The invitations read:
  "You are cordially invited to a reception for time travelers. 12:00pm June 28, 2009 no RSVP required."
  (“...she suddenly understood and burst out laughing. The invitations read, you are cordially invited to a reception for time travelers...” [03:39, C])

• A Experiment in Time Travel
  Hawking’s rationale: if time travel were possible, at least one future human should show up. No one did.
  (“He was confident that at least one copy of his invitation would survive for hundreds or even thousands of years. Surely someone from the future would travel back in time and join him for a glass of bubbly. But nobody showed up...” [04:05, C])

• Legacy After Life
  After Hawking’s death in 2018, his estate allowed people with birthdays as late as December 31, 2038, to register for tickets to his funeral, hoping to entice any future time travelers.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Hawking didn't seem upset. In fact, a small smile crept across his face."
  — [03:08, C]

• "Hawking wanted to prove whether or not time travel was possible. He was confident that at least one copy of his invitation would survive for hundreds or even thousands of years."
  — [04:07, C]

Tale 2: The Old Price Riots—A Fight for Accessible Theater

[06:04 – 10:16]

Key Points and Insights

• The Value of Entertainment
  The question of what entertainment is worth has long been debated, with ticket prices acting as a flashpoint for social priorities.
  (“What is entertainment worth to the average person? ... It's deeply personal and inextricably linked to our priorities as people living in the world." [05:48, C])

• The 1809 Covent Garden Theater Crisis
  After a devastating fire, Covent Garden Theater raised ticket prices to cover rebuilding costs, making the theater less accessible to everyday Londoners.

• Public Backlash—The Old Price Riots
  The working class, angered by rising prices and exclusion, protested loudly and persistently, initiating the Old Price Riots (“Some banged pots and pans, others shouted loudly or sang songs. A public relations war broke out...” [08:12, C]).

• Theater’s Response and Reluctant Compromise
  Theater manager John Kemble sought to calm the protests, but only by reverting to the original prices did he satisfy the crowd. Attempts to re-introduce exclusive pricing were swiftly defeated by renewed disruption.

• Class Conflict and Deadly Outcomes
  The riots were fundamentally a protest against class-based exclusion from the arts—an early battle for cultural access and affordability.
  (“At the center of the Old Price riots was class... attempting to cut working class Londoners out of the experience was seen as offensive.” [09:18, C])

• Tragic Toll
  Though little property was damaged, there were injuries and reportedly 20 deaths during the months of protest—a testament to the seriousness of the conflict.

• The Cursed Play
  The season’s opening performance was Shakespeare’s "Macbeth," adding a superstitious twist to the real-life drama (“And the play that opened that fateful season at Covent Garden? ... the most famous cursed play ever written, William Shakespeare's Macbeth.” [10:08, C])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Their disruptions were aggressive, loudly criticizing the theater for greed, but very little of the theater itself was damaged in the chaos.”
  — [08:41, C]

• “Works by playwrights like Shakespeare shouldn't be restricted to the ruling class.”
  — [09:27, C]

• "It is sad to say that in the chaos 20 people died, although historical accounts are fuzzy on how these deaths occurred and who these 20 people had been."
  — [09:54, C]

Episode Reflection

Mahnke masterfully connects the social and philosophical challenges of tickets—access to parties across time, and to culture across class. Both stories urge us to consider what access to transformative experiences means, and the lengths people will go to defend (or test) them.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Martha Stewart & Party Introduction: [00:40]
• Hawking’s Party for Time Travelers: [01:50–05:45]
• Aftermath of the Experiment & Funeral Invitations: [05:35–06:03]
• Value of Tickets & Entertainment: [06:04]
• Covent Garden Riots Begin: [07:00]
• Class Conflict and Social Impact: [09:18]
• Conclusion & "Macbeth": [10:08]

Memorable Moment

When Hawking’s assistant realized the invitations were for a party that had already occurred:

“She suddenly understood and burst out laughing. The invitations read, you are cordially invited to a reception for time travelers…”
— [03:39, C]

Closing Tone

True to form, Mahnke’s narration is gently whimsical, historically rich, and encourages curiosity:

“Until next time, stay curious.”
— [10:43, C]