Planet Mondas

I like the theatre, so does Mrs Wings. We are never happier than when we make one of our periodic visits to Stratford Upon Avon to see an RSC production.

The power of words is an incredible thing – “I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth” makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on end the before the law passage from Kafka’s The Trial is just powerful, moving and thought provoking. Of course, Shakespeare is the master, sure, some of the plots don’t make sense, the characters are two dimensional, the comedy is broad – but the words, oh the words just thinking of them conjures up images of despair, laughter, Kings, queens, fools, lovers, comedy and tragedy.

Tragedy brings me nicely on to the latest in the main range from Big Finish – Mask of Tragedy.

Ancient Greece is the setting, cradle of civilisation, home of democracy and theatre and it is here that the Seventh Doctor brings Ace and Hector for a holiday. The Doctor meets up with playwright Aristophanes played by Samuel West whilst Ace spends time with the invading Spartan army and Hector becomes possessed by an alien mask and becomes the earthly embodiment of Dionysys.The framing device is very interesting. Ace takes the part of the chorus and she says that The Doctor and Hector play the Hero and the Villain, but it’s up to the audience to decide who plays who!

Something isn’t right in Ancient Greece! The dead are coming back to life and the city leader Cleon is being terrorised by a Fury – a giant flying beetle with knives for wings.

Sounds good, and I am sure there is a good story in there, it’s just something isn’t quite right with the tone. Is it a comedy or is it a tragedy?  Is it a tragedy with funny bits or a comedy with sad bits? And that’s the problem, it seems to be a story looking for a tone. Or maybe I am missing the point and the whole thing is a metaphor for how Ace and The Doctor’s attitude to life and death is completely at odds with Hector’s. Hector seems to sum it up at the end where he says to the Doctor “all you seem to have done is invented light entertainment” and that’s what it feels like, more season Twenty Four than Season Twenty Five or Twenty Six, perfect for the light-hearted early McCoy era, but not this version of sEVEN. There are some excellent performances, especially Philip Olivier as Hector, a real fish out of water, a novice at time travel given too much freedom to get it wrong – but, this is a rare occasion that a story didn’t quite gel for me.

Overall, it’s all Greek to me 5/10.

Written by Ed Watkinson

SYNOPSIS:

Athens, 421 BC. An ancient civilisation of philosophers and poets and the birthplace of theatre. The Doctor has decided to show Ace and Hector how it all began, with help from the great comedian Aristophanes.

But life in Athens is no laughing matter. There’s the ever-present threat of invasion from the Spartan horde. The plague that turns people into the walking dead. The slavery. The tyrannical rule of the paranoid, malicious Cleon and his network of informers. And the giant flying beetle with knives for wings that stalks the city streets at night.

What Athens needs is a hero. And who better to be a hero in ancient Greece than a man called Hector?

CAST:

Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Philip Olivier (Hector), Samuel West (Aristophanes), Alisdair Simpson (Cleon), Russell Bentley (Tyrgius/Slave Trader/Boy), Tim Treloar (Telephus, Cisyphus/Old Man), Emily Tucker (Adonia/Lysistrata)

Written By: James Goss
Directed By: Ken Bentley

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Marco Polo. That got you interested didn’t it? Two words, but conjuring up a whole load of images, emotions, memories, hopes and dreams.

Marco Polo, as we all know, is the earliest of the fabled “missing episodes”. I first read the Target novelisation back in the late 1980’s and was drawn in to its world. I remember after reading it I hoped that it’s VHS release would follow soon. This fledgling fan had no idea that a lot of early Who was missing from the archives. Which brings my on to Big Finish.

Earlier this year the “Companion Chronicles” series came to an end, but from their ashes rises a new range – “The Early Adventures” – different from The Companion Chronicles in their structure, yet similar enough to be a spiritual successor.These are the stories of the black and white era Doctors told by his companions and the first of these is Domain of the Voord, set sometime after Keys of Marinus but before Dalek Invasion of Earth.

So why, dear reader, was I waxing lyrical about Marco Polo earlier on in this review? Was it a ploy to get you to read on, would I be so manipulative? To find out, read on (see what I did there?!)

The story is in many ways typical early Hartnell, but also not. It is narrated and acted by William Russell who played Ian Chesterton and Carole Ann Ford who played Susan along with a supporting cast playing the other roles. Unlike the Companion Chronicles, this is a four part story, it is part acted, part narrated in the third and first person.  The style does take a bit of getting used to and is quite distracting, but you do eventually get a feel for the story.

So the plot, as I said, quite typical Hartnell with the TARDIS arrives in a situation, the crew are separated from the TARDIS and accused of being spies. So far, so Hartnell.

They have arrived on the planet Hydra and typically for the Hartnell era, it’s a planet named after one of its features – it’s pretty much all water.  The Hydrans have been invaded by the Voord, the most typical “man in a rubber suit” monster you can get, last seen in The Keys of Marinus, only this time they are a real threat – they have won. The Hydrans are a rag tag bunch of survivors on a flotilla of ships trying to fight back, then the Voord attack, the Doctor and Barbara are missing presumed dead, the TARDIS is lost, Ian and Susan have to deal with the loss of their loved ones whilst becoming part of the resistance against the Voord.

So far, so Hartnell – in fact it’s so atypically of the era that the Doctor and Barbara don’t even appear in episodes two and three.  Listening to this I imagined it in black and white with model shots of ships and sci fi cities.

So why Marco Polo? Well, thank you for your patience.  It reminds me very much of Marco Polo because of its epic scale and the time the story is set over. Ian and Susan are two months at sea with the Hydrans and it feels like a physical and emotional ordeal. There is a very, very interesting scene where Susan talks to a Voord prisoner, a chilling piece that I would have liked to have heard more of, almost a Clarice and Hannibal Lecter moment, you could cut the tension with a knife as Nebrin the captured Voord commander sizes up and tries to manipulate Susan – a very powerful scene. Lots are made of the Voord in this story, and a very silly one off monster are given a whole mythology which I hope is delved into again.  How they recruit people to their cause is quite macabre, an almost David Cronenburg level of body horror is present.

A bit of an epic then? Yes in many ways, but it feels like it should have been shot on small sets in lime grove, and probably wouldn’t have been as epic on screen as it was on audio…

A bit like when Marco Polo was found and it wasn’t as good as the novel Winking face

Only joking……..or am I…..?

A great start to a new series, I look forward to hearing more 9/10.

Written by Ed Watkinson

SYNOPSIS:

The Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara land on the planet Hydra, where Admiral Jonas Kaan leads a vast flotilla of ships trying to elude the vicious race that has invaded and occupied their world. But his ships are being picked off one by one, vessels and crews dragged underwater by an unseen foe.

The time travellers find themselves pitched into battle against the Voord, the ruthless enemy they last encountered on the planet Marinus. As they take the fight to the very heart of the territory now controlled by the Voord the stakes get higher. First they lose the TARDIS… then they lose that which they hold most dear. And that’s only the start of their troubles.

In the capital, Predora City, they will learn the truth of what it means to be a Voord. And that truth is horrifying.

CAST:

William Russell (Ian Chesterton), Carole Ann Ford (Susan), Daisy Ashford (Amyra), Andrew Dickens (Jonas Kaan/Tarlak), Andrew Bone (Pan Vexel/Nebrin)

Written By: Andrew Smith
Directed By: Ken Bentley

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Golden ages are very hard to define. They’re very personal and sometimes objects of contention. And knowing what a passionate lot us Doctor Who fans are, it is very difficult to define a “golden age”, but as a rule of thumb it’s usually the one that was on when you were a child. It doesn’t just encompass the television era, but also your life stage – extraneous things like family, friends, job, music, nights out all form part of the zeitgeist of a golden age.

Take me for example, I have three golden ages of Doctor Who – in reverse order they are 3. The Russell T Davies era, just what the Doctor ordered, it coincided with being totally in love, becoming a parent, having a wonderful circle of friends, moving house, changing career and becoming politically active. 2. Season 25 and 26 – I was an A Level student and finally felt Doctor Who was being made for me and for my generation – it was deep, gutsy and morally ambiguous. Which brings me on to 1. The Tom Baker era, or as I like to call it: “my childhood”. One of my earliest ever memories of anything is the cliffhanger for episode two of Robot – over the next few years the original mad man with a box became my friend – I lived for Doctor Who, even running away from a friend’s birthday party to watch episode two of City of Death. My childhood ended on 21 March 1981 when Tom regenerated and the world seemed a colder and less friendly place. But what memories – and none more vivid than the ones I have of Pyramids of a Mars, Talons of Weng-Chiang and Robots of Death. My little nine year old self had no idea of producers, but those half remembered childhood viewings were all from the era of Philip Hinchcliffe, and this dear reader brings my nicely on to Philip Hinchcliffe Presents.

This box set gives us two new stories for the Fourth Doctor and Leela. Both written by Philip Hinchcliffe and adapted for audio by Marc Platt.

The first of these is “The Ghosts of Gralstead” a six part story – of all the alien planets and strange civilisations the Doctor has visited, none are more alien and dangerous than Victorian London. This is where the Doctor and Leela find themselves, drawn into a world of freak shows, faith healers, body snatchers and the Scrivener family, a family with a secret. This story beautifully captures the essence of season 14, Tom is a more alien, more grumpy and much less flippant character than the wise cracking loon he was to become later on and is not one to suffer fools at all.  He has a commanding presence that dominates every scene he is in, while Louise Jameson delights as always. She is just the most talented actress and a joy to listen to, every syllable she utters seems considered for maximum impact.

The story is really horrific, just the sort of thing Messers Hinchcliffe and Holmes delighted in serving up in their hey day, lots of death, destruction and a very black humour. Carolyn Seymour gives a chilling performance as Mordrega, the villain of the piece manipulating the weak willed Professor Scrivener, using his vanity and ambition against him, happily submitting to being a sort of “elephant woman” to achieve her aims.  It’s all good stuff with twists and turns in every episode although it is maybe an episode too long with episode five seeming like padding. A strong story and completely evocative of the era 9/10.

The second story in the set is “The Devil’s Armada”, a four part story. Again this is set in England’s past, this time in the Elizabethan era. An England of paranoia about witches and goblins and spaniards and Catholics. The Doctor and Leela find themselves caught up in this intrigue getting accused of witch craft, spying and heresy and I would have been happy had thus been a pure historical about witch trials and the Spanish Armada, but it includes a monster called Vituperon.  He looks like the Devil, can only be seen by those “gifted” and has a plan to take over the earth. It’s a shame as I found the inclusion of a monster the weak link in this story. There was enough content in the drama of the Elizabethan era, the intrigues and plotting of court and the sea battles, adding a monster seemed a bit obligatory. That’s not to say its a bad story, anything but!  It zips along from crisis to crisis as events overtake our heroes.  Tom gives a rousing speech to the privy council at one point which made me laugh and cheer in almost equal measure. If this was in a season it would be the inoffensive story that nobody dislikes but never really rated as a classic. 7/10.

So a great box set, really evocative of the era it represents, not a pastiche but a genuine continuation of a golden age written by one if the architects of that age 9/10.

Written by Ed Watkinson

SYNOPSIS:

Philip Hinchcliffe, acclaimed producer of Doctor Who (1975-77) returns to tell new stories for the Fourth Doctor and Leela.

“The starting point was there were a few basic ideas that were kicking around for another series, had we made it,” says Philip. “I thought this project would be fun to be involved with, and I’ve tried to and tell stories that are in the same spirit as the ones Robert Holmes and I were telling.”

The Ghosts of Gralstead (Six episodes)

The Doctor and Leela return to Victorian London, in the year 1860.

At St Clarence’s Hospital, respected surgeon Sir Edward Scrivener requires the bodies of the dead… At Doctor McDivett’s Exhibition of Living Wonders and Curiosities, miracles are afoot… And in Gralstead House, the ghost will walk again. Mordrega has come to Earth…

The Devil’s Armada (Four episodes)

The TARDIS lands in Sissenden Village in the sixteenth century. Catholic priests are hunted, so-called witches are drowned in the ducking stool, and in the shadows the Vituperon are watching… and waiting…

(Note that untypically for a Big Finish release, the extras disc is separately available as a Supplementary Download in a purchaser’s account, in order to reduce memory issues with opening the downloaded zip file)

The Ghosts of Gralstead
Tom Baker (The Doctor), Louise Jameson (Leela) Carolyn Seymour (Mordrega), Gethin Anthony (Sir Edward Scrivener), Martin Hutson (Professor Cedric Scrivener), Emerald O’Hanrahan (Clementine Scrivener), Alan Cox (Dr Gideon McDivett), Ivanno Jeremiah (Abasi), Andy Secombe (Jonas Bulmer), Sean Carlsen (Ned Davey), Mandi Symonds (Mrs Targate), Andrew French (Obingo)

The Devil’s Armada
Jamie Newall (William Redcliffe), Nigel Carrington (Sir Robert Harney), Alix Dunmore (Anne Harney), Joe Jameson (Nicholas Harney), Beth Chalmers (Mistress Pincham/Lady Jane Mountville), Philip Bretherton (Vituperon), Ben Porter (Father D’Arcy), Tim Bentinck (Ned Bones/Lord Burghley)

Producer: David Richardson
Script Editor: John Dorney
Executive Producers: Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs

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Some things are special.  Some things have that “something” that makes them stand out from the crowd. Sometimes the thing that is special is a person.  They have a unique quality, a warmth, a world view, a turn of phrase, a certain way of speaking that makes them a one off or a national treasure. Without a shadow of a doubt Tom Baker is one of these people.

His warm fruity tone is known worldwide and his delightful take on the world is a joy to behold. But how can Tom be 80? It only feels like yesterday I was watching him fight a Krynoid or larking about with a wig on in Stones of Blood, or being delighfully witty and oh so in love in City of Death, yet time catches up with everyone, and the great man himself turned 80 last January. In celebration of this milestone, Big Finish stalwart, all round nice guy and sometime Dalek Nick Briggs spent a couple of hours having a chat with Tom – the result is Tom Baker at 80.

Now, this could have been a cynical money spinner, Tom just trotting out the old anecdotes about building sites, Shirley Williams, bus queues and grave stones – but it isn’t, not at all, not one little bit. What we get is two hours of delightfully honest conversation, not really an interview, more like two friends discussing life the universe and everything.  There is a real warmth to Nick Briggs interviewing technique and Tom is on fabulous self-depricating form dealing with such diverse topics as life, death, religion, the acting profession, his work and being the grand old age of 80 – but not necessarily in that order!

Tom really has mellowed over the years, yet his beautifully rich booming voice is still the same.  When he dryly states that “…I am known for my saintlyness on Rye high street”, or that on his deathbed he would like “…a glass of wine and a pork pie”, you know you are in the hands of a true one off, not forced faux eccentricity, just the real measure of one of the gaints of British TV.

This release truly is a gem, a delightful, almost magical way to spend two hours.  I paused it about 8 minutes before the end and left it for two days before I listened as I truly didn’t want it to end, yet it had to.  To be honest, I felt quite melancholy when the end music played, not because it ended on a downbeat note, but because it had ended at all. I could have listend to Messers Baker and Briggs for hours more on end – in the words of Eleanor Bron in City of Death – “exquisite, simply exquisite”, in my words – marvellous! 80 out of 80 – here’s to 10 years time when Big Finish release a Tom Baker at 90.

Written by Ed Watkinson

SYNOPSIS:

In January 2014, Tom Baker celebrated his 80th birthday.

On March 19th, Tom sat down with Nicholas Briggs to look back over his 80 amazing years – his youth, his early acting career, his great success with Doctor Who and beyond… and his return to his most famous role with Big Finish.

This candid and intimate interview forms two fascinating hours of engaging entertainment in the unique company of Mr Baker.

All copies of the CD version purchased before 3rd September 2014 will be signed by Tom.

CAST:

Tom Baker, Nicholas Briggs (Interviewer)

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