December 2011

Looking back to this time last year, I'm reminded of the deep and still falling snow, coping with transport chaos and struggling to get to the studios to record a sequence of  Doctor Who stories starring Peter Davison. Working together over a relatively extended period of weeks, we developed a 'Band of Brothers' spirit and found sanctuary in the cosy confines of Moat Studios and the legendary hospitality provided by Toby Robinson. The pub round the corner also became a welcome re-fuelling station before setting off for home, although Peter had no such respite as he had to get to The Savoy Theatre for his evening performance of Legally Blonde. Despite most of us eventually succumbing to 'the company cold'  I think we all had a great time - I certainly did!

Three of the stories that I'm involved with from that period are currently available and this month sees the release of The Children of Seth.

In the February 2011 posting, I quoted producer David Richardson who said:

“We knew we had to get the very best for this one,” says David, “because it’s such a wonderful script. And it was beautiful to listen to in studio – I think we have discovered something very special indeed…”

Peter Davison (The Doctor), 

Janet Fielding (Tegan Jovanka), 

Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), 

Honor Blackman (Anahita),  

Adrian Lukis (Byzan),  

David Warner (Siris),  

Vernon Dobtcheff (Shamur),  

Matt Addis (Albis),  

Emerald O’Hanrahan (Mira),  

John Banks (Radulf Varidi)

During one of Nyssa’s experiments, the TARDIS’s temporal scanner picks up a message: ‘Idra’. Just one word, but enough to draw the Doctor to the Archipelago of Sirius.

There, the Autarch is about to announce a new crusade. A mighty war against Seth, Prince of the Dark...


But who is Seth? What is the secret of Queen Anahita, Mistress of the Poisons? And what terror awaits on Level 14?

   

Online reviews & comments:

'It's a great story, with phenomenal performances and production values up to the very high standard the Lost Stories have set.'
                                                                                                                   Eiphel    The Time Scales

And finally, for the time being at least , a recording that I'm really looking forward to hearing: 

The Hound of The Baskervilles

Nicholas Briggs (Sherlock Holmes),
Richard Earl (Dr Watson),  
Samuel Clemens (Sir Henry Baskerville),  
John Banks (Dr Mortimer/Mr John Barrymore/Selden/Postmaster/Lestrade),  
Barnaby Edwards (Mr Jack Stapleton),  
Charlie Norfolk (Miss Beryl Stapleton/Mrs Eliza Barrymore/Laura Lyons)

Young Dr Mortimer ventures from Devonshire to Baker Street, with news of the death of his friend, Sir Charles Baskerville. Can it really be that the grisly legend of the Hound of the Baskervilles might have something to do with the case? Holmes will have none of it, but even he must accept that dark forces are at work. Darks forces that it seems Dr Watson must face alone…

 

Online reviews & comments:

'This Big Finish adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles is a masterpiece...'

'The cast for this story is as good as it gets.'
                                                                                                                      Stevo       The Time Scales
 
I must say how delighted I am to have been asked to take part in this series and to have been given such a fabulous range of characters to play. There's a pod-cast to accompany the stories, a link to which is here:

Sherlock Holmes Pod-Cast

I think we all felt quite a sense of responsibility in playing these characters and recording these stories. Sherlock Holmes seems to have been in the public consciousness for such a long time and even those who aren't dedicated fans have an idea as to how the characters should appear and how they should be played.

I can only hope that the passion and care that went into the creation of this series is communicated via the recordings.

So far, I've listened to the first CD in the collection which has The Final Problem and The Empty House. I enjoyed both audio-dramas enormously and hope the high standard of story telling is maintained in  

The Hound of The Baskervilles.

I can't wait to hear it!

And just to round off this ever lengthening post (!), a 'behind the scenes' look at Moat Studios during the recording sessions for these Sherlock Holmes audio-dramas.

The particular story being recorded here is The Tangled Skein, full details of which will appear in next month's posting to coincide with its commercial release. In the meantime, enjoy a quick studio tour in the company of Sherlock Holmes himself, Mr Nicholas Briggs!