Missy: Series 2

Good afternoon and welcome to today's update, which features a couple of interesting audio releases. The first production to mention, is the second series of 'Missy', a Doctor Who/Big Finish spin-off series, which many readers of these pages may already be aware of.

As previously mentioned, I'd had a bit of a gap with Big Finish audio dramas and Missy was the first recording I'd made with them for quite some time. My contribution to this box-set of stories, The Lumiat, was recorded on 17th June 2019 and the last thing I'd recorded before that, Sherlock Holmes: The Master of Blackstone Grange, was on 27th September 2017; which also happened to be the 100th Big Finish story I'd done with Ken Bentley as director.

It probably goes without saying, that I'm pleased indeed to be working with Big Finish again and I'm looking forward to whatever else might come my way with them in future.

And so, on to details of what Missy Series 2 is all about:

Missy

Missy… alone, unleashed and unfettered. What does she get up to when the Doctor isn’t around?

Now she has what she wants, Missy needs someone to show off to. But her temporal mischief attracts the wrong kind of attention.

Infuriating children, a vacationing Sontaran and her own worst intentions will get in her way. And a Meddling Monk, out for revenge...

2.1 The Lumiat by Lisa McMullin

Missy is glorying in the chaos, hoping that a certain someone might turn up.

What she doesn’t expect is an entirely different do-gooder spoiling her plans and teaching her life lessons.

Because, whoever she is, the Lumiat knows far more about Missy than anyone should...

2.2 Brimstone and Terror by Roy Gill

Missy wants an army, a brigade of willing youngsters, trained to serve. So she takes a teaching post at a remote Scottish boarding school.

But one of these boys knows Missy of old. And when Oliver Davis summons his sister for help, Lucy brings an ally from London. One Mr Strax...

2.3 Treason and Plot by Gemma Arrowsmith

The Gunpowder Plot. It’s a favourite of time travellers. If Missy’s going to hitch a ride, that’s the place to cause trouble. Especially if trouble makes a really big bang.

The only person in her way, trying to keep history on track, is a rookie Time Agent. But Rita Cooper wanted excitement...

2.4 Too Many Masters by John Dorney

The Monk has captured Missy. And he will have his revenge...

But the Ogrons are also looking to settle an old debt. And when they call it in, they find themselves with too many Time Lords on their hands.

The Master owes them big – and the Ogrons know who the Master is. Don’t they?

Michelle Gomez (Missy)

Rufus Hound (The Meddling Monk)
Gina McKee (The Lumiat)
Dan Starkey (Strax)
Ajjaz Awad (Lydia)
John Banks (Radolf / Lieutenant Grappa / Feyza)             
Oliver Clement (Oliver Davis)
Ben Fox (Robert Catesby)
Helen Goldwyn (Empress Maule)
Christopher Hatherall (Guy Fawkes)
Alex Hope (Lawrence McAllister)
Matthew Jacobs-Morgan (Bertram / Manilaius)
Bonnie Kingston (Lucy Davis)
Glen McCready (Burnsbright / Librarian / Ogron 2)
Cameron Percival (Rowan Fairley)
Philip Pope (Rita’s Boss / William / Baron Worthing)
Dan Starkey (Strax / Mr Strackie / Mr Cosmo)
Ony Uhiara (Rita Cooper)
Eve Webster (Keeza / Captain Rosecco / Han)
Robert Whitelock (Grolk / Ogrons / Servant)

Directed by Samuel Clemens & Ken Bentley

Produced by David Richardson

Length: 306 minutes on 4 discs

Just before moving on from this update to the next, I just want to mention what a delight it was to meet and work with Gina McKee. The recording schedule meant that we ended up spending a fair bit of time together in the green room and we chatted along like old pals, even though we'd never met before. That in itself, is not especially unusual amongst actors; we're often thrown together, however briefly, and have to be able to 'hang out' and generally enjoy each other's company fairly instantaneously. I particularly enjoyed 'hanging out' with and talking to Gina, especially as we evidently have so much in common! But maybe that's a story for another day...

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The second release in today's update, is an anthology of stories written by my friend, Neil Gardner, with whom I've worked on a great many audio books. This story, The Sound Within, was recorded some time ago and was something I did at the end of a regular working day; I seem to remember recording it in one take, though my memory might be playing tricks on me!

Here are some details:

The Sound Within

Brought together for the first time as a complete collection, you will find here 16 short audio stories written by award-winning audio writer/producer/director Neil Gardner.  

These 16 short tales delve into realms of existential investigation, from dark horror and science fiction futures to fantastical flights of scientific wonder. Each story is a self-contained world of its own, a moment in time that illuminates a thought, a person, an experience or a curiosity.

'The Sound Within' – John Banks
'Saya’s Last Gasp – Louise Jameson
'Focal Point' – Geoffrey Beevers
'Inside the Machine' – Nicola Bryant
'The Embrace' – Christopher Ragland
'Outside Looking In' – Anneke Wills
'Day One' – Peter Noble
'Twin Points' – Michael Fenton Stevens
'Saya’s First Giant Step' – Louise Jameson
'Extermin8' – Terry Molloy
'The Waiting Room' – Toby Longworth
'Wrist Watch' – Nicola Bryant
'Truncated' – Christopher Ragland
'New Born' – Billie Fulford Brown
'Space Hopper' – Dan Starkey
'The Last of the Tea Ladies' – Louise Jameson

Length: 2 hrs and 28 mins

Narrated by a who’s-who of legendary TV and audio performers, many from the world of Doctor Who (where Neil is a leading audio producer) and underscored by beautiful and evocative incidental music.  

These are short stories written specifically to be performed in audio. We hope you enjoy the ride...and the journeys of thought you are taken on.

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And so, to round up for today; there's just time to mention that the new 'home studio' is near to completion and has already been used on several productions, including a full length audio book and a multi-character audio drama, which is both gratifying and a great relief!

In a few weeks time, I'll begin the 'home recording' of three different series of audio books, projects which carry on into late spring 2021. It's quite a daunting prospect, as I'm sure you can imagine, though after a long period of enforced inactivity during lockdown, I consider myself fortunate indeed to be working again. The technical learning curve is looking pretty vertical at the moment and as ever, I just hope I don't screw it all up!

And on that note, that's...

...all for now; more just as soon as it happens!