The Horus Heresy: Burden of Duty & Grey Angel

 Released on April 11th from The Black Library:

Burden of Duty 
 by James Swallow

As the renegade forces of the Warmaster storm across the galaxy, a very different kind of war rages in the shadows of the Imperium – the Knights Errant, chosen of Malcador himself, move quietly in the dark places where others cannot. Battle-captain Nathaniel Garro makes his way to the Imperial Fists’ mighty starfort Phalanx, seeking out another kindred soul for his elite band of warriors. Meanwhile, on a distant world, former Luna Wolves undertake a mission to ascertain the true loyalties of a Space Marine Legion.

Grey Angel

 by John French

On a distant world of the Imperium, an agent of Rogal Dorn finds himself the prisoner of a Legion whose loyalties may be divided. Shackled and bound, the former Luna Wolf must fight a battle of wits with his captor, lest the course of the Horus Heresy take an unexpected turn. Will his very presence drive his erstwhile allies into the arms of the Warmaster or will maintaining the status quo prevent another Legion from turning traitor? And just who is the mysterious Space Marine aiding him from the shadows?

Performed by Toby Longworth, Ramon Tikaram & John Banks

Directed by Ken Bentley

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 A quick guide to 'who plays who in what':

                              Grey Angel                            Burden of Duty                      Sword of Truth

 Toby:                        Loken                                 Narrator - Garro              Narrator - Garro - Malcador

 Ramon:               Narrator - Qruze                        Dorn - Servitor                     Varren - Khorarin

 John:            Luther - Cypher - Watcher                     Masak                       Rubio - Rakishio - Hakeem

Big Finish Day 4

Well, here's a bit of breaking news; following on from last weekend's Big Finish gathering, BFD4 has just been announced along with details of the new venue!

No idea who the guests might be yet for obvious reasons; nevertheless, thanks to the support and dedication of Big Finish fans, the demand for another convention clearly exists. Here's some artwork and some information to publicise the event:

"Hot on the heels of the success of Big Finish Day 3, we're delighted to announce Big Finish Day 4 - and in a brand new venue!

For the next Big Finish Day, we're taking a trip to Slough and the Copthorne Hotel. The date is Saturday 18 January, and the day will start at 10am and run through until 6pm. The guests will be announced closer to the date, but you can already order tickets through the Tenth Planet Events website. Just follow this link.

If you want to fly in, it's near Heathrow Airport, and for those staying for the whole weekend, it's close to gorgeous Windsor Castle. If you had a great time at a previous Big Finish Day, come again! And if you've never been, come and see what all the fuss is about! Book now!"

Mervyn Stone: The Axeman Cometh

...well, The Axeman is actually coming in June, but Big Finish have just released the cover art, which has been created by Anthony Lamb. Anthony has done some amazing covers for BF and 'in my humble...' etc, this piece of work is original and arresting and very much captures the essence of The Mervyn Stone Mysteries.

I really ought to wait before publishing details of The Axeman Cometh, but I've had enough of deferred gratification for the time being, and so, here it all is and no doubt here it all will be again in June!

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"Mervyn Stone: The Axeman Cometh stars Big Finish's most capped player John Banks as Mervyn Stone and Doctor Who legend Nicola Bryant as Vanity Mycroft."

"Dear Mervyn,

If you want to prevent a murder, then you must attend the recording at the Sounderama studios on Thursday. 

Signed: a friend."

Vixens from the Void is back!

After twenty-five years, the popular leather-clad astro-erotic sci-fi television show is returning!

Well, sort of.  Actually, some devoted Vixens fans have got the licence to do some audios on CD featuring the original cast, and they've invited Mervyn Stone to write an episode.

But that's not the only thing he's been invited to do.

Mervyn has also been invited to solve a murder.                   
                
He arrives at the studio, and who should he find recording her autobiography in the very next booth? Only the TV boss who cancelled Vixens from the Void twenty-five years ago.

No prizes for guessing the murder victim...

 John Banks as Mervyn Stone & Nicola Bryant as Vanity Mycroft

Written By: Nev Fountain
Directed By: Patric Kearns

Scriptease

So, 'another opening, another show' - this time, a rehearsed reading as outlined in the information below. I'm delighted to be working with Lynchpin Productions again on another of their Scriptease projects. For one night only! Do come along if you can, The Electric Theatre, Guildford - it should be a fun event.

presents rehearsed readings of 2 one-act plays at The Electric Theatre Café Bar Tuesday 26 March   7:45pm    £6,  £5 concession prebook tickets on 07913 289 360 Trifles  John Wright has been found dead.  His wife, Minnie, is suspected of the murder. The men come to investigate, telling the women to stay out of the way and remain in the kitchen. The women discover the truth by piecing together the trivial evidence the men ignore. Based on an actual murder case in 1916, Glaspell later rewrote it as a TV drama which was filmed by Alfred Hitchcock as A Jury of Her Peers. The play is considered an important contribution in the development of American realism. & The People  An allegorical tale set in a newspaper office during the last year of  WWI, in Mid-West, USA. It explores the relationship between artist and audience while being a call for all to listen to their higher purpose during a similar era of a widening economic divide we are in today. Characters include The Artist, The Philosopher, The Light Touch and The Earnest Approach. Susan Glaspell  (1882 - 1948), was an influential playwright, novelist, poet and journalist and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1930 for her play Alison's House, loosely based on the life of Emily Dickinson. Join us for another ScripTease event as we bring to life two plays by an important writer influential in the development of modern American theatre.

Thanks, thanks and ever... thanks!

...And yes I have just been re-watching The Dresser !

Firstly, a big 'thank you' to all the Big Finish fans who braved the elements yesterday and helped to make BFD3 such a resounding success. I had great fun meeting everyone, re-meeting in some cases and found myself sitting next to the genuinely lovely and profoundly glamorous Chase Masterson as we chatted together and signed autographs.

Our Vienna panel was well attended and great fun to take part in and I learned quite a bit about the genesis of the series and what its future development might entail. I know that further episodes have just been recorded and very much hope that I'll be asked back sometime to do more - working with Chase and the Vienna team is a real treat.





A delight also to catch up, alas all too briefly, with some former colleagues from Allo, Allo!, Sue Hodge, Kim Hartman and Richard Gibson, all of whom appeared to be exactly as they were when we'd last worked together back in 1989!





Because of a matinee and evening performance of Port at the National Theatre, I had to leave BFD3 soon after the panel discussion and I've just arrived home this Sunday evening having had a farewell drink with the company, as Port had its final performance this afternoon.




Sounds predictable I know, but I have to say, what a very talented company of actors they all are, and so, my second big 'thank you' goes to them and the truly fabulous stage crew at the NT - 'Team Thom' - headed by the extraordinarily calm, composed and super-efficient Shane Thom.



It's been a joy to work with everyone and after nearly five months together, it will seem strange not to be seeing people again, perhaps for quite a while. I shall especially miss my compadres from dressing room 007, Mr Mark Rose and Mr Aaron Foy - thanks lads, it's been FAB!

Mervyn Stone - Update!

As previously mentioned, the hyper-active quill of Mr Nev Fountain has been recently applied to the creation of the first Mervyn Stone audio-drama, The Axeman Cometh.

Mervyn Stone is back!

 
The crime-solving script writer and star of three books has returned to shine a light on the darkest of murderous deeds - and this time you can hear him!


Mervyn Stone: The Axeman Cometh stars Big Finish's most capped player John Banks as Mervyn Stone and Doctor Who legend Nicola Bryant as Vanity Mycroft and is available now at a special pre-order price of only £5 on CD or download, which will increase on release.

Three Mervyn Stone novels are still available in leather bound, hardback and paperback formats and can be bought in the 'Books' section of the Big Finish web-site; just follow the links!

Mervyn Stone: The Axeman Cometh  &  Mervyn Stone Books

The Axeman Cometh is scheduled for release in June.

...more news just as soon as it happens!

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Harlem Shake at The Nash...

...no, you're right, I'm not in this - can't think why ? ? ?

Big Finish Day 3 Guest List - 16th March Update

Guests All guests appear subject to work commitments
TOM BAKER £15 per autograph	CAROLE ANN FORD £10 per autograph	TREVOR BAXTER (Big Finish Guest)	JOHN LEESON (Big Finish Guest)
DAVID WARNER (Big Finish Guest)	CHASE MASTERSON (Big Finish Guest)	MICHAEL KEATING (Big Finish Guest)	LISA BOWERMAN (Big Finish Guest)
VIRGINIA HEY Due to work commitments, Virginia is no longer able to attend
	NICK BRIGGS (Big Finish Guest)	DAVID RICHARDSON (Big Finish Guest)	BARNABY EWARDS (Big Finish Guest)
JONATHAN MORRIS (Big Finish Guest)	ANDREW SMITH	JOHN DORNEY (Big Finish Guest)	ALEXANDER VLAHOS (Big Finish Guest)
CHRISTOPHER BENJAMIN (Big Finish Guest)	JOHN BANKS (Big Finish Guest)	MATT FITTON (Big Finish Guest)	ANDY LANE (Big Finish Guest)
RICHARD GIBSON (Sponsored Guest)	KIM HARTMAN (Sponsored Guest)	IAN CULLEN 1 free autograph £10 per each additional autograph	JEFF CUMMINS
PETER ROY (Sponsored Guest)	TONY LEE Free autographs	JAMES PEATY Free autographs	GUY SINER (Sponsored Guest)
CAROLINE MUNRO (Sponsored Guest)	NICHOLAS PEGG (Big Finish Guest)	SUE HODGE (Sponsored Guest)	MARTINE BESWICK (Sponsored Guest)
	DAVID HOWE	SAM STONE
BIG FINISH GUESTS
Ken Bentley		Director Doctor Who/Blake's 7/Sherlock Holmes
Peter Anghelides		Writer Doctor Who/Blakes's 7
John Dorney		Writer Doctor Who/Jago and Litefoot/ Counter-Measures
Matt Fitton		Writer Doctor Who
James Goss		Writer  Doctor Who/Dark Shadows/Blake's 7
Simon Guerrier		Writer Doctor Who/Blake's 7
Andy Lane		Writer Doctor Who/Jago and Litefoot
Jonathan Morris		Writer Doctor Who/Vienna/Dark Shadows/Jago and Litefoot
Cavan Scott		Doctor Who/Blake's 7/Counter-Measures/ Iris Wildthyme
Mark Wright		Writer Doctor Who/Blake's 7/Counter-Measures/ Iris Wildthyme
Howard Carter		Sound Designer
Martin Montague		Sound Designer
Jamie Robertson		Sound Designer
Mark Plastow		Cover Designer

The Seeds of War

Mad as a March Hare? Beware The Ides of March?? Big Finish Day 3??? Whatever comes to mind when you think of March, it's hard to believe we're into the third month of the year... already! If time is set to continue to rattle on at this rate, I'd better get on with posting before it's all old news...

And so, this month sees the release of the third Sixy & Mel story The Seeds of War and here are the details from Big Finish:

Humanity is emerging from a long, exhausting war. Against an enemy so powerful, so implacable, it seemed unstoppable – right up until the moment it stopped.
  
Now, despite its ‘victory’, the human race is on its knees. The Doctor and Mel join its struggle for survival to try to ensure it has a future.
A race against time takes them from the Great Tower of Kalsos to the Reliquaries of Earth. In an epic journey across the ten systems, their fates are intertwined with one family. The Tevelers are to feel the effects of war more than most…

The Doctor has a plan. Mel is sure he can save the day. But something is lurking. Watching. Waiting. A presence the Doctor knows of old. But just how far does its influence pervade?
 

The Eminence awaits…

 


Colin Baker              The Doctor  
Bonnie Langford      Melanie Bush  
Ray Fearon               Barlow Teveler

Ony Uhiara                Sisrella Teveler
Stuart Organ             Helgert Teveler  
Lucy Russell             Trellak

John Banks               Elkinar 

Beth Chalmers         Announcer 

David Sibley             The Eminence

Written By: 

Matt Fitton and Nicholas Briggs

Directed By: 

Barnaby Edwards

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Having waited for what seemed like an age, my copy of Stargate SG-1 arrived a couple of days ago, which was most exciting and I've eagerly started listening to the first part of the trilogy, Excision. When I'm listening to something new, I tend to let it 'wash over' me a few times before I really focus in on the story; so I'm looking forward to an extended period of familiarisation with this three disc adventure. Not only Stargate, but Spaceport Fear and Vienna also arrived in the same package, so plenty of listening to be getting on with this month!

In a few weeks time, it'll be Big Finish Day 3, which I'm very much looking forward to, even though I can only be there for a couple of hours due to matinee and evening performances of Port at the NT, which is a real shame - oh well.

So, just to round off this first posting of the month, (who knows, there may be more!), a word of thanks. The amazing dedication of BF fans was brought home to me recently when I was approached by a small group of people at the stage door of the National to ask if I'd sign their collections of BF CD covers. It was a freezing cold day and they'd been patiently waiting for hours, seemingly on the off chance that I'd turn up. It was a matinee day, so the odds of me venturing anywhere outside the building were slim indeed. Now I'm sure those 'boys' weren't just waiting for me, nevertheless, I was very touched that they should be there at all and only too happy to sign some covers and have a chat. They told me they'd all be at BFD3 and so we might well cross paths again there - in the meantime, if by any chance any of them should be reading this, I just want to say 'thanks lads - your cheery good humour and dedication to Big Finish is greatly appreciated.'

More soon!

'Allo 'Allo! on Gold

Well, the title says it all really.

UK TV Gold have started to broadcast 'Allo 'Allo! from the beginning. They're showing it twice a day, plus twice again on '+1' - even so, it could take a while to get to Series 5 when Corporal Caponi makes his debut.

Although my involvement in the show was relatively small, I remember working on it with great affection. It was an honour to work with such a cast of amazing and highly experienced actors; I learned a great deal from them and from the production team. I'll certainly be watching the show on Gold and if you decide to tune in, I hope you'll enjoy watching it too.