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WHO HOME | BIG FINISH AUDIOS
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After the fairly dire SIRENS OF TIME and the so-so PHANTASMAGORIA, Big Finish's third DOCTOR WHO audio release sees them finally starting to hit their stride. The production of the first two CDs was fine, as was, for the most part, the acting. It was just a shame that the stories were rather poor. WHISPERS OF TERROR isn't perfect, but it's a whole lot better than either of the two previous stories, and the first one to really take advantage of the audio format by giving us a story that wouldn't have worked on television. The plot sees the welcome return of Nicola Bryant as Peri, paired here with Colin Baker's Sixth Doctor, an often maligned partnership which deserved rather better stories than it actually got. The setting for the story is the Museum of Aural Antiquities, where we meet Curator Gantman, played by the immediately recognisable Peter Miles. Gantman is working to archive all the speeches of Visteen Krane, described as the finest actor of his age, who apparently died before he could declare his intention to run for the presidency (we're not told of which planet). The Doctor and Peri soon discover that Krane's recorded speeches are being nominated and we eventually learn that he's cheated death by somehow transforming himself into a soundwave. As the author says in the sleeve notes, this sort of thing just wouldn't have worked on television, and hopefully future releases will continue to exploit the medium in this way. Like the first two CDs, the production is of a high standard, with some excellent work from sound designer Harvey Summers. The cast are all good as well. In particular, Colin Baker is suitably bombastic as the Sixth Doctor and there's an excellent guest appearance by Peter Miles. Undoubtedly the best of the first three audio releases - let's hope that Big Finish can maintain this sort of standard. Let's also hope that they realise that printing the inlay in yellow on a white background just doesn't work... BACK TO THE TOP |
WHISPERS OF TERROR |
