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SF HOME | DOCTOR
WHO HOME | BIG FINISH AUDIOS
| 8TH DOCTOR NOVELS | EPISODES
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Robert Shearman's previous audios for Big Finish were both pretty dark, albeit with some nice moments of comedy in them as well. They're also amongst the best audios that Big Finish have produced in their first three or so years. THE MALTESE PENGUIN was originally a freebie given away with subscriptions that included NEVERLAND, but it is now available on its own. It also sees the return of Robert Jezek as everyone's favourite shapeshifting companion, Frobisher. Okay, as the sleevenotes say, his only competition for that honour was Kamelion, and he's usually broken anyway. When we first meet him here, Frobisher has been separated from the Doctor for a while. Tired of playing second fiddle to the Doctor, he returns to his previous role as a private investigator. During their time apart, the Doctor has managed to save the universe twice, while all Frobisher has done is finding a missing cat. With the Doctor absent for most of the story, the Whifferdill takes centre stage for a change, and the result is a highly enjoyable adventure. As the title suggests, the story takes its inspiration from THE MALTESE FALCON, with more than a nod to the whole Philip Marlowe thing in general. So we've got a hunt for a "something", a femme fatale and a police chief who might not look like Peter Lorre but who definitely sounds like him. The cast is small, but all put in good performances. Colin Baker doesn't have a lot to do as the Doctor, but he is as good as he is in any of the "proper" Sixth Doctor audios. Robert Jezek was excellent as Frobisher in THE HOLY TERROR and he's equally good here. He's also got a good sense of comic timing, and the script brings this out well. Frobisher also narrates the story, and this helps bring out some comedic moments, such as when he tells us that he hides "gracefully" from a suspect he's been trailing but the truth is far different as the sound effects demonstrate. Toby Longworth is excellent as the human-frog hybrid Josiah W. Dogbolter, and the script helpfully fills in his background for those who weren't an avid follower of DWM's comic strip. Jane Goddard is also great as Alicia Mulholland, the femme fatale with a secret, and Alistair Lock captures Peter Lorre's style as the police chief Chandler. The story neatly balances the comedic moments with telling a story and with the usual high Big Finish production values, this is an enjoyable change from the usual DOCTOR WHO audios. BACK TO THE TOP |
THE
MALTESE PENGUIN |
