ISSUE #19 SEPTEMBER 2010 FREE! NOT FOR RESALE ALSO... JANET LISA DEAD AND BURIED Animated action! FIELDING BOWERMAN AFTER THE BREAK-UP on returning to Tegan on Benny Season 11 Carrie Sutton’s new book EDITORIAL Here I am, back from my theatricals in Nottingham. So I do keep having those ‘must pinch myself’ A huge thank you to anyone who came along to moments. Tom Spilsbury (Doctor Who Magazine the Theatre Royal to see me as Inspector Pratt in editor, as if you didn’t know!) recently put on Murdered to Death. We had great reviews his Facebook page that he doesn’t think he’ll and truly wonderful huuuge audiences. Back to ever get used to receiving emails from Tom reality now, but what a brilliant reality it is. Doctor Baker. And I feel exactly the same! Emails Whooo. from Tom Baker, texts from Lis Sladen, tea with Just recently, David Richardson and I went over to Katy Manning… it’s all so strangely low key Katy Manning’s place in London to talk to her about a considering that these were supposed to be new project. It’s beautifully bonkers and it’s thoroughly characters from my childhood. I suddenly feel a Katy. And she is really quite an amazing human bit like Amy Pond (steady, lads), in that fictional being. It made me think how lucky I am to be in the people from my past have come to life in the position of chatting to the likes of Katy Manning. present and are talking to me as if they’re real. Well, it’s my job. But like many of you reading this, And as for those Tom Baker scripts that I’m a proper old Doctor Who fan. I bought the everybody, including Tom Baker, keeps asking Radio Times Special in 1973. I trawled through the me about… they’re nearly, nearly, nearly done. pages of the first edition of The Making of Doctor Fingers crossed, the Fourth Doctor should be Who, piecing together my Doctor Who memories. landing on a Big Finish audio one day in the And I literally felt sick with excitement when I saw that not-too-distant future. Target had published Doctor Who (In An Exciting Adventure With The Daleks)… Nicholas Briggs SNEAK PREVIEWS AND WHISPERS Doctor Who – Doctor Who – The Companion Chronicles: The Eighth Doctor Adventures: Quinnis Relative Dimensions Carole Ann Ford returns as Susan in only her second The Doctor doesn’t really have a home... but he Companion Chronicle, for a dazzling tale does have a family, and this direct set before the TV show even sequel to An Earthly Child finds him started! The Doctor and Susan reunited with his grand-daughter are travelling alone in the newly Susan (Carole Ann Ford) and acquired TARDIS when they great-grandson Alex Campbell land on the planet Quinnis, (Jake McGann). Marc Platt takes lose the TARDIS and meet the up the writing reins again, but mysterious Meedla (played by this is a very different tale from its Tara-Louise Kaye – who’s actually predecessor – not only because it’s Carole’s real-life daughter!). got a real festive spirit. But there’s a Written by Marc Platt, it¹s an deadly, unstoppable enemy loose intricate and evocative script. And within the TARDIS... And if you continuity fans may spot the link also get this month’s Companion to The Edge of Destruction, which Chronicle Quinnis, you’ll Jake McGann & name-checked the planet Quinnis. Carole Ann Ford discover its origins too... Out December 2010 Out December 2010 Managing Editor Assistant Editor BFP Administration Publisher JASON HAIGH-ELLERY PAUL SPRAGG FRANCES WELSH BIG FINISH Editors Design and Layout CATRIN HUBBARDE PRODUCTIONS LTD. NICHOLAS BRIGGS ALEX MALLINSON MARCIN ROGOSZEWSKI DAVID RICHARDSON Web Editor ALISON TAYLOR PAUL WILSON ADAM WILLIAMS 3 IN THE STUDIO Does Tegan still have plenty to do? for women once you get beyond about 30, etc, Well, funnily enough, the last story I did [The etc – but there was also another thing that was Gathering] – which was very well written, happening, which was I couldn’t get to use my FIELDING the story was good – I found her a bit cruel. own persona. One’s personality is bound up And she’s not cruel; she’s feisty and she’s with how one sounds. And somehow it just felt argumentative but her heart’s in the right place. right. I stopped wanting to sound English. I’m quite pleased that she’s back to being herself again. What did you take away from being an agent? QUESTIONS The TARDIS is awfully crowded! But Tegan I learnt quite a lot. Especially about being always does quite well. I always did do quite needy. It’s interesting. There’s a certain kind of Janet Fielding talks well out of those scenes. I think Sarah’s [Sutton, confidence. It’s interesting to look at actors and reunions, the heart of Tegan Nyssa] character has done well out of these go, ‘Ooh, you’re going to have a major battle and life as an agent with as well. I think they struggled a bit with her with your personality’. Not your talent but your Paul Spragg character when we were doing the series, personality, in order to ride the kinds of currents and didn’t quite know how to do a goody two that were out there. How’s the reunion been so far? shoes. It’s hard to make a goody two shoes Hell, lovey, hell. Absolute hell. interesting. But you Was it something you’d No, it’s been wonderful. I’ve had could have made her “She’s feisty and she’s always wanted to turn a great time, we’ve had a lot of a slight pain, and at your hand to? laughs. We take the mickey out of times she is in this argumentative but her No, but it was just each other all the time, and we and I think that works this fabulous offer that always did. I’m only ever nice heart’s in the right place. I’m quite nicely. came to me, and I to Peter [Davison] behind his thought, ‘I can’t pass back! It’s an interesting way of quite pleased that she’s back How did you find it this up’. I didn’t do it approaching things. We torment returning to acting? to being herself again.“ for that long, actually, I each other. We give each other It’s hard work! At the did it for six years and grief. It’s just like a family, like end of the first day I was absolutely exhausted! then I sold out to the women who worked with siblings. Sort of. And I know we were just doing my scenes, but me. I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t for me long-term. even so… You’ve got an awful lot to convey with I’m glad I did it, I’m hugely glad I did it. It was Mark Strickson just your voice, and you’re trying to make the (Turlough) who suggested we voice sound lighter because, of course, it’s set a It’s interesting that of the four of you, only reunite you all. long time ago now, and you think, ‘Hmm, I was Peter has stuck with acting as a career. In my Did he? Bless his furry little a lot younger then!’ experience, most actors seem unwilling to give feet. I was told early on that it up. he was coming in from New Did you watch any episodes for a reminder? Maybe they just did better out of acting and Zealand and therefore that’s No. I have seen episodes because I’ve had didn’t want to move on! It’s a very agreeable why we ended up getting commentaries to do, and I saw some in life to some people. For me, I found it a little bit together, and it turned out to November because I was doing interviews. But lacking in control. be great. no, I didn’t for this. What can you do? You can only lighten your voice. Because my own voice Would you You’ve not done an audio for is quite deep, especially now. return to the a while. Did you intend to do profession more of them? You don’t need to practice the accent any more now? No, I didn’t. But then there though. I don’t look was this reunion thing and Well, funny you should say that. I use my at a cast list I thought, ‘Okay,’ and Australian accent now more than I ever did. I and see lots somehow… You know you started really using my Australian accent a lot of things that have a no column for doing when I was an agent, because it was user- I could play. I things and a yes column for friendly with a wide selection of people. There’s just don’t see it. doing things? Suddenly the yes an interview with me in the Eighties and I’m so column seemed to be longer anxious to be cast as an English person. There Doctor Who - The than the no column. And then are a whole raft of reasons why I gave up Cradle of the Snake I thought, ‘Well, okay, then I acting – primarily because there are no roles is out this month may as well do it!’ Feisty and argumentative: Janet Fielding is back as Tegan Jovanka 4 5 FEATURE Philip Olivier discusses the current state You’re not alone.