ISSUE #28 may 2011 FREE! NOT FOR RESaLE NOW 24 PaGES! Jago & Litefoot MATTHEW SWEET and JOHN DORNEY on writing for the third series ALSO Sarah Sutton Andrew Cartmel Tom Allen Back in the The Lost Stories Companion to TARDIS interview continues the First Doctor PLUS! Geoffrey Beevers' Drama Showcase editorial Busy days! Nick is currently swept off his feet this mini-series and it’s a bold, exciting new directing (with help from Ken Bentley) and starring direction for the Sixth Doctor – who is now in series two of Sherlock Holmes, so I’ve paired with somebody who will bring out new stepped in to do a bit of editorial. It’s 6.30am, I’m aspects of his personality. tapping away between my cup of tea and toast Those stories are being recorded in June with marmite, and about to head over to the Moat (either side of Big Finish Day), and while for the final day of Holmes, and then we’ll be we’re having fun in the studio the Big Finish prepping for a load of other things... Sale will be well underway. A bit of a change So what can I reveal? Well, the Sixth Doctor to proceedings this year – the month-long is going to get a new companion in 2012. sale goes ahead as normal, but we also And, for those lucky people attending Big have Big Finish Week which comprises five Finish Day on June 11, there’ll be a chance days of brilliant bargains. From Monday 6 to meet and chat to the actor who plays June to Friday 10 June you’ll get the chance this character, who’ll be there with Colin to buy bargain priced CDs every day. It’s a himself. (Though don’t worry – we’ll do an great opportunity to fill in the gaps in your announcement on the day too, so those who Doctor Who audio collection – or even kick can’t make it to Barking at least discover who start a collection – so don’t miss out! we’re talking about). Actually, it’s all very exciting. I’ve read the three scripts that form David Richardson sneak previews and whispers Doctor Who: The Five Companions The past catches up with the Fifth Doctor in a big way in this year’s Subscriber Special, as a host of former companions – and a couple of old enemies – come together in a mysterious space/ time event. The story may be full of familiar faces but it’s packed with a lot of heart too, as writer Eddie Robson explores the idea of what it means to be one of the Doctor’s companions. For Ian Chesterton, Steven Taylor, Sara Kingdom and Polly Wright – all a bit older than when they last met their Doctor, who is now ironically looking somewhat younger than when he met them – it’s a chance to reflect on how life moves on. For everyone involved, this became one of their favourite recording days at Big Finish, with Jean Marsh remarking on her admiration for the affectionate script. The story is being released to Main Range subscribers only whose subscription includes Army of Death, although 12-month CD subscribers can nominate it as their free disc. (Out in December) Managing Editor assistant Editor BFP administration Publisher Jason HaigH-EllEry Paul sPragg FrancEs WElsH Big FinisH Editors Design caTrin Hubbarde ProDucTions Ltd. nicHolas Briggs alEx Mallinson Marcin rogoszEWski DaviD ricHarDson graphics and layout alison Taylor anTHony laMB Web Editor Paul Wilson 3 in the stUdio THE FOURTH DOCTOR ADVENTURES David Richardson gives his thoughts on the first day of recording for The Fourth Doctor Adventures It was one of those ‘pinch yourself’ days. And I and Leela inside the wooden TARDIS console can’t pretend I wasn’t nervous – after all, it’s not room. Nick and I have chatted endlessly about very often that we welcome one of the classic TV the ‘authenticity’ required for these stories. Doctors to the Big Finish fold. And there we were, This is taking place the day after The Talons on Friday 22nd April, reuniting Tom Baker’s of Weng-Chiang. The Doctor is still educating Doctor and Louise Jameson’s Leela for the first Leela. The TARDIS console room is wooden. K9 time in thirty-three years. has yet to be introduced. The day began stressfully. Good ol’ John “Would you like to say anything to mark Dorney was giving me a lift to the studio in the occasion?” Nick asks Louise. She gives Tunbridge Wells but, despite the fact he only lives that infectious smile of hers and says, about five minutes away, managed to get lost and “Who’d have thought?” And we’re off. It’s couldn’t find my house. I sat there glumly with a 1977 all over again. I’m 14 years old and pile of scripts, camera and recording equipment it’s Saturday teatime. wondering if Tom’s BF launch might continue Tom’s a true pro, with tremendous energy, and without me. And then – huzzah – the phone rings. we plough through scenes in the morning. A very Dorney’s here. All’s well, and we get to the studio chuffed John Dorney becomes the first actor to so ridiculously early we end up driving around appear opposite Tom and Louise in these audios, for half an hour and drinking coffee, because in the role of The Man. It’s a small part, but he’s even the engineer isn’t here yet. just happy with the accolade. Tom arrives early too, striding in with a broad We take lunch at 1pm, some of us sitting smile and a cry of ‘Hello boys!’ So a few of us outside in the sun wolfing down the buffet. And sit and drink coffee, and have the pleasure of then it’s time for photos, the signing of some script listening to Tom regaling us with his anecdotes. fronts (these will no doubt be rare collectors’ items We’re crying with laughter, and it’s only 9:15. for the random subscribers who are sent them) There’s a roar of a sports car and outside we and back for an afternoon’s recording. can see Louise Jameson pulling up. It’s a glorious The overwhelming sense of the day is the ease day – clear blue skies and blazing sunshine – of it all. Everyone is so good, and so lovely, that and it couldn’t be a better backdrop for Tom it passes by very quickly. And we’re finished well and Louise to embrace each other outside. I ahead of schedule, with time for Dan Tostevin seize the moment and take a photo of them and Ben Cook from Doctor Who Magazine to get together, quickly uploading it to our website and their interviews. Facebook. It’s a statement to the world but mainly Tom and some of the cast head home; Louise to myself (still pinching, you see) to say ‘We’re and the rest of us head over to a beautiful pub in here, and recording is about to commence’. Tunbridge Wells that overlooks a country estate, We head into the studio and start the day’s and drink wine and eat fine food. recording with scene two, which is the Doctor A truly great day. The Fourth Doctor has returned. 4 Above: Tom Baker performs while Nick Briggs oversees the technical stuff Tom Baker and Louise Jameson are reunited 5 Master Piece He’s played the Master on TV and audio, and he’s played several priests, but now he’s presenting a comedy of ideas in the latest Drama Showcase. Meet Geoffrey Beevers! Hi Geoffrey. How did you get involved in the Drama Showcase project? I’d already worked for Big Finish as an actor, playing the Master in Dust Breeding and Master. But I had no idea they were doing the Drama Showcase project. I’d written the play before I knew about that. I tend to just write what I want to write and don’t persist so much with marketing my writing – I find it enough to have to market myself as an actor! I had tried the play with the BBC, who have done plays of mine before, but they implied that this one was not the sort of play they did on Radio 4, so it was left on the shelf. Then my wife (actress Caroline John, who played Liz Shaw in Doctor Who) asked David Richardson if he’d look at it and gave him the play at a Doctor Who convention. It’s a comedy of ideas and she thought the followers of Doctor Who might enjoy the ideas in it. As it happened, it fitted in with the idea of a Drama Showcase that Big Finish was considering. What’s the play about, and how would you classify it? The play is a comedy about science and religion – more specifically about evolution and creationism! There is quite a tension between the idea that the Geoffrey Beevers - Star of Unintelligent Design universe is billions of light years across and all 6 life has evolved over billions of years by natural selection, and the idea that everything was created by God about four thousand years ago, as it says in the Bible, and that Man is at the centre of creation. I call it a Comedy of Ideas because it tries to dramatise this rather absurd tension in a comic way. What inspired you to write Unintelligent Design, and how long had it been gestating in your brain? I’ve always been interested in the ideas of science since I was young and have always read books on how life in the universe began.