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Home , Alan Barnes (writer), Big Finish Productions, Cobwebs (audio drama), Colin Baker, Dalek, Davros

AUDIO ADVENTURES talks to the Big Fini sh creative team a bout , Turlough’s love life and spiky families… Just because they’re a “ clone species Thousands of boots march in to a dirge-like imperial anthem. doesn’t Before you know it, the hordes of parading mean every Sontarans break into song: “Sontar! Sontaran Sontar! We live for Sontar! Sontaran needs to be troopers are bred for war!” So begins Heroes of Sontar, the first of identical. three new audio adventures from , reuniting the with ” his companions Tegan, Turlough and once again. It’s a momentous occasion. Big Finish first started producing audio adventures 12 years ago. Every month a brand-new, full-cast drama is released fea actors from the TV series, including Doctors , , Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann. Along with many of the original companions, they have also brought back some classic . , Cybermen, and have all found their way into Big Finish audios, yet somehow it’s 146 stories for the Sontarans to ANTHONY ART BY LAMB make an appearance. Why on Sontar did it take so long? For writer and Big Finish script editor the Sontarans. It would have been easier “I actually inherited a potential Sontaran , the fact that not all Sontarans to do an -type story,” he adds story from my predecessor, ,” are created equal isn’t an issue. In fact, referring to the Fifth Doctor adventure that recalls Big Finish executive producer and it’s something he embraces. “Just because marked the dramatic return of the Cybermen

ART BY ANDY WALKER ANDY ART BY voice-of-the-Daleks , “but the they’re a clone species doesn’t mean every in 1982, “but that’s what they would have writer never delivered! Very disappointing. Sontaran needs to be utterly identical,” Alan done in the eighties. We’re smarter now.” Then when we next started planning a claims. “They’re not . Besides who’s to Other things seemed to have changed in Sontaran return, BBC asked us not to say they all come from the same vat?” use them, because they had plans for them As Alan’s story reveals, Sontaran clones on TV.” are produced from the DNA of many different Family ties But now the Sontarans take their rightful warriors, rather than all stemming from one the 28 years since this particular Doctor and place among Big Finish’s rogues gallery original source, which was a relief to director his companions inhabited the TARDIS. Back of returning alien nasties. There’s just one . “If all the Sontarans sounded then, the box didn’t seem a happy slight problem though... In the TV series, the the same it would be a nightmare to follow place to be. Everyone was either squabbling, Sontarans were always meant to be clones the story on audio. Alan has given each one a whining or wanting to get home. Fast-forward and yet with every appearance they look distinct personality, which is a very important to 2011 and the TARDIS crew appears to and sound decidedly different. One minute hook in the story.” have mellowed. Yes, there’s still the odd they’re short, the next they’re tall, they waver audio-equivalent of a withering stare, but the between having three or five fingers and even All our actors playing time-travellers seem to be getting on better. became distinctly Cockney during 1978’s The Sontarans were briefed “You still need to include the odd squabble Invasion of Time. So which incarnation of the “ to watch Kevin Lindsay or disagreement – impossible not to, with allegedly identical clone warriors have Big Tegan and Turlough about – ” says Stephen Finish opted for? as Commander Linx. Cole, writer of The Kiss of Death, the second “All of our actors playing Sontarans play in the season, “But you write it as you were briefed to watch Kevin Lindsay as “I needed them all to have their own” wish it had been back then, with them all Commander Linx in [the quirks and characterisations,” Alan continues, pulling together, so you can get on with telling original Sontaran story],” producer David “because I wanted to write a story that just the story.” Richarson reveals, “and each of them came featured the TARDIS crew and the monsters. “There’s something very interesting about to the studio with a different variation on that I didn’t want humans stuck in the middle, this team,” Alan agrees. “You have two really wonderful raspy voice.” because the focus automatically shifts from strong women with two rather effete men. 18 19 AUDIO ADVENTURES Steve took It’s a great dynamic. Four people who are all the idea of incomplete in the real world – an orphan, two “ THE STORY SO FAR... outcasts and a woman – come a character In 2009, Big Finish Productions announced together to form their own family. And, of who knew that would be reprising her role course,” he adds, “who says families have to about as Tegan Jovanka and would be returning to be cosy? They can be spiky and awkward.” Turlough’s the TARDIS as a regular member of the crew Perhaps most awkward is Turlough, an for the first time since her departure from the alien lad who hasn’t had much luck in life. past and ran TV series in 1984. Janet joined co-stars Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, as He’s been exiled, enslaved and generally with it. Nyssa and as Vislor Turlough, distrusted – usually for good reason. Thank reuniting a classic team of time travellers. The heavens that The Kiss of Death puts him result was three of the most eagerly awaited ” stories in Big Finish’s history... back in touch with his childhood sweetheart, Deela. Surely nothing could go wrong in a by story entitled The Kiss of Death, could it? Searching for a cure to a virulent disease, “I liked the idea of giving Turlough the Nyssa explores a deserted cobweb-strewn chance to be the hero for a change, to get facility on the toxic planet Helheim. Her past the girl and act brave,” says Steve, who had is about to catch up with her. originally written for this TARDIS team in The Cradle of the Snake by The Whispering Forest by Worried that the has once again 2010’s audio drama The Whispering Forest, The inhabitants of Purity Bay live their lives established control over Tegan, “to explore a romantic dilemma for Turlough, continually afraid of dirt, disease and the sets course for Manussa. But when they arrive rather than just having him wandering around mysterious Takers who snatch members of centuries too early, the Doctor realises that he looking slightly haunted as he often did on their community in the still of the night. might have just sacrificed … TV.” But will the course of true love run smoothly for our favourite cowardly Trion? “It’s unlikely,” admits Steve, with a sly . laboratory rats experimenting on reveals, “which will be recorded in December The Kiss of Death also roots around in humans in tunnels.” when Mark Strickson next returns to the UK Turlough’s mysterious past. Back in the TV ANTHONY ART BY LAMB is almost certainly from .” Any hints of what might

show, his true origins were only revealed ANTHONY ART BY LAMB the most disturbing of the three come? I receive the kind of look that tells me in his swansong, . “It’s all only room for about 15 minutes of additional everything Tegan-centric. tales in this mini-season, with that I’ll just have to wait and see. Whatever just thrown away at ,” Alan says, adventures between consecutive TV stories, Instead we have Nyssa burying that’s changed. The new, audio Nyssa is half genetically-enhanced rodents, rat happens, it’s obvious that the Big Finish team despairingly, “We wanted to explore some of in which Turlough joins the away a frustration. She’s fallen back a century older, haunted and keeps secrets. hybrids and a particularly nasty moment hold much fondness for this era of Doctor this background without blowing TARDIS, and where Nyssa leaves. into this family after 50 years of being Suddenly the flaws are more visible and I find in an oversized exercise-wheel. Is Tony a Who, but they’re not afraid to try and improve out of the water. Steve took the idea of a “The continuity would have felt a bit away and Tegan and Turlough are treating her a reason to really like the character.” horror ? “I don’t read much horror,” he on an already winning formula. character who knew about Turlough’s past tortuous,” he admits. “Besides, the idea of as if nothing has happened. They can’t quite admits, “and I sure don’t write it. But this “We get to explore the characters we love and ran with it.” a post-Terminus Nyssa meeting her friends see that there’s a massive part of her life that was an opportunity to bring the characters in a way that wasn’t done at the time,” Alan again is a fascinating scenario. In the TV they know nothing about and she’s changed Going underground out of their comfort zone, and to do that I explains. “We’re able to pull out bits that series Nyssa was often overshadowed by her enormously. She’s not a little girl anymore.” Tony, best known for his work on the had to move out of mine. I needed to keep deserve more exploration, like Turlough’s Age matters companions, but now, older and wiser, she “Nyssa wasn’t really a favourite character IDW Doctor Who comic books, received the it dark.” backstory, and give them the storylines they While Turlough, played by Mark Strickson, truly holds her own.” of mine, bar the obvious teenage hormonal invitation to pitch a story for the Big Finish Alan Barnes, on hand, hesitates never would have got in 1983. The prevailing locks lips with an old flame and explores “It also gave us a very interesting appreciation,” admits , who makes range while visiting his old high school: before calling Rat Trap a horror story: “There attitude of the day was that you could only his ancestral seat, another member of the to play with,” adds Alan eagerly. “As we were his Big Finish writing debut with the season “I sat typing a frantic ‘yes please – don’t was a time, back in the nineties and , present someone like Tegan as a stroppy TARDIS crew is left wondering whether she bringing Janet Fielding [who plays Tegan] finale, Rat Trap. “She was a genius and ask anyone else’ email on my phone as when Doctor Who was largely unregulated woman. With hindsight you can recreate will ever see her family again. Nyssa isn’t back, it would have been all too easy to make therefore not someone I could relate to. But parents walked their kids past me, staring and people did some extraordinarily these characters as they always should have the little girl that we are at the strange, giggling man in the car. challenging things,” recalls the former Doctor been. OK, we’re trying to go back and correct familiar with from the TV It’s a wonder I wasn’t arrested.” As soon Who Magazine editor. “Time has moved on things, but if there is an ambition behind series. For the Doctor, as he got home, Tony fired off a pitch that and we have to be aware of where the series these stories, it’s to make classic Doctor Who Tegan and Turlough, these From creator to KIng Rat saw the Doctor being stalked through the is now. I always have it in the back of my better than it ever was.” new stories take place just When director Ken Bentley saw that Terry to record all the lines again. It Underground. “Alan thought that mind that someone’s granny might buy one a few days after Nyssa left the script for Rat Trap called for a was a joy to watch. Terry remained our the Underground was a little overused and of these for their 11-year-old grandchild who the TARDIS at the end of villain who spoke with three voices, he primary voice, while John and Andrew asked for something different. My wife Tracy loves the TV series. You have to be careful Terminus, but for Nyssa knew that he needed a strong actor spoke over and around his lines, suggested the knackered old ex- with doing really horrible stuff.” These new audio adventures for the Fifth to realise the twisted Rat King. Ken adding colour and variation to what he herself, fifty years have turned to Doctor Who alumni Terry was doing.” tunnels than run under Dover and Rat Trap Doctor will be released monthly on CD and as passed. Molloy, best known as the eighties’ developed from there. Rewriting history mp3 downloads beginning with The Heroes of According to David incarnation of (pictured left), “I was over the moon to hear that “One trick I thought we missed in the Sontar in May. For details of how to purchase Richardson the decision to creator of . the Rat King and Wallace were being first three stories was to do something Even as the finishing touches are being these and many other Doctor Who audio introduce the aged Nyssa played by ,” enthuses actually set in 1983,” remembers Alan. made to the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and “We recorded all the scenes with Terry writer Tony Lee. “It made my day. adventures, visit the Big Finish website at was one of necessity, performing the Rat King,” recalls Ken. Terry’s one of the best actors in the “We started to bat ideas around and rats Nyssa’s latest adventures, work has begun www.bigfinish.com especially when they “Then fellow cast-members John business.” were mentioned – specifically James on a further reunion for this team. “We’ve worked out that there’s Banks and Andrew Dickens joined Herbert’s Rats. Before we knew it, we had already planned the next three stories,” David 20 21