AUDIO ADVENTURES CAVAN SCOTT TALKS TO THE BIG FINI SH CREATIVE TEAM A BOUT SONTARANS, TURLOUGH’S LOVE LIFE AND SPIKY FAMILIES… Just because they’re a “ clone species Thousands of Sontaran boots march in time 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 Big Finish Productions, reuniting the Fifth Doctor with ” his companions Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa once again. It’s a momentous occasion. Big Finish first started producing Doctor Who audio adventures 12 years ago. Every month a brand-new, full-cast drama is released fea actors from the TV series, including Doctors Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann. Along with many of the original companions, they have also brought back some classic monsters. Daleks, Cybermen, Autons and Zygons have all found their way into Big Finish audios, yet somehow it’s taken 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 Alan Barnes, the fact that not all Sontarans to do an Earthshock-type story,” he adds story from my predecessor, Gary Russell,” 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 Nicholas Briggs, “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 robots. Besides who’s to Other things seemed to have changed in Sontaran return, BBC Wales 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 Ken Bentley. “If all the Sontarans sounded then, the police 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 Time Warrior [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 out of time – come a character In 2009, Big Finish Productions announced together to form their own family. And, of who knew that Janet Fielding 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, Sarah Sutton as He’s been exiled, enslaved and generally with it. Nyssa and Mark Strickson 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 Cobwebs by Jonathan Morris 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 Marc Platt The Whispering Forest by Stephen Cole Worried that the Mara has once again 2010’s audio drama The Whispering Forest, The inhabitants of Purity Bay live their lives established control over Tegan, the Doctor “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 the future… TV.” But will the course of true love run smoothly for our favourite cowardly Trion? “It’s unlikely,” admits Steve, with a sly smile. 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 Rat Trap is almost certainly from New Zealand.” 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, Planet of Fire. “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 the end,” 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 Mawdryn Undead in which Turlough joins the away a hidden 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 continuity TARDIS, and Terminus where Nyssa leaves. into this family unit 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 fan? “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.