ISSUE #29 jUly 2011 FREE! NOT FOR RESAlE NOW 24 PAGES! NicolaReturn Walker and of Toby the Hadoke Robots fight alongside ofthe Seventh Death! Doctor PLUS! Jonathan Morris James Goss Rob Shearman The writer tells Unleashes his Everyone's Just Tales from the Vault Dark Shadows So So Special editorial As you join me today, I’m right in the middle time you read this) an enormous success. We’re of directing some Bakers. Well, not right in going to do a ‘live’ recording of a podcast, with the middle of it. I haven’t said into the studio an audience. I wonder if that will work out okay. intercom, ‘Hold on guys! Just hang around Actually, I’m quite envious of you, you know. for fifteen minutes while I write my editorial You know the answer to that question. I can only for Vortex’. No. That would be rude. But I did guess what went wrong! Perhaps you’re reading just finish directing Colin Baker with his exciting this and thinking how ironic it is that I sound so new companion Lisa Greenwood (Flip! That’s the chipper, given that I was about to be booed off character’s name, not an exclamation) in their first stage, or have a microphone stand collapse on my adventure yesterday. Today, I am going through head when I was bending down to press ‘play’ on schedules for the next two exciting adventures for iTunes to play a clip during the ‘live’ podcast. the Sixth Doctor and Flip (to be recorded over the Not for the first time, and probably in next two weeks), and I’m finalizing my plans for the common with many fellow Doctor Who fans, next two days, during which I will be directing Tom I’m wishing I did have a real TARDIS, not just Baker in two stories which won’t be released until the plastic one off of the front of Doctor Who 2013. Yes, we plan ahead at Big Finish, don’t we? Adventures. You know, the one my two-year-old Also coming up (but in the past for you now) son takes to bed every night. By the morning, is Big Finish Day. After I finish recording with he’s perfectly recreated the aftermath of that Tom in Tunbridge Wells, I’ll be dashing back scene in The Mind Robber, when the TARDIS to London to get ready for our convention in breaks apart. Ah, happy memories. Barking. Organized by Tenth Planet Events, hopefully it will be (or will have been, by the Nicholas Briggs sneak previews and whispers Graceless 2 – people they have wronged, people who want to harness The wicked sisters return as their incredible powers for their Abby and Zara’s fall from grace own ends. How long can Abby continues in the second series and Zara stay ahead before of Big Finish’s original science their past – or future – catches fiction adventure, Graceless. up with them? Writer Simon At the end of the last series, Guerrier says of the new series, Abby and Zara had escaped “So long as they’re together, the evil designs of the space Abby and Zara can go pirate Kreaqpolt, and had been anywhere and when with just released into the universe by the a single thought. So where are Grace, the beings that originally created them. they off to this time? The huge city crawling across Now the sisters flit through time and space, putting the surface of a planetoid. The people struggling to things right to atone for the terrible things they save their town from the flood. And the dark world have both done – but this time they have baby where someone lost is waiting…” The first series Joy and Marek along for the ride. It might be an was just the beginning of the adventure for Abby unorthodox family unit but it works, and Abby and Zara, but if there’s one thing they’ve learnt, it’s and Zara have never been happier. But there are that the universe is dangerous and unpredictable… those in the universe who want to find the sisters (Available December 2012) 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 Sherlock Holmes Richard Dinnick reminisces about the week that was Sherlock Holmes, series two DAY ONE Director/star Nick Briggs, director Ken Bentley, producer David Richardson and I are assembled early for the pre-match briefing. Today we’re recording The Hound of the Baskervilles. Knowing that I adapted the play only adds to my excitement as Richard Earl Nick wails about playing Holmes, “If only I could (Watson) arrives in a flurry of understatement. play it as me! But I’ve got to play it as someone He’s astounding; not only does he spend the intelligent who speaks insanely quickly!” vast majority of the time in his booth, he is also Coincidence of the Day: As I travelled to the so dedicated to getting his delivery spot on, he studio, it was announced that Baker Street station will often ask to do pick-ups when both Nick was closed due to a security alert. and Ken are happy! Coincidence of the Day: Mark Gatiss and Steven DAY FOUR Moffat’s Sherlock also starts production. Today it’s my adaptation of David Stuart Davies’ The Tangled Skein. The book’s author arrives DAY TWO early and soon John Banks, Barnaby Edwards A compact cast is gathered for today’s recording and Beth Chalmers are in place alongside Giles of The Final Problem and The Empty House, Watling (son of Jack and brother of Debbie), who including Alan Cox, playing Moriarty. Alan has come in to give us his Dracula! played Watson in the 1987 Barry Levinson film Coincidence of the Day: Last night, Sherlock Young Sherlock Holmes. Despite (or because won the BAFTA for best TV drama. This morning of?) the huge number of innuendos we have I bumped into Mark Gatiss on the Tube. We located in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s writing, all is chatted and passed through Baker Street station, going swimmingly. which was actually open today! Coincidence of the Day: Edward Hardwicke, who played Dr Watson opposite Jeremy Brett’s DAY FIVE Holmes, died today. We all paused in the studio A bits ’n’ bobs day, with David recording lots to remember this fine actor and his many roles. of interviews. The cast and crew all have plenty to say for themselves; NIck and Richard offer DAY THREE their insights into the characters of Holmes and A vast crowd for the recording of The Reification Watson while, in a mammoth podcast, I remain of Hans Gerber by George Mann, including the, true to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s unofficial legacy ahem, Mann himself. We’re joined by Andrew by injecting as much innuendo as possible. Havill, Rebecca Tanwen, John Dorney and Coincidence of the Day: No coincidences today. James Albrecht, as well as Doctor Who stars Instead, as I drive home I reflect on a magnificent Dan Starkey and Terry Molloy. Much mirth and week in studio. I can’t wait until October to hear colourful language ensues in the afternoon as the first instalment! 4 letters write to: [email protected] Thank you for bringing back Julie Cox as but it is clearly implied that the Doctor had purchasers, especially since they pay more. Mary Shelley for the Eighth Doctor. I’m sure at least a few adventures before having met Hope you understand. However, all our a lot of your customers have been waiting Rose, or even during that instant before Rose policies are under constant review. for her return since The Company of Friends, accepts his invitation. Christopher Eccleston, and I look forward to listening to the results. like all those who’ve played the part, is a Just had to write and tell you how Phil Nadeau terrific actor, and I would like to see him delighted I am with the production of PS: More of Fitz or Izzy wouldn’t be involved with Big Finish. I feel he got a little Seven to One. It was such a thrill to hear seen amiss either. short-changed like Colin Baker, having only something I’d written being performed by Nick: Cheers, Phil! Julie was brilliant to one season, and Big Finish seems like the professional actors. work with and she and Paul formed a perfect way to explore his particular Doctor It was a great idea to spread the eight brilliant working relationship. A great a little more. It certainly seemed to be the sections over the entire disc. Although it made recording block, with Barnaby Edwards solution for Colin Baker who, let’s be honest, my heart jump when I first listened, I thought doing a fine job of bringing some excellent didn’t get too many good scripts during his something had gone wrong and the rest of scripts to life. tenure. You fine people at Big Finish changed the story had been omitted from the disc! that, and I would like to see what magic I thought Nicholas Briggs did a great Just wanted to thank you folks from the you could work with another fantastic, yet job of capturing the essence of six of the bottom of my heart. If I could have Big short-lived, Doctor.