ISSUE #23 JANUARY 2011 FREE! NOT FOR RESALE NOW 24 PAGES! JAGOJAGO && LITEFOOTLITEFOOT RETURN!RETURN! JUSTINJUSTIN RICHARDSRICHARDS ONON THEIRTHEIR LATESTLATEST ADVENTURESADVENTURES PLUS! maggie stables • nicola bryant eddie robson • daVid ricHardson EDITORIAL I just wanted to take a moment to thank our And if I may make a personal observation, this brilliant mail order staff properly. I wonder if any is all part of my ongoing mission to make sure the of you can remember a different time, about a right jobs are being done by the right people. That’s year ago, when it seemed like we were living in a how anything works properly. Of course it’s essential different universe. Mail order delays, our forums to have the right levels of investment and planning, buzzing with complaints… but it all comes down to people and jobs and how Well, the appalling weather over the last few happy they are in their work and how suited they months aside, you may have noticed a change are to the work. Which is why, as time passes, and in recent months. Paul Spragg, David Richardson contrary to my expectations over three years ago, and I certainly have noticed. For reasons too I enjoy my role at Big Finish more and more. I love painful to go into here, we were having a lot of it because of the team: because we have a brilliant trouble with our mail order service and, to be line producer who not only organizes everything honest, we kept letting our customers down very beautifully, but has such great creative insight. We badly. But with the arrival of two new people in have a producers’ assistant who not only assists 2010, namely (and in alphabetical order, because to perfection, but anticipates and creates at every they’re both as vital as each other) Adam Williams turn. And I could go on praising every part of BF and Alison Taylor, everything has changed. (the energetic genius of Alex Mallinson, the tireless Suddenly, all the complaints have vanished and, attention to detail from Frances Welsh) but you’re as I say, leaving the appalling weather to one probably bored now and, to be honest, I’m actually side, everything is running smoothly. The reason indulging in the most self-congratulatory show for this is quite simple: Alison and Adam are both of slapping myself on the back. Yes… MYSELF! brilliant at their jobs. Because I wanted all these people to work for Big They are highly skilled in their fields and they’ve Finish: all the sound designers, the composers, the brought a new sense of purpose to their team. artists, the actors. I either decided we needed them, Frankly, there’s not a day that goes by when I or someone who I trust implicitly decided. So all don’t thank my lucky stars that they took those I want to do really is thank the whole BF team for jobs. Alison and Adam, you have transformed Big making me feel so proud. Finish’s customer relations and mail order service. You’ve given us all pride in BF’s image again. Nicholas Briggs SNEAK PREVIEWS AND WHISPERS Companion Chronicles: Tales from the Vault So what do you do when you have the chance to work with two actors who have played Doctor Who companions, but don’t actually have the rights to their characters? With Daphne Ashbrook and Yee Jee Tso in the UK in November 2010, it seemed crazy to miss the opportunity to record with them – so we invented two new characters for them, Ruth Matheson and Charlie Sato. They are two specialist UNIT personnel whose job is to look after The Vault – a massive repository of stuff left over from alien invasions. Joining the biggest cast ever assembled for a single Companion Chronicle are Peter Purves as Steven, Wendy Padbury as Zoe, Katy Manning as Jo and Mary Tamm as Romana. The script is by Jonathan Morris and is – according to producer David Richardson – “simply unique and brilliant”. Out July 2011 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 HARPO SPEAKS So what’s an average day like 1000 in the Big Finish studio? One of By now, the cast is in. I always make sure the universe’s hardest-working that everyone is offered a tea or coffee the producers, David Richardson, moment they step through the door – it’s presents his diary from the important, I feel, to welcome actors, make recording of one day during them feel at home, then let them settle in the production of the next Fifth for the day and have fun. Today it’s a huge Doctor trilogy… team because this set of stories has four regulars – it’s Peter Davison, Mark Strickson, 0530 Janet Fielding and Sarah Sutton. Bluuurgh. Wake up. Feed the cats Mark, bless him, has flown in from (we have three). Get straight onto the New Zealand to do this. It’s taken loads Clockwise from top left are: Lizzie Roper, Lucy Adams, Mark Strickson, Stephen Cole, Ken Bentley, John Banks, computer and do emails. Big Finish of planning and prep, and Ken has the Michael Maloney, David Richardson, Sarah Sutton and Janet Fielding is a machine that never sleeps. The most intricate schedule we’ve ever worked working on my laptop while keeping one for the CD extras. And it’s cold in there – email traffic is huge and constant – so with. It’s a six day recording, and we have ear on the different takes we’re doing. freezing, in fact. We sit in thermal coats, anything between 20-50 emails can Mark for four days (he has to fly back to We may be recording, but that Big Finish sipping hot tea, while our teeth chatter. arrive overnight, because our writers and NZ at the weekend), Peter for four days (he machine is still churning onwards – so I’m editors are night owls. And they have has four jobs this week – this, a West End setting up a lot of recordings for January. 1500 been beavering away while I’ve been musical, and two TV shows!), and Janet and We’ll be doing the subscriber 2012 special Oooh! Just the kind of email I like to get. having my kip. Sarah for all six. Fear not – the Doctor and (yes, 2012), Jago & Litefoot series four, I’ve been chasing a really brilliant actress Turlough are in the stories just as much as Lost Stories series three… and all this has for one of our Lost Stories. It’s a really 0730 ever, but Ken is a little bit greyer. to be cast, contracted, scripts sent out… exciting script and a pivotal role. And this Get the train from Bromley. I’ve recently Thank heavens that Paul Spragg is back in performer has said yes. I tell Ken, who does bought an iPad and it’s become 1015 the office, able to action the paperwork as a little dance and texts his girlfriend. This indispensible for this job. It means I can We start recording. I must say, the moment soon as we’re in ‘go’ mode. person is a legend. always have my scripts with me – so while Peter, Mark, Janet and Sarah get into the I’m commuting to the studio I can also be sound booths it just sounds so… special. 1300 1700 reading the scripts for Jago & Litefoot So authentic. That brilliant TARDIS team Lunch. Toby has made a massive curry It’s all gone well, and we finish the day with series four. Other people in the carriage comes back to life, and suddenly it’s worth today – so many choices and pickles and wildtracks. Mark joins in, and does some probably wonder why I’m chortling to all the extra planning and head-scratching. things. Again, it just adds to the sense of brilliant monster sounds. Then Ken leads a myself, but Jago has just been very funny. They’re just so funny off-mic as well, firing enjoyment and occasion. No one ever goes merry band to the pub, and I set off on the off sparkling repartee and wicked jokes. home from a Big Finish day saying they long journey home. 0915 And Janet calls me Harpo, constantly. I can haven’t had fun. Arrive at the studio. Engineer Toby has be in another room and hear this voice yell 1900 been here since 7am, as he gets in early ‘Haaaaarpoooooo!’ The one time she called 1400 Home at last. And an hour’s catch-up with to make the lunches (of which you’ve no me David left me feeling deeply troubled. I do the photography, even though Janet work and emails before making dinner. doubt heard a lot). Director Ken Bentley says that Harpo is the world’s worst also gets in early, because there would 1100 photographer. She’s joking. I think. Then it’s 2030 be nothing worse than the train breaking We’re well underway now. Ken has a very back to the booths. Now everyone is getting Time at least for one hour’s telly. Heading down and the cast sitting around waiting relaxed, assured approach to directing. into the swing of things, I’m keeping an eye toward the end of Upstairs, Downstairs. for the director. Today I grab Ken for 10 Nothing phases him.