The Mervyn Stone Mysteries

This year really is flying by and May was an exceptionally busy month which involved recording three audio books for Audible.co.uk, a first for me, a couple of short stories for Ladbroke Audio, a new Dr Who adventure and rehearsing and performing two short plays, The Blind & The Intruder for Tarquin Productions, which have their final performances tonight.

The company have been incredibly supportive and very welcoming of me and I'm deeply grateful to them and director Benji Sperring for trusting me and going along with my interpretation of the roles, which I'm playing quite differently to the original actor, who, as I've previously mentioned, wasn't available for the transfer to The Tabard Theatre.

Thanks to all involved, cast members Judy Tcherniak, Rupert Baldwin, Helena Payne, Saskia Roddick, Darren Beaumont, Michael Fellows and Gina Abolins and to the fabulous Kristina Kreculj, Production Assistant at The Tabard.

Benji Sperring directed with a firm grip and a light touch - always a good combination! - and Rachel Illingworth, as assistant director, the person who got me involved in the production in the first place, proved her abilities once again and is definitely someone to keep an eye on. In fact, she already has a new production playing at The Brackley Jack Studio Theatre which opened last week to excellent notices - Mandrake by Niccolo Machiavelli and is currently rehearsing Titus Andronicus for the Smooth Faced Gentlemen company, which is to be performed at the Buxton Festival and the Edinburgh Festival.

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Again, as previously mentioned, this month sees the release of the first Mervyn Stone Mystery, which I'm incredibly excited about. With the amazingly talented and original Nev Fountain as writer and creator of Mervyn Stone and the fantastic Nicola Bryant as my partner in crime, I feel honoured to be involved in the project and hope that it proves popular with Big Finish fans and anyone else who enjoys a beautifully crafted comedy-crime caper.

Here are the details from Big Finish:

"Dear Mervyn. If you want to prevent a murder, then you must attend the recording at the Sounderama studios on Thursday.

 Signed: a friend."

Vixens from the Void is back!

After twenty-five years, the popular leather-clad astro-erotic sci-fi television show is returning!

Well, sort of.  Actually, some devoted Vixens fans have got the licence to do some audios on CD featuring the original cast, and they've invited Mervyn Stone to write an episode.

But that's not the only thing he's been invited to do. He's also been invited to solve a murder.

He arrives at the studio, and who should he find recording her autobiography in the very next booth? Only the TV boss who cancelled Vixens from the Void twenty-five years ago.

No prizes for guessing the murder victim...

Written By: Nev Fountain
Directed By: Patric Kearns

with

John Banks as Mervyn Stone & Nicola Bryant as Vanity Mycroft.

" John Banks is a voice genius; that’s why he’s done five billion audios for them, (Big Finish) and now this is his chance to go centre stage."

Nev Fountain

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Before wrapping up this post, I do want to briefly mention another Big Finish release this month, The Dalek Contract featuring dear Mary Tamm, who very sadly passed away almost a year ago. Although uncredited, I did quite a bit of work on this story and indeed on her final story, The Final Phase (released in July). Even though we only worked together a handful of times and have never been credited as working together, Mary made a lasting impression on me, both professionally and personally and I think of her often and remember how well we got on and what fun it was to be around her. Having heard all of her final series of Dr Who recordings, I look forward to listening to The Dalek Contract and The Final Phase and will no doubt be raising a glass or two in her honour.