November 2014

My apologies for the recent lack of updates, but what a busy time it's been.

Apart from being busy in the studio recording another audio book, the main reason for not updating for such a long time is that like many BF customers, I've been waiting for the release of October's Sixth Doctor story, The Widow's Assassin. I think a download version of the recording was released on 31st, just scraping into the dying embers of October. Anyway, I can now 'safely' mention it here:

Once, long ago, in a land of monsters and corridors, a fair maiden was captured, and placed in a deep sleep. She was used to being captured, and she had a hero who rescued her on just such occasions. But this time the hero never came.

And the fair maiden slept on.

Eventually, a King rescued the maiden, and made her his bride, which many wise old women might tell you is just another way of capturing fair maidens.

And still the fair maiden slept on.

Then, the hero had another stab at rescuing the maiden from her prison, but he was too late. And, more importantly, he had forgotten the rules of fairy tales.

He didn’t slay the dragon.

 

Colin Baker The Doctor     Nicola Bryant Peri   

         Tim Chipping Constable Wolsey - Mandrake            

   John Banks
            Baron Pteratrark - Guard Two - Prince Most-Deepest-All-Yellow               
Andrew Dickens Reverand Flitamus - Guard One  

Fiona Sheehan Princess Dirani      

Glynn Sweet Harcross The Ever-Patient - Pheen-Tu - Flunkey

 Written by Nev Fountain
                                   Directed by Ken Bentley                                   

A Nev Fountain story is always a treat to work on, even if it's completely mind bending at times. As Dr Who aficionados will be aware, Peri has a huge history which needs some degree of resolution; perhaps this tale will satisfy some who have been waiting many years for such a resolution - or just open a whole new can of worms instead. I'm sure the BF Forum will be awash with informed debate! Wherever the story takes us, I can assure you that fun was had during the recording and once again, I'm keenly looking forward to hearing the finished production: by the way, that's a feathery faced me on the cover - nice...                     

And now it's November!

So, what's new and what's happening in November? Quite a lot actually! I'm in studio every day this week to finish recording an unabridged audio book of Alwyn W. Turner's chronicle of the 1990's, A Classless Society and there are a number of other pipeline projects throughout the rest of the month - more details to follow.

In terms of this month's audio releases, there's quite a variety to come. I've no idea when or in what order things will be released, so I'll start by mentioning this month's Blake's 7 release:

Gareth Thomas Blake  Paul Darrow Avon  Michael Keating Vila  Jacqueline Pearce Servalan  

Stephen Greif Travis John Banks Ragnus Lang

Velandra by Steve Lyons
Blake is having bad dreams: a swamp, wolves, a woman called Velandra… and Travis. Could this be a memory that was erased by the Federation?

Retribution by Andrew Smith
A distress call leads Avon and Vila to an old tracking station on the moon of Lorean. It was sent by Ragnus Lang, formerly Vila’s partner-in-crime. And now Lang needs Blake’s help.

Ministry of Peace by Una McCormack
The Liberator crew are on the planet Speranza to assist its new interim government.  But is the planet a beacon of hope in the fight against the Federation – or is Speranza’s history about to take a darker path?

Written by Steve Lyons, Andrew Smith, Una McCormack
Directed by Lisa Bowerman, Ken Bentley

 My second Pathfinder Legends story is next on the list of releases:

 

Ezren, Merisiel, Harsk and Valeros discover that Karzoug, an ancient wizard from the long-dead empire of Thassilon, has returned to life.

 From his city fortress of Xin-Shalast high in the mountains, he has been using the giants to harvest souls to reclaim his lost power. 

The secret to defeating him before he can reclaim his realm and enslave the region lies hidden in a deadly dungeon called Runeforge. 

Kerry Skinner Merisiel Stewart Alexander Valeros Trevor Littledale Ezren Ian Brooker Harsk  Yuriri Naka Ameiko Kaijitsu Toby Longworth Belor Hemlock / Giant Voice  John Banks The Scribbler Annette Badland The Voice Nicholas Rowe Karzoug Mark Donovan and Harry Myers The Guards

 Written by Mark Wright
Directed by John Ainsworth

And finally, for the moment at least, I played a variety of 'under the radar' characters in Dr Who: Dark Eyes Series 3 - a project I particularly wanted to be a part of and which the boys at Big Finish were kind enough to allow me to take part in:

"Molly O'Sullivan? Hello you."

In his quest for universal domination, the Master plans to exploit the terrifying Infinite Warriors of the mysterious Eminence. The Doctor's friend, Molly, is key to that plan's execution, and now, aided by corrupted genius Sally Armstrong, the Master is close to success.

Paranoid and perplexed after his recent experience, the Doctor skirts the fringes of the fifty-year conflict between humanity and the Infinite Armies. Wary of changing the course of history, he fears that to fight the Eminence would be to do the Daleks' bidding.

But when Time Lord CIA agent Narvin provides the impetus for the Doctor to act, Liv Chenka joins him in a desperate race to save their friend and stop the Master.

As the Doctor goes head to head with his oldest and deadliest rival, this war is about to get very personal indeed...

 

                                                                                                            

 

 

Paul McGann The Doctor Nicola Walker Liv Chenka Ruth Bradley Molly O'Sullivan Alex Macqueen The Master Natalie Burt Dr Sally Armstrong David Sibley The Eminence Sean Carlsen Narvin

1: The Death of Hope
Georgie Fuller Hope Gardner Geoffrey Breton Leo Gardner

2: The Reviled
Sacha Dhawan Jaldam Sarah Mowat Gajeeda Laura Riseborough Sharma

3: Masterplan
David Sibley Professor Markus Schriver John Banks Captain/Lieutenant

4: Rule of the Eminence
Jonathan Forbes Walter Vincent Beth Chalmers Casey Carraway Georgia Moffett Engineer Tallow

Written by Matt Fitton
Directed by Ken Bentley

Also, on the 19th October, I was delighted to have been invited to help celebrate Big Finish's 15th Birthday; here's a photo from the party:

Anthony Howell - me - Rachel Illingworth

It was a very festive evening and fantastic to meet up with so many friends and colleagues; thanks to Jason Haigh-Ellery and to all at Big Finish - here's to the next fifteen years!

As a coincidental 'PS' to this posting, recorded in July 2010:
 Lucie Miller was broadcast last week on BBC Radio 4 Extra and To The Death is being broadcast as I started to write.

A quick check reveals that having played a 'pivotal' role in Lucie Miller, ie Seb Andrews, in To The Death, I appear to be playing Crewman. Can't wait to discover what Crewman does, although I suspect - not much!

...all for now, more just as soon as it happens!