Wild animals in the Suffolk countryside are the least of the Doctor and Nyssa’s problems when they land in 1911…
Some of the best Big Finish audios have been those which have played with the format either of Doctor Who, or of the storytelling process. However there is still very definitely a place for a story which may be simpler in form but is filled with strong characters, good acting, and a few surprises along the way – and that’s what Mark Morris has provided in this excellent ripping yarn for Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton.
Ken Bentley has put together a cast who take the rich text and give it all they’ve got – from Tim Bentinck’s hunter Nathaniel Whitlock and John Banks’ Native American Silver Crow to Francesca Hunt’s damn good huntin’, shootin’ and fishin’ Ms Bartholomew (no that’s not a mistake – the title has been around a lot longer than you might think), they give it a theatricality that marked some of Davison’s era. This is a story that fits right in alongside, Kinda, The Visitation or The Awakening with its heightened reality, aided by great sound design and music score from Andy Hardwick.
In the best traditions of Doctor Who, Morris tips the hat to various sources (John Carpenter’s The Thing and Ridley Scott’s Alien are by no means the only ones), but we never lose track of when this is meant to be set and the knowledge limitations of that time, and whether the Native American tales which Silver Crow relates are real or created for this story, they are very effective.
Verdict: If you’re looking for a story which recreates the era in which it’s set, then turns the dial up to 11, then this is highly recommended. 9/10
Paul Simpson
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