BBC Radio 4, July 11 / AudioGo
As electrical blackouts start to threaten civilisation, Gwen has to fight against a sweet old lady…
The first of three plays commissioned by Radio 4 to lead into the broadcast of Miracle Day in the UK, The Devil and Miss Carew is set in the period between Tosh and Owen’s deaths at the end of series 2, and the start of Children of Earth, a time that’s starting to be filled with new stories. Torchwood effectively comprises just four people: Jack and Ianto, and Gwen and Rhys, all of whom have key roles in this tale.
There’s some foreshadowing of the themes of Miracle Day within the play: the eponymous old lady has done a deal to stave off death, and eventually realises that it’s one enemy that can’t be defeated, while Rhys steps up once more to come to Gwen’s rescue.
Rupert Laight’s script works well for audio, and the only reservation is the writing of Jack – there are a couple of Anglicisms that sound wrong, and, unusually, John Barrowman sounds a little uncertain of how to pitch his performance. With the plays recorded in Los Angeles, it’s hardly surprising that Martin Jarvis’s silken tones are put to good effect as the Devil.
Verdict: A slight but enjoyable Torchwood tale. 7/10
Paul Simpson
Check out our spoiler-free reviews of Miracle Day episodes 1 and 2
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