Big Finish Favourites: Historical Figures

 I have been wanting to do some pieces about Big Finish audios as such a big fan of their work. This one was inspired by my listening to a recent audio Harry Houdini's War and looking at some of my favourite audios featuring historical figures. I had fun looking back through my downloads to find some appropriate audio stories. I remembered the Mary Shelley stories but had forgotten about 100 which features my favourite audio companion. Anyway, here are my three picks:

100

Publisher's Summary:

Times, dates, numbers, anniversaries... They are all essential ingredients of the Doctor's seemingly infinite travels. Here, he emerges from the TARDIS to embark upon four separate adventures, all of them fundamentally connected by the concept of '100'. He meets Mozart, visits ancient Rome, goes to a funeral and spies on himself.

Sometimes, a Time Lord's life can be quite hectic.

Four one-part stories:

1. 100 BC by Jacqueline Rayner

The Doctor and Evelyn arrive in Rome, 101 BC, approximately, October. They meet a young lady of 19, Aurelia. She mentions her husband - Julius Caesar. Evelyn is excited, but her excitement soon turns to confusion. Surely you can't heal a wound in time with just a bit of sticking plaster?

2. My Own Private Wolfgang by Robert Shearman

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Born in 1756, a veritable wunderkind - playing music for the crowned heads of Europe as an infant, composing by the time he was five years old. But it's tempting to wonder whether his amazing longevity has overshadowed his creative genius - would Mozart's music be better respected, maybe, if he'd died as a young man? Would he be a legend of music, rather than of scientific curiosity, if he'd never lived to compose the film score for the remake of The Italian Job?

3. Bedtime Story by Joseph Lidster

Once upon a time...

Jacob Williams is going to tell the tale of Sleeping Beauty but he realises he has told that one too many times so, instead, tells of how he once met this man called the Doctor...

It's a tale of love and death and a family with a terrifying secret...

4. The 100 Days of the Doctor By Paul Cornell

Someone has assassinated the Doctor.

And he only has 100 days to find out who did it.

My Review:

This anthology (as mentioned) is full of stories based on number 100 to celebrate the 100th story in the Doctor Who Main Range. All feature the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and my favourite audio companion, Dr. Evelyn Smythe (Maggie Stables), For the purpose of this theme, we should look at the first two stories. The first one, 100 BC, is a fun story with Evelyn and the Doctor going to meet Julius Caesar. Kind of. It shows how Evelyn is willing to stand up to and overrule The Doctor and, in my opinion, establishes their relationship enough that you don't need prior knowledge (but I would recommend listening to all her stories). The one I really enjoy is My Own Private Wolfgang. It is just a fun, silly concept. How a long lived Mozart has ruined his legacy by doing things like film scores. I also like the title. 

The Silver Turk

Publisher's Summary:

Roll up! Roll up! To the great Viennese Exposition, where showman Stahlbaum will show you his most wonderful creation, the Silver Turk — a mechanical marvel that will not only play for you the fortepiano, the spinet and the flute, it will play you at the gaming table too!

But when the Doctor brings his new travelling companion Mary Shelley to nineteenth-century Vienna, he soon identifies the incredible Turk as one of his deadliest enemies — a part-machine Cyberman.

And that's not even the worst of the horrors at large in the city...

My Review:

Of all the Doctors who could have could have Mary Shelley (Julie Cox) as a companion, I think the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann) is the best suited. Especially early in his adventures. She joined him in the audio Mary's Story (not necessary to listen to to enjoy this one) and goes on some adventures (we get to hear three of them). The Silver Turk is the first one and I enjoyed it as it has elements that are similar to Frankenstein and it stars one of Doctor Who's best villains a Cyberman. All of the adventures have an appropriate tone for a story starring Mary Shelley and are worth listening to. I don't think you need any prior Eighth Doctor experience to enjoy them either.

Harry Houdini's War

Publisher's Summary:

The world is at war, and Harry Houdini wants to fight for his adoptive country. He might get the chance, when an old friend crashes his New York show.

The Doctor is on the trail of a Central Powers spy ring, which has somehow acquired unearthly technology. But he is also keeping a dangerous secret…

Finding himself on the run behind enemy lines, the world’s greatest escape artist has to work out who he can trust – and fast.

My Review:

I wanted to listen this one ever since I first saw the title. Houdini (John Schwab) is such an interesting person and, as established fans would know, has been referenced a number of times by the Doctor on the TV show. This is a Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker) and Peri (Nicola Bryant) so is easy to pick up from the TV show. The Doctor needs Houdini's help with a Central Powers spy ring but, as is common with the Doctor, he's keeping something to himself. I think John Schwab does a great job. You instantly feel that Houdini has a rapport with the Doctor (they've met before). Some fun references for fans.