Big Finish Update

Monday, 5 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Big Finish has more details on some upcoming stories, including a confirmation: Geoffrey Bayldon and Carole Ann Ford return for A Storm of Angels, the seventh (and presumably final) Big Finish Unbound story due out this November, written once again by Marc Platt ("Auld Mortality"). Also now available: a cast list for the first in the new series of Paul McGann audios, Faith Stealer and cast plus a story blurb for the second, The Last, due later this year. They are as follows. (Thanks to Big Finish)
A STORM OF ANGELS, by Marc Platt

What if...the Doctor really had changed History, even just the tiniest bit?

1480: Leonardo da Vinci visits the stars.
1508: Vasco da Gama sets foot on Mars.
1585: Francis Drake begins charting the Asteroid Belt.
1588: Earth is destroyed by a storm of angels.

The Doctor was really enjoying his freedom. But now thereÆs a Temporal Agent on his tail. Gloriana and the President of Gallifrey are not amused. And SusanÆs none too well either.

Possibilities, like the Doctor, have a habit of running away with themselves. But who cares, when the jewels are so dazzlingà

Starring Geoffrey Bayldon (the Doctor) and Carole Ann Ford (Susan), with Cameron Stewart (Francis Drake), Ivor Danvers (Doctor John Dee), Ian Hallard (Zeuro), Nicholas Deal (Anthony Fettiplace), Shiv Grewal (Mr. Raju), Kate Brown (Queen Elizabeth) and Ian Brooker (Shewstone / Bosun). Directed by John Ainsworth. Out November 2004.

FAITH STEALER, by Graham Duff

Starring Paul McGann (the Doctor), India Fisher (Charley), Conrad Westmaas (C'rizz) and Stephen Perring (the Kro'Ka), with Chrsitian Rodska (Laan Carder), Tessa Shaw (The Bordinan), Jenny Coverack (Miraculite), Ifan Huw Dafydd (Bishop Parrash), Helen Kirkpatrick (Jebdal), Neil Bett (Director Garfolt), Chris Walter-Evans (The Bordinan's Assistant), John Dorney (Bakoan) and Jane Hills (L'Da). Directed by Gary Russell. Out September 2004.

THE LAST, by Gary Hopkins

Trapped on a dying world, the Doctor and Charley come face-to-face with those responsible for the war to end wars, while C'rizz tries to understand what has happened and learns the terrible truth.

Powerful forces are at work on Bortresoye that not even a nuclear holocaust can tame; natural forces that have excited the interest of Excelsior, the self-proclaimed saviour of her people.

With Charley immobilised and C'rizz left to battle against the elements with some of the victims of war, one final, desperate hope of escape presents itself to the travellers.

But who will be the last to leave the planet? Who will have to stay behind? And will the Doctor, Charley and C'rizz live long enough to find out?

Starring Paul McGann (the Doctor), India Fisher (Charley), Conrad Westmaas (C'rizz) and Stephen Perring (the Kro'Ka), with Carolyn Jones (Excelsior), Ian Brooker (Minister Voss), Robert Hines (Minister Tralfinial), Richard Derrington (Landscar), Tom Eastwood (Requiem), Jane Hills (Nurse) and John Dorney (Make-Up Assistant). Directed by Gary Russell. Out October 2004.




FILTER: - Audio

Leisure Hive Australia

Monday, 5 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
According to the ABC Shop website, October 2004 is the tentative release date for The Leisure Hive on DVD in Australia. It's likely that a New Zealand release will follow within a few weeks as usual. It appears from recent releases that the Australia DVDs are following on about 3 months after the UK versions, in a one-every-two-month pattern. (Thanks to David Dungey)




FILTER: - Classic Series - Blu-ray/DVD - Australia

Who Folks in Top Forty

Monday, 5 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Radio Times has compiled a list of the top 40 most powerful figures in UK television drama. BBC Controller Lorraine Heggessey, who gave the go-ahead to begin production on the new Doctor Who series, ranked in seventh place, whileMal Young, controller of continuing drama and an executive producer of the new show, ranks at #9. New series creator Russell T. Davies is at #17, while new Doc Christopher Eccleston rounds out the Who celeb list at #19. (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)




FILTER: - Magazines - Radio Times

Product Enterprises

Sunday, 4 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Despite reports elsewhere to the contrary, Product Enterprises is alive and well, and will be exhibiting with Alien Entertainment at the San Diego ComicCon in just a few short weeks.




FILTER: - Exhibitions

India on UK Gold

Sunday, 4 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
UK Gold is currently featuring an advert starring Big Finish regular India Fisher ("Charley"), as an employee insulting her boss so she can get fired, to be able to spend more time at home watching the UK TV channels! (Thanks to Mark DuRose)




FILTER: - People

Whotopia 3

Sunday, 4 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The new issue of the fanzine Whotopia is now available, featuring an interview with Maggie Stables, "Chamber of Horrors: An Overview of the Hinchcliffe Era," part three of an article about the making of the Doctor Who reconstructions, "An Unearthly Inception: The Origins of Doctor Who," an article about continuity between the old and new show, plus fiction, a comic feature and other articles. More details are available at whotopia.tvheaven.com.




FILTER: - Magazines

Fourbodings

Sunday, 4 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Writers Simon Clark (Telos' "The Dalek Factor") and Mark Morris (BBC Books' "Deep Blue") have written novellas for a new anthology, Fourbodings, published in the US by Cemetary Dance. (Thanks to Stephen Couch)




FILTER: - Books

BBC "Radical Vision"

Sunday, 4 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
The BBC has set out its "radical" vision for how it should operate in the 21st Century as part of its charter review process. New director general Mark Thompson and chairman Michael Grade outlined a nine-point manifesto on Tuesday, June 29. "I want a BBC that delivers wonderful programmes that offer something of value to everyone," said Mr Grade. The BBC's Royal Charter, which sets out its aims, objectives and functions, expires at the end of 2006. "Our task over the next year is to convince the British public that the BBC's role in the new digital age of plenty is both justified and necessary," said the chairman. The BBC has published the submission to the government, making the case for renewal of its charter. Among the items mentioned in it's 100 plus page document, there is a chart labeled "Some Programmes To Remember 1950-2004," (on page 33) listing eight important programmes in their respective categories (Factual and Sport; Drama; and Comedy and Entertainment) in each respective time period (1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000-2004). "Doctor Who" is mentioned in 1960s Drama, while other British science fiction/fantasy series are mentioned as such: 1950s Drama- "The Quatermass Experiment" and "Nineteen Eighty-four"; 1980s Drama- "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Lord of the Rings." Full details are available at BBC News. (Thanks to Joey Reynolds)




FILTER: - Press

Kaldor City Update

Sunday, 4 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
Magic Bullet Productions has confirmed a sixth CD release in their Kaldor City audio line, continuing the characters and situations originally created by Chris Boucher for the Doctor Who serial "The Robots of Death". The new CD is entitledStorm Mine and is being written by Daniel O'Mahony ("The Cabinet of Light"). Also noted at the recent Time2 convention was that Magic Bullet's new line of Faction Paradox CDs (as we reported early, MB has taken over the line from BBV) will feature Gabriel Woolf reprising his Doctor Who series role of Sutekh the Destroyer ("Pyramids of Mars") in two new installments written by Lawrence Miles. (Thanks to Fiona Moore)




FILTER: - Audio

Sylvester Routs Lager Monsters

Sunday, 4 July 2004 - Reported by Shaun Lyon
According to an article in the June 26 The Times, Sylvester McCoy, with the help of Camden council, forced a pub to exterminate part of its beer garden. "McCoy... complained to council planning officials," says the article, "after drunken customers in the garden of The Hill, in Chalk Farm, North London, indulged in Dalek-like behaviour, jeering and abusing him as he visited friends nearby. The Scottish born actor, who lives nearby in Hampstead, wrote to the council saying he had been visiting a house next to the pub for 30 years but over the past year the foul-mouthed behaviour of some customers had made it unbearable. 'It's embarrassing coming in, as the clientele shout and jeer as you come up the stairs to the house,' Mr McCoy wrote. After receiving the complaint Camden's development control sub-committee agreed to issue an enforcement order against Geronimo Inns, the pub's owners, on the ground that a previous owner had made alterations to the pub and its garden without being given planning permission. Councillors have given The Hill six months to remove raised decking in the garden which allows drinkers to sit within inches of neighbours' windows. Other changes to the Grade II listed building will also have to be removed. Camden Council ruled that the alterations had damaged the design of the historic pub and said that changes to the garden had intensified its use and had caused a loss of privacy to neighbours." (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)




FILTER: - Press - Sylvester McCoy