Physician, Heal Thyself: 'Think of me as your guardian angel...' Bad ideas are his favourite kind, he can spin them into gold. You can’t re-write the past, he says with some degree of certainty although we know that is not always the case.The last scene is lovely, how it ties up the Doctor’s part in the story and how it turns him into a Christmas miracle. It’s lovely.
Liv Chenka: ‘Who out you in charge?’ ‘Circumstances! We don’t have time for an election!’ Even if she knows she will be gotten in the end that will never stop her from trying. What is it about Nicola Walker, who can sound so deadpan and causal in the part of Liv Chenka and yet when she is given emotional material she manages to absolutely break my heart. She did it in Absent Friends and she does so again in the climax to this tale.
Helen Sinclair: Helen has a point; how is believing in wishes that come true any more absurd than the things they usually have to deal with? In the circumstances of giant mythical demons stomping around European cities throwing people into Hell, Helen is willing to suspend her disbelief. Gambling life on a ‘might’ is business as usual. She’s just really, really smart and she proves that throughout this story.
Standout Performance: Some people have voices so rich and full of character that they were simply made for audio and Sian Phillips is one of those people. It’s a shame that she is shunted off into the framing device that holds this half of the story together because I would happily have had her as a main participant, such is the joy of luxuriating in her beautiful voice. Who the Pilgrim turns out to be is one of the loveliest moment in a story packed full of them. I guess I should have known when she was able to operate the controls of the TARDIS.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘Don’t you think if wishes could come true that the world would be a bit of a nicer place?’
‘We’re going to save the day!’
‘That’s the sound of salvation!’
‘I want my lovely, beautiful and clever friend back!’
'Nobody wants a tragedy at Christmas.'
Great Ideas: Trust John Dorney to take the story down a route that you wouldn’t expect. Anybody under the impression that Fairytale in Salzburg will pick up where Better Watch Out is going to be boggled as we head back in time to before the chaos broke out to give the entire situation more substance and explanation. We discover how the Krampus came to be, the work of a desperate woman and a mischievous wish maker, and get to see the Doctor, Liv and Helen arriving from the point of view of the guest characters. It’s a really fascinating reversal because in the first half they were the focus of this scene and this time around they are just three people in a crowd enthusing about snow and Christmas like everybody else. And why not? The Doctor is not the central figure in everybody’s lives. The TARDIS is a bit like Santa’s sack – you’d be amazed what you can fit in there.
Result: ‘They’ve got your scent!’ Atmospheric, surprising, scary and really fun, Fairytale in Salzburg brews up a magical spell. The first 15 minutes of this story are a revelation, belonging entirely to the guest the guest characters and barely featuring the Doctor, Liv and Helen and showing that this Christmas spectacular really is something a bit different. With a very strong guest cast and some mighty fine characterisation you barely notice that the regulars are missing. When they do take their part in the action their dialogue is better than it has ever been before, suggesting relationships that have grown into something quite special built on mutual trust and an education of experiences. I was dazzled as one great line hit its target after another. In the wake of so many Big Finish stories where the dialogue can be so functional, it’s lovely to have a writer presenting his script in such a witty, memorable way with lines steeped in character. The climax of the story, with the myth coming full circle and the identity of the Bishop revealed, should be ridiculously corny but it’s presented so honestly that it worked a treat for me. I feel a Christmas story deserves a touch of magic and Fairytale in Salzburg certainly doesn’t disappoint. This could have been a simple tale of good versus evil but instead it becomes a tale of salvation, of hope and of being very careful what you wish for. How it cements the future of one of the Doctor’s companions is surprising and beautifully handled. This is confidently presented tale, superbly directed by Ken Bentley and with sound design and music that compliment the story magnificently. To have a two-part story where neither part is a disappointment is a rarity and this is terrific example of promising much and then delivering something very different and paying off because of it. McGann, Walker and Morahan are a formidable team these days, sporting an effortless chemistry. I’m a little scared because when a team of regulars reach an apotheosis like this it usually means it is time to split them up before they get stale. Listen to this story as soon as you can, it’s Big Finish at its brilliant best: 10/10
Great Ideas: Trust John Dorney to take the story down a route that you wouldn’t expect. Anybody under the impression that Fairytale in Salzburg will pick up where Better Watch Out is going to be boggled as we head back in time to before the chaos broke out to give the entire situation more substance and explanation. We discover how the Krampus came to be, the work of a desperate woman and a mischievous wish maker, and get to see the Doctor, Liv and Helen arriving from the point of view of the guest characters. It’s a really fascinating reversal because in the first half they were the focus of this scene and this time around they are just three people in a crowd enthusing about snow and Christmas like everybody else. And why not? The Doctor is not the central figure in everybody’s lives. The TARDIS is a bit like Santa’s sack – you’d be amazed what you can fit in there.
Result: ‘They’ve got your scent!’ Atmospheric, surprising, scary and really fun, Fairytale in Salzburg brews up a magical spell. The first 15 minutes of this story are a revelation, belonging entirely to the guest the guest characters and barely featuring the Doctor, Liv and Helen and showing that this Christmas spectacular really is something a bit different. With a very strong guest cast and some mighty fine characterisation you barely notice that the regulars are missing. When they do take their part in the action their dialogue is better than it has ever been before, suggesting relationships that have grown into something quite special built on mutual trust and an education of experiences. I was dazzled as one great line hit its target after another. In the wake of so many Big Finish stories where the dialogue can be so functional, it’s lovely to have a writer presenting his script in such a witty, memorable way with lines steeped in character. The climax of the story, with the myth coming full circle and the identity of the Bishop revealed, should be ridiculously corny but it’s presented so honestly that it worked a treat for me. I feel a Christmas story deserves a touch of magic and Fairytale in Salzburg certainly doesn’t disappoint. This could have been a simple tale of good versus evil but instead it becomes a tale of salvation, of hope and of being very careful what you wish for. How it cements the future of one of the Doctor’s companions is surprising and beautifully handled. This is confidently presented tale, superbly directed by Ken Bentley and with sound design and music that compliment the story magnificently. To have a two-part story where neither part is a disappointment is a rarity and this is terrific example of promising much and then delivering something very different and paying off because of it. McGann, Walker and Morahan are a formidable team these days, sporting an effortless chemistry. I’m a little scared because when a team of regulars reach an apotheosis like this it usually means it is time to split them up before they get stale. Listen to this story as soon as you can, it’s Big Finish at its brilliant best: 10/10
I loved this story. I really did. Best Doctor Who Christmas story since the one with Michael Gambon. Makes me wish Big Finish could package this 2-parter up as its own thing for new listeners to buy rather than tying it to the Ravenous arc.
ReplyDeleteOh I *love* John Dorney. At the beginning of Better Watch Out, the narration made me honestly think it's gonna be another knock-off Christmas Carol with The Doctor being the Ghost for the Landlord McScrooge. I groaned but I continued, then the imps and Krampus showed up and it's one hell of a ride. This is probably one of Helen's best story. Her dedication and Liv's bravery made this my favourite TARDIS team, gold star!
ReplyDeleteMy only complaint is this boxset should be named/made like Further Adventures of Lucie Miller instead of another arc-heavy like Dark Eyes and Doom Coalition. We've almost halfway of the entire series, but the Ravenous was only mentioned once, and the listeners wouldn't even realize it until The Doctor and Liv's line about hearing "something".