|
|
"The Dark Flame never dies... Somewhere, somehow it always
burns.
It can never be extinguished." |
|
 |
The
Dark Flame
(Trevor Baxendale) |
|
 "The
Dark Flame" has been written by Trevor Baxendale
and is his debut Big Finish Productions audio adventure.
Until this year, Baxendale was known only as a novelist
for the Eighth Doctor with his Doctor Who novels:
"The Janus Conjunction", "Coldheart"
and "Eater
of Wasps". Then in January 2003 his Fifth Doctor
book "Fear of the Dark" was published.
This
story again stars Sylvester McCoy, as the Seventh
Doctor,
with Sophie Aldred, as Ace, and New Adventures companion
Bernice Summerfield, played by Lisa Bowerman. This will
be Benny's second Big Finish Productions Doctor Who
audio story - the first being "The Shadow of the
Scourge". It is directed by Jason Haigh-Ellery and
was recorded 26th and 27th January 2003.
Former
star of Robin of Sherwood and Dynasty, Michael
Praed, guest-stars in this 'sidestep' adventure that draws
on the continuity established by Virgin Publishing's series
of New
Adventures novels.
Also
starring are: Toby Langworth, Hannah Smith, Andrew Westfield
and Steven Wickham.
Onboard
the TARDIS
The Doctor and Ace are heading for the Space Station Orbos,
a small moon, converted into a scientific base that orbits
the planet Marran Alpha. Benny meanwhile is already on
Orbos, where she had arranged to meet an old friend and
fellow archaeologist Victor Farrison. But there has been
no sign of him since her arrival. The Doctor also expects
to meet an old friend, Remnex who is one of three scientists
experi-menting with black light on Orbos.
 |
| Seventh Doctor |
|
However, before they get there the TARDIS is
unexpectedly attacked when Remnex tries to make contact with The Doctor to warn
them to beware of The Dark Flame.
All because a
thousand years ago, the evil Cult of the Dark Flame infiltrated every star
system in the galaxy. In the history books the Cult is legendary, its despotic
leader a terrible memory. But The Doctor learns that for some the Dark Flame
still burns and worse, for some its horrifying power is the ultimate goal.
On
The Doctor and Ace's arrival they discover that the station is home to a
dangerous experiment, which is being subverted by the malign influence of an
ancient evil which is exerting itself on the surrounding area.
With the extreme conditions on the planet danger
is never far away for the travellers. And even the space station is not safe
with mad scientists attempting to reactive a long-dead ancient evil and armies
of the Dead on the loose.
When Ace is attacked, and with Benny nowhere to be
seen, it is soon realised that Professor Slyde is not to be trusted as it is he
who pushed Benny into a transmat and that because of the inhospitable surface
of Marran Alpha she could already be dead...
 |
Sylvester McCoy
with Sophie and
Lisa |
|
What relics lurk beneath the inhospitable surface
of Marran Alpha in the underground caves and why is it the home of this strange
cult? What is the hidden danger of the experi-ments? Why is The Doctor warned
about the ancient cult of the Dark Flame, worshippers of an energy being and
could Ace really be part of it? How can the cult's cruel leader retain any
influence, centuries after spreading fear throughout the galaxy? Just how will
Benny figure in a countdown to doomsday and why when she gets the chance does
she not destroy the relic but instead hands it to the Emissary, who thanks her
kindly for giving him the power of destruction...?
Above all for
whom does the Dark Flame still fiercely burn?
While a
captured archaeologist and his robot are forced to find the vital missing
component - a dangerous skull - to complete the procedure it soon becomes clear
that it is a very powerful force that The Doctor and his companions are dealing
with and that an ancient evil is awakening.
|
|
Notes:
- Featuring the Seventh
Doctor, Ace and Bernice
Summerfield.
- Serial Number: SS4
- Number of Episodes: 4
- Cover Length: 100 minutes
- Episode Lengths: 1 = 27'07", 2 = 26'51",
3 = 25'58", 4 = 35'47"
- Total Story Length: 115'43"
- This story takes place between Virgin Publishing's
New Adventures novels 'All-Consuming
Fire' and 'Blood
Harvest'.
- Cover Illustration: Lee Binding
- Recorded: 26th and 27th January 2003
- Recording Location: The Moat Studios
- Released: March 2003
- ISBN: 1-84435-025-8
|
|
On the Back Cover:
A
thousand years ago, the evil Cult of the Dark Flame infiltrated
every star system in the galaxy. In the history books
the Cult is legendary, its despotic leader a terrible
memory.
But
for some the Dark Flame still burns. For some, its horrifying
power is the ultimate goal. All that is required is for
the right people to be in the wrong place and time…
An
archaeologist and his robot are on the poisonous world
of Marran Alpha, where they will uncover a hideous relic.
The Doctor and Ace are on their way to the deep space
research centre Orbos, where Professor Bernice Summerfield
is soon to start the countdown to universal Armageddon.
|
Four acolytes of Evil.
Three mad scientists.
Two companions.
One Doctor. |
| |
|
On the Inside Cover:
TIME
TRAVEL IS NOT impossible Big Finish regularly takes us
back in time to revisit the days - and in our hearts they're
always Saturdays - when Doctor Who really was 'on'.
Now The Doctor continues his adventures, and in various
incarnations, rightly unaffected by such small things
as age or cancellation.
Only
now Doctor Who is sometimes cleverer, wittier,
and most importantly, scarier than ever before. But even
this modern miracle is not the whole story. Big Finish
has worked its time travel magic again so that we can
revisit the New Adventures as well. Only now we can hear
Sylvester, Sophie and Lisa bringing life to those Virgin
Books days: the giddy first leap in original Doctor
Who fiction made real. I always wanted to write a
New Adventure. Happily, I've always wanted to write a
Big Finish audio play as well. Combining the two is a
strange, intoxicating experience. I sincerely hope the
listener will share in that experience. (One thing no
one will share, however, is the dramatic timing read-through
by my family - proof positive that the role of The Doctor
is certainly not actor-proof!)
Why
The Dark Flame? For old time's sake, of course
- but that's personal. For you, the chance once again
to hear The Doctor, Ace and Benny in action - in four
25-minute episodes. Not so long ago, this would never
have seemed probable, let alone possible.
But
here we are. Doctor Who alive and very, very well.
The New Adventures revisited and revitalised.
When
you think about it, nothing is impossible.
|
Trevor Baxendale,
December 2002 |
Trevor Baxendale lives in Liverpool. A number
of contemporary talented Doctor Who writers come
from the North West of England - most be something in
the water. He’s written an number of BBC Doctor
Who novels - including Eater of Wasps, Coldheart
and The Janus Conjunction. His latest, Fear
of the Dark was published in January this year. |
| |
|
Production Notes:
Trevor
Baxendale submitted The Dark Flame back in September
2000, shortly after The
Shadow of the Scourge had been released, at the
request of producer Gary Russell. He was looking for another
drama with the same Doctor/Companion team as Paul Cornell's
Scourge but wanted to go with a writer who hadn't
actually contributed to the Virgin book range in which
the characters first appeared together.
Trevor's
initial submission was pretty close to the final production
- although a number of names changed: Slyde was Prokesa,
Lomar (originally a man) was Myles and Victor was Harry
Farrison, who had a robot called Kit. The planet was
originally called Lomar (Trevor clearly likes the name!),
and later
became Sorus Alpha' which was eventually changed to Marran
Alpha, so as not to cause confusion with Thorus Alpha
from the television story MindWarp. |
| |
|
Full Cast List:
| The Doctor |
Sylvester McCoy |
| Ace |
Sophie Aldred |
| Bernice Summerfield |
Lisa Bowerman |
| Broke |
Toby Langworth |
| Professor Slyde |
Michael Praed |
| Professor Lomas |
Hannah Smith |
| Remnex |
Andrew Westfield |
| Victor |
Steven Wickham |
The Production Team:
| Writer |
Trevor Baxendale |
| Director |
Jason Haigh-Ellery |
| Sound/Music |
Andy Hardwick (ERS) |
| Theme Music |
David Darlington |
| Producers |
Gary Russell and
Jason Haigh-Ellery |
| Executive Producer for the BBC |
Jaqueline Rayner |
|
|
|
|
