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The
Next Life
(Alan Barnes and Gary Russell) |
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 "The
Next Life" is the concluding story for 2004 in the
final Eighth
Doctor Audio season, starring Paul McGann, as The
Doctor, India Fisher, as Charley
Pollard, and Conrad Westmaas, as C’rizz.
This
is Alan Barnes' fourth Eighth Doctor story and sees a
return match between The Doctor and Rassilon where the
truth about the Divergents is finally revealed. Gary Russell
is also the director and it was recorded 24th, 25th, 31st
August 2004 and on the 3rd September 2004.
"The Next Life" is a triple CD adventure which
Big Finish Productions has released at the same price
as a normal release to subscribers. This six part story
concludes the two season story arc that has seen the Eighth
Doctor, Charley and C’rizz trapped in the universe
of the Divergents. It also has the unenviable task of
prematurely tying up the plot threads of the last year’s
worth of audios.
Guest
starring in "The Next Life" are Daphne Ashbrook,
Paul McGann's co-star and companion Dr Grace Holloway from
"Doctor
Who: The Movie". Also in the
guest cast list are Paul Darrow, who played Avon in Blake's
7, and Anneke Wills, who played companion Polly
during the final television season for the First
Doctor and the beginning of the Second
Doctor. Also starring are Stephane Cornicard, Don
Warrington, Stephen Perring, Jane Hills, Stephen Mansfield
and Jane Goddard.
There
is danger on the beach, in the jungle and in the Church
of the Foundation. In fact all things must die…
and will…
The
Doctor and his TARDIS
are at last reunited and now that his quest to recover
his time machine is over it is time he used it to chart
the unexplored wonders in the Divergents universe. At
least that is the plan…
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| Eighth Doctor |
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However,
with the TARDIS plunging uncontrollably into the atmosphere
of a mysterious blue planet The Doctor is forced to take
emergency action. One which leads to The Doctor being
separated from his two travelling companions, Charley
and C’rizz, who both find themselves in their own
strange, dream-like tales and have to face the reality
of death and the afterlife.
Charley finds herself visited by her mother and has to
come to terms at how hardened to death she has become
in her travels with The Doctor. She also has an encounter
with Simon Murchford, whose identity she stole to board
the R-101 all those years ago, and also realises how he
has been effected by her actions.
C’rizz is forced to re-live the morning of his wedding
to L’da, the last moments of normality before the
Kromon and The Doctor entered his life, and so come to
terms with his relationship to his former wife to be.
He also has to come to terms with his relationship with
The Doctor, Charley, and with Guidance, leader of the
Church of the Foundation, whose ties to C’rizz are
more than they first appear and explain his tendency to
easily fall under the spell of the villains he encounters.
The
Doctor meanwhile has his own problems to sort when he
finds himself washed up on the sandy shores of an isolated
paradise island where something is pushing him towards
the centre where hopefully he will find the way home.
But first he has to prevent himself becoming the next
meal when giant crabs attack him. Thankfully he is rescued
by Perfection. With all this and more happening he does
not have the time to start to worry about his two companions
and more importantly who is behind the recent events.
As it seems is not just the Divergents who are behind
the games and tests The Doctor and his two travelling
companions have had to endure since The Doctor’s
and Charley’s arrival in this alternative universe.
Now it’s the turn for Rassilon to make The Doctor’s
life hell and for The Doctor’s two travelling companions
to realise the truth about The Doctor since his encounter
with Zagreus which resulted in him being contaminated
by anti-time.
But
first The Doctor, accompanied by Perfection, has to face
a mad dash for survival through the harsh, oppressive
jungle environment into the dark heart of the mysterious
island, to discover the deepest secrets of this timeless
cosmos. That is if being accused of the death of Jembere-bud
- a young native girl, bloodsucking leeches, killer crocodiles
and murderous natives out for revenge does not get to
them first. They are forced into fighting for their lives
just so that they can outwit their pursuer, the dastardly
Daqar Keep - the richest man in the galaxy who also has
something to hide. But can The Doctor trust the feisty
and flirty Perfection especially as she is the wife of
Daqar Keep?
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| India
Fisher |
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Meanwhile, fellow travellers Charley and C'rizz have to
face artificial realities and a conspicuous absence of
The Doctor while under the influence of Rassilon’s
Dreamweaver. But it is not long before they soon realise
that their own ordeals are the result of being in the
grip of The Doctor's most dangerous rival. And in a universe
that's facing extinction, even the best of friends may
soon become enemies even after they wake up...
For
it is then that Charley and C'rizz come face-to-face with
Rassilon’s villainy and the Divergent universe’s
life cycle. They also learn the real truth about Zagreus
and the anti-time virus and that their experiences with
The Doctor may not be what they seem. Could Rassilon’s
attempt to divide and conquer the TARDIS team for good
actually succeed as the breakdown of the friendship between
them develops beyond repair and as their antagonism grows
and their camaraderie falls apart?
Or will their trust in The Doctor prevail and so allow
them to thwart Rassilon’s plans, and allow them
to assist The Doctor to return to the real universe once
more? Or will they accept the facts that have been placed
in front of them that and they will have to face things
alone now that The Doctor it seems has abandoned them
to their fate? Or will they end up not trusting each other
and if so which companion will believe Rassilon's convincing
case against The Doctor and so risk breaking up a longstanding
friendship?
But
who is the real villain responsible for current events?
Is it Rassilon, Guidance - another Eutermesan with an
unforeseen connection to C'rizz, Daqar Keep or maybe another?
Or maybe it is the planet itself? And what about the Church
of the Foundation - could this religious organisation
end up becoming The Doctor’s salvation or responsible
for their death?
Will The Doctor and his companions be able to win the
struggle to stop Rassilon and the Divergents from entering
the real universe? More importantly will The Doctor be
able to unite both of his companions once more or will
the revelation of C'rizz's big secret prevent this from
happening? Can The Doctor and his two time travelling
companions be able to escape back to the real universe
or will one of them find themselves left behind? And what
will await them if they do return?
For
one of them life will never be the same again…
Also
for this month Big Finish Productions released another
exclusive release for subscribers to their Doctor
Who audio range. Titled "Her
Final Flight" this single CD story
has been written by Robert Shearman and features the Sixth
Doctor and Peri.
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Notes:
- Featuring the Eighth
Doctor,
Charley Pollard and C'rizz.
- Serial Number: 8V
- Number of Episodes: 6
- Cover Length: 220 minutes
- Episode Lengths: 1 = 33'13", 2 = 31'35",
3 = 28'26", 4 = 28'02", 5 = 26'53",
6 = 39'34"
- Total Story Length: 187'43"
- This story takes place after "Doctor
Who: The Movie" and follows on from last month’s "Caerdroia".
- Cover Illustration: Steve Johnson
- Recorded: 24th, 25th, 31st August 2004 and 3rd
September 2004.
- Recording Location: ????
- Released: December 2004
- ISBN: 1-84435-105-X
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On the Back
Cover:
"All things
must die." Washed up on
the sandy shores of a paradise island, a wild-eyed shipwreck
survivor is rescued by the wife of Daqar Keep, the richest
man in the galaxy.
Her name's Perfection.
He's The Doctor. Together, they face a journey into
the dark heart of this mysterious island, to discover
the deepest secrets of this timeless cosmos. That's
if the giant crabs, killer crocodiles and murderous
natives don't get them first.
Meanwhile, fellow
travellers Charley and C'rizz have their own ordeal
to endure, in the grip of The Doctor's most dangerous
rival. And in a universe that's facing extinction, even
the best of friends may soon become enemies...
This life is almost
over. And not everyone will make it to the next.
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Full Cast List:
| The Doctor |
Paul McGann |
| Charley Pollard |
India Fisher |
| C'rizz |
Conrad Westmaas |
| Perfection |
Daphne Ashbrook |
| Guidance |
Paul Darrow |
| Daqar Keep |
Stephane Cornicard |
| Rassilon |
Don Warrington |
| The Kro'Ka |
Stephen Perring |
| Lady Louisa Pollard |
Anneke Wills |
| L'da |
Jane Hills |
| Simon Murchford |
Stephen Mansfield |
| Mother of Jembere-Bud |
Jane Goddard |
The Production Team:
| Writer |
Alan Barnes and Gary Russell |
| Director |
Gary Russell |
| Sound/Music |
Andy Hardwick and Russell
Stone |
| Theme Music |
David Arnold & David Darlington |
| Assistant Producer |
Ian Farrington |
| Producers |
Gary Russell and
Jason Haigh-Ellery |
| Executive Producer for the BBC |
Jaqueline Rayner |
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