The Tertiary Console Room: Review - Doctor Who Unbound

'I have no interest in changing the course of history...'

At one time or another, most Doctor Who fans will have pondered the question of what would have happened if a particular event befell the Doctor or a certain story turned out a different way to how it actually happened. For the fortieth anniversary of the series, Big Finish have created their new range of audio adventures Doctor Who Unbound taking these 'what if?' questions further and exploring their implications and their possibilities. To start things off, they have enlisted the services of a writer, whose novels have investigated and uncovered the origins of the Doctor himself, to ask one of the most fundamental 'what if?' questions - what if the Doctor never left Gallifrey? That writer is Marc Platt and his Auld Mortality demonstrates that the answers are never as simple as they may seem...

Since the broadcast of Ghost Light, Platt's subsequent Doctor Who work has always been ready to challenge its audience by telling complex stories that require thought and imagination to reap the best rewards from them and Auld Mortality is no exception as he throws the listener into a world where the Doctor's wanderlust to explore and understand the history of other worlds is satisfied by projections of probable possibilities rather than actually experiencing them for himself. Platt was undoubtedly the right writer to tell this story because of his background as the author of two of the most seminal novels on the subject of Gallifrey and the history of the Time Lords in the shape of both Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible and Lungbarrow. Platt draws upon elements of the latter frequently during Auld Mortality to add a rich texture to his depiction of the Doctor and Gallifrey, emphasising the sense of like but not alike, however he is far too astute a writer to make specific knowledge of Lungbarrow requisite to the understanding of this audio adventure and so these references add an extra layer of enjoyment to the story for those who have read the book but will not hamper the enjoyment of Auld Mortality for those who have not.

The audio begins curiously with a narrated piece by the Doctor which introduces the idea of how he gains inspiration for his own stories by placing himself literally into them, seeing himself as the Adventurer. This establishes the peculiarity of the atmosphere which saturates the story almost immediately as it wrong foots the listener as they are expecting a story where the Doctor has never left Gallifrey and here he is observing the march of the Carthaginian general Hannibal and his army. As the listener realises that the Doctor is narrating a story where he sees himself as the central character travelling through time and space, it shows a great deal about how this Doctor longs to travel and experience these events for himself yet he cannot. The idea of the Doctor as narrator means that Platt can set the scene for these aspects of the story using very florid descriptive dialogue without it coming across as being out of place because he's stretching the boundaries of the audio medium by having the Hannibal scenes as effectively a story within a story. Indeed Platt has fun alluding to the conventions of the Doctor Who historical based stories most popular during the William Hartnell era within this scenario with the Doctor developing an uneasy alliance with the historical figure in question after they have saved him from certain disaster.

Platt carefully cuts back to the 'real' world of this Doctor with the first appearance by Badger - one of two characters brought to life here from Lungbarrow - who is responding on the Doctor's behalf to a Presidential invitation. While this scene is an excellent juxtaposition of showing the Doctor's indulgence in fantasy with the simplicity of his life as a reclusive writer of celebrated romances, such as 'An Adventurer In Space And Time', it also shows the extent of Badger's role in the Doctor's life. There is a sense of routine about his choice of pre-prepared responses that indicates that he's been assisting the Doctor for a long time and coupled with an atmosphere indicative of stagnation, the listener can deduce that the Doctor has been living this solitary existence for a considerable duration. The contrast between these Gallifrey based scenes and those of the Hannibal subplot is stark and helps to emphasise how different and isolated the Doctor's life is, after he chose to remain on Gallifrey.

One of the core themes of Auld Mortality is the idea that there are infinite possibilities for every action. Given that the concept behind the Doctor Who Unbound series is to pose questions and show how things might have been, Platt picks up on this and works it into his story which allows him to hint at the nature of those unlimited possibilities, drawing inspiration from not only the television series and the New Adventures novels, but also things like the novelisation of the first Dalek story. All of this contributes to a sense of demonstrating that in a universe where anything can happen, it seems rather silly to pigeonhole stories down to a single overriding canon. In a way it's offering an explanation and justification for the existence for stories that do not sit comfortably alongside established Doctor Who continuity and in this respect it is the perfect story to begin the Doctor Who Unbound series as it is effectively opening the way to explore more of the infinite possibilities they can bring in subsequent stories.

The most difficult aspect of all six of these Doctor Who Unbound stories will be the introducing and establishing of the Doctor. By showing the Geoffrey Bayldon version of the Doctor observing Hannibal first, Platt determines that he is an individual interested in understanding other cultures and their history, which is a recognisable trait of the Doctor's, but when the truth of this is that he can only do this through experiencing the possible realities rather than the actuality of the period in question, that he is content to acquaint himself with the detail through observing the part that Hannibal played in history rather than living through it himself, the listener can feel sadness towards him as this Doctor hasn't made the same choice to leave Gallifrey that the Doctor of the 'real' universe did and accepts projections as a substitute to the real thing. Of course, this raises the significant question of why the Doctor failed to steal the TARDIS and leave his homeworld in the first place, and naturally the answers to this are forthcoming in the story. When these answers arrive, it does alleviate the sense of the Doctor's hypocritical nature that is raised here because he scorns the attitude of the other Time Lords for their failure to act when forces such as the Thaleks continue their advance across the universe but he is in fact perhaps a worse position as he does care about what happens, yet chooses to remain safely at home away from it all. Despite this stance it is hard not to like this Doctor because of the careful way that he's written coupled with the sprightly performance of Bayldon which ensure that he endears himself almost immediately from the start of the play and the strength of attachment grows the longer the play progresses.

The catalyst for change in this story is the arrival of the Doctor's granddaughter Susan, played once more by Carole Ann Ford. This is interesting because while the Doctor is different and new, having the same actress who played Susan when Doctor Who began forty years ago gives a contrast of old and new elements. This further emphasises the fact that the universe of Auld Mortality is a different result of a possibility which resulted in the adventures of the First Doctor and Susan on television and is underlined by the differing explanation of her origin offered here to the one featured in Lungbarrow. Susan's arrival into the events of the story form a turning point for the Doctor but it also helps to emphasis the desolateness of his isolation by highlighting exactly where he's been living during his reclusive phase.

The other (no, not that Other) character revisited from Lungbarrow is the head of the Doctor's House, Ordinal-General Quences. Always a shadowy figure, Quences' role within Auld Mortality is as mysterious as he is as a character. He drifts in and out of his scenes almost stalking the Doctor with his intense questioning and his sepulchral manner, conveying disappointment and resentment towards his relative. Platt constructs an enigmatic shroud around this character as we hear him drawing doubts to the Doctor's attention, such as the fact that his literary works are shallow, worthless pap despite being loved by the planet's population as a whole. The scenes between him and the Doctor before Susan's arrival show their adversity to each other despite their ancestral connection because of the Doctor's failure to live up to his and the rest of the family's expectation. The question of why Quences wanted so badly for the Doctor to rise above his station and become a figure of importance - such as the President of the Supreme Council of Time Lords - hints obliquely at his true purpose which when ultimately revealed makes perfect sense in the context of the story.

As with Platt's previous Doctor Who audio scripts, the most memorable element is the wonderful dialogue which is full of wit and delight, and although there are occasional moments of indulgence such as reusing, in a slightly paraphrased form, the opening line to Lungbarrow - 'Time's roses, scented with memory.' Given how these words conjure up such beautiful imagery though, in this case I think Platt can be excused for wanting this line to be spoken out loud by the Doctor. With Auld Mortality the importance of the dialogue is heightened because the story as a whole is very much an exploration of the Doctor's character and his identity and as such the dialogue moves the story forward through the evolution of the characters rather than showing a reliance upon specific plot-devices. This does contribute to the play having a very relaxed feel to it which gives it an unhurried pace but because of the exceptionally compelling nature of the script and performances it becomes extremely easy to get caught up in the Doctor's world and the incredibly long (for a single CD release) running time of just under eighty minutes passes by without notice as it almost as if time itself stops for the drama.

In casting Auld Mortality there is a distinct mix of new and familiar faces for the performers, the most significant of these choices though has to be the actor playing the Doctor. No matter how good the script may be, the performance of the actor taking on the role of the Doctor is crucial to its success as this will effectively make or break the play. Here, the role is taken by Geoffrey Bayldon who is no stranger to the world of Doctor Who having appeared as Organon in the 1979 television story The Creature From The Pit and he has long been suggested as a potential actor for the part. What's more he's absolutely marvellous and the strength of this reflects the correctness of the production team's casting choice.

The most amazing thing about Bayldon's performance is the sprightly energy he injects into his Doctor which belies his own age. By putting lots of enthusiasm into his performance, Bayldon endears himself with his quirkiness and vitality. Perhaps because of this, as the listener gets to know more about the Doctor of Auld Mortality he becomes something of a tragic figure as he has been stagnating for hundreds of years trapped in his solitary existence, able to exert his energy and desire to understand other races through a probable facsimile. He's trapped on Gallifrey yet he shows no real desire to escape and he can't remember why he chose to stay. Given that he's playing the part as a slightly eccentric old man, comparisons with William Hartnell's portrayal are inevitable, but largely unfair as Bayldon really does make the part his own through the conviction of his performance. While it's certainly disconcerting initially to hear someone different as the Doctor, it's a credit to Bayldon that by the end of the story that the listener can believe wholeheartedly that he really is the Doctor.

When Carole Ann Ford played Susan on television forty years ago the essential problem with her character was that there was little of the mystique that surrounded the Doctor, despite the fact that they were both outsiders and exiles from their then unknown race. As Susan was written sometimes too generically, there was little depth to the character for Ford to work with. With Auld Mortality Platt gives Susan the maturity that she never had - she's an older, wiser character but she still has the idealism and optimism of her youth and is determined to use them for good. Ford herself is very assured in her performance, which is her first for Big Finish, giving Susan a dignity fitting for her role here, and as such it's arguably her best ever one in Doctor Who. She develops a tremendous rapport with Geoffrey Bayldon and they bring to life the scenes of reflection between the Doctor and his granddaughter beautifully to the extent that it is both poignant and emotionally stirring. During the play's climax she is exceedingly effective as she demonstrates how confident and powerful a presence Susan can really be.

Perhaps the most interesting of the supporting characters is Derren Nesbitt's Quences. Nesbitt always seems to be cast as shady characters (see his role in Platt's last Big Finish story Spare Parts for instance) but with Quences there is a fierce power lurking behind his outward appearance and Nesbitt excels in bringing this out. While those listeners who have read Lungbarrow will anticipate some of the revelations about the character, although certainly not all of them, Platt delves deeper into his psyche with startling results. Nesbitt is an intense actor and he brings this to the role ensuring that Quences comes across as the sinister sepulchral figure in robes of night intended.

The supporting cast is made up of Big Finish regular actors and all of them perform their roles excellently which justifies the decision to use them all here. Toby Longworth, the versatile voice master, plays Badger - the Doctor's mechanised servant - well, injecting him with an air of disinterest that makes him seem sometimes like a stereotypical snooty butler, but the idea that Badger is exerting an influence over the Doctor is played in believably because of the fact that both Bayldon and Longworth perform their lines subtly through the change of intonation in their voices. This gives Badger a sinister aspect which is at odds with his usual persona and when combined with the way he treats Susan upon her arrival, it adds a level of ambiguity to the character which heightens the tension of the story and gives some implicit hints about why the Doctor remains on his homeworld. Matthew Brenher often seems to be cast as noble warrior types, and the role of Hannibal suits him absolutely as he brings both the intense passion and determination to do the best by his men to the fore which makes him suspicious of the Doctor and his motivations, worried as he is about the possibility of spies telegraphing his plans to his enemies. An interesting aspect of the part is how as the story progresses Hannibal becomes aware of the fact that he is merely a possible version of himself, created by the Doctor, and that the same is true of the land he finds himself in, but it doesn't prevent him from seeking out the best way to accomplish his goals. One of the most delightful performances in Auld Mortality though comes from Ian Brooker in the role of Surus, who it transpires is Hannibal's own elephant! The joy the Doctor feels when he discovers that this elephant talks is felt by the listener too because while it's an absurd image it works within the confines of the story the Doctor has created as it shows how the experimentation within the play is operating. Brooker employs a nice line in sardonic wit to make this work without going over the top with it and he conveys Surus' devotion and loyalty to his master brilliantly.

The Doctor Who Unbound series features two new arrangements of the famous theme music, the first of which, by Alistair Lock, debuts here. It's certainly an improvement on Lock's last effort (featured on Last Of The Titans) and reflects the differing approach of the Unbound series by capturing the essence of the original yet showing this in a unique way. It's quite guttural at first and while at times it does seem to be building towards becoming overblown and bombastic, it veers back before this happens and ensures that the play gets off to a good beginning.

Lock also makes his return after a considerable absence to the music and post-production duties. His score is excellent, full of contrasting elements which are fitting for their respective parts of the storyline. In particular, the music for the scenes set within the Hannibal sections create an epic sense of scale which helps to evoke the grandeur of the period and acts as a homage to the historical tales of old. The post-production sound design shows Lock on fine form, as it helps to suggest the nature of the settings perfectly whether it's the Alps as Hannibal crosses them with his massive army in tow or the starkness of the Doctor's room, haunted by the sound of a constantly ticking clock to the massive Panoptican. Particularly impressive is the way that the music and sound help to underline what is happening during the final moments of the play when it takes a more surrealistic twist.

If anyone was in any doubt about the concept behind the Doctor Who Unbound series, the quality of Auld Mortality should be enough to curb their concerns. It is an exceptional story which, once again, reaffirms Platt's place as one of the finest Doctor Who storytellers around. The lovingly crafted script takes the ideas right at the heart of the Unbound concept and uses them to examine both the Doctor's identity and the fundamental ideology on which the series is founded. With taut direction from Nicholas Briggs, the cast excel themselves in bringing the genius of Platt's script to life with Geoffrey Bayldon especially establishing himself as the Doctor. So well in fact that it's a shame this will probably be his only appearance in the role. Auld Mortality is a moving and compelling drama which will captivate its listeners with its infinite possibilities...