The Tertiary Console Room: Review - Sarah Jane Smith

'I've got nothing left to loose…'

When the Sarah Jane Smith series was first announced, it was the blurb for Test Of Nerve that was the most attention grabbing as the promise of a tense, race against time story seemed to be the one with the greatest potential, and happily it doesn't disappoint at all. Writer David Bishop delivers a taut, nail-biting script that will put Sarah Jane into an impossible situation where she must choose between life and death. Bishop himself is no stranger to either Doctor Who, with two original novels already published and one forthcoming, or Big Finish for whom he has written several titles for their 2000AD range of audios and he takes full advantage of the contemporary setting of the Sarah Jane series to tell a very memorable audio.

With the awareness of the potentially devastating effect of terrorism at a much higher level than ever before given the current climate, the fact that Test Of Nerve is centred around the threat of a terrorist attack on the London Underground system makes this a very topical story and the plausibility of the story assists the suspense of the story intensely. Bishop examines this subject sensitively by focusing on the human aspect, rather than going for the sensationalist approach, by showing how easy and believable it could be for a disenchanted and ignored individual to turn to terror to achieve their aims.

The script is very well written with a real sense of momentum built into the drama that creates a palpable sense of tension, which permeates the entire play conveying the very real danger of the threat wonderfully. Part of this is achieved through the way Bishop allows the main characters to come into conflict with each other over the way that their attempts to discover the truth behind the threat. By introducing this division between Sarah and her team of friends it heightens the tension and also casts the characters in a different light and strengthens their characterisations by adding previously unseen depth to them. What makes the story so memorable is the number of set pieces that occur at precisely the right moments. From the mysterious opening to the various confrontations with Carver and Harris to the adrenalin fuelled finale, the combination of Bishop's script, the performances and Gary Russell's direction all ensure these have the right effect and bring the storyline together well.

Perhaps the only real complaint about the play is that - with the notable exception of the thrilling conclusion - is that the sense of the passage of time often comes across as heavy handed. While it may be easier to have a character say how much time has passed, it doesn't always communicate this as well to the listener. While this is notable, it doesn't really effect the build up of the story in it's tension towards the resolution as it uses other methods to create and sustain this, in particular David Darlington's excellent score is very successful at complimenting the action and heightening the taut atmosphere.

Bishop's use of the main characters is exemplary with all three of them getting decent roles, which allow Elisabeth Sladen, Jeremy James and Sadie Miller to demonstrate the breadth of their acting skill well. With the tension and conflict between the regulars growing stronger throughout the story, it really allows Sladen to sink her teeth into the weighty role Sarah is given here and as a result her performance is superb. James' role is less prominent than the previous releases, possibly to balance out Natalie's greater involvement, but his performance is good. Sadie Miller gets her biggest role so far in the series with her character Natalie being much more involved than previously and she delivers on the promise of her earlier appearances with a wonderful performance, in particular during the last quarter of the story where she is utterly convincing in showing Nat's determination not to be a victim and she portrays her dogged resolution not to surrender perfectly. The final scene of the play featuring these three is very emotive and ends the story on a downbeat note, leaving the listener to reflect on their choices and the nature of how they impact on others.

Robin Bowerman appears again as the enigmatic Harris and it's his involvement in the story that is one of the most memorable aspects of the entire play. While he is not quite so enigmatic by the end, Bishop's depiction of Harris is brutal and Bowerman communicates this superbly demonstrating both his character's callousness and cruelty in a commanding scene with Natalie. Roy Skelton, veteran of so many Doctor Who stories, lends his voice to the demanding role of James Carver with a great deal of sensitivity that allows the listener at times to empathise with his situation, but also pity at how he has selected his options.

One of the good things about the Sarah Jane Smith series so far has been the sense of progression that has been present. That while each story is broadly standalone there are connections between them that indicate a bigger picture and Test of Nerve is no different by casting some light on the identity of Harris' mysterious employer who has set in motion the situation that Sarah Jane now finds herself in. While I can understand why Big Finish have decided to make this someone Sarah has faced before in her time with the Doctor, the revelation as to who they are is a bit of a disappointment as in a series which feels as fresh and modern as this one does, a wholly original villain would have been preferable to an obscure character from a Doctor Who story broadcast twenty-odd years ago. But that said, the inclusion makes their motivation more plausible and apparent so hopefully the future stories will use this villain wisely and the inclusion will prove to be a wise decision.

Test Of Nerve is easily the best of the three released titles in the Sarah Jane Smith series and both Ghost Town and Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre will have their hands full in trying to match it's quality. With excellent performances and a wonderful script that cranks the tension up to maximum, this is a thoroughly absorbing and exciting drama.