Vicki has a tale to tell. But where does it start and when does it end? A new adventure for the First Doctor as told by his companion Vicki.
Vicki has a tale to tell. But where does it start and when does it end? A new adventure for the First Doctor as told by his companion Vicki.
THE COMPANION CHRONICLES: FROSTFIRE
After several successful years as the preeminent producers of Doctor Who audio drama, Big Finish faced a conundrum. Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and Paul McGann had all returned to play their respective Doctors, each appearing in countless new audio stories. But with William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, and Jon Pertwee all deceased, and Tom Baker unwilling to participate, fully half of the “classic” Doctors were effectively off limits to the company. And as recasting was never an option, it seemed like a problem without a solution. But then, in January 2007, Big Finish hit on the solution: employ the companions of the first four Doctors instead! So began the Companion Chronicles, a range that grew from small beginnings into something many people now describe as Big Finish’s best work.
The very first Companion Chronicle, Marc Platt’s “Frostfire,” sees Maureen O’Brien return to the role of Vicki for the first time since 1965. And while most of the story is told in flashback, it technically remains a full-cast audio throughout due to the framing device: rather than O’Brien herself narrating, the “story” is set in ancient Carthage and features Vicki telling a tale. Of course, the practical effects are the same as having a conventional narrator: she affects voices for the other characters, and so on, but the device adds an extra layer of reality that a standard audiobook would lack. This style will be seen many more times as the range continues.
The story itself, alas, isn’t all that interesting. Platt employs wonderful prose that nicely evokes the final Frost Fair in London in 1814; he has long been known for his effective, lyrical writing style. The story feels cold due to Platt’s use of atmosphere, and he employs some disturbing moments such as Steven punching a frozen man into shards of ice. But as for what actually happens, well, it’s little more than a padded runaround with an unthreatening villain. Jane Austen makes an appearance, but she might as well be Jane Doe for the minimal amount of characterization she receives. It is fun to hear Hartnell’s Doctor gush over her writing, though.
I was much more interested in the framing device. Years after leaving the TARDIS, an older Vicki narrates the tale to the enemy itself, a Cinder (Keith Drinkel) that concealed itself in her eye when she thought it totally destroyed. In these relatively short passages, we learn so much about her: how she loves Troilus for his courage and heroism; how she feels alone and disconnected in what is, to her, a primitive society; how she was almost judged insane and abandoned by the Trojans for her tales of her travels with the Doctor. She also exhibits a great deal of regret for her relief at not being taken. It’s funny, but this is more characterization for Vicki than she received during her entire television run. Even her first-person narration enables us to understand her thoughts and motivations during the story, something we certainly couldn’t say about her TV episodes. And O’Brien’s performance is excellent throughout, both in the framing scenes and during her narrative.
There’s not much to say about the production. Director Mark J. Thompson certainly draws fine performances from his actors, while the sound design by Lawrence Oakley and Robert Dunlop is minimal but effective. Oakley’s score, though, is oddly discordant, especially in the final episode. Overall, “Frostfire” is a successful start to the series. While the adventure itself isn’t very interesting, a great performance from Maureen O’Brien and a fascinating framing device, coupled with Platt’s skillful prose, lead to an enjoyable experience.
Recommended.
7/10