Summer to Winter, the seasons turn. Four seasons. Four Stories for the Fifth Doctor and Nyssa.
1 Comment
Styre
on May 8, 2016 at 12:49 AM
CIRCULAR TIME
A new year, a new producer, and a new style of Doctor Who story. This is how Big Finish — and new Doctor Who producer Nicholas Briggs — kicked off 2007, with “Circular Time,” a medley of four individual 25-minute stories, strongly linked in theme but not in plot.
It’s always smart to turn to Paul Cornell — joined, in this case, by co-author Mike Maddox — and the script, as always, is masterful. “Circular Time” is very much a play about death and rebirth, going so far as to differentiate the titular “circular” time from standard “linear” time, which features a defined beginning and end. It’s no coincidence that the play’s four episodes are named for the four seasons, nor that they feature the same pairing of the fifth Doctor and Nyssa: we are able to observe the passage of time, the evolution of relationships, and the progression of the Doctor’s life, all in the same circular fashion. The play’s first episode, “Spring,” is the weakest, primarily because it attempts to world-build in about half an hour. The authors make an admirable try at presenting the essential elements of an avian society, but ultimately it’s a bit too thinly-sketched, and the punish-the-innocent justice system is hardly interesting. But the introduction of renegade Time Lord Zero (Hugh Fraser) gives this segment its power: here we have a man, desparate to effect change, but unable to do so. The play is bookended by regenerations: in this case, Zero’s change provides the impetus for those around him. Does the Doctor fail in his mission? Perhaps, but on the other hand, this may simply be another step in the evolution of the society as it returns to its flighted past.
The second part, “Summer,” reduces the theme into the mind of Sir Isaac Newton (a brilliant performance by David Warner). Newton is presented for what he was: a scatterbrained genius, capable of deriving the most astonishing methods and conclusions to answer his questions about the universe, but unable to explore a thought to its natural end. Indeed, he predicts the future up through the Dalek invasion from a handful of coins — but as the world turns, so does Newton’s mind, and soon all is forgotten as he approaches the next problem. The back and forth between the three main characters is delightful, with Nyssa’s ignorance of religion providing particular highlights. “Summer” is a slight vignette, but well worth hearing.
“Autumn,” however, is the greatest of the four segments. The plot, such as it is, is simple: while the Doctor plays cricket in Stockbridge with the local team, Nyssa works on a novel and contemplates her future in the TARDIS. Sports are an elegant example of the “circular time” concept — as each season ends, another clean slate waits on the horizon, with new players ready to inherit the team colors. And here, the town reflects its local team’s seasonal evolution, with the Doctor running into the natural conflicts inherent in a difficult year. Nyssa finally gets a love story, with Andrew (Jamie Sandford), and the age-old conflict arises of whether it’s better to adventure or to settle, to leave the circular path or to continue along it. And if the Doctor is stressed by Nyssa’s apparent desire to leave, well, it’s difficult to blame him. Curiously, this segment seems to herald the end of their partnership — but of course it would continue for several television serials.
The final chapter, “Winter,” requires a fan’s knowledge to be appreciated — it is presented as a near-death hallucination during the fifth Doctor’s regeneration into the sixth — but to call it “fanwank” would be churlish. This is challenging, emotional writing, and the closest Doctor Who has come to a Lynchian feeling — compare to “Mulholland Drive” — though without the requisite bleakness. Here we see the end of a Time Lord’s life, yet also its beginning; we see the Doctor’s dream-realizations of his companions, and understanding them as his children emphasizes the death/rebirth cycle. Careful allusions to “The Caves of Androzani” abound for the attentive listener as well — but again, there is no mention of Erimem, perhaps foreshadowing future events. This regeneration had always seemed like a narrative, and now we see the details. Even a Watcher makes an appearance, looking back on Christopher H. Bidmead’s entropy-death-rebirth cycle from season 18 and drawing it together with the themes of “Circular Time.” Truly a fascinating exercise.
After the first segment, this isn’t a play which relies much on sound design, but David Darlington’s effects work and music is up to his usual high standard. This is John Ainsworth’s finest hour yet as a director, as the unique tone of each segment shines through, and the actors, while often playing multiple roles, distinguish themselves. Even the cover art is beautiful.
Big Finish couldn’t have asked for a much better start to 2007 than this. A few missteps in the first segment and a rather slight first disc keep “Circular Time” from reaching the rarified air of the 10/10 plays, but it nonetheless remains a must-buy for Doctor Who fans of all stripes. Davison and Sutton are rarely better than they are here, and the wonderful humanity that marks all of Cornell’s works shines through the brightest. Excellent stuff, and highly recommended.
CIRCULAR TIME
A new year, a new producer, and a new style of Doctor Who story. This is how Big Finish — and new Doctor Who producer Nicholas Briggs — kicked off 2007, with “Circular Time,” a medley of four individual 25-minute stories, strongly linked in theme but not in plot.
It’s always smart to turn to Paul Cornell — joined, in this case, by co-author Mike Maddox — and the script, as always, is masterful. “Circular Time” is very much a play about death and rebirth, going so far as to differentiate the titular “circular” time from standard “linear” time, which features a defined beginning and end. It’s no coincidence that the play’s four episodes are named for the four seasons, nor that they feature the same pairing of the fifth Doctor and Nyssa: we are able to observe the passage of time, the evolution of relationships, and the progression of the Doctor’s life, all in the same circular fashion. The play’s first episode, “Spring,” is the weakest, primarily because it attempts to world-build in about half an hour. The authors make an admirable try at presenting the essential elements of an avian society, but ultimately it’s a bit too thinly-sketched, and the punish-the-innocent justice system is hardly interesting. But the introduction of renegade Time Lord Zero (Hugh Fraser) gives this segment its power: here we have a man, desparate to effect change, but unable to do so. The play is bookended by regenerations: in this case, Zero’s change provides the impetus for those around him. Does the Doctor fail in his mission? Perhaps, but on the other hand, this may simply be another step in the evolution of the society as it returns to its flighted past.
The second part, “Summer,” reduces the theme into the mind of Sir Isaac Newton (a brilliant performance by David Warner). Newton is presented for what he was: a scatterbrained genius, capable of deriving the most astonishing methods and conclusions to answer his questions about the universe, but unable to explore a thought to its natural end. Indeed, he predicts the future up through the Dalek invasion from a handful of coins — but as the world turns, so does Newton’s mind, and soon all is forgotten as he approaches the next problem. The back and forth between the three main characters is delightful, with Nyssa’s ignorance of religion providing particular highlights. “Summer” is a slight vignette, but well worth hearing.
“Autumn,” however, is the greatest of the four segments. The plot, such as it is, is simple: while the Doctor plays cricket in Stockbridge with the local team, Nyssa works on a novel and contemplates her future in the TARDIS. Sports are an elegant example of the “circular time” concept — as each season ends, another clean slate waits on the horizon, with new players ready to inherit the team colors. And here, the town reflects its local team’s seasonal evolution, with the Doctor running into the natural conflicts inherent in a difficult year. Nyssa finally gets a love story, with Andrew (Jamie Sandford), and the age-old conflict arises of whether it’s better to adventure or to settle, to leave the circular path or to continue along it. And if the Doctor is stressed by Nyssa’s apparent desire to leave, well, it’s difficult to blame him. Curiously, this segment seems to herald the end of their partnership — but of course it would continue for several television serials.
The final chapter, “Winter,” requires a fan’s knowledge to be appreciated — it is presented as a near-death hallucination during the fifth Doctor’s regeneration into the sixth — but to call it “fanwank” would be churlish. This is challenging, emotional writing, and the closest Doctor Who has come to a Lynchian feeling — compare to “Mulholland Drive” — though without the requisite bleakness. Here we see the end of a Time Lord’s life, yet also its beginning; we see the Doctor’s dream-realizations of his companions, and understanding them as his children emphasizes the death/rebirth cycle. Careful allusions to “The Caves of Androzani” abound for the attentive listener as well — but again, there is no mention of Erimem, perhaps foreshadowing future events. This regeneration had always seemed like a narrative, and now we see the details. Even a Watcher makes an appearance, looking back on Christopher H. Bidmead’s entropy-death-rebirth cycle from season 18 and drawing it together with the themes of “Circular Time.” Truly a fascinating exercise.
After the first segment, this isn’t a play which relies much on sound design, but David Darlington’s effects work and music is up to his usual high standard. This is John Ainsworth’s finest hour yet as a director, as the unique tone of each segment shines through, and the actors, while often playing multiple roles, distinguish themselves. Even the cover art is beautiful.
Big Finish couldn’t have asked for a much better start to 2007 than this. A few missteps in the first segment and a rather slight first disc keep “Circular Time” from reaching the rarified air of the 10/10 plays, but it nonetheless remains a must-buy for Doctor Who fans of all stripes. Davison and Sutton are rarely better than they are here, and the wonderful humanity that marks all of Cornell’s works shines through the brightest. Excellent stuff, and highly recommended.
9/10