A visit with old friends on the planet Nocturne proves to be far from a happy reunion for the Doctor.
1 Comment
Styre
on May 8, 2016 at 12:50 AM
NOCTURNE
I wasn’t a particular fan of Dan Abnett’s first Big Finish Doctor Who play “The Harvest” — it wasn’t bad, by any stretch of the imagination, but it was an unimpressive Doctor Who runaround that never really backed up its loftier ideas. Unfortunately, “Nocturne,” Abnett’s second offering, isn’t much of an improvement: while not as flawed as its predecessor, it’s even less interesting.
Certainly, the setting of “Nocturne” is its greatest strength. Abnett’s central concept — a society who experiences an artistic and cultural renaissance as the result of a protracted war — is fascinating, and frames the drama well. It allows us to get to know characters as varied as Korbin Thessinger (Trevor Bannister), a brilliant composer, and Lothar Ragpole (Eric Potts), an abysmal poet. We are immersed in a society in which the air itself can be musical, in which everything in the city is a work of art in one way or another, and thus we are allowed to experience this renaissance rather than merely having it described to us. Abnett also makes use of very traditional Doctor Who tropes, including a misguided individual using alien technology he cannot possibly understand, and the third outing of a sound/music-based monster in a Big Finish play. These elements blend into a solid, straightforward Doctor Who story.
The problem, however, is that “Nocturne” has nothing more to offer. In the liner notes, Abnett professes a desire to tell a new type of Doctor Who story: “What would it be like to travel to a place he had visited before, but which was new to us, the audience? What would it be like for him to begin a story in the comfort and companionship of friends, rather than in the cautious, investigatory preamble…?” This is an interesting proposition, but the presentation isn’t markedly different from “Timelash,” which also takes place somewhere the Doctor has visited before. The fact that the Doctor has friends in the city has no bearing whatsoever on the story — indeed, he and Hex are arrested by the local police force and separately accused of murder, just like in a hundred other Doctor Who stories. Perhaps if that subplot had been left out — the character of Reeney, though elegantly performed by Helen Kay, is entirely superfluous — the story would have benefited from more space to breathe? As it stands, the author states his intent to do one thing but gives us the exact opposite.
Fortunately, “Nocturne” benefits from a series of strong performances. Sylvester McCoy has been quite effective lately, and he continues as such here, with a quietly powerful performance. Hex, for once, is not subjected to mental or physical torture — rather, his relationship with Ace is allowed to grow into something that is rapidly becoming one of the greatest companion pairings of all time. Philip Olivier and Sophie Aldred are given some fine material, especially the running thread about the Doctor failing to give them complete information — and McCoy’s realization of this fact is also played well. Potts and Ann Rye play an hilarious pair of old artists (Lilian’s unnecessary betrayal at the conclusion notwithstanding), while Bannister brings the necessary dignity to his role. Paul David-Gough gives a fine performance as well as the Alloran twins.
Special recognition must be given on the production front to Steve Foxon’s exceptional sound design. This play, more than many others, relies on the use of sound effects and musical elements to drive the plot, and Foxon never allows the play to become muddled or confused. The climax could easily have fallen into the “incomprehensible loud noise” trap, but instead comes across with remarkable clarity, a testament to the ability on display. John Ainsworth’s direction helps in this regard, allowing the environment in Abnett’s script to present itself as effectively as possible. This is also the final Big Finish play to use the old cover design, and the image is nicely evocative.
There’s definitely a feeling of missed opportunity in “Nocturne,” I feel. Much like “The Harvest,” it certainly wasn’t a poor offering, but its setting and concept had so much potential which ended in a standard, unremarkable Doctor Who story. “Nocturne” is a nice enough way to pass the time, but ultimately it left me wanting.
NOCTURNE
I wasn’t a particular fan of Dan Abnett’s first Big Finish Doctor Who play “The Harvest” — it wasn’t bad, by any stretch of the imagination, but it was an unimpressive Doctor Who runaround that never really backed up its loftier ideas. Unfortunately, “Nocturne,” Abnett’s second offering, isn’t much of an improvement: while not as flawed as its predecessor, it’s even less interesting.
Certainly, the setting of “Nocturne” is its greatest strength. Abnett’s central concept — a society who experiences an artistic and cultural renaissance as the result of a protracted war — is fascinating, and frames the drama well. It allows us to get to know characters as varied as Korbin Thessinger (Trevor Bannister), a brilliant composer, and Lothar Ragpole (Eric Potts), an abysmal poet. We are immersed in a society in which the air itself can be musical, in which everything in the city is a work of art in one way or another, and thus we are allowed to experience this renaissance rather than merely having it described to us. Abnett also makes use of very traditional Doctor Who tropes, including a misguided individual using alien technology he cannot possibly understand, and the third outing of a sound/music-based monster in a Big Finish play. These elements blend into a solid, straightforward Doctor Who story.
The problem, however, is that “Nocturne” has nothing more to offer. In the liner notes, Abnett professes a desire to tell a new type of Doctor Who story: “What would it be like to travel to a place he had visited before, but which was new to us, the audience? What would it be like for him to begin a story in the comfort and companionship of friends, rather than in the cautious, investigatory preamble…?” This is an interesting proposition, but the presentation isn’t markedly different from “Timelash,” which also takes place somewhere the Doctor has visited before. The fact that the Doctor has friends in the city has no bearing whatsoever on the story — indeed, he and Hex are arrested by the local police force and separately accused of murder, just like in a hundred other Doctor Who stories. Perhaps if that subplot had been left out — the character of Reeney, though elegantly performed by Helen Kay, is entirely superfluous — the story would have benefited from more space to breathe? As it stands, the author states his intent to do one thing but gives us the exact opposite.
Fortunately, “Nocturne” benefits from a series of strong performances. Sylvester McCoy has been quite effective lately, and he continues as such here, with a quietly powerful performance. Hex, for once, is not subjected to mental or physical torture — rather, his relationship with Ace is allowed to grow into something that is rapidly becoming one of the greatest companion pairings of all time. Philip Olivier and Sophie Aldred are given some fine material, especially the running thread about the Doctor failing to give them complete information — and McCoy’s realization of this fact is also played well. Potts and Ann Rye play an hilarious pair of old artists (Lilian’s unnecessary betrayal at the conclusion notwithstanding), while Bannister brings the necessary dignity to his role. Paul David-Gough gives a fine performance as well as the Alloran twins.
Special recognition must be given on the production front to Steve Foxon’s exceptional sound design. This play, more than many others, relies on the use of sound effects and musical elements to drive the plot, and Foxon never allows the play to become muddled or confused. The climax could easily have fallen into the “incomprehensible loud noise” trap, but instead comes across with remarkable clarity, a testament to the ability on display. John Ainsworth’s direction helps in this regard, allowing the environment in Abnett’s script to present itself as effectively as possible. This is also the final Big Finish play to use the old cover design, and the image is nicely evocative.
There’s definitely a feeling of missed opportunity in “Nocturne,” I feel. Much like “The Harvest,” it certainly wasn’t a poor offering, but its setting and concept had so much potential which ended in a standard, unremarkable Doctor Who story. “Nocturne” is a nice enough way to pass the time, but ultimately it left me wanting.
6/10