In which: ‘Doctor Who Discovers: The Secret of the Princes in the Tower’, Peri pulls something off and Erimem breaks a few arms.
I’m not really sure where to start with this one! After a number of serious plays, this is very different take on a historical ‘Doctor Who’ story – basically placing the TARDIS team in the middle of the first series of Blackadder, which in an alternative world was co-scripted with Douglas Adams. Where Christopher Eccleston plays Richard III (actually that’s a great idea – but it is actually Stephen Beckett here, he just sounds uncannily like him), Arthur Smith plays a pub landlord who isn’t what he seems and Jon Culshaw plays both Earl Rivers and the Fourth Doctor.
The premise is incredibly clever and a wonderfully evocative reference for those of us of a certain age. When the Doctor was with UNIT, sometime after thwarting the Zygon invasion, word of his role in the affair leaked out. Badgered by publishers, the Doctor was coerced into writing a series of books for children the ‘Doctor Who Discovers’ range (a real-life series including ‘Prehistoric Animals’, ‘Early Man’, ‘Space Travel’, ‘Strange and Mysterious Creature’ and “The Conquerors’). Many years later in the far future when there is only one surviving publisher (not unrealistic) a robot is sent back in time to chase up his final commission – which is long overdue Douglas Adams style! This was ‘Doctor Who Discovers – Historical Mysteries’. Cue the Doctor reviewing his original notes (rather wonderfully in voiceover by Jon Culshaw as Tom Baker) and a trip back in time to research the mystery of the Princes in the tower. We even have a cheeky ninth Doctor reference – the show was just back on TV at the time this was made.
The author, Nev Fountain is primarily a comedy writer, best known for ‘Dead Ringers’ and it has to be said this is great fun. It also has some great material for the Fifth Doctor, Peri and Erimem. He writes very well for Peri in particular (they are now married I believe? Cue jealousy of a section of fandom of a certain age…). I might cover some of his other writing for her later in the thread, possibly his Companion Chronicle. Even in this more overtly comic script, Erimem is allowed her own unique view on history – I’ll talk more about her in another review in some ways she is like Leela but a very distinctive take on that – if Leela had been the Queen of the Sevateem, a leader as well as a young, headstrong warrior. Listening to these again, I’m reminded of what a great character she was and how great Caroline Morris was in the role. The Fifth Doctor didn’t get that many comic moments/stories on TV, which is a bit odd considering Peter Davison was also in two sitcoms at that point and can obviously handle comedy really well. My favourite moment for him in this story is his return from going on the lash with Shakespeare!
I should also say that I found that a little of this story goes a long way, so I ended up listening in episode chunks with a break in between, with that proviso, it is very enjoyable. It is also hugely imaginative and very, very clever. I’m going to place this section in spoilers, as there are several jaw-dropping moments in this story and if you plan on listening to it in the future, I would urge you to avoid these:
Spoilers!:
Richard the Third did not die at Bosworth Field (more to come)
The Princes in the tower were not Princes – rather Princesses, as Peri finds out when one of their codpieces comes off in her hand (don’t ask!)
They both survive quite happily and Richard is not quite the villain that Shakespeare painted him as
Peri spoils the ending of Richard III at the first night performance, much to the anger of the locals
Erimem’s standard response to having her bottom fondled is to break the offender’s arm!
Clarrie the pub landlord (Arthur Smith) s actually the Duke of Clarence – Richard’s brother and was saved by Richard, not murdered
Mr Satan, he of black pointy beard, black clothes and a villainous disposition is not in fact the Master, rather he is Shakespeare, who proceeds to go on a rampage with Sontaran and Cyberman weaponry – don’t ask!
It is Shakespeare who dies at Bosworth Field, not Richard
Richard Survives, takes Shakespeare’s place and writes the remaining plays with Francis Bacon!
Phew – I think that’s it!
There is no world in which the ingredients of this play should add up to one of my favourite ‘Doctor Who’ stories, but oh my, this story is very funny, great fun, hugely inventive, with some brilliant and often surprising ideas. It is another different take on what constitutes, time travel aside, a purely historical story – Ok it also has a brief appearance from a robot and it does play with structure and split time zones in a way that was about to become de rigour in the contemporary TV series, but essentially it is a historical story, just a very different one. It proves that they don’t always have to be serious meditations of the dangers of changing history.
A Journal of Impossible Things 