Saturday, June 03, 2006

SJS: "Big Finish at its best"

There's an extremely positive review of my Sarah Jane Smith audio dramas in the new edition of Starburst [issue 338]. David Richardson gives Snow Blind, Fatal Consequences and Dreamland a collective 5 out of 5. I love a bit of praise, but can't help feel these kind of reviews don't give enough credit to the director - especially on a project like SJS, where John Ainsworth [as director, script editor and producer] was so crucial to shaping the stories, getting the best performances and guiding the post-production. Anyway, here's what Starburst says:
Now we've had the Doctor Who story School Reunion to remind us how marvellous Elisabeth Sladen is, it's definitely worth getting your hands on this second series of Sarah Jane plays. Complementing the recent TV story more perfectly than its makers might have imaginaed, it finds the Doctor's former companion targeted by rival factions of a religious cult, which believes she is the herald of global apocalypse. The continuity to past TV stories is unnecessary baggage, but Bishop has fashioned a great yarn, taking in a trip to the Antarctic, a deadly virus in rural England, and the first tourist flight into Space. Each separate play stands on its own, yet played together form a larger, satisfying narrtive. It's a shame the conclusion is left so open-ended, but this series remains an example of Big Finish as its best.

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