“Whoop! Wahoo! Wahey! YESSSSSSSSSSS!”
Those were just some of the sounds I made when Big Finish asked me to produce a Doctor Who audio play for them. Yes, me. Producing Doctor Who. And I haven’t been able to say anything – until now! Trust me, I’ve been ready to EXPLODE!
Doctor Who Magazine broke the news and Big Finish themselves have posted a story on their site, so the cat is well and truly out of the bag now.
The release, on sale in December, is an adaptation of Gareth Robert’s Doctor Who New Adventure, The Highest Science and here is what you need to know about it:
- It stars Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor, with Lisa Bowerman as companion, Benny Summerfield.
- The original novel was one of the very first stories to feature Benny as a solo companion after the departure of Ace.
- It has been adapted by the wonderful Jac Rayner, who of course adapted the first Bernice Summerfield audios for Big Finish back in the early days of the company.
- It features those war-mongering tortoises, the Chelonians.
- It’s directed by Scott Handcock, the producer of Big Finish’s atmospheric The Confessions of Dorian Gray series.
- The cast includes Sinead Keenan (Doctor Who, Being Human), Daniel Brocklebank (Shakespeare in Love, The Hole), James Baxter (Still Open All Hours) and Tom Bell (Wizard vs Aliens).
- It’s being edited by Neil Gardner of SpokenWorld audio and music will be by Howard Carter (who was the genius behind the wonderful soundtrack for Night of the Whisper)
Everything is in the can now, so I’m looking forward to hearing the first post-production edit.
There’s more about this – and Benny’s other new adventures with the Doctor and Ace, in the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine (which happens to be a pretty cool Dalek special)! You’ll also find a little interview with me and Mark Wright about Wit, Wisdom and Timey Wimey Stuff.
My heart skipped several beats when I read the story. I absolutely love Benny and have always thought it a shame she didn’t get more audio stories.
It will be great hearing 7 & Benny one on one. Did you consider other novels also, or was The Highest Science always next in line?
We did consider others, but for various reasons, both creative and rights-based Highest Science kept jumping to the top of the list.
I was really holding out for something like this after Love and War. Just seemed like one of those ideas that would always satisfy fans. Plus it’s been like 2 years since this was done, which doesn’t make it feel watered down.
That’s a great looking cast I have to say!
Can’t wait to hear it
Hurrah!