1980s England is not exactly the place the Sixth Doctor expects to be addressed by his full title – or to encounter witches.

Simon Guerrier has often been able to combine wit and comedy with strong dramatic beats in his scripts, with the Graceless series a fine example of a constantly switching tone that brings the characters to life. He’s outdone himself with this story for Colin Baker’s Doctor, with three gear shifts in the first couple of minutes, wrongfooting the listener not just one but twice – and he proceeds to do that throughout the next hour. Baker rises to the occasion, giving one of his best performances in recent years as the Time Lord, clearly enjoying the sesquipedalian nature of some of the dialogue which could really only be given to this incarnation.

Guerrier has carefully examined what made Gareth Roberts’ script for The Shakespeare Code work in terms of its antagonists, and works around it so that at no point do you feel that the later incarnation of the Doctor should have information at his fingertips as a result of this story. If you’ve not seen the Tennant adventure, you’re not left at a disadvantage – all the key elements that are necessary are recapped.

Barnaby Edwards’ direction is spot on, emphasising the different tones of the piece as necessary, and Maya Sondhi’s Katy Bell is a fine addition to the roster of temporary Sixth Doctor companions, assisted by a strong performance from Michael Fenton-Stevens as her vicar father – the final scene of the play could very easily have gone wrong but the sentiments expressed feel genuine.

Verdict: By turns comic, dramatic and tense, this is one of my favourite Big Finish stories of 2017 to date. 10/10

Paul Simpson