A changed decision on Skaro leads to the impossible…

John Dorney sets the bar ridiculously high with this opener for the latest instalment of Big Finish’s What If?-esque series that has had various outings over the last two and a half decades. Once again, a pivotal point is taken from Doctor Who history and twisted, and this time around, we’re able to hear that moment as it now is, courtesy of Tom Baker, Sadie Miller and Christopher Naylor. That’s not Baker, T.’s only contribution to the story – we get to hear him interact with Sean Carlsen’s Narvin as the consequences start to become clear. It’s a story that reflects elements of John Hurt’s War Doctor, and this portion acts as its own Night of the Doctor.

But really, this story rests on the shoulders of Baker, C. rather than T. I’ve jokingly referred to this online as being the year of Colin Baker’s renaissance, and he justifies that comment here. He’s front and centre throughout the rest of the play, accompanied in one thread by Nicola Bryant, who’s equally excellent. I’m not going to spoil the reasons why here, but suffice it to say that Dorney taps into similar areas that Nev Fountain did in one of Bryant’s previous highly regarded performances.

Director Barnaby Kay and sound designer Jack Townley produce an energetic aural atmosphere that fits with the epic scope Dorney envisions for the tale. If you’re a fan of the DWM comic strips of the period – particularly the brilliant Steve Parkhouse / John Ridgway stories – you’re likely to love this: there are concepts here that would fit snugly into that era leaving you to wonder if they’d dare do what seems the logical outcome… Howard Carter’s score blends well (and I love the latest variant of the theme), and you’re left at the end speculating where this could possibly go. All bets seem to be off!

Verdict: A stunning opener across the board. 10/10

Paul Simpson

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