Jo Jones experience a traveller’s nightmare…

Sharon Bidwell’s Groundhog Day-esque tale starts as a nicely observed character piece of Jo Jones, but develops into something far more once the 11th Doctor arrives on the scene. Picking up on what we know about Jo from The Sarah Jane Adventures – as well as her modern-day appearances in other Big Finish audios – Bidwell has the third Doctor’s former companion still heavily engaged in her protests, heading out to Mexico, but never quite getting there. But it takes the Doctor to explain why that is, and exactly what is happening while she’s asleep – and he’s not averse to risking Jo’s life in order to save it.

However, the latter part of the play deals more with predestination and the Doctor’s knowledge of the ‘mayfly’ lives of his companions – linking this story specifically to one of their deaths, and noting, almost in passing, that these aren’t fixed points in time (or at least that’s very much the impression I got).

Katy Manning does an excellent job as the older Jo, and as Matt Smith’s Doctor, very much capturing his incarnation’s breathless mannerisms, and his habit of his mouth running away from his brain – I half expected a line, after he’d come out with some particular analogy, telling her to forget that, it was a rubbish idea!

Nick Briggs’ direction and Richard Fox’s sound design and music complement Bidwell’s script and Manning’s performance, giving a Short Trip that’s particularly reflective of its era.

Verdict: A strong start to 2020 for these Doctor Who vignettes. 9/10

Paul Simpson

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