dwst0701_theworldbeyondthetrees_1417Liv Chenka is reminded of the bond between parent and child…

This is something of an unusual Short Trip, feeling like the audio equivalent of a Doctor-lite episode, focusing firmly on Nicola Walker’s Liv Chenka, one of the stronger characters created as a companion for Paul McGann’s Doctor. Jonathan Barnes takes advantage of the first person narration to give us Liv’s view of her relationship with the Time Lord (and, intriguingly, how she thinks he sees her and his other travelling companions), before throwing us into a tale that ties in with two other key Big Finish tales – one extremely appropriately timed.

It’s set during the 1970s when Liv, Molly and the Doctor are resident at Baker Street, and the timeframe (and the writer) should be enough to give a clue as to which other recent story this ties in with – but you don’t need to have heard that in order to understand this. It’s a relatively straightforward plot, but one which allows Barnes to delve into Liv’s psyche, exploring her regrets over her father.

Director Lisa Bowerman brings out a strong performance from Walker, in keeping with the way that her character describes herself within the tale. Steve Foxon’s sound design and music add to the fairytale atmosphere, making for a different but very enjoyable 35 minutes.

Verdict: A very good start to 2017’s releases. 9/10

Paul Simpson