Bayban has plans for the Princess of Ari…

There’s a very clever central conceit in Lizzie Hopley’s middle tale for this box set – something that neither the listener nor the protagonists (or should that be antagonists?) anticipate. We know there’s something unusual about the Princess, but when it becomes clear, it alters everything dramatically.

This is very much a continuation of the new mythology that is being created within the Blake’s 7 universe in these Worlds of Blake’s 7 audios, and it really won’t make a great deal of sense if you haven’t listened to at least the middle portion of the Clone Masters set that came out last year. A key character is introduced there whose genesis becomes critical here.

Stephen Greif, Abigail Thaw and Colin Baker play a very pointed triangle of newcomers to Ari, but every single one of them is missing at least one key piece of information and of course, given who they are, they’re hardly likely to compare notes! This being a set about Bayban, we end up with him but I have a distinct feeling  that we will hear a damn sight more in the months to come from both Hinton and Travis.

Overall, it’s a delight to listen to: Baker grabs the opportunity to play a different leading character with both hands and it’s one of the most joyous performances I’ve heard from him in recent years.

Verdict: A neat expansion of the Blake’s 7 universe. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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