How would you like to write a Doctor Who story to be performed by Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton? Well you might have a chance, thanks to Big Finish.
For years now Big Finish has been producing audio adventures featuring the classic era Doctors. Normally these are written by a select few and there’s no opportunity for new writers. But for a few days – until first thing 1st Feb 2010 – they’re opening up a possible way in.
Big Finish are inviting prospective writers to pitch ideas for a self-contained 25 minute audio story featuring the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and up to three additional (wholly original) characters. The story can’t contain references to any existing Doctor Who elements such as monsters, characters or events. Writers will need to submit a 500 word outline and up to two pages of sample script.
Big Finish stress that this is not a competition and there’s no guarantee of any story actually being produced. Even so it’s a great opportunity. You can download the full details from Big Finish news.
January 20th, 2010
Doctor Who, News, Spoken Word |
no comments
BBC Radio 3 hasn’t been as quick as Radio 4 to catch the genre fiction bug, however there’s a welcome move in the right direction next month: Radio 3 will be broadcasting the first ever radio adaption of Kurt Vonnegut’s anti-war SF novel Slaughterhouse Five.
The somewhat bizarre story involves World War 2, time travel and aliens. According to the BBC:
The story of Billy Pilgrim: prisoner-of-war, optometrist and time-traveller and his haphazard odyssey through time reflects the journey of our own fractured lives.
Slaughterhouse 5 is adapted for radio by Dave Sheasby and will be broadcast on Radio 3 at 8pm on 20 September 2009.
August 29th, 2009
BBC, News, Spoken Word |
no comments
Audio adventure publisher Big Finish has announced that BBC Audiobooks has extended its Dr Who licence until the end of 2011.
Jason Haigh-Ellery of Big Finish said:
We’re thrilled that the license has been renewed and we’ve got some fantastic stories lined up for the rest of 2009, and through 2010 and beyond. Not only from the Doctor Who main range, but also the New Eighth Doctor Adventures and the Companion Chronicles, plus additional ranges like The Lost Stories. All of us at Big Finish love making Doctor Who on audio, and we feel privileged that the BBC has entrusted us to continue.
This is good news for those of us who enjoy listening to Doctor Who. Big Finish has done a great job and slowly built up their own extended Whoniverse for the classic Doctors. During Who’s wilderness years it was one of the companies who helped keep the show alive.
If you haven’t checked out their stuff yet you can do so at the Big Finish website.
August 12th, 2009
BBC, Doctor Who, News, Spoken Word |
no comments
Despite the best efforts of Big Finish, iconic Doctor Who actor Tom Baker has always declined to reprise his role. However it seems that the BBC has finally tempted him to don that famous scarf again – at least in audio.
The press is reporting that Baker is to appear as The Doctor in a series of five BBC radio plays. The show, called Hornet’s Nest, chronicles the Doctor’s adventures after he moves into a Sussex house. Which is an odd premise, presumably he wanted a long holiday?
Baker will be joined by Susan Jameson as his bizarrely named housekeeper Mrs Wibbsey. Richard Franklin will also appear, once again playing Captain Mike Yates.
Doctor Who: Hornet’s Nest will be broadcast monthly on BBC radio from September 3rd this year.
July 21st, 2009
BBC, Doctor Who, News, Spoken Word |
no comments
In the run up to Torchwood: Children of Earth on TV next week, BBC Radio Four is broadcasting three one-off Torchwood audio dramas.
Wednesday July 1st: Asylum by Anita Sullivan
“When PC Andy arrests a teenager for shoplifting, he thinks it is going to be a routine case. Then he sees the weapon she is carrying and decides to call in the Torchwood team.”
Thursday July 2nd: Golden Age by James Goss
“The Torchwood team are led to Delhi on the trail of a dangerous energy field. As the field grows, they witness the simultaneous disappearance of hundreds of people.”
Friday July 3rd: The Dead Line by Phil Ford
“When a Cardiff hospital is inundated with patients who have fallen into coma-like trances, Torchwood move in to investigate. The trances appear to have been triggered by phone calls, all received on retro phones and made from a number that hadn’t been active for over 30 years.”
That last one sounds like it might have echoes of Sapphire and Steel – which would be no bad thing.
All three 45 minute Torchwood stories will be broadcast in the 2:15 Afternoon Play slot on Radio 4.
June 30th, 2009
BBC, News, Spoken Word, Torchwood |
no comments
