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Post by omega on Jul 7, 2018 23:59:41 GMT
DOCTOR WHO - MAIN RANGE » 120. THE MAGIC MOUSETRAP Released April 2009SynopsisSwitzerland, 1926: the Doctor finds himself halfway up an Alpine mountainside, on his way to an exclusive sanatorium for the rich and famous run by the Viennese alienist Ludovic ‘Ludo’ Comfort. In between bouts of electric shock therapy, Ludo’s patients – including faded music hall turn Harry Randall, chess grandmaster Swapnil Khan and Lola Luna, darling of the Weimar cabaret scene – fill their time with endless rounds of Snap!, among other diversions. But the Doctor soon suspects that someone’s playing an altogether more sinister game. Someone with a score to settle… Written By: Matthew Sweet Directed By: Ken Bentley CASTSylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Philip Olivier (Hex), Paul Anthony-Barber (Ludovic Comfort), Joan Walker (Lola Luna), Nadim Sawalha (Swapnil Khan), Nadine Lewington (Queenie Glasscock), Andrew Fettes (Harry Randall), Andrew Dickens (Herbert Randall) BONUS EPISODE! THE COMPANION CHRONICLES:
THE THREE COMPANIONSPolly's Story by Marc Platt The present day. Polly Wright, former companion of the Second Doctor, tracks down Sir Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart via the Internet. As they chat online, they realise that they have a shared experience - and one that began on a world far away.
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Post by omega on Jul 8, 2018 0:02:38 GMT
Week 5 of the Hex listen through notthebigfinishforum.freeforums.net/thread/4463/oh-god-hex-listenDefinitely not a normal story. There's the vastly eccentric characters (not surprising for the setting) who come to life beautifully, even the silent Mrs Kniddle. The twist is that not only is this the Doctor's plan, but he's undermining it in his amnesiac state, is a brilliant touch and the Toymaker uses this to restore himself. There are a couple of songs as well, which are well performed and the second one alludes to games. |
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Post by Hieronymus on Jul 8, 2018 2:16:19 GMT
I would have liked this one even more if I hadn't gotten a great big spoiler (the villain's identity) just a week before I had planned to listen to it. 
The only DW spoiler I ever had that was worse was when the DWM issue featuring Jacobi / Sims on the cover arrived on newstands a week early, before that episode aired in my region.
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Post by bohnny on Jul 8, 2018 7:00:09 GMT
Great story; the one that really got me hooked on Big Finish back in the day
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Post by Timelord007 on Jul 8, 2018 7:19:35 GMT
Great build up with good performances that lead up to for me at least a unsatisfactory pay off.
3/5.
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Post by Tim Bradley on Jul 8, 2018 7:59:37 GMT
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ljwilson
Chancellery Guard
It's tangerine....not orange
Likes: 5,062 
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Post by ljwilson on Jul 8, 2018 8:31:35 GMT
As far as I'm concerned, the best story in the Monthly Range. Weird as anything, but brilliant.
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Post by mark687 on Jul 8, 2018 10:42:22 GMT
Some great oddball performances in this, but unlike Matthew Sweet's earlier work The Year of the Pig, the story lacks momentum, and no matter how hard he's trying, the villain will always be the voice of John West Tuna.
Regards
mark687
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Post by muckypup on Jul 8, 2018 16:38:59 GMT
This is one that gets better with each listen........
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Post by omega on Jul 9, 2018 0:42:05 GMT
The interviews on this are great, especially Sophie talking to Matthew Sweet about how he approached the story. Sophie is an immensely talented actress with incredible range.
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Post by mrperson on Jul 9, 2018 17:04:00 GMT
I always loved this one. Yet another one that starts out as one (confused) thing and turns into another.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2018 16:23:12 GMT
This story is my go to story if I need cheering up.Wonderfulscript witty and funny with some great characters the whole cast really gives their all.It was one of the first Big Finish I ever heard and shows what audio can do.
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Post by Ela on Jul 24, 2018 7:20:04 GMT
Well, I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of the Toymaker. But this was an interesting little puzzle of a story, all the same.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2020 16:45:55 GMT
Some great oddball performances in this, but unlike Matthew Sweet's earlier work The Year of the Pig, the story lacks momentum, and no matter how hard he's trying, the villain will always be the voice of John West Tuna. Regards mark687 I have to say this is a Classic for me and in my top ten stories for me the whole from start to finish bounces along and provides some great dramatic nod comedic moments it’s one I can feel that every cast member really enjoyed doing .Ace and Hex finally turning the cards on the Doctor as he has done so many times for them and am not aware of the John west tuna lol so am glad of that 😂😂 Year of The Pig is also good but for me this has that oddball factor and I love it to death...so many memorable lines and moments for me |
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Post by grinch on Nov 21, 2020 16:49:22 GMT
Such a classic. And I love it’s approach to the Celestial Toymaker. Very different yet very much in keeping with his character. The supporting characters are an utter delight as well.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2020 17:08:52 GMT
This is an absolute classic to me, and one that does wonderful things with the character of The Toymaker. Mathew Sweet's stories don't come round often, but they are always worth the wait.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2021 20:38:33 GMT
Needed something to cheer me up and this is a guaranteed listen.The odd bizarre characters the setting the wonderful dialogue just evokes so many smiles in me it’s not even the rematch with the old foe it’s just the wonderful interactions of the characters and the imagery it conjures in my mind .Two Who scripts have had that wonderful uplifting effect on me Iterations of I and this.In a bit of a blue mood I can just get lost in it completely .It really is a group of actors who really seem to have just thrown themselves whole heartedly into their audio roles,not least Ace and Hex.But who can forget Queenie Glasscock ,Lola Luna such blooming marvellous characters even the little electric shocks bring a smile and there is so much comedy timing amidst the drama unfolding am so glad Matthew didn’t have access to Agatha Christie because I do not think it would have worked as brilliantly as this script.
needless to say I laugh all the time at the knocker joke and so many other parts.Wonderfully directed by Ken Bentley and one I sooooo wish had been televised
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Post by Sir Wearer of Hats on Jan 12, 2021 21:54:18 GMT
I dunno what to think of this story but I do know what to say - I got it entirely by accident and for free! I ordered Wishing Beast from BF many moons ago and got this one instead, I contacted BF and they sent out Wishing Beast for free.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2021 10:12:23 GMT
I dunno what to think of this story but I do know what to say - I got it entirely by accident and for free! I ordered Wishing Beast from BF many moons ago and got this one instead, I contacted BF and they sent out Wishing Beast for free. Definitely sent you out the better story then 😂 |
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ljwilson
Chancellery Guard
It's tangerine....not orange
Likes: 5,062
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Post by ljwilson on Jan 14, 2021 10:18:36 GMT
Weird and wonderful. This is complex stuff and great fun, with outstanding dialogue that pokes a bit of fun at the cliches of the 1920s.
The supporting cast are truly brilliant and the Doctor, for once, is the one being played by the odd-ball inhabitants of a remote sanitorium in the mountains high above Davos. But a confused 7th Doctor keeps digging to work out what is really going on, and then the problems start.
The menace builds slowly in this one, aided by the Fox/Yason music and atmospherics. They really do get how to accompany a story and bring it to life.
Probably my favourite of all the Main Range stories, I love it.
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