Review by Jacob Licklider
The Stuff of Legend is an interesting release from Big Finish Productions, at least in terms of what it is. Big Finish began working on Doctor Who 25 years ago and to celebrate in September they hosted multiple live performances of this audio drama. As a celebration, it’s a great idea to get people together for an exclusive event. This review, however, is not of the live show of The Stuff of Legend, I am an American so had no real way of being there. This is a review of the studio version released the same day as the live show premiered so the rest of the world could hear it. It’s a great way to keep the story available outside of the few able to get tickets, however Big Finish then made the decision as well to record the live version which is also available to purchase, meaning that several die hard fans will definitely be double dipping (though there are at least some cast differences and the atmosphere between the versions will likely be different). If you are using this review to determine whether or not you should purchase the studio version of The Stuff of Legend it is imperative that you understand that this is a version professionally recorded in studio and as such will not have the feeling of the live performance. This is also a review limited in ability to determine which version you should be purchasing as I have not heard the live version.
The release itself is up to Big Finish’s usual production standard: Barnaby Edwards is in the director’s chair and his directorial voice has always been one of the more unique ones for Big Finish. Howard Carter is providing sound design and music, the sound design being particularly noticeable in this release though that is clearly for a reason. As a story there are several moments where it is clear that Rob Valentine is writing for a live show and that script has been translated into a studio version. The characters moving around, interior and exterior atmospheres, and of course the use of the Daleks are all integrated in a way to be over the top when you are listening because of this. It’s an aspect of the audio that is going to disrupt your listening, but the amount that it is disrupted is going to vary from person to person, as it was noticeable but not particularly distracting outside of the occasional sound effect for me, especially in the first half of the story. The Stuff of Legend is also framed as a story being narrated by a supporting character, Emily Barnfather, who when narrating is played by Annette Badland who is perfect for what the story is going for.
The story itself is an example of a simple Doctor Who story told particularly well, again another decision made because of its intent of being a live show and not a studio. There are only a few locations featured, the setting is Cornwall, November 23, 1963 because Doctor Who and the plot in the first half of the story is thrust forward by a mystery involving local legends and a missing professor. In terms of atmosphere a lot of what Valentine does is similar to The Spectre of Lanyon Moor with Cornish folklore being revealed to be aliens that have been on Earth for a very long time. The plots diverge quite a bit and don’t even follow the same structure with the big twists being the involvements of the Master and the Daleks, though not together with their own separate schemes. The Master reveal is one of those things that you’ll be able to see coming, Valentine sets it up like a classic Anthony Ainley Master reveal though tailored to the performance of Alex MacQueen, and while it’s nothing new it’s really fun to hear India Fisher react to it in particular. Getting to hear Fisher, MacQueen, and Paul McGann play off one another is honestly the high point of the audio, three very strong personalities carrying the second half when the plot goes into high gear. Nicholas Briggs as the voice of the Daleks on the other hand is doing his always reliable performance, but since this is a simpler Doctor Who story he isn’t doing anything particularly interesting with them, just providing them as an evil force. On the other, other hand, Nisha Nayar as the young Emily Barnfather provides a great one-off companion role and essentially the straight man among the over the top personalities.
Overall, The Stuff of Legend despite Valentine being limited in what he could do and being a release presented in a format going against the intended way of it being experienced is a great little celebratory release. It’s a mix of adventure and gothic mystery throughout that is bolstered by the performances, but is perhaps a bit too simple and is possibly distracting depending on who is listening. 8/10.
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