Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre |
First
published by Big Finish Productions in November 2002. Production code: SJ05
These pages provide
information about the commissioning, writing, and recording of my first audio
play. They therefore contain a number of spoilers if you haven’t heard the play
yet. In particular, you can get a big clue by looking at the revised cover that, unlike the one on this page, features the
villain!
Elsewhere on these pages, you
can read my original proposal and my scenes
breakdown before I wrote the final script.
As
to how the audio came about… I was invited to visit Newcastle in November 2001,
to be part of a BBC Books Writers panel discussion at the “Dimensions on Tyne”
convention. While I was there, I met Elisabeth Sladen—who was a guest at the
convention. I was very flattered when she told me that she knew about my
previous Doctor Who writing, and that she would like me to consider
submitting an idea for Big Finish Productions’ forthcoming Sarah Jane Smith audio
series.
Well,
how could I refuse? Sarah Jane is my favourite Doctor Who companion, and
to be asked by the actress who starred in the role… So I took the opportunity
to discuss the series with Big Finish Producer Gary Russell (who was also at
the convention).
Shortly
after the convention, Elisabeth Sladen sent me a copy of an interview she had
recently given, in which she discussed how she thought Sarah Jane Smith would
have changed over the years, what her attitudes would be today, the sort of
person she might have become. (You can hear this interview for yourself by
ordering MJTV’s audio CD The Actor Speaks Volume II.)
In
December, Gary sent me the series outline for consideration. Based on this, I
wrote a proposal for a 60-minute script, and sent it off over Christmas. By the
end of January 2002, Big Finish and Elisabeth Sladen had decided which were the
five scripts they wanted to do—and mine was chosen as the final of the five
adventures. The others are written by Terrance Dicks, Barry Letts, David
Bishop, and Rupert Laight.
The
audio was recorded on 26 February 2002, and I was able to go to the studio
session in London and meet the cast:
|
Sarah Jane
Smith |
Elisabeth Sladen
|
|
Josh |
Jeremy James |
|
Natalie |
Sadie Miller |
|
Harris |
Robin Bowerman |
|
Wendy
Jennings |
Louise Falkner |
|
Brandt |
Peter Miles |
|
Taxi drivers |
Toby Longworth |
|
|
|
|
Directed by |
Gary Russell |
|
Producers |
Jason
Haigh-Ellery Gary Russell |
|
Executive
producer for BBC |
Jacqueline
Rayner |
Last revised: 01 February 2004