T H E   C D   R E V I E W 

Release Date: September 2003

It's been forty years since Martin Bannister encountered the Doctor. They were different men back then. Martin was young and talented and The Times' seventh most promising writer to watch out for. The Doctor was mysterious, crotchety and possibly oriental. It was an encounter that destroyed both their lives.

Pity poor Martin now... His career is in ruins, all forgotten. His estranged wives keep dying in the wrong order, and there's a nasty green stain by the wardrobe that could be an alien footprint or, possibly, just mould.

Martin's life is about to change unexpectedly… Impromptu poetry readings. Elephant expeditions. An obligatory bug-eyed monster. And a last, desperate chance for love, before it's too late.

Sounds like it's time for the Doctor to come into Martin's life again. And sort him out. Permanently.

Wow, what a trip this radio play is.  The relationship to Doctor Who, is somewhat tenuous, but it still an amazing piece of work.  A post-modern work that challenges the boundaries between fantasy and reality.  If Quentin Tarantino, was to age 40 or 50 years, heavily medicate himself and then write a Doctor Who radio play, that is what this is like (without cuss words and violence).    

The story follows a person who is suffering from dementia dealing with competing “episodes” and real life.  Doctor Who, could just as easily have been replaced any real or fictional TV show.  Although, there are some great characters in this play, the trainspotter type from the fanzine, the surly teenager (who can talk to them?) and the matron.

Not being a Doctor Who nut, there were a number of references to the ghosts of Doctors past and various episodes, which I only just picked up.  This might be enough for a Doctor Who Fan to enjoy listening to this disc.  

Overall, an interesting play although not recommended for people who actually want to hear about the adventures of one of the Doctors Who. Look out for the discussion about the Guinea Pig.

- Peter Ritchie.