The Living Darkness is a new Doctor Who audio play from Big Finish Productions and has a really moving reunion between the First Doctor and Steven Taylor. This play was written by Jacqueline Rayner and directed by Helen Goldwyn. Stephen Noonan reprises his efforts to emulate William Hartnell’s portrayal of the First Doctor and is really getting better at it. Peter Purves returns as former companion and ruler of another world, Steven Taylor. He is quite a bit older than when he traveled with the Doctor, and Purves puts in an awesome performance.’ Lauren Cornelius turns up later in the play as Dodo Chaplet, originally portrayed by Jackie Lane in the television series back in the 1960’s/
Other guest actors include Jack Ayres, Trevor Littledale, Dido Miles, and Helen Phillips. As usual, everyone does a stellar job with their roles.
Steven Taylor was once the ruler of a planet where he had been left by the TARDIS. He had a family and is still grieving the death of one of his daughters. He is around the century mark in terms of his age, but he has remained relatively fit and is as sharp-witted as ever. He had thought that his adventures had ended when he parted company with the Doctor and Dodo, however he has regained conscious aboard the spaceship that seems to be some type of prison transport. He has met other unwilling passengers and is investigating whatever terrors lie within the dark corridors when a familiar old man arrives introducing himself as the Doctor. The ship crashes on a planet where the most violent criminals are also sent. Someone or something has taken Steven and the Doctor out of time and placed them in a grueling fight for survival.
I had a little trouble following this story, but the presence and performance of Peter Purves was too compelling for me to mind that much. It’s not a bad story, and Rayner is a long-time writer for the franchise with some real talent and love for the series. It’s actually not a bad epic, and I will enjoy listening to it again in the not-too-distant future. Stephen Noonan continues to improve his portrayal of the First Doctor. He is getting closer to imitating Hartnell’s particular verbal inflections. Of course, the best William Hartnell is always going to be William Hartnell, but I appreciate Noonan’s efforts. Noonan actually sounds very different when using his normal voice, so his impersonation of Hartnell is quite impressive. I am always open to more First Doctor stories.
I can respect that Purves has really changed very little vocally even though he is well into his eighties. I also liked that just because Steven is even older than that, he sounded anything but frail and soft. Steven still retained that tenacious, bulldog tendency that was so prevalent when he was introduced into the series over fifty years.
This is one of those times when the performances really help when the plot is a little soft. The plot is actually pretty good here, and there is some interesting character development occurring throughout the story.
When Steven and the Doctor really recognize each other as genuine, it is actually rather moving. Purves still sounds great in these releases, and I hope he has several more left to do.
I was not sure about Noonan when he first started out in this role, but his interpretation of the First Doctor has grown on me. It is noted in the cast interviews how much work and research he puts in, and it really shows here.
2025 seems to be off to a great start with this release, and I hope more First Doctor stories are in the can.
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