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Publisher's Details |
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Writer: Paul Magrs | Director: Gary Russell
CD Details (Buy the CD from Big Finish) Published: Mar 2001 | ISBN: 1-903654 254 | RRP: £13.99 (UK) |
| The Cast | |||
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The Doctor:
Charley: Count Orsino: Churchwell: |
Paul McGann
India Fisher Michael Sheard Nick Scovell |
Pietro:
Ms Lavish: Vincenzo: Kelsey: |
Barnaby Edwards
Elaine Ives-Cameron Mark Gatiss Toby Longworth |
| The Story |
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The Doctor and Charley arrive in twenty third century Venice - a city that is about to be lost to the sea forever. As the Duke Orsino and the revellers enjoy the final moments
of Venice’s existence before perishing beneath the water, two sinister plots are unravelling as a cult known as ‘The Cult of Estella’ captures the Doctor and the Duke’s Art
Curator Churchwell. Charley meanwhile, becomes entailed in a plot against the Duke himself…
In part two, the Doctor and Churchwell find themselves locked in an underwater cell. When they escape, they find Estella’s coffin empty. They are discovered and the cultists force them on a journey to the palace to retrieve the portrait of Estella – which doesn’t exist. Charley meanwhile is dressed in Estella’s clothes and drugged on her way to the palace. Her task is to convince Orsino that she is Estella and to marry her. Ms Lavish shows up and aids the plan as the wedding is being prepared to take place at dawn with everyone expecting the curse to be lifted. As they reach the palace, the cultists’ boats are attacked by the Gondoliers. The Doctor and Churchwell look certain to drown... Luckily both the Doctor and Churchwell are saved by the Duke’s guards. However, Vincenzo is also saved. They go to the palace and meet Orsino. Things get worse as Orsino learns of the Cult of Estella’s tomb and they all set off (including Charley and Pietro) to the Cult’s lair. However, the Gondoliers are on their tale and when the Doctor, Pietro and Charley try to escape, the empty coffin is opened as the clock signals dawn and the end of Venice... Vincenzo realises that Estella has already risen after seeing the empty coffin so they return to the palace where Ms Lavish still sitting on the throne. She reveals that she is in fact Estella and that she is not human. As Venice sinks, she later reveals that her jewels are keeping the curse alive and that the only way to revoke it is for her and Orsino to die. So, when Orsino takes the jewels from the Doctor, she and Orsino turn to dust to save Venice. |
| Editor's Review |
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The Stones of Venice is a well written story that is dialogue-led, which means that there are no unexplained sequences of bangs. The characters are quite good, although Vincenzo seems a little under-used.
The Doctor sounds on top form and Charley has less of a back seat role in the story as she gets involved with Pietro’s plans.
There is no obvious “bad guy” in this story with Orsino, the cultists and the Gondoliers all performing that duty for certain scenes. The story itself is quite a good one and works very well in Audio. Well done Paul Magrs on an enjoyable listen. Roll on Invaders from Mars (Dan Ludlow) |