PSAudios 2.2. Heist

"Many have tried to gain access to the Zunestra Collection without my consent and I can tell you I had no qualms in dealing with them in the severest possible way!"

Byron Zunestra: a conman apparently gone straight, with the finest collection of rare and unique objects. And Zunestra has just acquired some strange new delights for his collection,
namely a jewelled pendant and a mysterious dark blue cabinet...

Meanwhile Jann Cordelis has lost the Pendant of Norombra to Zunestra and needs to recover it to avoid shame and imprisonment at home, while The Doctor and his new friend Edward Bradley have made it to the New Harlow Megropolis, but the Doctor has lost his still-incapacitated TARDIS and Ed has somehow found himself standing in a field freezing his unmentionables off! Everything is set for a Heist!

Will Ed emerge triumphant from his job interview? Which man will Jann go home with? And can the Doctor retrieve both the Pendant of Norombra and the TARDIS in time for a slap up dinner at the Frillington?


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This audio recording is (c) Planet Skaro 2008.

Heist! came about when Si Hunt requested a new story from Simon Hart. Simon was keen to try writing a story on his own and set about coming up with a fast moving 2 parter for the summer 2008 season. The script was inspired by one of Simon's favourite TV shows, Hustle and would feature the Doctor and his companions trying to steal the TARDIS back from the highly protected vaults of a mad, larger than life collector.

The script went through several versions. Initially it was to feature the original PS Audios team of Rob and Nick. The two companions were to have been teamed up throughout the story and would have featured Nick in the story's twist. However it was felt that there wasn't quite enough for the two of them to do, and that it would be good if the story featured new companion Edward Bradley instead. In the end Simon was very pleased to expand the relationship between the Doctor and Ed and especially enjoyed the writing the introductory TARDIS scene at the end of the tale.

Simon was initially sceptical about doing two parters as he was worried there wouldn't be room for much plot. Simon says, “With a two parter you don't have time to waste setting up the story. It's best to get on with it as soon as you can. I like starting stories like that because it's far more intriguing for the listener I think.” Hart was only fairly happy with the script before recording though, and didn't feel it was up to the standard of his episodes of "Magical History Tour".

"Heist!" was recorded on Saturday April 12th 2008, alongside The Paradise Machine. The story was recorded in story order, which was a first for the PS Audios. This was to give the acting a sense of urgency as it was hoped the cast would follow what was going on much better if it was recorded in order. Simon directed the story himself.

This was the first story which Simon Hart undertook production duties for. He was very pleased with the performances from the whole cast, and especially with the easy chemistry between Paul Monk's Doctor and Martin Penny's Ed Bradley, which really brought the script to life in a special way.

Production was completed on June 4th and was a fairly easy process. The episodes ran almost to their allotted running time and very few trims were made.

To give sit a different feel to some other stories the story made use of music by Gershwin, (of whom the Doctor was a big fan apparently) along with some Rachmaninov for the restaurant scenes. The incidental music was made up of cues from Air, Neon Neon, Zero 7, Mylo and Blur among others.

Of the production Simon says: ”I was really pleased with how the story came together in the end. I have to say the scene where Ed returns to the hotel room and meets the Doctor and Jann is my favourite of the entire story. It's just played to perfection and turned out even better than I imagined. There are some things I'd do differently if I did it again, for sure - mostly removing too many footsteps - but on the whole I'm happy.”

"It's been a really enjoyable tale, great fun with some great moments, and well done to all concerned!!"
Andrew Curnow

"I have to say it was a joy to listen to. Every thing was well done on it. I like the way Ed was played and the way he was used by Jan and the security firm it was a bolt from the blue and very well done. Ever since the trailer I was waiting for the "whaaaaat," from Ed and I like it used when he saw the inside of the TARDIS for the first time. At first I actually thought the Doctor was going to leave Ed behind I'm glad he didn't"
Cyber Chris