PS Audios presents The Curse of Ratanapura - EPISODE 2 ONLINE!

[Si Hunt]

Earlier in the year, we presented Part 1 of our 2008 season, as the Doctor was joined by new companion Edward Bradley for Heart of the Haniad, battled to regain the TARDIS from the collection of Byron Zunestra in Heist! and fought Mark 4 Security Robots and the tyranous Tor Garane aboard the Golden Moon Star Cruiser in The Paradise Machine. The first half our season raised over £200 in donations for our chosen charity, Doctor Barnados.

We're now preparing to launch the second half of our 2008 season, and here are a few teasers about what's to come! Our season begins next Saturday 18 October, with the first episode of a two-part story, The Curse of Ratanapura by Pip Madeley and Si Hunt, more information about which will be revealed shortly. A traditional haunted castle mystery, this will see the Doctor, Rob and Nick protecting the cursed Ratanapura gem stone, while the Doctor faces an old aquaintance...




The Doctor uncovers an evil curse...


Following this will be another two part story, The Crystal Eye by Paul Monk and Simon Hart, which sees the Doctor, Rob and Nick stranded on a mysterious and lost planet that hides a deadly secret (fans of Edward Bradley can be assured he will return next year!). This story will be the dramatic closer of our season officially, although we won't be away for long...

It's long been a tradition of Doctor Who to help celebrate Children In Need, and this year we want to honour that tradition with a special audio production of our own. Actually recorded some months ago in secret and presented to me as a birthday surprise, Many Happy Returns is a fun adventure set completely within the TARDIS, and featuring the surprise return of many old characters from the PS Audios! This mini adventure was too good not to be heard by a wider audience, so we're going to be making it available in download form in November to celebrate Children In Need. We'll be requesting that anyone who downloads and enjoys this adventure makes a donation to Children In Need if they want to show their appreciation of it. A CD release of Many Happy Returns with an exclusive bonus adventure is currently being planned for the same month.

Finally in December, we will be presenting our now-traditional Christmas Special, Christmas Spirits. Following the dramatic events that will be heard at the conclusion of our season, the Doctor enjoys a solo adventure in spooky Victorian London where the snow-covered streets are about to become more treacherous than they look. This will be the first PS Audio written by Planet Skaro scribe Paul Clement.

CD's of the final stories of the season will be available as usual, as ever wrapped in beautiful covers designed by Pip in exchange for a donation to our chosen charity (to be announced soon). As the season is due to conclude on the week of the Planet Skaro meet, I'll be aiming to bring along the discs to hand out on the day.

As usual, all the stories will also be available as free downloads from Planet Skaro, although we are lining up some interesting new bonus features for the CD's this time. As well as the popular out-takes selections, each CD will come with exclusive new material, some narrated by the soothing voices of our finest vocal artistes, some fully dramatised mini-adventures telling the tales that happen in between the main audio adventures.

So the audio adventure begins again here in just a weeks time. Be sure to call back on Saturday and hear the first new episode, and check back soon for more detailed news (and the sparkly new cover) to the next story, as the Doctor investigates The Curse of Ratanapura...

Si.

[SiHart]

I'm really lookign forward to hearing The Curse of Ratanapura. I didn't have much to do with it (for a change!) and wasn't around while it was being recorded, so it'll all new to me.

I think everyone will enjoy The Crystal Eye. There's a few surprises in that one, as you'll find out in a few weeks time!

As the writer of Many happy Returns I hope you'll find it great fun. I'm not going to say anything about it, except the it features some naughtiness from Nick and Rob... but that doesn't give you a clue at all about what this mischief filled mini-adventure is all about!

I can't wait!

Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

I hope things are quiet enough at work to listen to these.

[Si Hunt]

The "tone word" for the story I produced in this batch was "loud", so you should be ok!

Si.

[Dirk Gently]

I'm really looking forward to Curse. And the other plays sound intriguing.

[Martin Penny]

I'm really looking forward to the latter part of the season, as I know nothing about it! I love that pic of Paul as well, looks like a very classy publicity shot.

[cullsoft]

And annoyingly, at work we've started taking a turn where I probably won't be able to pop on my headphones and listen to all these bits all the time! I'm sure I'll hopefully find a slot for it, though - I've told my boss about Curse, and I'm sure he'd let me have time to listen to it (if not himself too)!

(Might also find out what happens in the whole story too...)

Also looking forward to the rest of the series too, and very interested to hear how this year's Christmas story goes!

[Rob McCow]

It's gonna be awesome! There are some great adventures lined up for our next run. Hopefully we'll be able to raise a lot more money for charity with this too.

[Wayne]

Looking forward to these. As a "haunted castle" mystery, 'The Curse of Ratanapura' sounds up my street.

[Antony Cox]

Ooh, this all sounds every exciting! Looking forward to this Saturday!

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

This does sound good!!!

I hope I manage to bring myself up-to-date before Saturday. You see I'm one of those types that won't listen to an episode until I've heard everything that preceeded it. The 'Heist!' CD is the last thing I had a chance to listen to meaning that I currently need to hear all of the Paradise Machine CD (well at least the extended veriosn plus extras - I did hear the online version) before I can even listed to the story that was available to download the other week (I think it is a Doctor-less story). So, I can't allow myself to hear the the second part of this season until I'm totally up-to-date

Where does all the time go?

Sounds rather good though, I'm looking forward to the new batch.

[SiHart]

It's OK Andrew, Unknown Variables is a non-Doctor Who story, so you listen to The Curse of Ratanapura with a clear conscience if you like!

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

Right, I'm proud to be able to give a quick preview of the forthcoming Planet Skaro Audio adventure...



The Doctor, Nick and Rob are on the run. The Daleks have invaded the TARDIS, forcing the Time Lord to whip out his Time Ring and flee for his lives. What happens next?

The story continues, Saturday @ 7pm.

[Martin Penny]

Wow, I think that's your best cover yet Pip! Stunning work.

[WhiteCrow]

The story continues, Saturday @ 7pm.

Si Hart sent me a Facebook invite for Saturday 9am

I'm beginning to suspect that it's being pushed back 10 hours cos Pip isn't finished yet.

[Pip Madeley]

I didn't say WHICH Saturday.

[Wayne]

Awesome cover!

[Andrew Curnow]

Very mean & moody cover - like the little touches like the birds in the sky. And full marks to whoever came up with "and run for his lives", very clever.

[Antony Cox]

Ooh, very atmospheric! Looking forward to it already! But no trailer?

Will it have any of Pip's fascinating facts in it?

[SiHart]

What a brilliant cover! Well done Pip.

Si xx

[Pip Madeley]

Very mean & moody cover - like the little touches like the birds in the sky. And full marks to whoever came up with "and run for his lives", very clever.

The birds and tree are a loving homage to Genesis' Wind and Wuthering:

But no trailer?

No time to make one, but I think it's best you listen to this one 'fresh' anyway

[Dirk Gently]

Superb cover, possibly the best yet.



Perhaps we should have a 'Last PS Cover Standing' thread.

[Si Hunt]

One of the things I thought of was the idea of having a "Favourite Story", "Favourite Character" end of season survey type thing (at the end of the season, after Christmas). But I'd be a little worried people would get upset if their story or character came last. I mean, I could take it, but I'd hate anyone to feel dejected if they didn't get any votes. At the same time, it'd be quite fun. I don't know, what do people think?

Si.

[WhiteCrow]

The obvious solution is to do it by email/PM

People vote for their favourites - the winner is announced, and no-one is dejected cos they got absolute zero votes.

Would be fun to add a few random things in. Like "Best line" etc. My favourite line so far has to be "Hands off this jacket is a Gucci"/"Yeah from a world where Gucci own Primark" - pure gold.

Also possibly - most original premise for a story. Best use of sound effects. Favourite connection to mainstream Who etc.

Sounds like a very fun idea for the end of year.

[SiHart]

I'm only entering if everyone tells me that Heist! was the best story of the year! Which is was, obviously.

I think the best thing to do is have a word with all involved and make sure they're OK with it. I don't want anyone to get upset because they haven't been voted for anything or whatever. But it could be a good thing to do for Christmas perhaps- a nice way to look back over the year's adventures.

Si xx