Children in Need Special Audio: Many Happy Returns DOWNLOAD NOW!

[SiHart]

"We thought we'd get a surprise for you."
"And here I am!"
"OH NO!"

Rob and Nick are taking the opportunity in a quiet moment between their adventures to explore the TARDIS. Deep in the corridors lies a dusty old wooden control room, the perfect venue for a little surprise they have planned for the Doctor.

Will they be able to pluck Simon and Garfunkel out of their time stream and pop them down in the TARDIS? How will the Doctor's running repairs to his beloved ship affect their plans? What's
wrong with the Cloister Room? And who is having the perfect cuppa? Rob and Nick grapple with a little time problem, but just what have they brought to the TARDIS...

Doctor Who: Many Happy Returns is a very special one-off episode from Planet Skaro Audios, made in support of the BBC Children In Need 2008 appeal. Please consider donating today by visiting the CiN website. A limited edition CD release of this story will be available in the near future, when we've put together some extra special stuff for the rest of the CD.

This 15 minute bonus episode will be available for download tomorrow (link will be added). Originally made as a birthday present for Si Hunt (who rarely gets to hear totally new stories made by us on PS) Many Happy Returns is part of a larger challenge put out to the makers of Doctor Who fan audios and films and when I've got them I'll be popping a link up to some of the other stories made specially for this year's Children in Need.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. It's great fun!

Si xx

[Dirk Gently]

Ah, my one line in the birthday special gets an airing.

I'm quite eager to hear this as I have no idea what it's about really.

[Wayne]

I'm looking forward to hearing this as well.

I'm quite eager to hear this

Haven't you listened to 'Eye' yet Tim?

[WhiteCrow]

Yes looking forward to listening to this.

[SiHart]

Glad you're all looking forward to it. I think it's great fun, but then I would do- I've heard it! Not many others have done yet... not until tomorrow anyway.

Si xx

[Dirk Gently]

Haven't you listened to 'Eye' yet Tim?

No, I've not really had the time. May be tonight.

[SiHart]

Now available for download here!

Hope you enjoy it!

Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

The TARDIS secondary control room is a great place for a party!

Fun - and definitely benefits from being short. It's just about the right size for the concept.

And listening to it now, what a wonderful lyrical way Dave Tudor delivers his lines. Almost every sentance has such a lovely delivery, you almost think he's reading poetry. I couldn't help but think how well he'd read something like Thomas the Tank Engine (and no - I'm not comparing him to Ringo Starr).


You should see the kind of doo-hickey I've jigged up to listen to this - we can't download at work, forgot to take MP3 player home to put it on - so instead there's a memory stick wired into the MP3 via nefarious means, which thinks it's accessing an external drive!!!

[SiHart]

And listening to it now, what a wonderful lyrical way Dave Tudor delivers his lines. Almost every sentance has such a lovely delivery, you almost think he's reading poetry

It was all down to the poetical script
But you're right- he has a way with his lines that always makes them sound a lot better than they actually are.

Thanks for the comments Mike, they're much appreciated. I think you're right- it doesn't outstay its welcome and just gives enough time for everyone to have a moment and walk off again, though you can probably tell who are the favourites!

And thanks for making so much effort to hear it! I'd have waited until I got home if it was me!

Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

And thanks for making so much effort to hear it! I'd have waited until I got home if it was me!

Well I asked myself, "What would the Doctor do? Wait until I got home, or jury rig some dodgy contraption which just about works!".

[SiHart]

I hope you remembered to reverse the polarity, Mike!

Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

I hope you remembered to reverse the polarity, Mike!

Si xx

I put the phones in the wrong ears - does that count?

[Dirk Gently]

Just listened to it. Well done chaps! A nice little play that. Not over done & doesn't go on too long.

Lots of in jokes that will keep regular listeners happy but might be lost on irregular ones.

But over all a nice piece of history. I love Rob's line right at the end, that should make the Doctor Who fans who remember Feast of Steven happy.

[WhiteCrow]

Lots of in jokes that will keep regular listeners happy but might be lost on irregular ones.

I think it was simply meant as an end of season "thanks" and "here's a bit of fun" for PS audio listeners. And as such does it's job well. I think the term is "it does what it says on the can".

You're absolutely right though, it's not something you'd recommend to a friend who was new to PS audios.

It would be nice though in the same vein to do something similar(ish) - a 15 minute story, as a kind of tribute to the main series in it's 45th year, which could act as an intro to PS audios. A kind of "taster" if you like!

[Dirk Gently]

Interesting idea. Perhaps you could write something?

[Wayne]

I should be listening to this someone over the weekend. But my downloading queue is pretty full for a day or so.
Defintely put me down for a CD though!

No, I've not really had the time. May be tonight.

Just listened to it. Well done chaps! A nice little play that. Not over done & doesn't go on too long.

Lots of in jokes that will keep regular listeners happy but might be lost on irregular ones.

But over all a nice piece of history. I love Rob's line right at the end, that should make the Doctor Who fans who remember Feast of Steven happy.

I get the message.

[WhiteCrow]

Interesting idea. Perhaps you could write something?

I am indeed trying to write a short story up for the 45th anniversary.

I know Si Hart had a very good idea for something a bit surreal, I don't know if he's going to use it.

Personally as it is the 45th Anniversary I'd like to see Dr Who the site encourage celebrations of this in kind of all forms - short stories, audios (obviously) and art. To be fair the site encourages this even for the years which don't have a special significance. But I think 45 years is something to shout about. And I'll feel exactly the same for the 50th!

Anyway - I've set up a design a Dr Who monster competition which it's early days for yet. I'll try and throw something on there to set the ball rolling - or it might just be one of those threads which never get going. [I think we're more writers than drawers]

[SiHart]

I know Si Hart had a very good idea for something a bit surreal, I don't know if he's going to use it.

I did? Which one? I've had many surreal ideas!

Lots of in jokes that will keep regular listeners happy but might be lost on irregular ones.

Well, ahem, it was never really designed for irregular listeners. I originally wrote it for Si Hunt, as a birthday present, and it wasn't really designed to be heard by anyone else. I wrote all the in-jokes in to make Si laugh. However, we all decided it was too good to keep to ourselves and ther Children in Need Challenge seemed like the perfect time to put it out for the masses, especially as it's something of a celebration for our little range so far.

Now I also promised we'd cross promote some of the other productions done for the challenge. You can find them here (and I'm rather enjoying the Call of Pudsey at the moment)

The Call of Pudsey : http://www.dwad.net/channel1/channel1.html
And
Doctor Who for Children in Need at:
www.damproductions.org and http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QVY8hIL6uuw

And:
The Female Doctor
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=m2BPd-JYObo

Thanks all! And feel free to make a donation to Children in Need.

Si xx

[WhiteCrow]

I did? Which one? I've had many surreal ideas!

I've a couple of ideas for threads for the Unearthly Child anniversary. I was going to use one of you ideas to see how it goes. You probably don't remember cos you were on at least your 3rd pint by that point, and Steve was going "Si you really should slow down now, you've work in the morning".

[Martin Penny]

I thought that was a very enjoyable little episode. Nice to hear from Vera again, and I really liked the Five Doctors sound effects for the time scoop. Rob picking up on Nick's 'Lots of eclairs I see!' made me laugh too!

Great to hear THE BARON again as well, always nice to see something you created used by someone else

[Pip Madeley]

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOCTOR!"

[Wayne]

Just listened to this.
Nice to hear a few old faces. Hello Vera!
Tim's right, You really need to know your PS audios, But good fun anyway.
Well done chaps.

[Andrew Curnow]

Good fun - I especially liked Dave's line about the felt tip pen. I think a Baron/Vera love story is just begging to be written, though.

[SiHart]

Thanks guys! I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

Si xx