Doctor Who: The Wealth of Craytians

[Si Hunt]

It's another brand new adventure in time and space, exclusive to Planet Skaro!

The TARDIS arrives on a Shroon Battle Cruiser in deep space. Investigating a confrontation between two ages-old empires, The Doctor and Ed become entangled in the insane machinations of people with somewhat extraordinary ideas about how best to win the War...

The Wealth of Craytians showcases another writer new to the Planet Skaro team - Lissa Levesque, whose Vervoid website will be in the Favourites folder of many of your PC's. Led by blindfold to the top secret Vervoid HQ, we discovered that Lissa had in fact been mysteriously replaced by an android, suspiciously resembling Dennis Carey with wires coming out of his head. But then the wall swung open and our host stepped from the shadows.

"The big idea was something which came to me as a Peter Jones insert from Hitch Hiker’s," Lissa explained from behind gigantic and iconic dark glasses. "I thought it had something but was too big a story to actually tell. What worked in thirty seconds wouldn’t fit in fifty minutes. So I took inspiration from another bit of Hitch Hiker’s and told a tiny little bit of the story focusing on a couple of guys in an awkward situation."

From there blossomed a script that the assembled cast found among the most challenging they had ever recorded - a situation the out-takes on the CD will bear testament to (the phrase "bloody Lissa!" is heard uttered from the list of at least one performer on trying to get his tongue round some of the challenging dialogue).

"There isn’t any action to speak of because I didn’t want to do a Bob and Dave and write something that couldn’t possibly be realised. So it’s a constant stream of words," Lissa told me, a smile ebbing mischievously across her lips. "I had David Tennant’s speed and delivery in mind which is probably why it ran long. Not everyone talks as quickly as Comrade Tennant."

One person used to talking quickly is Steve Alexander, who (as with Dave Tudor in The Hand of Peace story last week) throws off the shackles of a regular companion role and effortlessly takes on the mantle of a completely new character - the meatiest role of the story, in fact. We're sure listeners will be as surprised and entertained by the performance as we were.

Finally, Lissa tells me that this is the first PS Audio to be written partly on iPhone. "I went away to Iron Bridge and I was able to take the first draft with me. I also got an email about it from Si Hunt while in Waterstones in Shrewsbury". Our writers are never safe from the demands of re-drafting, wherever they are.

Production on the story was more troubled than most - along with last years "Christmas Spirits", a technical fault meant that practically all of it needed to be re-recorded after the initial sessions. You have the amazing dedication of the cast (many of whom turned up to or put in extra recording sessions) to thank for the fact that we're able to unveil it for you this summer.

This story features Paul Monk as Doctor Who, Martin Penny as Edward Bradley, Steve Alexander as the Shroon Captain and the ever popular returning David Barnes as the Craytian Captain, with Paul Clement, Simon Hart, Si Hunt and Pip Madeley in supporting roles. Even Simon Rayner is in there somewhere. Yes! Production duties are handled this time by Steven Alexander.

Be sure to check back this Saturday 13th June, for Episode 1 of this most intriguing PS Audio adventure! And in the meantime, Download a trailer here to moisten your appetite!

Si.

[SiHart]

Yet another great cover Pip- I love the top space-opera action there!

This story is a real treat. Don't turn back now- give it a listen!

Si xx

[Alex]

I'm really looking forward to this one as I'm intrigued as to what Lissa's cooked up for us, plus it should be cool to hear Steve in a different role, along with the return to PS audios of Mr Barnes!

That's another amazing cover btw Pip, it makes me want to have sex with you!* And I love the really rock-y music in the trailer (which sounds excellent btw), I hope there's more of that in the audio itself.



*Ahem, okay, that might be slightly over the top, but I know you quote these things on Facebook sometimes and I thought it'd be funny to see it up there!

[Paul Monk]

Looking forward to this one, despite cursing Lissa several times during the making. Its really intelligent and very funny. Douglas Adams would have been proud and felt probably more than a little threatened.

[Pip Madeley]

Being priveliged to have heard some of it before release I can say that it really is worth checking out - no PS Audio before has been quite like it!

[Andrew Curnow]

What an intriguing trailer!

[Martin Penny]

I like the rock music-y trailer! The cover looks suitably imposing, and works well even without the Doctor/regulars on it.

[Pip Madeley]

The cover looks suitably imposing, and works well even without the Doctor/regulars on it.

Well, I took into consideration Paul's desire to not feature on every cover - I know he gets shy/embarrassed! - and took the opportunity to concentrate on what was at the heart of the story... I think once you've heard the whole thing you'll agree that the cover represents it well. It also adds to the uniqueness of the story

[Si Hunt]

Just a note to remind people, that the Planet Skaro Audios Wikipedia Page is kept fully updated, and includes an episode guide, history and production guide featuring much hirtherto unrevealed information about the making of the audios.

Si.

[SiHart]

Myself and Martin have been doing our bit to keep it all up to date over the last few days, but if anyone else wants to contribute to our many PS pages, then I'd be pleased!

Si xx

[Martin Penny]

Is it my imagination, or is the Tardis in the banner 3D?

[Si Hunt]

I'm reaching for my "Dimensions in Time" 3-D specs as we speak Martin!

Si.

[The Secretive Bus]

I like hearing myself saying dramatic things in dramatic trailers.

[Wayne]

Intriguing trailer!

[Pip Madeley]

Episode one is now available to download!

The Wealth of Craytians

[Andrew Curnow]

And very good it is too!!!

I'll post some more thoughts later on as I've got to get dressed now, but just to say, what a crafty, clever little episode that was! Like much of season 17, the story has that fierce internal logic driving it (beginning from a war begun for purely economic reasons) which is in itself a great idea & backdrop for the story itself. And then on top of that is (and it doesn't really come as a great surprise, coming from the same hand, or pen, or PC, that gave the world Dennis Brent,***) a marvellously worded script, giving all the actors something to get their teeth into. Loved the 'banter guys' ("Don't you have those two kids though?" "Yeah, suppose") and Rob's smarmy Captain, and the Doctor/Ed relationship was excellent (from that TARDIS library scene onwards). And although there was, on a practical level, a lot of 'infodump' dialogue (with the Doctor explaining the war - sorry, The War; and then the Captain explaining the plot) it never felt like being bombarded with dull plot stuff, it just flowed along naturally & entertainingly.

By now it almost goes without saying, but I will just add that the production values were again really high, I was particularly struck by the opening massacre scene.




***Etcetera.

[Andrew Curnow]

Oh - meant to say, I think parts 2 & 3 are labelled wrong on the zip file Pip.

[Pip Madeley]

Not sure about that, Si did the zipping...

[Jon Masters]

Excellent stuff so far - great idea for an unusual story, Lissa, and really enjoyed all the lovely interactions and language - especially the betting guys and the computer stuff. to Steve for his superbly smarmy captain - a sort of conglomerate of Peter Mandelson, Paxman and touches of Henry Gordon Jago there I think. Looking forward to see what those dastardly Craytians are up to with their not-firing.

The big idea was something which came to me as a Peter Jones insert from Hitch Hiker’s

I don't know HH that well, but did wonder if two huge alien fleets were going to be swallowed by a small dog...

[Lissa]

I listened to this in the car and everyone involved in the production has done an awesome job. The music, the effects and the little ambient beeps are all fantastic. I thought I'd squirm self-consciously throughout but I enjoyed it as much as someone with a vested interest is allowed, under English law, to do.

[cyberchris35]

I have listened to The Wealth of Craytians part 1 and I thought it was brilliant. It was well written and acted, Steve was brilliant as the captain it was totally different to Rob, and the music and effects were fantastic. I cannot wait for episode 2.

[Martin Penny]

An excellent episode, this one. Lissa wrote some tremendously witty dialogue, which was fun to read - the Doctor and Ed library scene is one of my favourites so far.

Loved Steve's very 'non Rob' role as the smarmy Captain, and the way he was incredibly pleasant until the very end when he began to issue his threat to kill Ed. The bantering guys were great too.

[SiHart]

This is a very clever and complex and witty script. I know the actors al had a hard trime get their mouths around some of the dialogue, but their efforts really paid off. This episode is full of some great Doctor/ Ed banter (they really are a great partnership) and it's hard to believe that Martin wasn't there with us when we recorded it, such is the way the lines bounce along.

It seems really odd commneting on this one, as it seems to have been around us here at home for ages, since Steve did much of the work on it before Christmas. I've heard it a couple of times since too and I really like his production. It's very different from his Gnomes episode- and not nearly as much music.

Si xx

[Wayne]

Just to say that i'm very interested to hear this, but once again i'm think i'm gonna end up waiting for the CD.
I can listen to it on me CD Walkman y'see. (How quaint? Still haven't got an Ipod or whatever) I'm out & about a bit at the moment, & i've been busy with various music projects so i just haven't had time to fit everything in.
I'm still supportive though, & will listen & give my thoughts in due course.

[Si Hunt]

Episode Two is now available to download!

The Wealth of Craytians

Click the link and download the closing part of this story to find out if the Doctor and Ed escape their harrowing situation!

Si.