Doctor Who: The Sting of The Time Bees

[SiHart]

Oh my!

Si xx

[Antony Cox]

Just listened to this - it's rather good!

A good all-round story so far, dramatic, amusing, well put-together and good performances all around. I particularly like Jonno's chef - I imagined him as the Swedish Chef from The Muppets but with Jonno's glasses on!

Roll on episode 2!

[Rob McCow]

You haven't got long to wait, Ant...

My question for you is can you remember if you were using a deeper voice when you did your role as the second porter? It's been bugging me for ages whether your voice had been slowed down in production or whether it was something you did yourself! It sounds great and it's a lovely posh-palace-type performance, but I'm sure it sounds a bit deeper than your normal voice

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

My question for you is can you remember if you were using a deeper voice when you did your role as the second porter? It's been bugging me for ages whether your voice had been slowed down in production or whether it was something you did yourself! It sounds great and it's a lovely posh-palace-type performance, but I'm sure it sounds a bit deeper than your normal voice

That's a good question

[Si Hunt]

No, there was no modulation done on it, Ant was just playing it in a deeper voice.

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Can it be? Can it be?!?!

It is!

The Sting of The Time Bees Episode 2! Thrill as this amazing story reaches it's climatic conclusion!!!!

The Sting of The Time Bees - Episode 2

Right click the links above and choose 'Save as'. Then play the file!

Doctor Who and TARDIS trademarks are copyright of the BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION - no infringement intended. This is a fan-produced endeavour - no personal monetary profit has been made from its creation.

This audio recording is (c) Planet Skaro 2010.

Our audio adventures are made strictly non-profit productions, made for the enjoyment of the members of Planet Skaro and other Doctor Who fans. Support the official BBC releases!

[SiHart]

Oh how marvellous.

Si xx

[Jon Masters]

Excellent stuff - more to say after another listen but first thoughts are

• brilliant music - all from the Adventurer ?
• Gene Bradley - a work of wonder
• you have a better grasp of timey wimey than the Moff (and you did manage to answer my continuity question from last night !!)

And then so sad at the end .

Now to listen to both parts together

[duncan]

I'm going to make this my first PS audio that I listen to as I have now got some suitable headphones and can sit at the PC in the living room without disturbing my wife.

[SiHart]

Hope you enjoy it Duncan.

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

I'm going to listen in a few days time, I'm looking forward to it though!

Si.

[Paul Monk]

I'm looking forward to this as the only bit I know is the end.

[Jason Thompson]

Thoroughly enjoyed that.

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

I loved that!

Excellent performances all round. A brilliant idea for a story that was performed really well and expertly put together.
One of my favourite PS Audios - well done to everyone.

You can tell everyone was enjoying themselves at the recordings. I think this is a classic audio example of that thing that Jon Pertwee always referred to, in that if you are having a good time and a laugh, then when required you great the best performances out of the 'company'. As always we did all have a great time (I can only speak for the stories that I've played a main character in, but I bet it's the same for every story that's recorded). The end product is terrific, everyone plays it for real - thats the thing I like about the PS crowd - you can really get into things like this without worrying about what other people think!!!

I've only had one drink and this is sounding like a drunken closing time speech in a pub. I guess that PS recordings and PS meets for me have that same great atmosphere that you only get every so often in life (you know the kind of thing I mean, where you are with a bunch of people where everything just clicks).

Anyway, I'm embarrassing myself now so I'll shut up.

Great job everyone and excellent work from Steve on this story.

PS - Love that 1960's sounding incidental music that keeps appearing!!!!

[Rob McCow]

These things really are a team effort - I think there were around a dozen people involved in this story - and if the stories are enjoyable it's because of what everyone has contributed.

Personally I'm delighted (and slightly amazed) that a group of amateur dramatics can sound this good. Perhaps it's the element of fun we have while recording and perhaps I'm completely biased, but the performances sound excellent, on a par with some more 'professional' recordings!

[Ian Lethbridge-Stewart]

.....the performances sound excellent, on a par with some more 'professional' recordings!

That's very true. I think they have sounded as good as some of the other 'pro' recordings for a long time now. I think both the 'acting' and the production values have got better and better. Not that there was a lot wrong with the early recordings mind you; I just think that eveyone has grown in confidence since then and it really shows in how good the last 2 or 3 seasons have been.

I just wish I had a little bit more time to listen to them; it's so chaotic at home that I only get to hear them in the car, and that's when there are no passengers (I can't have conversations getting in the way of the drama)!!!

[brandynigma]

What I'm finding wonderful about the PS Audios (I've listened to Keepsake, Time Bees and half of Magical History Tour so far) is the gentle and effective mixture of drama, comedy and tragedy.

Take Part Two of The Sting of the Time Bees. In the space of about five minutes, you've got

The darkly comical murder of all the Queen's men: "That's not black grass, that's... BEES!"

followed by

The Doctor's heart and fourth-wall breaking farewell to Ed: "I've cut out the bits when you were asleep..."

all coming on top of my favourite set of lines from the production

ED: Everything you say is complete gibberish!
GENE: Say, Ed- have you ever ridden a horse?
ED: Whaaaaaaat?

They're all gold, and I'm very honoured to be a part of them (well, once the ones I'm in come out ).

[Antony Cox]

Just listened to episode two - great stuff!

And loved the post-modern ending...

[SiHart]

What I'm finding wonderful about the PS Audios (I've listened to Keepsake, Time Bees and half of Magical History Tour so far) is the gentle and effective mixture of drama, comedy and tragedy.

I think that's something that came out of the Doctor Who me and Si Hunt love best really. It grew from the short stories we wrote and it's something everyone else who's written for the audio series have really embraced.
I think the best Doctor Who stories have a good mix of laughs, scares and thrills and hopefully we've managed to capture that too. Sometimes other fan productions have gone too far into the serious realm and are po-faced and far too serious. It's forgotten that Doctor Who should be fun too.

Si xx

[Paul Monk]

[Martin Penny]

I thoroughly enjoyed that. I was actually quite moved by the ending, with The Doctor's note to Ed, accompanied by the choice of music. I was also saddened by the deaths of both Gene Bradley and Lord Raxbone. I think the story could have become quite downbeat, but it somehow managed to avoid that completely, and, despite some sad moments at the end, you were left feeling uplifted.

Kudos to everyone for their performances as well, but I think Steve stole the show a bit in this one as Lord Raxbone. I particularly enjoyed the scene in which he talks about the old days, and his dramatic cursing of Gene Bradley!

The Bees come across as being very sinister as well, all that buzzing really works well on Audio. I also really liked how, when the Queen was speaking towards the end, you could hear a Bee like echo of her voice underneath.

All in all, I think this was a fantastic send off for Ed, and I have very much enjoyed playing the character.

Oh and..."I'm right ahead of you Parminter!" was a great line.

[Paul Monk]

I was actually quite moved by the ending, with The Doctor's note to Ed, accompanied by the choice of music.

I remember getting quite choked up when we recorded that bit.

[Si Hunt]

I can't believe I'm the only one not to have heard it!

Si.

[SiHart]

Get with the programme Si!

Si xx

[Si Hunt]

I enjoyed Part 2! Particuarly all Gene's bits and the closing scenes. Poor Ed! Five years and I've never found a way of incorporating a song without making it sound cheesy... but Steve's done it! Hurrah!

Brilliant performance from Martin Penny, by the way!

Si.