The Stageplays: The Seven Keys to Doomsday

[Anthony Williams]

The Seven Keys to Doomsday
Starring Trevor Martin, Charlie Hayes and Joe Thompson

This is a bizarre one. I came to this, with no idea what to expect. Would I like Trevor Martin as The Doctor? Eventually, I approached this with the idea of it as an Unbound-style alternative Doctor.

Like all of Big Finish's adapted stageplays, I never saw this on it's run in the theatre. In fact, I hadn't even been born yet. Unlike televised, literary or audio Doctor Who, this was a story that most thought that they would probably never get to see or hear. So perhaps this adaptation is most usefully seen as some sort of a historical preservation of the original?

Anyway, that's beyond the point. What's great about this play? Well, from the sounds of it - just about everything! Dicks' script was clearly extremely ambitious for the stage (and from what I've read, extremely expensive), while Trevor Martin really excels as the Doctor in this audio adaptation, coming across as a wonderful amalgamation of the first three Doctors. I can only wonder what he had been like in the role when he was thirty years younger! To me, he's not too far away from the David Warner Doctor that we see in Sympathy for the Devil and Masters of War.

As for the plot, there are some familiar elements here. I actually didn't realise that it was written by Terrance Dicks until after I'd heard it. Perhaps some of you may understand where I'm coming from when I say that prior to that, I was convinced that it was a Terry Nation script - it seems to reuse many of his better ideas. There's the notion of the quest from The Keys of Marinus, while Karn (presumably the same Karn from The Brain of Morbius) comes across more as the radioactive Skaro than as the planet from the aforementioned story.

Despite this, there's nothing actually inherently wrong with this lovely little play. It might have been nice if we could have had one of the "official" Doctors in the role in the first place, but I really like the fact that Big Finish have remained faithful to the original stageplay and cast Trevor Martin in the role that he played in the first place.

Overall, I loved this. A solid 8/10 from the Williams corner for this one!

[SiHart]

This was my favourite of the stage plays. I'd heard so much about it down the years that it was a real joy to finally find out more about it.

As you say Ant, it's very much a Terry Nation story, with planet hopping, countdowns and and an ending that is so like Keys of Marinus it's a wonder Terry Nation didn't sue!

I rather liked Trevor Martin's Doctor too. He was a rather good mix of the first three and it's nice that he's had his moment recorded for prosperity.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I rather liked Trevor Martin's Doctor too. He was a rather good mix of the first three and it's nice that he's had his moment recorded for prosperity.

And posterity too

I got to do Trevor's autograph queue at the Timelord Tales event in August and he was a pleasure to talk to even though he knew most of those present had never seen the stage version. That said More than Thirty years producer Kevin Davies was there and he had very fond memories of seeing it as a boy so that was lovely to witness.
I hadn't realised until I saw people bringing copies for him to sign that, as well as being in The War Games Trevor also appeared in 2003 Big Finish audio Flip Flop which I relistened to recently and sadly hasn't improved with age.

[SiHart]

And posterity too

@Richard!

[Anthony Williams]

And posterity too

Pedant!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Well I'm sure Trevor is getting some prosperity from the release as well as I gather Big Finish were fairly happy with the sales of the Stage Plays.

Is this pick on Richard day? Lucky for you guys I'm in a silly mood despite having been to a funeral this morning

[SiHart]

You started it!

[Anthony Williams]

Is this pick on Richard day?

We take turns. Tomorrow, it's someone else's day to be picked on!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

We take turns. Tomorrow, it's someone else's day to be picked on!

Ah, got it. I'll hold on to Si's handbag for the moment then.

[Rob McCow]

Most cats have claws...

Si has Clawrantulars!