Next Universal- Episode 1 available NOW!

[SiHart]

BRENDAN JONES and SIMON HART

in

Next Universal

by Si Hunt
Part One


Is everyone you meet who they think they are?
Can everything you read in books really be true?
Just what is it with the windows?

Right click to save and enjoy now!

[Si Hunt]

Omg and I'm five hours away from a computer! Epic fail!

Si.

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

Good grief, I actually get to hear something before Si! Welcome to bizzare-o world!

[Richard Brinck-Johnsen]

I think I'm going to quote a friend's review of "Let's Kill Hitler!":

"Absolute Batshit, Absolutely Marvellous!"



I loved it but I whilst I'm getting hints of the truth I honestly haven't a clue what's going on!!

Welcome aboard to our latest talented actor Mr Wilcox!

[Si Hunt]

A warning now, it's not a story that explains everything to you! Some of it is left either for you to decide or for me to drunkenly explain in pubs.

Si.

[Nyder]

What a delightfully bonkers episode! From the first few seconds yr just thinking ..... "eh???" I can't work out if the muzak being played in-store is cheesy or sinister. Whichever one it is, it's now in my brain!

I like stories which show erm certain foes in a different light. This story ticks those boxes, and then some :-)

Really can't wait for Part 2. Can we have it tmw please :-)

[Si Hunt]

Poor old Kadron!

Si.

[Si Hunt]

Brilliant job, thanks guys!

Si.

[Jon Masters]

Excellent stuff - a heady mix of Macra Terror, Power of the Daleks and a healthy dash of Nu Who 'Silence' like storytelling. Well done Si - a week is now a long wait !

And well done Dave as 'The Voice of the Book'

[SiHart]

I love this one! I know how hard Steve worked to make the production live up to the weird not quite right atmosphere hinted at in the script and it really paid off I think.

It's very odd to listen to, hearing Brendan's exaggerated Australian accent, paired off with my slightly more estuary than usual accent (I worked hard to make Simon a bit different to Tom) but even more so to hear Paul and Steve seemingly back as the Doctor and Rob. How unexpected!

[Nyder]

Many thanks everyone for your kind comments. Hearing the whole first part of Si's wonderful story and the high quality production involved, it was an honour and delight to be asked to take part

[Si Hunt]

Dave your scene was my favourite scene of the episode, along with the single chilling line from Mr Taylor. The Dave's stole the episode!

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Dave Taylor is a cheeky scamp indeed. He had more lines originally, but they got lost somewhere along the way...

I had a superb time putting this baby together. Si's script is exactly the sort of thing I like, e.g. a bit quirky and mysterious. It gave me a chance to let rip with some really unusual sounds!* Mostly via some of the earlier Radiophonic recordings, with a bit of John Baker thrown in.

But it's exciting too! At the end of part one, who really knows what's going on? What's happened to the Doctor? Is Tom caught up in it too? Will Next Universal sales remain buoyant? And will we get down in time to buy some massively reduced furniture on floor seventeen?!

[Nyder]

There's a hint of Grace Brothers in here too :-)

What's the source of music for the store background?

And I love the "Genesis" snatch of music too :-)

[Si Hunt]

My one hope is that people take something important away from this, and that's to always question. The key scene is where Simon tells Brendan that he's found out how the windows work and he says the sort of thing that we hear rattled off in the news or on TV and we think "Ah, I see", a part of our brain thinking that sounds like it makes sense but it's just too complicated for me to understand. But then Brendan says "Oxygen and pressure have nothing to do with each other! That actually makes no sense at all!". So I want people, as with the story as a whole, to really question, and think about it, and then in life think about everything and think "does that REALLY make any sense?". Always question!

Si.

[SiHart]

What's the source of music for the store background?

That's a piece by Radiophonic Workshop composer, John Baker called Dubs. Apparently it was for a piece that was never completed. It's really rather good, and sinister too!

[Nyder]

I LOVE YOU LOADS AND LOADS

[Nyder]

My fave line :-)

[brandynigma]

I've had all sorts of cliffhangers lines this season, but the line that closes this episode is my favourite that I've performed so far.

As well as giving me a chance to wheel out an Australian accent, I love how odd this story is. Not only that, but all the recognisable characters are still recognisable, despite being different, which is due to the writing as much as the performances.

And yes- the two Daves are rather brilliant in this. Especially Mr Wilcox's emphasis on the word "annoying!"

[Si Hunt]

I thought that too! "Annoying!"

Si.

[SiHart]

You'll all be pleased to know that both Dave's will be back later this season!

[Dirk Gently]

I loved the Book segment, although I think Si might have been reading HHGTTG for inspiration. Anyone who can write like DNA is on the right path.

[Si Hunt]

To be honest, that wasn't a huge inspiration on the story, although admittedly the idea of the ship leaving all the "middle class" people behind might have been lurking in my mind. It was Dave's very good "Book" type delivery that crystalised it as HHG-esque!

Si.

[Nyder]

I think the background music helped too!

[SiHart]

Which was provided by Peter Howell and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop from the album "Through a Glass Darkly"