DWM419 - Freakshow

'Freakshow' was written by Mark Morris and directed by Lisa Bowerman. This audio drama was recorded on 24 April 2009. This was available to readers of Doctor Who Magazine who went to the Big Finish website and entered a code to be found within the magazine. The digital download offer was only available from 3 March to 26 May 2010. Big Finish subsequently reissued the story as part of The Companion Chronicles: The Specials, which was released in August 2011.

Buzzard Creek, Arizona, 1905. Turlough storms out of the Tardis after arguing with his fellow travellers. Turlough is feeling like he doesn't belong, and that the rest of the Tardis crew haven't yet forgiven him for the events of 'Enlightenment'. Eventually stumbling across a small town and working his charm on the locals Turlough discovers a carnival. In this carnival is a freakshow with several alien attractions.

Strickson is a great narrator, but his impressions and accents aren't great. Toby Longworth plays Thaddeus and Berman. Toby Hrycek-Robinson's sounds and what music there is are faint and distant giving it all a dream like atmosphere. Ultimately this is all resolved by a flute battle?

Turlough storms off in the old West and comes into town to find a travelling freak show which really features creatures from other worlds and the master of the show has a plot to take over the Earth. It's up to the Doctor and the TARDIS crew have to sort things out.

This story was set between "Enlightenment" and "The King's Demons" and I enjoyed it a lot more than "The King's Demons". It's a well characterized story with Toby Longworth playing the sinister Winklemeyer and Mark Strickson bringing most of the other characters to life beautifully. The sound design is superb as usual and it's a great setting. Also be sure to listen to the extras as Strickson explains that he was afraid he'd have to deliver all the parts, so he practiced the role of Winklemeyer and his attempt at it is delightful fun.

A perfect example of how you can gather a few good ideas (namely stolen cliches though) and then have no idea how to put them together. An annoying shame as there could be a good story here. The 2nd part relies largely on hide and chase sequences with the Doctor then doing something ridiculously clever that it has to be explained to us after because it makes v little sense.

I really can't describe why I enjoyed this so much, but I thought it was a very original story for the Whoniverse that did a good job at shining light at the character. 9/10.