Big Finish Reviews+ Iris Wildthyme Series 1 by Simon Mallinson

Iris Wildthyme Series 1

Written by Paul Magrs

Starring Katy Manning, Ortis Deley, David Benson, Ann Bryson, Stephen Chance, Duncan Wisbey, Simon Guerrier, Michael Hobbs and Lizzie Hopley.
Reviewed by Simon Mallinson

Released November 2005

Now this month is dedicated to Katy Manning, whose warmth and genius is taken for granted.  This actor in Doctor Who tends to have a hard time.  Okay, but I tell you watch her stories again, and really listen and watch and you will start to see a whole new side which is more than screaming (though Katy is a master or mistress of this).

Katy in Big Finish has found an ideal medium, her silky smooth voice lures you in and her passion smacks you on the lips.  Katy gives Jo Grant a new life with Big Finish and aren’t I glad.  So Big Finish gang we want more Jo.

This month instead of doing two Jo stories, one in Zone and one here I have decided to treat you to another side of Katy.

A side where, the words Panda, Gin and Bus figures heavily, specially Gin. 

Tom and Panda are living a relatively quiet life back on Earth, as a successful novelist of science fiction adventures and his toy panda, respectively, when Iris Wildthyme makes a re-appearance!

I have to admit I had to listen to this three times before I could stop laughing enough to write anything.  The interplay between Iris (Katy Manning) and Panda (David Benson) had me in tears, almost to the point of choking on me gin.  The northernish accent of Katy was so damn good I can’t stop saying eh up chuck pass the gin, and David’s constant rant of Bear, BEAR has me wishing I could see this in cartoon form.

Also Ortis Deley had me feeling sympathy, cos I admit we fans are a really damn weird bunch.  Special mention goes to Simon Guerrier who played the fan perfectly (wonder where he got the motivation).