Big Finish Reviews+ The Devil in Ms. Wildthyme by Simon Mallinson

Written by Stephen Cole

Released December 2005

Katy Manning (Iris Wildthyme); Ortis Deley (Tom); David Benson (Panda); Michael Hobbs(Doctor Marwick); Lizzie Hopley (Alice Elbaum); Simon Guerrier (Spectres)

Iris, Tom and Panda find themselves facing demons from Iris' past, as a spooky and other-worldly presence makes itself known...

Another great outing for this trio, with lots of funny moments which will have you snorting with laughter.  If you are of a certain age you may get the joke in the title, have to admit I got it straight away but I have too much time on my hands.

Katy again pulls off another great performance, ‘ooo you are norty but I like you’ (pulling self together now).  I guarantee by the second story, Panda will be a firm favourite and you’ll been wanting more.

So may I say thank you to the gang for two wonderful episodes in Iris’s life which will have cheer you up.

Well done Paul for bringing this wonderful character to us and thank you Katy and David for making my life the better with listening.

Please buy this from Big Finish and maybe flood their boards, for maybe a Christmas special.

We say Eldrad must live, but I say IRIS MUST LIVE.

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).