Audio #2: Phantasmagoria

TARDIS crew; 

• Fifth Doctor

• Turlough

Notable Characters;

• Sir Nikolas Valentine- Main villain 

• Dr. Samuel Holywell- Physician who possessed psychic powers

• Hannah Fry- A maid with a twist 

• Quincy Flowers- Patron of the Diabola Club

• Jasper Jeake- Patron of the Diabola Club

Detailed Plot; 

Part One

This was a good, strong start and it was certainly interesting. It was a typical part one episode with the introduction of characters, establishing the setting and also a few hints at the story to come and the enemy. It was a few minutes shorter than the usual classic television episode and also a good 5-10 minutes shorter than the parts in The Sirens of Time. But it wasn't a problem at all, not that it would be, and I really like how the audios are continuing the format from the classic era. 

It begins mysteriously with a man running, he seems to be affected in a big way. There's a party, a group of people are enjoying a game of cards and judging by the use of language, it was a historical setting. With my love of history I was interested where and when the setting was. Inside the TARDIS and we're with the Fifth Doctor and Turlough. So this adventure must be set between Resurrection of the Daleks and Planet of Fire. I liked how the Doctor was trying to teach Turlough the many rules of cricket despite Turlough not showing any interest in the game. The TARDIS landed and we were introduced to some characters.

Nikolas Valentine was the first, and it was established he had a big reputation. In fact he was a Sir, he must've been knighted. Quite a reputation then! Immediately this man though seemed very mysterious, almost like he was hiding something. He was a wealthy man, it was also revealed that there were rumours that Sir Nikolas was an astrologer. Now given my assumptions that this was a historical setting, I was certainly intrigued. 

Into presumably a tavern, we were introduced to Dr. Holywell and Hannah. The pair shared some brief banter and I was sure we'd be hearing from them again as the story rolled on. The Doctor talked of his cricket Wisden Almanack boom and Turlough revealed it was published in 1928, so was it out of date? Despite my disliking of the game, I think it's great how this incarnation loved the game. And as seen in Black Orchid, he's pretty darn good at it too! The Doctor established they were in a 17th century town house, but the year couldn't quite be determined. He suggested they could be in a museum of sorts, but we knew that was not the case.   

Mr. Carteret is the next character to be introduced but he also seemed affected in a big way. What was happening around this area? The Doctor and Turlough were searching around the tavern to determine where and when they had arrived. They found out that King William was dead, it was great how Turlough liked history. The pair found a newspaper equivalent and they discovered that it was March 1702. So I was right in thinking it was a historical setting.  

Another character was introduced and he was Poltrot, and it seemed Sir Nikolas had a use for him. It was soon revealed that Sir Nikolas had been playing cards earlier with Mr. Carteret, the man who was affected and somewhat disillusioned. Was Sir Nikolas involved in his being affected? It seemed so, but it was all very mysterious. 

Back in the tavern and Dr. Holywell was interrogating the presence of The Doctor and Turlough and just why and how they had entered with a great blue box. The Doctor quickly tried to cover the travellers up and claimed they were delivering the box upon urgent claims. It was pretty funny. The mentions of the words on the TARDIS by Holywell were fantastic and great to hear. He was very intrigued upon their entry but he was seemingly more intrigued to find out that the Doctor was referred to as that. He took it as the profession and not as his name, understandably. Holywell seemed excited by there being another doctor. 

The Doctor admitted his admiration for the collection that Holywell had. Holywell showed the Doctor more of it and the two seemed to really hit it off. Turlough though was looking around by himself and discovered interesting parts of the collection, there seemed to be witchcraft or magic books, was the host not revealing all? Turlough suspected something. Was Dr. Holywell hiding anything?

But then contact was made, a deep voice and judging by its reference to Earth being primitive, they were aliens. Was it Sir Nikolas contacting these people? Was he even human? It was all very mysterious (a word I've used a lot already) but I liked that, it was very intriguing! 

Now, while travelling, Major Billy Lovemore robbed Quincy Flowers (humorously played by David Walliams) and Jasper Jeake whom we'd previously met briefly. Flowers didn't seem bothered by being robbed, he somehow seemed excited that they had been robbed by one of the most famous highwaymen! 

Another character was now introduced, Ned Cotton (also played by Walliams) and he seemed pretty drunk. He hit on Hannah but she showed less than no interest. But he wanted a kiss, and would use force to get it and more by the looks. Thankfully Turlough was close and saved Hannah from doing anything she didn't want to. 

Now there was something wrong, a noise was heard and it was again all very mysterious. 'They're coming for me' was heard, a man running from something distracted the altercation. The Doctor though again showed his liking of Holywell's collection, one that Holywell was passionate about. The Doctor, continuing what we've heard from him before, showed his disbelief in ghosts. But Holywell claimed he was in contact with the spirits of the dead! 

The cliffhanger was a little confusing with a loud racket and people being affected. Was there a transportation? Death? The Doctor was now with Turlough, but it seemed horses quickly passed. Was Turlough taken? And who was the man who claimed 'they' were coming for him. 'Save me!' was the last plea, just what had happened? A little bit of a confusing but mysterious cliffhanger, with lots of questions to be answered! 

Part Two

This was a really pleasing listen, I thoroughly enjoyed! I was glad that this audio actually followed on from the previous part's cliffhanger unlike the last audio The Sirens of Time. It was good, no resolution as such because well there wasn't much that could be done. The mystery was deepened. 

There was no sign of Turlough at the beginning of the part, it seemed he had indeed been kidnapped by the speedy horse and carriage at the previous part's climax. Ned was horrified, the Doctor saw a man seemingly running away from thin air just collapse. He had died of shock. Was he seeing something nobody else was? The body was layed out, but Dr Holywell noticed something was in the hand of the now deceased. It was a playing card. Was it a message? Or had he just finished playing cards with the evermore suspicious Sir Nikolas? Hannah claimed how she heard of the 'phantoms filling the air.' Who was behind the mysterious ghostly souls Holywell claimed he could contact? Or were they actually the voices of the dead? It was exciting! 

The Doctor took it upon himself to keep the playing card, he placed it in his 1928 Wisden Almanack. It may be of some use in the near future. The Doctor had more important concerns. His companion was missing and he needed to find him. The Doctor went off in search of Turlough. Echoes though were heard, not near the Doctor it didn't sound like, but it seemed somebody was being tormented. The presumed aliens with deep voices were heard. Were they responsible for the playing card? Did they have a connection with Sir Nikolas? It wasn't clear, but it was certainly brilliant! A spectacular mystery. 

The Doctor returned to Dr Holywell and Hannah at their tavern, he had no luck in finding Turlough, so he was hoping for some answers from Hannah who was a witness of the abrupt death in which Turlough was kidnapped. Hannah recalled the events in the hope it would trigger something to lead the Doctor to Turlough. She described how the man was running, almost pleading with his chasers, but the witness couldn't see anything that he should be scared of. It was revealed that the man who was dead was Mr. Carteret! It seemed as though it was Sir Nikolas' doing, there were many unusual happenings occurring, and Holywell revealed to the Doctor that these were not the first. He explained that there had been numerous vanishments, and Holywell was convinced he could hear the voices of those vanished. 

Jasper and Flowers were heard joking about, but in a relieving revelation, Turlough was with them. He was safe at least. Turlough was suffering from amnesia, he couldn't remember how he got where he was. Jasper and Flowers didn't truthfully tell him how he'd arrived either, they somewhat seemed embarrassed. It seemed an accident that Turlough was taken. Jasper and Flowers just didn't seem bad people. The three talked about the vanishments, and with Carteret dead, Flowers suspected the quiet and sinister Sir Nikolas with whom Carteret had been playing cards before he died. There was a connection. The card led back to Sir Nikolas, what had he done? Jasper and Flowers planned to meet in the evening, while the latter now went in search of answers to Sir Nikolas himself. The location was now also established, we knew the year and country, but now it was revealed we were in London. It was pretty funny how Turlough barely avoided the question of how he had arrived in London though. He had no good answer.

What I presumed to be in hiding and aliens, due to their seeming possession of technology, they were intrigued themselves. Something that had previously no traces had now been found in the location of the story. Were they referring to The Doctor? Or was it Sir Nikolas? I was eager to find out their position in the story. It was of further interest to find out that they didn't know about the vanishments. This almost confirmed to be that Sir Nikolas was responsible, after all, he's the one always playing cards. The unknown beings though did have clients in the London area, what was their purpose in the early 18th century? 

The Doctor became increasingly worried with no sign of Turlough. He was desperately hoping he'd turn up. Although, he couldn't be too far away if he'd been with Jasper and Flowers. Holywell had made a list and revealed it to the Doctor. The list contained information about the men who had vanished. He claimed there was a pattern, and he was more than right! All the men had disappeared within a square mile of each other. The last place they were seen was Cheapside. So, the mystery was extremely local and by the sounds hadn't spread far. 

The highwayman, Major Billy Lovemore, was back. He had met Ned Cotton, and somewhat impromptu shot him dead. Did he have reasoning? It was all unclear, but brilliantly mysterious at the same time. 

Sir Nikolas had met with Poltrot as they'd previously planned, and the latter seemed intrigued by the gloves of Sir Nikolas. Why did he never take them off? What was he hiding, were they special? Flowers, continuing his search for answers about the death of his good friend Carteret, interrupted the pair. He was interrogating- he wanted answers. Sir Nikolas though wasn't giving anything away, he knew what had happened to Carteret, the tone of his voice revealed to me that he did. He was hiding the truth from Flowers, he was remorseless. He then tricked Flowers into playing cards, why was he so eager to get others to play? I was convinced there was a connection between playing cards with Sir Nikolas and the mysterious vanishments. And I was soon to be proved right. Valentine had a plan, it was obvious, he was pleasantly surprised to find that Flowers was a mathematician. Why was the profession so pleasing to Sir Nikolas? 

Looking through the list of names of those vanished, the Doctor and Holywell hoped they'd find a link that would give some sort of reasoning. Ned Cotton was seen to the pair during the search, I personally thought he was dead after being shot by the highwayman, but even the robber was now delved in mystery. Cotton had survived the shot but he was said to have died of shock. Cotton claimed the 'angel' had done it. How was an angel a highwayman? This resulted in the Doctor being much more fearful for Turlough. But we knew he was safe, he seemed to be enjoying some sort of comedy with Jasper. Meanwhile they were waiting for Flowers, but we knew he'd been occupied by Sir Nikolas. 

Flowers though did eventually turn up to meet with Jasper and Turlough but he wasn't himself at all. He was running away from his friends. He looked unwell. It was obvious Sir Nikolas had done something, but the questions were what, why and how? 

Back at the house of Dr Holywell and he planned to conjure the dead. Was it a trick? Or would he really communicate with the deceased? But something was heard and Hannah was frightened. It was the phantoms. Well, it was the same noise heard that caused people to go crazy. 

Turlough caught up with Flowers, he definitely wasn't far from the Doctor. There were many bizarre happenings, what had caused Flowers to be in such a bad state? Jasper and Turlough were close to him now but he was talking, barely. He talked of how Carteret was gone, that he heard voices and that they followed him. These phantom like voices were all around. The same phrase heard by Carteret at the end of part one was heard once more by Flowers. 'They're coming for me.' It was happening again. 

During the conjuring, Holywell seemed affected now. Was he communicating, or had something gone wrong? Numbers were vaguely heard and a scream ensued. Danger was present. Another pulsating cliffhanger! 

Part Three

I have to say I'm really loving this audio so far, and this part was wonderful. There wasn't really anything I could complain with and the plot had been brilliant. It set up the final part perfectly. 

It began following on from the great cliffhanger of the last part, and it seemed that Dr Holywell was possessed, had the death spirits taken over him? More numbers were heard blurted out, what was their significance? The Doctor though also seemed to have been possessed, but he wasn't affected at all in the end. He revealed though that Turlough would instantly recognise the noise, it was radio signals. So the Doctor wasn't the only time traveller in Cheapside 1702, someone was transmitting radio signals. 

Sir Nikolas was with Flowers, so he was still alive, but he was in the domain of the sinister man. They were to play another game of cards, but this time Sir Nikolas was making up his own rules. This wouldn't be good for Flowers. 

The Doctor questioned whether Holywell had psychic ability and wondered how they'd both picked up the manifestations of the dead, if that's what they were. He was going to track the radio signals using the TARDIS, it was time for Holywell and Hannah to be amazed. 

The setting briefly shifted back to Flowers and he was trapped. Still talking to Sir Nikolas, screams and men in torture were heard in the background. The vanishments were undoubtedly Valentine's doing. He claimed there was a greater purpose at work, the alien voices we'd heard a few times prior? It was unclear, but Sir Nikolas wanted something. He wanted restoration. 

Both Holywell and Hannah were amazed at the TARDIS interior, some great reactions. The Doctor was aiming to track the source, but a problem aroused. The radio transmission source was blocked, somebody was clever. The Doctor determined that something was here that didn't belong in 1702. I loved how he said there were no shortages of suspects. I was a little surprised at the reactions of Holywell and Hannah when the Doctor revealed he could travel anywhere in time and space, they didn't really seem shocked. 

Jasper and Turlough were heard for the first time in this part and they were talking of Flowers who they presumed dead. But thankfully we knew he was alive, but wherever he was it didn't seem a nice place. Turlough now set his sights to find the Doctor. He didn't want to be stuck in the 18th century. The pair though continued talking and did so about the shooting of Ned Cotton and the rumours that it was the highwayman Lovemore. Something we already knew true. The two continued to talk about the previous events we'd listened to in the first two parts before they decided they needed to take matters into their own hands. 

Sir Nikolas was heard now flooding Flowers' mind with words and numbers. He wanted Flowers to give up and let the words take over him. He talked of a great task. Meanwhile, Holywell was in the library in search of a big link between the men who'd vanished. In the town of Cheapside the locals were angered and heard throughout the town were people angry and calling for the head of Major Lovemore for his killing of Ned Cotton. While this was happening and the Doctor continuing his investigation with Hannah, the Doctor found Turlough and they were reunited. 

The other beings, still unknown what they were, we're heard. It seemed they were responsible for the radio signals and they talked about the TARDIS being discovered. They seemed happy about it though, calling it a 'handy coincidence.' Jasper now though had found a link. The Diabola club. Jasper also talked of a name to look for and might have their answers. Sir Nikolas Valentine. 

The Diabola club was revealed to have a big reputation and was very much about males, they showed their dominance there. It was often the home of card playing, something Valentine was using for his gain. Inside the club investigating, there were no unusual or phantom sightings. Poltrot though was seen back playing cards with Valentine, he once again seeked him. But the Doctor wanted to play and interrupted the game. 

Sir Nikolas seemed annoyed by this interruption. He reluctantly allowed the Doctor to play, but claimed his game was patience. The Doctor was interrogating Valentine, asking him questions. He questioned the gloves but Valentine claimed they brought him luck. But there was definitely something more to them, what was he hiding? The Doctor though gained what he was after. He'd found his man, he knew who Sir Nikolas Valentine was. He knew he was unusual, especially after his reaction of losing to the Doctor. Would the Doctor pay? Valentine claimed he never loses. 

More revelations were made that were intriguing. Valentine had been present for thirty years, he certainly was patient. It was revealed that Valentine was always alone, just praying on his next victim. But what was he doing? What was his plan with the men he beat at cards? How was he causing them to go insane? So many questions about the man, but who the hell was he? 

I loved how Turlough claimed something so true about the Doctor. He stopped giving answers as soon as things got interesting. Typical of the Doctor. Turlough and Jasper saw Valentine leaving, not known to the Doctor they followed him. Would they find his domain and Flowers? The cliffhanger was made, and man it was amazing. The other beings who were in search of someone, were in business with the highwayman Lovemore. They wanted Valentine, but that wasn't his real name- it was a cover up. But he wasn't the only one covering up his name, Major Billy Lovemore placed down a sensational revelation. A seeming transformation occurred and he claimed how he would miss this persona. Then it happened, this apparent alien would also miss another persona- Hannah! Major Billy Lovemore was Hannah Fry! I was shocked and surprised in a very happy way. A scintillating cliffhanger that had my jaw dropped. This being had been inside the TARDIS, and was in search of Valentine. An outstanding cliffhanger! 

Part Four

Spectacular. An absolutely fantastic end to what was by some distance the best audio I've ever listened to (granted its not many). It immediately followed on from the end of part three with a brief recap with the Doctor wondering where Nikolas goes every thirty or so years. 

Nikolas now was heard, and he 'must have him' and this person was not submitting. Was it Flowers? It wasn't clear. But something was clear, the spirits had returned. The Doctor quickly travelling by horse and carriage now had worked things out. He found out that the playing card that was in the hand of Carteret when he died was in fact a homing device. Sir Nikolas Valentine was calling in his debts. 

By now it was noticed that Hannah was missing, but the Doctor seemed more interested in attempting to destroy the card. But something took his attention, the phantoms became visible to Holywell. Now in Sir Nikolas' domain, Valentine himself seemed intrigued by the Doctor. He had a plan to trap to him. 

The Doctor had now worked out what the sinister Valentine was doing. The phantoms were actually the collective minds of the unconscious whom he had kidnapped. It was sickening and bitterly evil. Sir Nikolas used the minds of those kidnapped to transport the next victim to his domain. If you touched the playing card, you were bound to Valentine. So that's why the sinister Valentine wore gloves, he was protecting himself. The Doctor now wanted to find out his cause. 

The Doctor used one of his many gadgets, it definitely didn't sound like the sonic screwdriver and by this time he was hands free anyhow, to erase the Carteret data on the playing card. The card held all the bio data of the person who touched it. The Doctor had an experiment in mind. And after the fantastic cliffhanger in the previous part, Hannah returned. 

Turlough and Jasper had carried on following Valentine and they saw his house. Turlough proclaimed it be an odd atmosphere, and coming from the attic was a mysterious glow. Back at Holywell's house, and Hannah gave her disguise up. She still had the boots of the highwayman on, but that didn't matter. The Doctor had known all along that she wasn't simply a mistress. Hannah revealed her true identity, and recalled the truth about Sir Nikolas. She and the other beings we'd heard seeked him, he was a criminal. His real name was Carthock. He was a deranged man who had escaped execution and Hannah and her people had seeked for him to die throughout the galaxies. Hannah had volunteered to find him, he slaughtered her parents and she wanted vengeance. This was fantastic as Hannah wasn't evil at all, she was on the Doctor's side. 

Jasper and Turlough now decided to go inside Valentine's house in search of information. Upon entry they seemed amazed, a stench of rotten flesh was present and a reference to raw meet was made. With Turlough and Jasper within, Sir Nikolas was approaching. The pair saw the kidnappers, they'd been playing Valentine's game and were in a bad state. The sinister Valentine entered and he welcomed their 'audience participation.' He destroyed Jasper's gun with a seeming laser gun. 

Before much danger ensued, the Doctor, Hannah and Holywell arrived at Valentine's house, having doing the address thanks to Poltrot. The Doctor was going to be so typically himself, he was just going to knock on the front door. But he needed to be quick, because now Jasper was trapped and could soon become part of the game. It seemed he was to be processed for something in the evil scheme of Valentine. The end game neared. 

The pair, in trouble, welcomed seeing Flowers. But he was also in a bad state and on the brink of death. And that wasn't the only bad thing, it was claimed the whole world was at stake! It suddenly got very exciting. The Doctor knocked on the front door as he said we would and Valentine welcomed him, an 'expected pleasure.' The Doctor revealed he had knowledge of Valentine, that he was Carthock. Carthock was waiting to escape, he wanted to tread among the stars once more. He claimed himself to be the 'slaughterer of the unworthy.' He was modestly proud of his self proclaimed title. Hannah was even more sick at him and wanted to end his life. When she revealed he murdered her parents he remorselessly mocked the travesty. Hannah was armed and the Doctor and co were in control.   

Flowers though seemed on the brink of death and Jasper was desperately talking to him just keeping him alive. Sir Nikolas revealed how his ship was almost destroyed in his escape and needed much time for repair. He needed to regenerate the fabrics, and he was using human life to do so. He wanted to find the stimulus, and the liveliest minds would work towards this. Hannah claimed she was to take him back to the home planet, but Valentine just laughed as they entered the room where Turlough, Flowers and Jasper were. It was rigged for Valentine's self defence. He resumed control. Sir Nikolas planned on leaving in his ship, which was in fact disguised as his house, similarly to the chameleon circuit the TARDIS is supposed to have and that was briefly seen in Attack of the Cybermen. If he left in his ship, the city would be destroyed. He was going to use his ship to reign over his supposed enemies. I liked the reference to London having grown around Valentine's ship, he'd certainly been there a long time. For his ship to depart, it was revealed he needed just one more mind. Suspense filled the air, would London be destroyed? 

Despite the Doctor volunteering to take the place, Valentine insisted on using Hannah. Under threat, Turlough reluctantly forced Hannah into position. The Doctor told him to follow Valentine's instructions. It seemed Sir Nikolas held the aces in the pack. But there was hope! 

Holywell had been instructed on finding a back entrance into the house in secrecy, it seemed he held the last ace in the pack. But he needed to do something quick, as Hannah's mind was being drained for the ship's use! The same words previously heard were heard once more, but the Doctor desperately tried to talk her out of it, hoping she'd resist submission. Valentine was relentless, but the last card was thrown as Holywell entered. However it seemed all was lost. The game was over, what could he do?

The Doctor tried something, a bargain, he planned on destroying wisdoms but wouldn't do so in exchange for Hannah. What did he mean? The Doctor took power, and took out his Wisden Almanack within which was the recently wiped beacon playing card of Carteret's. Unknown to him, mistakenly, Sir Nikolas had touched this card and his bio data was contained within it. If his ship was departing then Valentine was going to be used to fly it. However he rubbished the claim and ignored the warning. 

The Doctor demanded that Flowers, Jasper and co were to immediately, but Hannah wanted what she came for. Vengeance. She willed the minds of the tortured to destroy Sir Nikolas Valentine. They attacked and Carthock was dead. Hannah though was stuck in her placement, her chamber was raring with energy and Turlough couldn't save her before she sadly died. Her mission had succeeded, but it cost her her life. 

But the danger wasn't quite over as Valentine's ship was still on depart instructions. The Doctor needed to stop it to prevent the imminent destruction of London. Thankfully, in the nick of time, with the assistance of trustworthy companion Turlough, the Doctor prevented the ship from destroying London and instead destroyed it. Holywell was waiting for assurance of the TARDIS crew's safety and ultimately the ship exploded and was no more. Cheapside was safe. However the Doctor was deeply saddened that he couldn't save Hannah in the meantime. Holywell was also saddened, but he was now welcomed with open arms to be a member at the Diabolia club, a club which would never be the same. The Doctor and Turlough departed, and I look forward to this incarnation's next adventure whenever it may be! 

My analysis; 

Overall, I thought Phantasmagoria was absolutely stunning. I adored it from start to finish. It was a wonderful story with a strong, mysterious plot. Some of the supporting cast characters such as Holywell, Hannah and Flowers were fantastic additions and I'd welcome a return of any in open arms (sadly Hannah would not be possible). I really liked Sir Nikolas as villain, he was a tremendous one and somewhat reminded me of the Celestial Toymaker. The setting worked perfectly and although 18th century it didn't have the feel of the sometimes tedious historical adventures. The theme sunk in of playing cards and gambling was fantastic. The Fifth Doctor was at his very best and it was wonderful to have a new full adventure with a classic doctor. And I look forward to hundreds more! Mark Gatiss pulled something very special out of the bag here and I really hope he writes some more classic tales! 

Rating; No doubt, 10/10!