Carolyn Seymour narrates Jack Gerson’s ‘The Fetch’ for Big Finish

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Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant, Survivors) narrates a new audio-book version of Jack Gerson’s thriller The Fetch being released by Big Finish later this month (March 2017). Gerson was the creator of The Omega Factor series (and tie-in novel), and Big Finish will release the second series of audio adventures in The Omega Factor range (starring Louise Jameson and John Dorney) in April.

Big Finish are also releasing an audio-book version of Gerson’s The Evil Thereof, read by Barnaby Edwards.

Producer David Richardson explains : “When we started work on The Omega Factor, Natasha Gerson very kindly sent me a couple of her father’s novels as an example of the kind of stories he liked to tell. And I thought, ‘Why has no one ever done audiobooks of these? And so we have, with two brilliant readers – Carolyn and Barney, who do a magnificent job of leading us through these dark, unsettling mysteries…”

Synopsis

It’s the 1980s and Alistair Matheson is forging a quietly ambitious path in Government. All is going to plan until a brief encounter with a man who looks exactly like him throws Alistair’s ordered world into chaos. As this doppelgänger crosses his path time and again a series of events are set in motion with increasingly disturbing consequences. Is this double a spy? A conman? Or could he be something infinitely more sinister?

Written By: Jack Gerson
Directed By: Helen Goldwyn

Cast

Read by Carolyn Seymour

The Fetch is available for pre-order on the Big Finish site, and I’ll be reviewing the release for Starburst magazine.

Both The Fetch and The Evil Thereof can be bought on download for £9.99 each, or collected together in a bundle for £16. If you’re using the free Big Finish Download/Playback App for Android or Apple devices you will be able to listen wherever you are. (Please note these will be large files, and users should be wary of bandwidth usage).

UPDATE, 1 APRIL 2017: My review of Jack Gerson’s The Fetch has now been published in the online edition of Starburst magazine. Of Seymour’s performance, the review suggests that:

Seymour’s reading of Gerson’s prose is simply superb. A performance of complete conviction (that never flags at any point throughout the eight and a half hour running time), Seymour voices the book’s range of characters with impressive confidence. She is just at home with the clipped tones of the officious bureaucrats and politicians as she is with the voices of the oddball, the outsider and the outright disturbing characters that populate the fringes of Matheson’s fast-unravelling world. Seymour invests Matheson with a soft Scottish burr that quietly slides in and out of his speech (just as it would for an aspiring expatriate, eager to advance his position within the Westminster ‘bubble’). Under Helen Goldwyn’s pacey direction, Seymour voices the drama’s chilling and distasteful moments with such restrained finesse that she could clearly bring just the gravitas required to narrate ghost and horror stories.

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UPDATE, 24 APRIL 2017: My review of The Fetch also appears in the print edition of Starburst (#436), now in the shops:

Review of The Fetch in the print edition of Starburst #436

Julie Graham joins cast for series six of Survivors audio dramas

Big Finish has announced (16 January 2017) that Julie Graham, who played the role of Abby Grant in the BBC’s 2008-2010 remake of Survivors, joins the cast for an episode of series six of new Survivors audio adventures. In the story “Revenge of Heaven”, written by Simon Clark, Graham takes on the role of Katherine Tanner in a standalone story that focuses on Greg Preston’s (Ian McCulloch) eventful trip to Norway.

Series six of Survivors audio adventures will be released in June 2017, and is available for pre-order on the Big Finish site. In December 2016, the company confirmed its commitment to releasing (at a minimum) nine series of Survivors audios.

Julie Graham joins Survivors cast for series six

Survivors – series six news

Coming in June, Survivors – Series 6 is the next of Big Finish’s listener-praised audio continuation of Terry Nation‘s 1970s BBC TV show:

“We’re trying something a little different this time,” confirms producer David Richardson, “Each disc is a separate, self-contained story – and I think it’s working beautifully. Set during the third season of the TV show, it allows us to focus individually on our leads Abby (Carolyn Seymour), Greg (Ian McCulloch) and Jenny (Lucy Fleming). Separated geographically, they each face different challenges. But might their paths finally cross again?”

Of particular note in the forthcoming set to Survivors fans is a particular casting. As David explains: “I’ve wanted to work with Julie Graham for ages, and in Simon Clark‘s Revenge of Heaven we had the perfect role for her – Katherine Tanner, an adventurer who helps Greg Preston on his mission in Norway. Needless to say, Julie was fantastic in the part, and it was lovely to sit and chat to her about playing Abby Grant in the re-imagined BBC TV series of Survivors. The show is clearly still very close to her heart.”

Survivors Series 6 is released in June on Download for £20 and CD for £25 – both pre-release prices offering a £5 discount on the price when the set goes on general release later in the year. A CD order automatically unlocks digital access on release.

Check out the entire Survivors range, including the chance for pre-orders on Series 6 through to Series 9, and to catch up with the first five sets, as well as listening to Carolyn Seymour‘s evocative reading of Terry Nation’s original novel. There’s even a free episode – Series 1’s Survivors – Revelation.

Watch this space for more news.

Lucy Fleming and Simon Williams – ‘Posting letters to the moon’ – at Carnforth Station Heritage Centre

Lucy Fleming and Simon Williams appear at the Carnforth Station Heritage Centre Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 9TR) on Thursday 2 March at 19:30 to deliver a reading of the wartime correspondence between Fleming’s mother Celia Johnson and husband Peter Fleming.

These letters from Celia to her husband tell of her experiences during the war – from coping with a large isolated house full of evacuated children, learning to drive a tractor, dealing with rationing, occasional holidays in Cornwall where she took to surfing, and all the while acting for David Lean, Noel Coward and starring in the classic film Brief Encounter in 1945.

Not only are the letters highly engaging, but they also provide a fascinating historical insight into that time of true austerity and fearfulness.

Carnforth Railway Station was the filming location for the pivotal scenes in the 1945 film Brief Encounter in which Celia Johnson starred. Tickets for the event (‘Posting letters to the moon’) are £9:00 and are only available from the Centre.

Other performances are scheduled for Wednesday 1 March 2017 (Dukes Playhouse, Lancaster) and Saturday 4 March (Glenridding Public Hall, Glenridding).

Posting letters to the moon - Lucy Fleming and Simon Williams

The Westmorland Gazette carries a short preview of the event:

Brief Encounter actress Celia Johnson’s daughter Lucy Fleming to perform at Carnforth Station Heritage Centre in Posting Letters to the Moon

THE daughter of actress Celia Johnson is to make a special appearance at Carnforth railway station this spring, where her mother filmed famous scenes from Brief Encounter in 1945.

Actress Lucy Fleming and her husband Simon Williams – of Upstairs, Downstairs fame – are to appear in Posting Letters to the Moon, when they will read wartime letters between Lucy’s mother and father, Peter Fleming.

Described as touching and amusing, the letters from Celia to her husband tell of her experiences during the war, from coping with a large, isolated house full of evacuated children, to learning to drive a tractor, dealing with rationing, and all the while accepting offers of work when she could get away – for David Lean, Noel Coward, wartime propaganda films and ultimately in 1945 starring in the classic Brief Encounter.

“It was a joy to discover these letters, and I hope you will find them as funny and moving as I do,” said Lucy, whose uncle was James Bond author Ian Fleming.

The performance is to take place at Carnforth Station Heritage Centre on Thursday, March 2, at 7.30pm. The pair will also be taking their show to the Dukes Playhouse, Lancaster, on March 1, and Glenridding Public Hall on March 4.

Ian McCulloch talks Italian horror movies on The Strange and Deadly Show

In a relaxed and reflective podcast interview Ian McCulloch, (Greg, Survivors) discusses his work on the three Italian horror movies in which he starred after his work on Survivors on a new edition of The Strange and Deadly Show.

Ian does mention, in passing, the importance of Survivors in him securing these films roles, but this interview (recorded back in 2012, but only now released online) focuses on the three films – about which Ian is much more positive than (he himself acknowledges) he used to be previously.

The interview begins around 5m:30s into the broadcast.

The Strange and Deadly Show

Ian McCulloch Interview – Tom Elliot gives a short update on the status of The Strange and Deadly Show before presenting an interview with the star of Zombie Flesh Eaters, Zombie Holocaust and Contamination, Ian McCulloch.


 
Please send your feedback to feedback@strangeanddeadly.com

Carolyn Seymour guest stars in new Big Finish podcast

Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant, Survivors) guest stars in a new Big Finish podcast released on 30 October.

Nick Briggs and Benji Clifford present a special Hallowe’en podcast, with all the latest news from the audio world of Big Finish Productions. Carolyn Seymour, Abby Grant from Survivors, is the guest star!

This is also a special, trailer-packed podcast, so listen out for some great audio teasers. Here’s a handy list of timings so you can locate your favourite bits…

05:06 The Big Finish News. Packed with trailers! And Benji makes an owl noise, allegedly. There’s also some spooky lighting. Great on audio.

20.35 Listeners’ Emails. You can contact us at podcast@bigfinish.com. WARNING! This edition features socks.

45:27 The Guest Star Interview. Carolyn Seymour, famous for Survivors, has a cosy chat with Nick. Highly recommended, naturally.

52:00 The Randomoid Selectortron. And ‘Ram’ is on fine form, choosing something rather appropriate.

58:50 The Latest Releases. A quick round-up.

01:01:45 The Prisoner. The latest instalment of our serialization of Departure and Arrival, the first episode of our acclaimed re-imagining of the 1960s TV classic. With Celia Imrie as Number Two.

You can download this podcast for free or stream it below. Go on, treat yourself…

 

 
Carolyn Seymour - Survivors

Big Finish - Survivors - series five - slipcase

Starburst preview of series five of Big Finish’s Survivors audio adventures

An illustrated two-page preview of series five of Big Finish’s Survivors audio adventures appears in the new issue of Starburst magazine (No 430, November 2016). Written by the author of this web site, the features includes commentary from stars Carolyn Seymour, Ian McCulloch and Lucy Fleming, producer David Richardson and script editor Matt Fitton.

Due for release in November 2016, series five of Survivors audios is available for pre-order on the Big Finish web site; where digital download and CD copies of the previous four series, and the audio-rook reading of Terry Nation’s 1976 Survivors novel, are also available for purchase.

Survivors - series five - preview - Starburst - 430 - November 2016 - p60

Survivors - series five - preview - Starburst - 430 - November 2016 - p61

Rich Cross. 2016. ‘The Fourth Horseman Returns’, Starburst, No 430, November, pp.60-61.

Big Finish Survivors series four audios released today!

Big Finish have today (9 June 2016) released the fourth series of original Survivors audio dramas. Series four serves up four new stories from writers Ken Bentley, Louise Jameson, Christopher Hatherall and Matt Fitton, and features, amongst a full cast, Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston), Lucy Fleming (Jenny Richards), Louise Jameson (Jackie Burchall), Zoë Tapper (Evelyn Piper) and Ramon Tikaram (Theo).

Big Finish - Survivors - series four - audios - cover

Listen to the series four trailer:

Big Finish release first details of Survivors fifth series of audios

The fifth series of Big Finish’s Survivors audio adventures (scheduled for release in November 2016) will focus on the outbreak and spread of a second deadly virus – which threatens the survival of communities only now emerging from the aftermath of The Death.

Recording of series five is now well underway, and features scripts by three returning Survivors script writers: Simon Clark (Contact, series three); Andrew Smith (Judges, series one; Rescue, series three); and Christopher Hatherall (Collision, series four).

It has also been revealed that series five will also feature Doctor Who actors Neve McIntosh and Richard Hope. Also joining original cast members Carolyn Seymour, Ian McCulloch, Lucy Fleming will be the returning Fiona Sheehan, and Barnaby Edwards, Sean Biggerstaff, Andy Secombe, Fintan McKeown, Alex Clatworthy, Roger May and Elizabeth Payne. Further casting announcements are to follow. Read the full update from Big Finish below:

Big Finish - Survivors - series five - Seymour, McCulloch, Fleming and McIntosh

Survivors: Doctor Who stars join Series 5!

Big Finish’s post-apocalyptic series continues in November – with Neve McIntosh and Richard Hope joining the fight for survival!

It begins with just a few people falling ill. Another flu virus that spreads around the globe. And then the reports begin that people are dying…

When most of the world’s population is wiped out, a handful of survivors are left to pick up the pieces.

Cities become graveyards. Technology becomes largely obsolete. Mankind must start again. But viruses are survivors too…

Based on Terry Nation‘s classic television series, Survivors continues the story of a virus-ravaged Britain, featuring the cast and characters of the original program.

Ahead of the June launch of Survivors: Series 4, Big Finish is delighted to announce that recording is underway on November’s Series 5, guest starring a pair of actors well known to Doctor Who fans!

Neve McIntosh and Richard Hope appeared together in the 2010 Doctor Who story The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood, portraying classic foes the Silurians. Since then they have become the recurring faces of the creatures for the series, with Neve memorably starring as Madame Vastra, the leader of the Paternoster Gang.

‘We spent a lot of time thinking of potential names to play the pivotal character of Carol Baker in this set,’ says producer David Richardson. ‘And director Ken Bentley presented me with Neve – which I think is inspired casting. This will actually be Neve’s second role for Big Finish. But what was the first? Ah, you’ll have to wait for that announcement!’

Neve and Richard will join the fifth series of Survivors alongside regulars Carolyn Seymour, Ian McCulloch, Lucy Fleming and Fiona Sheehan. Also appearing will be Barnaby Edwards, Sean Biggerstaff, Andy Secombe, Fintan McKeown, Alex Clatworthy, Roger May and Elizabeth Payne with further cast members to be announced.

‘Series 5 could be subtitled The Second Coming,’; says David. ‘It explores a really powerful storyline – what would happen if the plague broke out all over again?’

Survivors: Series 5 will contain four new stories, written by Andrew Smith, Christopher Hatherall and Simon Clark. It can be pre-ordered today for just £25 on CD or £20 to download.

Survivors: Series 4 will be released in June, continuing the story of the Whitecross community and guest starring Zoë Tapper as Evelyn Piper. You can listen to a trailer for the new box-set below:


 

Three previous series are still available to order, alongside an audiobook of Terry Nation's original novel, performed by Carolyn Seymour.

Denis Lill joins the cast of a national tour of Shadowlands

Denis Lill (Charles Vaughan, Survivors) is joining the cast of a new theatrical production of Shadowlands. He is stepping in to the role of Major W.H. Lewis (Warnie) with less than ten days before the tour begins, following the enforced withdrawal of Tony Slattery from the production due to ill-health. Lill’s first day in rehearsal was yesterday (8 February). Producers, Jon and Anne-Marie Woodley of Birdsong Productions, said:

“We are very sorry that Tony has had to leave and along with all the company of Shadowlands, we send our love and best wishes. We are delighted that Denis has so kindly agreed to step in at such short notice to take on the role of Warnie. Having both previously worked with Denis, we know he will be a lovely addition to the talented cast and crew of Shadowlands.”

Describing the production, they add:

The cast of Shadowlands will be led by Stephen Boxer (Humans, The Iron Lady, Garrow’s Law, Doctors) as C.S. Lewis and Amanda Ryan (The Forsyte Saga, Shameless) as Joy Davidman, along with Denis Lill (The Royal, Only Fools and Horses, Rumpole of the Bailey) as Major W.H. Lewis ‘Warnie’. They will be joined by Simon Shackleton as Professor Christopher Riley, Jeffrey Harmer as Rev ‘Harry’ Harrington, Ian Marr as Alan Gregg, Richard Holliday as Dr Maurice Oakley and Shannon Rewcroft as Douglas, with Holly Smith and Alistair Higgins playing multiple supporting roles.

Shadowlands, by William Nicholson, tells the love story of C.S. Lewis, Oxford don and author of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Screwtape Letters, and American poet Joy Davidman. What begins as a formal meeting of two very different minds slowly develops into a feeling of connection and love. Lewis finds his quiet life with his brother Warnie disrupted by the outspoken, feisty Davidman, whose uninhibited behaviour offers a sharp contrast to the rigid sensibilities of the male-dominated university. Each provides the other with new ways of viewing the world, but Lewis’s Christian faith is tested when Joy is diagnosed with cancer.

Tickets are available for all dates on the tour, which begins in Guilford on 18 February 2016, and plays at venues across the country, before concluding in London at the end of July.

Shadowlands - on tour - 2016

Denis Lill appears in Midsomer Murders episode “A Dying Art”

Denis Lill (Charles Vaughan, Survivors) appears in the current episode of Midsomer Murders (Series 18, Episode 4) “A Dying Art”, in the role of frustrated and under-achieving artist Simeon Rowling: one of number of suspects in a typical Midsomer Murders‘ killing spree.

Art comes to the picturesque Midsomer village of Angel’s Rise with the opening of a new Sculpture Park. But when its launch is marred by murder, DCI Barnaby and DS Nelson have to get creative to crack a case where art imitates death, and everything has a deeper meaning.

The episode, which was first broadcast on ITV on 3 February 2016, is available for streaming on the ITV hub until early March.

Since John Nettles stood down at the end of the thirteenth series, the lead role in Midsomer Murders (in the guise of DCI Barnaby) has been taken by Neil Dudgeon – who in 2008 appeared in a memorable guest starring role in the third episode of the remake of Survivors (as the paranoid former farmer Sean, who has locked himself and his young children in isolation in a vain attempt to protect them from contact with the infected).

Denis Lill - Midsomer Murders - A Dying Art - Series 18 - Episode 4
Denis Lill – Midsomer Murders – ‘A Dying Art’ – Series 18 – Episode 4