Big Finish release Terry Nation’s Survivors audio-book today

Today (11 December 2014) Big Finish release the audio-book version of Terry Nation’s 1976 Survivors novel, voiced by none other than Carolyn Seymour (the original series’ Abby Grant). The audio is available to buy in both digital download and CD formats.

Carolyn Seymour’s chilling reading of Terry Nation’s Survivors novel is out today…

Big Finish are delighted to announce today’s release of Survivors by Terry Nation, a reading by TV series star Carolyn Seymour:

A deadly virus spreads across the world as quickly as the passenger jets that encircle it. Within weeks, most of the global population is dead.

The human race is thrown back into the dark ages. The few left alive must rely on the most basic skills to survive one day to the next.

Abby Grant ventures out into a strange new England, her husband dead, the fate of her son unknown. Jenny Richards flees London. Engineer Greg Preston arrives from abroad. Desperate lone travellers come together, their instinct to form a community, even if that means rebuilding civilisation from scratch. But not all who are left have such high ideals…

And while she has the chance of a new beginning, Abby cannot settle until she knows the truth. Has her son survived?

Survivors by Terry Nation is out today on CD or Download at the pre-order price until 1 January 2015. The next title in our award-nominated Survivors range is Survivors Series 2 in June 2015, with the acclaimed Survivors Series 1 released last June…

Survivors - Terry Nation - Big Finish - audiobook
Survivors – Terry Nation – Big Finish – audiobook

Denis Lill to appear in the 2015 stage tour of Twelve Angry Men

Denis Lill (Charles Vaughan) is to appear in the 2015 stage tour of the classic behind-the-scenes jury drama Twelve Angry Men, joining an all-star cast headed by Tom Conti, and featuring many of producer Bill Kenwright’s regular ensemble of actors.

Twelve Angry Men - 2015 touring production

Full casting has been announced for the 2015 UK Tour of Twelve Angry Men. Seven actors who recently appeared in the West End revival will reprise their performances for the tour.

Joining the previously announced Tom Conti is: Andrew Lancel (Coronation Street), Robert Duncan (Drop The Dead Donkey), Andrew Frame (EastEnders), David Calvitto (These Shining Lives, The Odd Couple), Mark Carter (Hollyoaks, Utopia) and Sean Power (Secret Diary of a Call Girl). Jon Carver (Doctors) returns to play The Guard.

The cast is completed by: Denis Lill (The Royal, Only Fools And Horses), Paul Beech (King Lear, A Tale of Two Cities), Alexander Forsyth (Porcelain, It Never Ends), Edward Halsted (Holby City, Jonathan Creek) and Gareth David-Lloyd (Torchwood).

Twelve Angry Men opens on 27 January 2015 at the Theatre Royal Windsor with the current cast initially confirmed to play until 2 May 2015.

Twelve Angry Men is produced by Bill Kenwright and directed by Christopher Haydon, with design by Michael Pavelka. Originally written, by Reginald Rose, as a television play in 1954, Twelve Angry Men was adapted for the stage in 1955 and as an Oscar-nominated Hollywood film, produced by and starring Henry Fonda in 1957. The production was first seen in the West End last November, when it opened at the Garrick Theatre, London starring Robert Vaughn and Jeff Fahey.

UPDATE, 20 April 2015: The tour has now been extended until 27 June, with additional runs at theatres in Southend, Wolverhampton, Barnstable, Croydon, Newcastle and Glasgow. Tom Conti will not appear at the Southend or Wolverhampton runs; with the part of Juror No. 8 being taken on by Jason Merrells.

Carolyn Seymour interviewed in new edition of Vortex magazine

Ahead of the release of the new audiobook version of Terry Nation’s 1976 Survivors novel, Big Finish have published a new interview with Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant), discussing her work voicing the book and anticipating the release of series two of Survivors audio adventures, in June 2015.

The interview, in the latest issue (No. 70) of the free-to-download Vortex magazine, comes ahead of the imminent release of the Survivors audiobook (which is still available for pre-order on both CD and through digital download).

In the interview Seymour reflects on the continuing relevance of the themes of Survivors:

Nowadays, it’s so relevant, and very apt when you think of the danger that we’re facing today with the threat of Ebola. Survivors has never lost its appeal, as it’s so possible, and it’s not too difficult to imagine that something like that could really happen.

Carolyn Seymour interview - Big Finish - Survivors - Vortex - first page

Carolyn Seymour interview - Big Finish - Survivors - Vortex - second page

Ian McCulloch at Abertoir 2014 horror film festival

Ian McCulloch’s (Greg Preston) participation in the recent Abertoir 2014 horror film festival is documented in some of the video, photo and Twitter commentary from The Ghostface Girls.

Ian McCulloch in the Q&A for 'Contamination' at the Abertoir horror film festival
Luigi Cozzi and Ian McCulloch in the Contamination Q&A session at Abertoir 2014


 


 

The Ghostface Girls produced daily video diaries from the festival. The screening of Contamination, and the question and answer session which followed, is discussed at 2ms 50s. One of the Ghostface Girls comments: “The Q&A was fantastic. It’s like one of those things that you only get from festivals; to get these people who’ve probably not seen each other for a long, long time, to suddenly sit down and talk about what they did, like, thirty years ago.”

‘An Evening with Ian McCulloch’ is discussed, and briefly illustrated at 2ms in, in this video log from the event.

Monsal Dale Survivors filming locations back on TV screens

Tony Robinson’s Channel 4 show Walking Through History is the latest documentary series to revisit the Monsal Dale filming locations used in the classic third series Survivors episode Mad Dog.

New episode ‘King John’s Ruin: Peak District‘ sees Robinson visiting Monsal Dale to discuss the king’s troubled reign with historian Lauren Johnson. The episode includes impressive aerial views of the viaduct and valley.

Monsal Dale also featured in recent installments of BBC Four’s Tales from the National Parks and BBC Two’s Ian Hislop’s Olden Days.

All of these appearances are illustrated on the news pages of the Survivors Mad Dog site.

Monsal Dale - as seen in Walking Through History

Big Finish third series of Survivors audios now available for pre-order

The third series of Big Finish Survivors audio adventures can now be pre-ordered from the Big Finish site. Scheduled for release in November 2015, series three will be available in both CD and digital download formats.

The second series of Survivors adventures will be released five months earlier, in June 2015. Series two is still available for pre-order in both formats; as is the audiobook of the 1976 Survivors novel, voiced by Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant) and scheduled for release next month (December 2014).

Still available for purchase is the critically acclaimed first series of Survivors audio adventures (released in June of this year).

Survivors - audio book of Terry Nation's novel

Big Finish podcast includes Survivors audiobook trailer… and musical musings

The November #04 Big Finish podcast includes the (previously promised but previously omitted) trailer for the forthcoming audiobook of the Survivors novel (voiced by Carolyn Seymour [Abby Grant], and due for release in just a few weeks).

“It is brilliant,” declares host Nick Briggs. “And read brilliantly by Carolyn Seymour.”



 

The podcast team briefly discuss (without, it should be stressed, a hint of seriousness) the idea of a musical version of Survivors! “We’re all dying of a horrible disease!”, sings Nick Briggs. “That’s the beginning, when everyone else dies,” he explains. This opener could be followed by the more inspiring survivors’ song “We’re alive! We’re alive!”. Amidst much laughter, the team conclude that the answer to this suggestion “is probably ‘no'”…

Survivors - Terry Nation - Big Finish - audiobook
Survivors – Terry Nation – Big Finish – audiobook

Big Finish talk Survivors at the London Film and Comic Con

Members of the Big Finish production team discussed the reception of the first series of Survivors audio dramas at the recent London Film and Comic Con.

Producer David Richardson reveals: “Survivors has been selling very well […] it’s had really great reviews; people have really started buying into it and it’s been a great success for us.”

Script editor Matt Fitton adds: “People are picking it up without having seen the TV series, and also fans of the TV series are picking it up and saying that it really is in keeping with it; that it’s part of that world. So it works both ways… Quite a few have come in, listened to it, and then gone and bought the DVDs of the 1975 series.”

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Denis Lill helps centre for adults with learning difficulties celebrate anniversary

The Western Gazette – Sherborne (8 November) reports on a recent visit by Survivors star Denis Lill (Charles Vaughan) to a local centre for adults with learning difficulties celebrating its fourth birthday.

Only Fools and Horses star visits Sherborne

ACTOR Denis Lill best known for his role in Only Fools and Horses recently visited Sherborne.

Mr Lill starred in the classic British sitcom as Rodney Trotter’s father-in-law. He was in the town to help The Green Shed celebrate its fourth birthday.

The Green Shed, based in Castle Gardens, provides work for adults with learning difficulties. They are employed to produce kindling, plant troughs and other items using recycled materials.

Mr Lill spent the morning regaling people with anecdotes from his six decade film and television career.

Coordinator of the Green Shed, Barry Watts, said: “We were delighted to have Denis along to celebrate our anniversary with us and we are very grateful to him for spending time talking to our service users.

Denis Lill visits Sherborne - Western Gazette (Sherborne)
“A lot of laughs were had and it was fascinating to hear his anecdotes about filming Only Fools and Horses, The Royal and the 1975 television series Survivors.”

The Green Shed was opened in October 2010 after the Whitehouse Resource Centre in Sherborne closed. It is operated by Dorset County Council and was part-funded by Chalk and Cheese.

Western Gazette Sherborne. “Only Fools and Horses star visits Sherborne”, Western Gazette Sherborne, 8 November 2014. http://www.westerngazette.co.uk/Fools-Horses-star-visits-Sherborne/story-24440634-detail/story.html

The Day of the Triffids – 1981 BBC series repeat on BBC Four

The very wonderful 1981 BBC screen adaptation of the John Wyndham classic The Day of the Triffids is enjoying a repeat broadcast on BBC Four in November and December, as part of the BBC’s Science Fiction Season. The first two episodes of this six part series were shown on BBC Four at 20:00 and 20:30 this evening (23 November), with episodes three and four to follow at the same time next Sunday, and the two concluding episodes wrapping the story up the following week. All of the episodes will be available (after transmission) through the BBC iPlayer until 23 December 2014.

The Day of the Triffids - BBC series - 1981

The Day of the Triffids - BBC series - 1981
The Day of the Triffids – BBC series – 1981