The Starburst web site has published short interview snippets with cast and crew members from the forthcoming new Survivors audio adventures being released by Big Finish in June.
In the brief article, Ian McCulloch suggests to Starburst‘s Tony Jones:
‘I think Terry Nation would have approved of the style of writing and presenting the drama that Big Finish has chosen. They are very much the type of story that Terry would have liked the show to have covered [in the 1970s].’
Lucy Fleming adds:
‘I think the scripts are very well done and the idea behind Survivors is a universal story that makes you think again about what’s really important. The show always made viewers think about the basic practicalities of life as well as enjoying the adventure stories we were making.’
A commemorative ‘blue plaque‘ has been added to the birthplace of Survivors‘ creator Terry Nation, to acknowledge his role as scriptwriter and ‘creator of the Daleks’ (the perennial arch-enemies of The Doctor in Doctor Who).
The plaque, added to the former Nation family home in Fairwater Grove West, Llandaff, Cardiff, was unveiled at a ceremony on 20 November 2013, to coincide with celebrations marking the fiftieth anniversary of Doctor Who. Terry Nation was born at 113 Fairwater Grove West in 1930. The unveiling was undertaken by Tim Hancock (the nephew of late actor and comedian Tony Hancock, and now responsible for the management of the the Nation estate) and was attended by Nation’s widow Kate.
The Terry Nation ‘blue plaque’ at 113 Fairwater Grove West, Llandaff, CardiffTim Hancock is joined by a Dalek at the unveiling ceremonyThe unveiling event for the new ‘blue plaque’ outside 113 Fairwater Grove West, Cardiff
An archive off-air recording of Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston) appearing in a 1979 Xmas TV ad for Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry has been unearthed on YouTube by Adrian H.
Uploaded to YouTube from a 30-plus-year-old VHS recording, the advert (which also features Christopher Neame [Colditz, Secret Army]) does briefly break-up at 2m28s, but is otherwise in reasonable shape sound-and-vision wise.
Also featuring in the same advert break are Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal (The Good Life) promoting the then state-of-the-art Polaroid ‘instant’ camera (not something the low-tech embracing, consumerism-rejecting Goods might have had much time for…)
Big Finish have confirmed (6 November 2013) that Carolyn Seymour (Abby Grant), Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston) and Lucy Fleming (Jenny Richards) are all joining the cast of the first series of the new Survivors audio adventures, scheduled for release in June 2014.
The Big Finish update also confirms the titles of the four hour-long installments of series one:
Revelation written by Matt Fitton
Exodus written by Jonathan Morris
Judges written by Andrew Smith
Esther written by John Dorney
The full announcement from Big Finish explains:
The lead cast members of Terry Nation’s Survivors are returning to play their roles on audio, for a run of new episodes from Big Finish Productions.
The series originally ran for three seasons on BBC1 between 1975-77 and told the story of a small group of people who survive a plague that wipes out most of the world’s population.
Lucy Fleming plays Jenny Richards, Ian McCulloch is Greg Preston, while Carolyn Seymour is Abby Grant, the leader of a community starting a new life in rural England.
“We’re thrilled to have Lucy, Ian and Carolyn on board,” says producer David Richardson. “Our initial episodes will introduce a new set of characters that will encounter Jenny and Greg as they search for supplies. Abby Grant will make cameo appearances, before taking on a major role in later stories.”
Survivors – Volume 1 will be released in June 2014; the box set will comprise four hour-long full cast audio dramas – Revelation by Matt Fitton, Exodus by Jonathan Morris, Judges by Andrew Smith and Esther by John Dorney.
The all-star cast also includes John Banks, Louise Jameson, Sinead Keenan, Caroline Langrishe, Adrian Lukis, Chase Masterson, Terry Molloy, Phil Mulryne and Camilla Power.
Big Finish have updated the listing for the first series of new Survivors audio adventures with the front cover design; which features the character of Daniel Connor (John Banks) alone amidst a scene of desolation, death and fire in front of the Houses of Parliament.
Asked what her uncle, 007 creator Ian Fleming, might have made of the resilient popularity and longevity of his creation, Fleming suggests: “I imagine he would be very amused with the continuing success of the books and the films – and very proud.”
Big Finish has Tweeted confirmation of the Survivors‘ audio adventures first series new cast; and revealed one additional name joining the production: that of Chase Masterston (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine).
These cast details have also been added to the series one entry on the Survivorspre-order page of the Big Finish site.
The new #Survivors cast: John Banks, Louise Jameson, Sinead Keenan, Caroline Langrishe, Adrian Lukis, Chase Masterson, Terry Molloy…
As recording on the first series of the new Survivors adventures from Big Finish got underway last week, cast members including John Banks and Terry Molloy took to Twitter to comment:
John Banks – Tweets about Big Finish Survivors recording
John Banks – Tweets about Big Finish Survivors recording
Terry Molloy – Tweets about Big Finish Survivors recording
Audio drama production company Big Finish have announced that Sinead Keenan (Being Human, London Irish will be appearing in the forthcoming first series of Survivors audio adventures in the role of Susie Edwards.
Sinead Keenan is Susie Edwards, who finds that the future for humanity is dark and terrifying…
Series one of the new Survivors audio adventures is available for pre-order from the Big Finish site.
