It’s a sequel more than 30 years in the making! Sylvester McCoy stars in a new Doctor Who audio adventure pitting him once again against characters first seen in TV’s “The Greatest Show in the Galaxy.” Classic series Doctor Who writer, Stephen Wyatt, returns to pen another trip to the Psychic Circus for the Seventh Doctor. This will feature the original television serial cast members Chris Jury (Kingpin) and Ian Reddington (Chief Clown).
Sylvester McCoy in “The Psychic Circus”
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy claims to be lots of fun for the whole family. When a junkmail robot invades the TARDIS, the Doctor gets led down an unnervingly familiar path. Meanwhile, space beatniks Kingpin and Juniper Berry just want to hitch rides and busk –until a greater purpose calls. The Doctor’s past and Kingpin’s future are entangled by malevolent forces. The Psychic Circus is just beginning: it may lack clowns, but it already has a Master…
Script editor, Matt Fitton, explained:
“Yes, it’s an origin of the Psychic Circus story! So, for everyone except the Doctor, it’s a prequel, sometime long before the events of Greatest Show. Whereas for the Doctor, it’s a sequel to an adventure long past!”
Writer, Stephen Wyatt, added:
“I wasn’t ever expecting to revisit the Psychic Circus. When I wrote “The Greatest Show in the Galaxy,” I knew I wasn’t writing for the next season. I had already drafted two four-part stories for two seasons in a row on Doctor Who during Andrew Cartmel’s time as script editor, and when the series came to an end, I thought that was it. So, it’s been quite a surprise and also rather nice to come back. For quite a few years I thought classic Doctor Who was dead and gone. I’ve only discovered recently that wasn’t actually the case, particularly because of the new series of Doctor Who. People who have watched the new series have gone back and discovered the older ones.”
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy TV serial
“The Greatest Show in the Galaxy” aired on television in 1989. The seventh Doctor and his companion Ace (played by Sophie Aldred) head to the Psychic Circus on the planet Segonax. The circus itself is dominated by the sinister Chief Clown (played by Ian Reddington) and his deadly troupe of robot clowns. They organize a talent show that all of the visitors take part in. The Doctor eventually discovers that the Circus hides a terrible secret. The family are in reality the Gods of Ragnarok. They are powerful creatures who destroy those who fail to please them.
With this being a prequel story, it shall be interesting to see where the Psychic Circus got its origin! Since it’s a sequel for the Doctor, does this mean he will know who is really behind this terrifying circus?
Doctor Who: “The Psychic Circus” is available now as a collector’s edition CD or on download at the Big Finish website.
For more Big Finish press coverage:
Captain Jack and River Song are together at last in new Big Finish Audio
Doctor Who: Subterfuge, the new Seventh Doctor Big Finish adventure
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