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DOCTOR
WHO

Old Flames by Paul Magrs
From Short Trips edited by Stephen Cole

This is an ever so slightly whimsical story that becomes interesting when a number twenty-two double-decker bus is seen driving through a forest in the England of 1764. It's a fourth Doctor and Sarah story, possibly taking place after either Planet Of Evil or before The Hand Of Fear as Sarah is wearing dungarees. The story concerns the last of a series of annual parties held to find a suitable spouse for the elderly hostess' granddaughter, though that's really just an excuse to get all the characters under one roof.

The title refers both to a character who once held a romantic interest in the Doctor and to the true nature of the elderly woman. The story is about what happens when the two meet. It doesn't entirely hold together, but the writing style is engaging enough to keep the reader happy.

Audio version read by Nicholas Courtney and directed by John Taylor with sound design by The Fiction Factory
The sound design on this one is quite minimal. The story is topped and tailed with a piece of harpsichord music and sound effects are only used to denote anachronistic technology. Nicholas provides a good rendition of the fourth Doctor and a wonderful quavering voice for the elderly hostess.

As with the printed version, although this isn't a stand out, it's an entirely acceptable contribution.

© Tim Farr, 2006

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