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2019 seems to be a year of firsts for Big Finish. Only last month we saw the audio debuts of the Eric Roberts Master and Missy, and now here’s the first release featuring the Twelfth Doctor! Let’s see how it shapes up…
Following Aphra Behn as she seeks out those conspiring to kill Charles II, this Short Trip introduced me to a part of history I’d not heard of before. A poet, playwright and fiction writer from the Restoration, Behn is the perfect historical figure to feature in a Doctor Who story, and Lizbeth Myles tells her story with flair.
Myles also has an excellent grasp on the character of the Twelfth Doctor, writing such authentic dialogue for him that I could almost hear Peter Capaldi reading the words.
Neve McIntosh does a great job as narrator; not only does she bring the Twelfth Doctor to life with her native Scottish accent, but she adopts a wide variety of other voices to flesh out the rest of the characters.
Packed with conspiracies and espionage, this story is certainly an exciting one. As a pure historical, The Astrea Conspiracy really takes the time to get to know the central character and the world she inhabits, and this truly sets it apart.
Final Thoughts
The Astrea Conspiracy is a fine Short Trip to kick off the Twelfth Doctor’s Big Finish adventures. Hearing his theme kick in at the start and end of an audio story for the first time made me nostalgic, and I can’t wait to hear more stories both from this era of the show and from Lizbeth Myles.
The Astrea Conspiracy can be purchased on download from http://www.bigfinish.com
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