The Torchwood monthly range continues with The Vigil by Lou Morgan, a tale that follows Tosh as she brings the body of an ex-colleague, Sebastian Vaughan, back to his family home. We flash from past to present, uncovering the circumstances leading to Tosh’s mission, and the relationship between her and Sebastian.
Morgan has an excellent grasp on Tosh as a character, exploring how she grows into a more confident woman through her interactions with Sebastian. Naoko Mori shows these different facets of the role brilliantly, flipping between an earlier, more passive version of Tosh to the stronger, more confident version we know from the TV series.
Sebastian is played by Hugh Skinner, who brings the character to life brilliantly. Slimy and exploitative, he’s the perfect foil for Tosh, his moral repugnance helping her best aspects to shine through. He’s such an interesting character, and after this, I hope we get more stories featuring him, as I’d love to hear how he interacts with the rest of the Torchwood gang.
We also meet Sebastian’s mother, played by Lucy Robinson; she gives a similarly repulsive performance that helps to explain why Sebastian is the way he is, while also bringing some nuance to the role that makes her somewhat sympathetic.
Overall, while this isn’t my favourite Torchwood audio, it’s still a strong release, with some great moments for Tosh and some solid direction from Lisa Bowerman. Morgan writes a powerful character piece, performed fantastically by Naoko Mori. Recommended.
Oh, and be sure to give Sebastian a follow on Twitter here!
The Vigil is available on CD or as a download from http://www.bigfinish.com
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