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Classic Adventures Series 2
- 01 Oct 2025
- Reviews
- 376 Reads
2.1 Scimitar by Trevor Baxendale
2.2 Fortuitas by George Mann
2.3 Mindset by Jacqueline Rayner
2.4 Ghost Ship by Iain McLaughlin
2.5 Devil's Advocate by Steve Lyons
2.6 Truth and Lies by Justin Richards
Starring: Paul Darrow, Michael Keating, Jan Chappell, Steven Pacey, Tom Chadbon, Nicholas Asbury, Daniel Brennan, Geoffrey Breton, Nigel Carrington, Buffy Davis, Susan Franklyn, Hugh Fraser, Beverley Hills, Jo Howarth, Simone Lahbib, Hywel Morgan, Alistair Lock.
Cover Art by Grant Kempster Mark Plastow
Sound Design by Martin Montague Alistair Lock
Music by Jamie Robertson Alistair Lock
Producer Cavan Scott
Script Editor Justin Richards
Director Lisa Bowerman
Executive Producer Jason Haigh-Ellery Nicholas Briggs
Review by M19795537
The second collection of adventures is set 'during series three' of the television Blake's Seven, as are several other post-TV stories, notably from the Liberator Chronicles, Crossfire and Restoration series of audios created by Big Finish. It's evidently fertile ground for the imagination.
These six adventures are seen as a chance to step away from the space battles, aliens and endless war against the Federation to discuss issues and to explore characters in greater depth.
All six tales are linked by the search for Dayna, who has inexplicably disappeared. Blake and Jenna are no longer aboard, while Del Grant (Tom Chadbon) has joined the Liberator's crew. It's possible to glean that this happened after 'Armageddon Storm' (Lib Chron 3.1), but if the listener hasn't heard this BF Audio production, his presence might come as something of a surprise. I'd say it's also a welcome sign of Fan power in action!
Scimitar is the 'set-up story', with the crew repurposing their campaign without Blake's leadership, and learning to work within a new crew dynamic that includes Del Grant. As before, we are never quite sure where his loyalties lie. Since the writer George Mann has been a B7 fan since childhood, he knows the characters inside out and relished the chance to 'write for the voices'.
Vague clues about Dayna's whereabouts lead the crew to an abandoned ship within a dangerous asteroid field, where space scrap metal dealers attempt to steal the Liberator. In doing so, they also reveal some confusing clues about Dayna.
Fortuitas is a whodunnit mystery, with Avon and Orac competing to be the chief sleuth. In an effort to explore the characters to the full, Orac even becomes a fight director.
This story touches on 'the concerns of everyday life in extraordinary situations', including contemporary issues such as climate change and planetary consciousness.
Mindset: an episode where Cally shines. Finally, an investigation of telepathy, and what it is like to have a mental connection with others. Auron Reno (Geoffrey Breton) is the 'serpent in Paradise', offering eternal life - at a price. What will tempt each member of the crew? Will Cally join with her own kind, or remain an exile?
More controversially - does Avon really tell Cally she's beautiful? After forty years, fans are still speculating about their relationship - will we finally learn the truth?
The next story Ghost Ship, showcases Vila, left alone on the Liberator doing teleport duty again. Predictably, he leaves Orac in charge while he indulges in some much needed R&R...and discovers that he isn't alone after all.
Avon eventually brings everything under control, leaving Vila to reflect that he shouldn't have been afraid of ghosts, he should have been afraid of Avon. It's a tour de force by Michael Keating, and moves the series on to the next clues in the search for Dayna.
Devil's Advocate Tarrant meets up with an old flame, and a previous employer. The President (Hugh Fraser) returns, but he's now in hiding and looking for a chance to return to power. Will his offer of a free pardon be enough to persuade the Liberator's crew to work with him, or should old scores be settled?
As it turns out, what he knows about Dayna and her family makes sense of Dayna's disappearance.
Starting with the characteristic statement from Avon: 'I am never wrong,' Truth and Lies sees the crew following up the President's information, into what soon begins to look like another of Servalan's traps. We learn exactly how Dayna's mother was involved in the betrayal of her resistance group, her husband and her daughter. Even though Dayna isn't heard, she is still present...sort of.
Following the stories is another 'making of' track, which gives some much needed background about Del Grant (including a shoutout to our own Paula!), thoughts from the actors - dubbed 'Pensioners on Space' by Keating - and production notes from backstage. Guided by Producer Cavan Scott, Script Editor Justin Richards and Director Lisa Bowerman, this series is a powerful and thought-provoking addition to the Blake's 7 canon.
We also hear from Alistair Lock, who plays both Zen and Orac beautifully, and had a hand in the Sound Design alongside Martin Montague. Sound design is often what lifts these productions from readings to real drama. Montague does not disappoint: it's fascinating to hear him explain the problems of trying to layer the sounds in Mindset - so that each track evolved while still being distinguishable in the mix...so cleverly done. The signature 'trumpets and drums' combination is definitely reminiscent of Holst's 'Planets' Suite, but it's none the worse for that.