Big Finish has announced the release of two brand-new Doctor Who adventures for the First Doctor in more The First Doctor Adventures. These two new adventures feature a full cast with the former Royal Shakespeare Company member Stephen Noonan taking on the role of William Hartnell’s first Doctor.
The two new adventures take place between the 1966 TV stories The Savages and The War Machines and finds the Doctor and companion Dodo Chaplet (played by Lauren Cornelius) visiting 13th century Lincoln in The Outlaws and 20th century Yorkshire in The Miniaturist.
The Outlaws, by Lizbeth Myles, is a four part story inspired by the legend of Robin Hood but set in Lincoln. When the TARDIS takes the Doctor and Dodo back to 13th century Lincoln it’s not long before the pair are caught up in a battle between Sheriff Nicholaa de la Haye and outlaw gang run by the wolf’s head William of Berkshire. While the Doctor is detained by the Sheriff, Dodo ventures into the forest and plays a part as an outlaw where she finds that William is being guided by someone in a monk’s habit, someone who knows the Doctor.
The Miniaturist by Lizzie Hopley takes our heroes to Coulton Salt Mine, a rare environment for geological exploration on the North Yorkshire coast, where they meet Professor Medra. With the Doctor taking a keen interest into the professor’s experiments Dodo talks to the security guard who is concerned about the strange happenings in recent weeks, including the disappearance of local landmarks and mysterious children appearing around the mine workings. Just what is the mysterious alien entity deep under the Earth?
Joining Stephen Noonan and Lauren Cornelius in these adventures are guest stars Glynis Barber (Blake’s 7, EastEnders), Rufus Hound (Doctor Who, Hounded), Annette Badland (Ted Lasso, Doctor Who) and Paul Copley (Coronation Street, Torchwood).
Director and Executive Producer Nicholas Briggs added: “Stephen Noonan is a really brilliant actor. There is such a phenomenal attention to detail in his work. Not only has he created a performance that feels uncannily like William Hartnell, he’s also brought to it the sense of a very real and unique energy.”
Actor Stephen Noonan said: “Having completed these two stories and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the preparation and the recording, it would be lovely to have another go and perhaps improve. It’s just been an unalloyed joy from start to finish.”
The First Doctor Adventures: The Outlaws is now available as a Collector’s Edition CD box set and download for £19.99 or as a digital download only for £16.99 from the Big Finish website.
