This is the first Big Finish Audio review I’ve done, and today I’m reviewing the marvellous “The Feast of Axos”.
I thought when I bought this it would be much like The Claws of Axos, and I’m glad to say it is, and it isn’t. It is because it uses that episode as the basics, as the starting point. And then it isn’t because it involves space walking….
The episode begins with *spoilers* Thomas Brewster hijacking the TARDIS, though this doesn’t last long, and soon he wants to be taken home. Evelyn of course is in favour: the Doctor is not. I’ve never listened to anything else with Brewster in, and so I, in a way like Evelyn, was meeting the character and getting my opinions on him for the first time. It’s easy to pick up Brewster’s back story. Criminal, cutpurse, human, cockney, hasn’t got on very well with Evelyn and the Doctor doesn’t trust him. It’s also very clear that Brewster will do anything for himself.
And then the adventure gets going. People wanting Axos’ energy because Earth’s has run out: that’s a fantastic concept, truly brilliant. And then there’s that fantastic voice! The true proper voice of Axos! It’s a fantastically deep and powerful voice, delivered well by our original Axon. Then there’s the space suits, the TARDIS landing, the tendrils, the copy of the Doctor, all brilliant!
The copy of The Doctor is fantastic, performed superbly by Colin Baker. They do feel like different people, and yet the same. And then we go on through the remaining parts and it’s a whole world of double crossing! It’s action packed, it twists and turns and had me shocked. It also had me laughing several times, and it had me close to tears. It truly is fantastic, a truly brilliant adventure, with a fantastic and perfect cast, perfect effects, sounds, and a perfect story.
That brings me to the performance of Evelyn Smythe. I’ve heard a clip of the companion in her first adventure but apart from that I had no experience of what Evelyn was like. And she is fantastic. Superbly performed, exciting, and the moment where she *spoilers* floats off into space is so beautifully acted, and so wonderful.
Brewster’s double crossing is brilliantly portrayed and performed, and his deal with Axos had to end *spoilers* badly, and that was done so brilliantly. The constant space walking and spaceship going into is brilliant. It’s everything I wanted in an Axon story. The marvellous Axon ship, the marvellous Axon voice, and space!
The adventure truly is fantastic and kept me listening all the way through. The performances are incredible, so powerful and so emotional. The story feels brand new and feels excellent, and yet it’s so full of 3rd Doctor references and information it’s fantastic. And of course: the French spacemen with their inability to say the word Astronaut is brilliant. And the story is so full of time references and tricks and twists and turns it’s shocking and unexpected.
This story is fantastic and it takes Axos to a whole new level. Evelyn and Thomas are brilliant, and Colin Baker’s performance is amazing. I’d recommend this story to everyone, everyone should love it, and it uses ideas and concepts that are truly Doctor Who. This IS Doctor Who. If someone asked me to name an audio adventure I would say best describes Doctor Who, it’s this.
FANTASTIC WORK, 10/10!
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