Synopsis: Strax, the Sontaran butler to Victorian investigator Vastra and her wife Jenny, suffers a disorienting attack and mistakes the two Victorian investigators Jago & Litefoot for Jenny and Vastra and moves into Litefoot’s home. Together, they are on the trail of a creature that is stealing brains, which may or may not be linked to a haunted house in London…
Review: According to the Extra Interviews, the idea that Jago and Litefoot would meet Strax came from internal logic; the idea that he would mistake them for Madame Vastra and Jenny came from Steven Moffat. It was a marvelous running gag that led to a “stolen kitchen” and many other priceless exchanges. I also appreciated that writer Justin Richards combined grizzly murders and Victorian haunted house tropes with plot nuggets from Moffat’s own ‘The Girl in the Fireplace.’ For all that, the script wasn’t at all bloated, leaving the actors plenty of room for character beats that became the story. My personal favorite involved a magician and a parrot that Strax rendered very definitely mort. As a fan of the entire Paternoster Gang, I hope Madame Vastra and Jenny join in the next adventure to help Jago avoid any more feathered carnage at his theater.
You can purchase “The Haunting” here: http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/jago-litefoot-strax—the-haunting-1342?range=113
Written By: Justin Richards
Directed By: Lisa Bowerman
Cast
Christopher Benjamin (Henry Gordon Jago), Trevor Baxter (Professor George Litefoot), Dan Starkey (Strax), Lisa Bowerman (Ellie), Conrad Asquith (Inspector Quick), Stephen Critchlow (Marvo)
- Script, Performances
- Now I want Vastra and Jenny in on the action, too
- Script9.0
- Performances10
- Audio Production10
