Love and War
It’s an old cliché, the book is always better. And this
stands almost all the time, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, name any novel
adaption and it will inevitably be sorely lacking compared to its big or small
screen (or headphones) counterpart. For Benny’s twentieth anniversary, Big
Finish adapted her first adventure into the audio medium, where she has spent
most of her life. I had the pleasure of reading the book a few months before,
and I am sorry to say that it is no exception to the rule.
Don’t get me wrong, as adaptations go, it is amazing, as faithful and honest as it is possible to be. The problem with it all lies with the limited running time. Two hundred and thirty-five pages simply don’t fit into the two hour (roughly) running time of the story. A lot has to be missed; the entire story line regarding Heaven’s security agents is just one example of a complete omission. The final battle between the dead and living of Heaven is cut down to a few short minutes and a few sparse remarks (I seem to remember that it takes up a fair chunk of the end of the book, and is gripping throughout). It is a shame, but a necessary one. You can tell Jacqueline Rayner, who has adapted it from Paul Cornell’s original, has kept everything she physically can, and a lot of the charm and love is kept, you cannot fault her on the job she has done, only the limits imposed. It doesn’t detract from what is a really great story, but with the knowledge of what is missing, you do feel put out.
It does work in reverse as well though. A large moan (and indeed the only one I have heard) is that Ace’s relationship with Jan seemed incredibly quick, that it can’t be real because of the short time shared between them. Initially this is echoed in the drama, but Sophie Aldred excels in the last few scenes, so well that the emotions feel so incredibly real. She really goes all out here, showing the damage the Doctor’s actions do. It seems odd that, on her anniversary, the star of the show isn’t Benny and Lisa Bowerman, its Ace and Sophie Aldred.
Naturally, I spent the first section comparing the two art forms to one another, they are, after all, different aspects of themselves. But how does Love and War stand up as an audio drama. Actually, that is very difficult for me to say, as I don’t have the luxury of only having experienced it on audio. A very fast paced story, that may easily confuse people who are unfamiliar with the novel. As it has to fit everything in, it doesn’t stop, and while it makes an exciting listen, I feel that it may be hard to keep up with. Those who have read the original can fill in the blanks, and follow, but without that ability I would have felt lost.
The cast are first rate, lending a distinct voice to these already superb characters. In a story with lots of them, it was really important for them to be unique, and I am glad to say it was. I also found that the lack of Big Finish regulars, i.e. people who have appeared in many plays recently, helped immensely, as I wasn’t trying to place the voice, but could rather enjoy the story. Whilst I do think that each and every member of the cast is deserving of a return to audio, it may reduce the charm of this tale. After all there is something about it that is truly special, a hugely important story, great, original cast and the first adaption of its kind.
And so, to the lady of the hour herself; Bernice Summerfield. Being fairly new to her stories, I am probably far less deserving than some of her long term fans to enjoy this quite as much as I did. In the few months that I have been reading and listening to her stories, she has a special place in my heart. I look forward to her releases more than any other, and they get an instant pre-order whenever they pop-up. This release is a fitting tribute to her humble beginnings, and whilst it may not celebrate her in quite the same way the her other anniversary story may (Many Happy Returns, for those unsure), it feels totally fitting that her first story should propel us all forward into the next twenty years of adventures. Lisa Bowerman plays Bernice so fantastically, that it is easy to make the article simply about her abilities, but I won’t. And so, despite such a short term love of her travels, Benny has left me breath taken. And, quite honestly, there are very few things that I feel so proud to be a part of. Happy birthday, Benny ‘Surprise’ Summerfield!
Don’t get me wrong, as adaptations go, it is amazing, as faithful and honest as it is possible to be. The problem with it all lies with the limited running time. Two hundred and thirty-five pages simply don’t fit into the two hour (roughly) running time of the story. A lot has to be missed; the entire story line regarding Heaven’s security agents is just one example of a complete omission. The final battle between the dead and living of Heaven is cut down to a few short minutes and a few sparse remarks (I seem to remember that it takes up a fair chunk of the end of the book, and is gripping throughout). It is a shame, but a necessary one. You can tell Jacqueline Rayner, who has adapted it from Paul Cornell’s original, has kept everything she physically can, and a lot of the charm and love is kept, you cannot fault her on the job she has done, only the limits imposed. It doesn’t detract from what is a really great story, but with the knowledge of what is missing, you do feel put out.
It does work in reverse as well though. A large moan (and indeed the only one I have heard) is that Ace’s relationship with Jan seemed incredibly quick, that it can’t be real because of the short time shared between them. Initially this is echoed in the drama, but Sophie Aldred excels in the last few scenes, so well that the emotions feel so incredibly real. She really goes all out here, showing the damage the Doctor’s actions do. It seems odd that, on her anniversary, the star of the show isn’t Benny and Lisa Bowerman, its Ace and Sophie Aldred.
Naturally, I spent the first section comparing the two art forms to one another, they are, after all, different aspects of themselves. But how does Love and War stand up as an audio drama. Actually, that is very difficult for me to say, as I don’t have the luxury of only having experienced it on audio. A very fast paced story, that may easily confuse people who are unfamiliar with the novel. As it has to fit everything in, it doesn’t stop, and while it makes an exciting listen, I feel that it may be hard to keep up with. Those who have read the original can fill in the blanks, and follow, but without that ability I would have felt lost.
The cast are first rate, lending a distinct voice to these already superb characters. In a story with lots of them, it was really important for them to be unique, and I am glad to say it was. I also found that the lack of Big Finish regulars, i.e. people who have appeared in many plays recently, helped immensely, as I wasn’t trying to place the voice, but could rather enjoy the story. Whilst I do think that each and every member of the cast is deserving of a return to audio, it may reduce the charm of this tale. After all there is something about it that is truly special, a hugely important story, great, original cast and the first adaption of its kind.
And so, to the lady of the hour herself; Bernice Summerfield. Being fairly new to her stories, I am probably far less deserving than some of her long term fans to enjoy this quite as much as I did. In the few months that I have been reading and listening to her stories, she has a special place in my heart. I look forward to her releases more than any other, and they get an instant pre-order whenever they pop-up. This release is a fitting tribute to her humble beginnings, and whilst it may not celebrate her in quite the same way the her other anniversary story may (Many Happy Returns, for those unsure), it feels totally fitting that her first story should propel us all forward into the next twenty years of adventures. Lisa Bowerman plays Bernice so fantastically, that it is easy to make the article simply about her abilities, but I won’t. And so, despite such a short term love of her travels, Benny has left me breath taken. And, quite honestly, there are very few things that I feel so proud to be a part of. Happy birthday, Benny ‘Surprise’ Summerfield!