House of Blue Fire
For anyone to understand the effect House of Blue Fire had on me, they have to understand how I enjoy listening to audio dramas. Generally, I enjoy one or two episodes at a time of a new story, savouring the rest for another day. It is not very often that I do get another CD, so savouring them is important to me. However by the end of episode 1 of this play, I was enthralled. While the episode itself started slightly disappointingly, it took little time for me to become fully engaged with the happenings at the mysterious Blue Fire House. It was only at the end of the episode that I noticed the Doctor hadn’t been around at all. His sudden appearance at the end of part 1 was a brilliant way to finish an episode that had been tense and dramatic, posing lots of questions that the Doctor wasn’t present to answer. I felt the action was only just reaching the high point having the Doctor enter so late, consequently I played part 2. I got completely engrossed and played part 3 and 4 on immediately, leaving no break between them. Enjoying it so much, I really wanted to hear it all in one go, and it was an addictive plot, enough to keep it going throughout. During part 1, my only really complaint was that Miranda Keeling’s Number 5 was a very annoying character. Her voice seemed to grate at just a point that became very annoying to me. Now, I know that she can’t be like that for everyone, and it really didn’t bring down the play as a whole, but it did stop some of the tension from working perfectly. Most of part 1 revolves around Number 18 and Number 5 searching Blue Fire House. For the most part it keeps the suspense and drama all the way through. However, it doesn’t feel settled like a story should, constantly moving far too quickly from one location to another at a pace that leaves you wondering where you are now and is very difficult to imagine in your minds eye.
Moving onto part 2, the plot settles down a lot and is much easier to follow. This episode really is the highlight of the play, having the feel of a final part, rather than the second quarter. It contains all the tension, fast pacing and action of the ending, without disclosing anything. The last few minutes really do bring the first part of the story to a close. The shocking cliff-hanger is far too brilliant to reveal, but it is the best I have heard in a long time from any release. I will not talk about the last twoepisodes in detail, as any talk of them will completely ruin the story, but they will not disappoint. The action moves quickly, with some of the greatest shocks in Who history. While I didn’t expect all the twists and changes in plot, they worked well and the enemy, the Mi’en Kalarash, was good to hear. Its manifestation is nothing original, but it does work well against the Seventh Doctor. While the Kalarash’s back-story is quite new, the way it is written into the story has been heard so many times before.
Sylvester McCoy is on top form here. Similarly to Robophobia, the Doctor knows most of the answers, but doesn’t give them away until the end. During the course of the 4 episodes, he turns from a creepy old man into a shrieking, guilty and desperate figure when people start dying. A scene towards the end of part 2 shows this no better than any other. Unfortunately, going into any detail would ruin most of the play, however, when you hear it you know which I scene I talk about. He really is at his best here. As for the rest of the cast, they are all on top form. I know I complained about Number 5, but I feel that is more the way she was written than acted, though her voice was irritating. Number 18, 16 and 12, along with Soames were chosen really well. At first I was thinking that Timothy West was being underused for someone of his calibre, but after part 3 that was completely rectified. Amy Pemberton does make the perfect companion, and, after the events at the end, I do think that she will be back soon enough.
In conclusion, House of Blue Fire is the perfect story, full of tension, drama and action. The shocks keep coming and I am completely
sure that this will be a story that I listen to over and over again. The only complaint is that some scenes were hard to focus on and picture in your mind, but for the most part, that made little difference for enjoying it.
Moving onto part 2, the plot settles down a lot and is much easier to follow. This episode really is the highlight of the play, having the feel of a final part, rather than the second quarter. It contains all the tension, fast pacing and action of the ending, without disclosing anything. The last few minutes really do bring the first part of the story to a close. The shocking cliff-hanger is far too brilliant to reveal, but it is the best I have heard in a long time from any release. I will not talk about the last twoepisodes in detail, as any talk of them will completely ruin the story, but they will not disappoint. The action moves quickly, with some of the greatest shocks in Who history. While I didn’t expect all the twists and changes in plot, they worked well and the enemy, the Mi’en Kalarash, was good to hear. Its manifestation is nothing original, but it does work well against the Seventh Doctor. While the Kalarash’s back-story is quite new, the way it is written into the story has been heard so many times before.
Sylvester McCoy is on top form here. Similarly to Robophobia, the Doctor knows most of the answers, but doesn’t give them away until the end. During the course of the 4 episodes, he turns from a creepy old man into a shrieking, guilty and desperate figure when people start dying. A scene towards the end of part 2 shows this no better than any other. Unfortunately, going into any detail would ruin most of the play, however, when you hear it you know which I scene I talk about. He really is at his best here. As for the rest of the cast, they are all on top form. I know I complained about Number 5, but I feel that is more the way she was written than acted, though her voice was irritating. Number 18, 16 and 12, along with Soames were chosen really well. At first I was thinking that Timothy West was being underused for someone of his calibre, but after part 3 that was completely rectified. Amy Pemberton does make the perfect companion, and, after the events at the end, I do think that she will be back soon enough.
In conclusion, House of Blue Fire is the perfect story, full of tension, drama and action. The shocks keep coming and I am completely
sure that this will be a story that I listen to over and over again. The only complaint is that some scenes were hard to focus on and picture in your mind, but for the most part, that made little difference for enjoying it.