Radio Dramatisations (Page 2)

Penguin Random House UK Audio releases Judge Dredd: The Pit. Judge Dredd is the iconic leading character from the renowned British comic 2000 AD. A number of 2000 AD stories have been adapted to kick-off this range, including The Ballad of Halo Jones, Brink: Volumes 1-3, Slaine The Horned God, and Judge Dredd: America. In Judge Dredd: The Pit, Dredd is placed in charge of a rag-tag but determined group of  Judges to clean-up one of the dirtiest, crime-ridden sectors of Mega-City One. These action-packed audio recordings are performed by an ensemble cast, in this case headed by narrator Patterson Joseph (Neverwhere, Timeless) and Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love, The Handmaiden’s Tale) as Dredd himself. The original comic story was written by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra. This audio is available for download...

It's difficult to know exactly how to interpret this one for a prospective audience, as more audio dramatisations should be encouraged and not dismissed out of hand, which is so often the case. I used to collect these and still possess the majority of that collection – including the Orson Welles The War of the Worlds, the original Superman radio series, the excellent Star Wars audio, and several BBC (Earthsea, The Hobbit, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, etc.) and Big Finish examples.

The problem with this one is that I’ve been spoilt by many years of generally excellent Audio Movies – adapted, directed, and often written and produced by the very talented Dirk Maggs. His releases are literally feature films without the pictures, with film score music, a multitude of stock and newly-created sound effects, and very talented voice artists and mainstream actors. Most importantly perhaps, they are tightly edited and push the stories along at an exciting rate of knots. These are the areas in which many modern audio dramatisations are falling behind. Dirk directed two  Judge Dredd audios himself, the first of which injected humour via a power crazy megalomaniac.

 Judge Dredd: The Pit is probably not helped by the fact it is depicted as a police procedural, albeit a somewhat unorthodox one. It seems as though there is a cast of thousands, although this is certainly not the case and adds confusion to the plot. The story involves weeding-out corruption among some Judges. There is a main villain who is eventually identified and confronted, only for Dredd and his trusted Judges to discover he is a pawn for a much more dangerous and as yet faceless crime boss.

The plot seems to swim in and out with little flow or continuity. To excite the interest of a new generation of listeners there has to be adrenaline, genuine peril, and progressive energy. I found my attention to be wavering. Even Dredd sounds younger and more politely-spoken, rather than the gruff and ruthlessly tough but fair hero we are used to through film adaptations. I had to smile, too at the regular use of basic footstep sound effects which hark back to a much earlier age of radio plays. I wouldn’t by any means call this derisory, but it needs to be given a proverbial kick up the backside to bring it to life. I’m looking forward to listening to Judge Dredd: America to ‘Judge’ how it compares.   

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2021)   

Brand  new from AudioGo, on limited CD release or available to download, comes Ghostly Terror! - consisting of three classic supernatural  tales split across two discs, with a total running time of 135  minutes.

Canon Alberic’s Scrapbook (read by experienced narrator and beloved Fawlty Towers actor, Andrew Sachs) tells the  story of a researcher and collector of religious antiquities working late taking stone rubbings in an ancient church. A very nervous man refuses to leave him alone in the building, and is later relieved to escort him out. Through what seems like idle conversation, the nervous little man tells the researcher about a book he might want to see. The artwork and scripture is incredibly old, and the researcher is amazed to be sold the book for a ridiculously low sum of money. He is later to discover why, as the book incorporates an ancient evil.

M.R. James wrote the best literary ghost stories, bar none. He was a master storyteller, and I urge anyone who hasn’t tasted the cold eeriness of his tales to invest in a collection. You won’t be sorry. Even the BBC constantly used his stories when it came time for their annual Christmas ghost story adaptation. In fact, of the three tales on this release, Canon Alberic’s Scrapbook is the most enduring simply because it’s less specific, cleverly allowing your imagination to set the atmosphere and build tension. The others, in comparison, are a little dated. Sachs quite rightly keeps his narrative on an even keel, allowing the story to raise the listener’s emotions, rather than becoming unnecessarily emotive in  the telling.

The Yellow Wallpaper (read by stage and TV actress Laurel Lefkow) is the story of a sick woman confined to a  rather decrepit bedroom in a rented house. There is peeling yellow wallpaper, and marks and patterns which over time seem to take on a  life of their own. Eventually, she begins to fear that someone might be trying to get out. This story, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, uses the premise that if we stare at inanimate objects long enough the mind can turn them into something else entirely. There is a part of the brain which recognises faces in objects, so the idea is definitely sound. However, although there is an attempt  to build tension via the woman’s thoughts over a period of days, The Yellow Wallpaper is much too long in the telling, and has a disappointing reveal.

The Beast With Five Fingers (read by Radio, TV and stage actor Steven Pacey) is a truly classic story by W.F. Harvey, which many people will have heard of without actually knowing anything about. It tells the story - in chapter form - of  a man with the talent of automatic writing who, upon his death, has the hand in question sent to a relative. But the hand has independent movement and objectives of its own, until it becomes a living nightmare. This takes up the entirety of the second disc. You could  say it’s a little long, but there is much movement in the tale, and you can readily believe the near hysteria of one of the characters -  convincingly portrayed by Pacey. The Beast With Five Fingers has been  filmed, and since then there has been any number of similar notions which have made it to screen. The idea of a disembodied hand seems to be creepy enough to make people willingly suspend their disbelief.

More and more audio releases are being limited strictly to downloads these days. Call me old-fashioned, but I like to have an official, tangible product in a jewel case that I can place on a shelf or stack with other CDs - so I’m thankful that in this particular instance you are given the choice. As a casual purchase, this is probably not so important, but to a collector it might mean the difference between a sale and just not bothering.

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2011)   

"Anything that happens, happens."

Demon Records releases The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Quintessential Phase on 2 LP pink-coloured vinyl and Deluxe Set. The Exclusive Edition is limited to 500 copies and incorporates a signed print from Simon Jones, who plays Arthur Dent. There are also sleeve notes by Jones and an overview by Douglas Adams's biographer, Jem Roberts. There is also a CD version of this release available. This radio full-cast dramatisation covers the events of Douglas Adams’s fifth and last book in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, Mostly Harmless – but with a difference…

Arthur Dent is looking for his lost love, Fenchurch. He returns to the original coordinates of Earth, but finds only an Earth-like planet. From here he manages to get to Lamuella, home of the Perfectly Normal Beast. He is surprised to meet Trillian and her daughter, Random, who turns out to be his own offspring through artificial means. The Guide has been playing-up of late, but he is entrusted with a new MKII model for Ford. Meanwhile, unaware of each other’s presence, Zaphod and Ford Prefect manage to sneak into the new HQ of The Hitchhiker’s Guide in an attempt to see Zarniwoop. There is an alternative universe inside the building, and Zarniwoop and Vaan Harl are revealed to be the same individual. Not only that, but he is finally uncovered as a Vogon. Our heroes eventually get to meet up, but just as the Earth is about to be destroyed.

There is a short epilogue which leaves all the main characters with a happy ending. Many fans of the books were not best pleased with a twee finale, as Mostly Harmless left certain events ‘up in the air’ and Adams was basically telling his fanbase that life isn’t always like that. Nevertheless, Adams was reportedly displeased in hindsight at its overly dark conclusion. Audio maestro Dirk Maggs had gathered together as much of the original cast as was possible, also paying tribute to those who have passed. Some big names were also added to the voice cast: Susan Sheridan, Jonathan Pryce, Miriam Margolyes, Griff Rhys Jones, Rula Lenska and Roy Hudd; a part is even found for the late great Douglas Adams as Agragag. Bearing in mind Adams’s later feelings, and this being a last hurrah for the gang, it is only fitting that the characters find solace – particularly Arthur Dent, who travelled more than anyone would want to in their dressing gown.

Dirk Maggs, who adapted, directed and co-produced this dramatisation should be given much credit for maintaining his high standards in what must have been the most difficult of the five books to adapt. There is a lot of running around, and the multi-universe plot structure makes it difficult to understand what this is all about, both in terms of the character’s motives and the greater scheme of things. After, all it has all been about the Earth when the planet has repeatedly been described as insignificant. The main moral here seems to be ‘think carefully before you speak or act, because what you do creates history for both you and those around you’. The Tricia McMillan and Trillian character/s prove that multiple universes can hinge on whether or not you go back for your handbag.

The cast is amazing, as always, with William Franklyn and the sadly departed Peter Jones as The Book; Simon Jones as Arthur Dent; Geoffrey McGivern as Ford Prefect; Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod; Susan Sheridan as Trillian; Sandra Dickinson as Tricia McMillan; Rula Lenska as The Bird; and others, including Jonathan Pryce, John Challis, Miriam Margoyles, and Samantha Beart. The music is by Philip Pope & Paul 'Wix' Wickens.

For me, the highlights of this are the moments of quirky brilliance straight from the pen of Douglas Adams. “Nothing travels faster than the speed of light… except, perhaps, bad news.” A space drive was developed based on this theory, but no one was pleased to see them when they arrived.

When Arthur is bitten on the thigh by a Bog Hog, I fully expected every subsequent event to be a figment of Arthur's fevered imagination. But if that's the case, it certainly isn't made clear. I like the planet called Now What, with the town Oh, Well - however, this isn't one of the better Hitchhiker books. It's a case of It's Douglas Adams, so should be coveted. There's a certain amount of truth to that, in fact.

Dirk Maggs was reported as saying he was sad it was finished, but also relieved. Ten years of frustration and two years of manic activity. The track-lay and mix meant nine months of twelve-hour days. The CD release contained 30 minutes of extra material. The BBC only budgeted for so much airtime, so the extra material of Douglas' genius could only appear on the CDs.

This may be the end but, to quote Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, “…there is another.”

(Review originally written by Ty Power for reviewgraveyard 2019)

Richard Mayhew thinks he has it made. He has a beautiful but controlling fiancé, a fashionable job in which he is far from appreciated and a flat, which suits him fine but which his girlfriend hates. When traipsing along behind her to a posh restaurant to impress her boss, he stops to help a young woman who is hurt and exhausted. The woman pleads not to be taken to hospital (“They’ll find me.”) so, ignoring his girlfriend Jessica’s loud and blistering comments, he picks her up and takes her to his apartment to care for her.

Two strange men come to the door looking for her, but they haven’t got her best interests at heart. When they force their way in, she is nowhere to be found, but appears again when they are gone. It turns out she is the Lady Door, who is in fear of her life after her father and siblings were killed. Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar have been hired to kill her… but by whom? Richard agrees to help her find out, and in doing so inadvertently leaves his old world behind.

He finds himself in the London Down Below, an unknown environment of strange locations and even stranger people, somehow existing in a layout not unlike the London Underground Tube system. People who have “fallen through the cracks.” A large man seeming with his own agenda, known as the Marquis de Carabas accompanies them. After obtaining information at the mysterious floating market, they seek the wisdom of the Earl who holds Court on a tube train. The Marquis and the Earl have clashed before, and the former is put off of the train where he is captured and killed at the hands of Croup and Vandemar. But he has entrusted a special box to Old Bailey, a man who lives on the rooftops with the birds. Old Bailey has the thankless task of recovering the corpse and using the object inside to return de Carabas back to life.

Richard and Door’s journey turns to a quest as, pursued by the professional killers Croup and Vandemar, they seek out the real Angel at Islington. It tells them it can help Door with the information and closure she needs – as well as get Richard home – but it requires a key to open a door in its demesnes. The key is safeguarded by the Blackfriars. Three trials need to be successfully completed in order for them to give up the key: one by Door, one by their bodyguard Hunter, and one by Richard. Richard is reminded of all his woes when his only friend at work convinces him what a dropout he is, and persuades him the only way out is to throw himself under a train. But Richard recognises his current worth and passes the test.

They meet up with the Marquis again, alive but understandably sporting a sore throat after it had so recently been cut. The key is returned to the Angel Islington, who is revealed to be the employer of Croup and Vandemar. Door is forced to use the key which will actually open a doorway to heaven, from which the Angel had been outcast. However, Door has had a false copy of the key made, and utilises her door-opening powers to send the Angel ‘far away’. Mr Croup is sucked through too, and is joined voluntarily by Mr Vandemar.

Richard is helped to get back to his old life. Things are slightly better, but he discovers he isn’t any happier. The Marquis, who is missing his stolen voluminous coat, takes Richard back to the London Down Below, where he offers to help Door find her sister who might be still alive. 

Neverwhere is a bestselling (and I must say, quite excellent) book by Neil Gaiman, whose impressive back catalogue includes Stardust, Anansi Boys, American Gods, Coraline, The Graveyard Book, Norse Mythology, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett) and many more. In this case, the Neverwhere TV series predated the book when Gaiman scripted the original version for the BBC. However, he was less than happy with the outcome, as what was possible to put on screen fell well short of what he had envisioned. Consequently, he wrote the novel which became a best seller and a cult phenomenon.

Gaiman was approached my Dirk Maggs with the idea of dramatizing this tale for BBC Radio. Dirk Maggs, of course, is the prolific creator of such high quality Audio Movies as Batman: Knightfall, Superman: Doomsday & Beyond, Judge Dredd, Independence Day: UK, and of course Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, books three to five. Dirk not only adapted and co-directed this one (with the producer Heather Larmour), but also handled the sound design - which I must say is quite stunning.

The voice cast for Neverwhere incorporates a stellar cast, including (deep breath): Christopher Lee, Bernard Cribbins, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Harewood, Anthony Head, James McAvoy, Natalie Dormer, David Scofield, Andrew Sachs, and Johnny Vegas. Performances are strong; Anthony Head and Paul Schofield are suitably nasty, their calculated and creepily polite exchanges wry with black humour. Thankfully, their murder of the Marquis de Carabas happens partly off-screen, so-to-speak. The most delightful performance for me though is Bernard Cribbins's Old Bailey, who talks to the birds and has as little to do with everyone else as possible, but is the most useful person to go to in times of trouble - an unofficial oracle, if you like. Even Neil Gaiman himself gets a cameo role as Mr Figgis.

Neverwhere was broadcast between 16th and 22nd March 2013, the first part on BBC Radio 4 and the others on BBC Radio 4 Extra. Episode titles are: London Below, Earl's Court, The Angel Islington, The Black Friars, Market Afloat, and The Key. A 4-CD set of the serial was released by the BBC later the same year and included 25-minutes of unbroadcast material, including extended scenes, outtakes and bloopers. In 2015 Neil Gaiman won a Lifetime Achievement Award for his Contribution to Radio Drama. Dirk, of course, has won countless awards for his work.

I would recommend any fan of Neil Gaiman's books to check out this highly enjoyable and professional dramatisation. You won't be sorry. And if you haven't heard any of Dirk Maggs's Audio Movies this is an ideal jumping-on point. Dirk has proved with previous projects that he cares enough to produce quality material which attracts not only an-ever-increasing audience, but top actors, and music score artists.

(Original Review Ty Power 2019.

My initial natural reaction to this release was "Why?" I am not averse to the origination of additional Doctor Who merchandise, especially during the programme's absence from our screens, and talking books are not a bad outlet for those perhaps unfamiliar with the stories. It has been attempted before with Tom Baker reading State of Decay.

However, the reason for this choice of title totally eludes me. Although the Daleks retain a portion of their original allure, and therefore remain a saleable commodity, Planet of the Daleks is a negative representation of the best of Pertwee's tenure - particularly when it was shown so recently on the BBC and UK Gold. The accompanying release, Peter Davison reading the abysmal Warriors of the Deep, only confirms my point. This makes me question the targeted age group. Is this aimed at intelligent long-term fans? I think not!

The text from the Terrance Dicks novelisation is followed virtually word for word, with only the odd sentences here and there being omitted. Admittedly, the book is suitably brief in its telling, but I can't help wondering why more appropriate titles were not selected. I'm positive that talking book versions of missing or incomplete BBC stories would be much better received, particularly Patrick Troughton classics of which there are numerous no longer held in the archives. Or certainly those unlikely to be released on video in the near future. A forthcoming release is Jon Pertwee reads The Curse of Peladon; although a considerably better choice, even young children will prefer to view the video.

Nevertheless, as with all talking book releases, let's not forget how they benefit the blind, or even those individuals choosing to sit back, rest their eyes and disappear into their own imagination. Jon Pertwee, to his infinite credit, does a fine job getting the tale across with the appropriate pits and falls in the tone of his delivery, and altering his style to fit the mood of the situation. He is after all an elderly gentleman. It's difficult to decide whether his Dalek speech impression enhances or ruins the project, but it certainly inspires a laugh! Thankfully, the sound effects music is kept to an absolute minimum, being utilised only to heighten the climax of a scene.

I can't honestly believe the BBC will achieve any great success in sales figures with these releases, unless of course they totally rethink their choices.

(Original Review by Ty Power appeared in DreamWatch Magazine July 1995)

During the 250th Anniversary celebrations of Metropolis, an experimental passenger aircraft, the Constitution, collides with a light plane, the passenger of which has fallen unconscious. It is helped to land by a mysterious flying man wearing a brown leather jacket and corduroy trousers! Intrepid Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane is aboard, but the man leaves before she can properly speak to him. Unscrupulous businessman Lex Luthor of Lexcorp supplied many of the components used by the supersonic plane, and uses his influence to remove the video of the "flying man". Martha and Jonathan Kent, the 'flying man' Clark Kent's guardians, make him a costume that will make him incognito while helping people. He starts work as a reporter at the Daily Planet newsroom, and the hero (dubbed the 'Superman' by the media) is increasingly sighted across the city fighting crime.

Lex Luthor is determined to trap and make the new superhero his own. He has Dr Teng develop a tough battle armour. Meanwhile, Lois Lane stages an accident, driving her car into the river to be rescued by Superman, simply to get an interview. Luthor's new yacht, the Sea Queen, is the setting for a gala evening that comes under fire from South American terrorists. Lois and Clark are representatives from the press. Superman saves the day only to learn that Luthor knew it was going to happen and stepped-down security to see what would transpire. The mayor grants Superman deputy powers to arrest Luthor, and the boat is flown back to Metropolis.

As Lex Luthor is bailed and plots his revenge against Superman, Jonathan Kent takes Clark to the snow-buried capsule he had arrived in as a baby, but it is no longer there. Clark has no time to ponder this as he hears multiple screams of distress coming from Metropolis. Dr Teng's battle armour, financed by Lex Corp, is rampaging through part of the city. Lois and Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen are cornered as Superman arrives. However, Superman soon discovers he is the intended target. A fight ensues, culminating in Superman burning-out the battle armour's circuitry with his heat vision. He personally delivers the wreckage to Lex Luthor's office in Hong Kong, but the businessman has covered his tracks well. There is a war of words and Luthor threatens to best the costumed hero.

Luthor's plans are foiled once more after he tries to end the president's term by demonstrating a missile guidance system to the press which goes wrong. Again, Superman is obliged to intervene. The extra-terrestrial capsule, which had gone missing from near the Kent farm, is in the hands of a man called Schwarz, who is studying intensely the data found within. Dr Teng has obtained cell structure samples from Superman, taken by the battle armour, and using the information has discovered that the flying man is not native to Earth. He has also produced a clone, but the process partly rejects the alien cell structure which crystalises and affects the brain, creating a Bizarro Superman. Superman finds it in a dark corner of the Daily Planet lobby, wearing a suit and glasses over a makeshift representation of the Superman uniform. Fearing his secret identity is about to be blown, the real Superman drags Bizarro out on to the street where it retaliates with heat vision, and a fight is on.

As Clark Kent endures countless dreams about his origins, Schwarz uncovers crystals from Superman's (Kal-El's) home planet in the power source he has stolen from the capsule. The infant had been heavily shielded from them which tells him they will be a useful weapon against the alien. He creates an android called Metallo and dispatches it to infiltrate the reactor plant at Two Mile Island to attract Superman. When the hero arrives there is a battle. But Metallo has been fitted with the crystals to which Superman is susceptible. The severely weakened Superman appears defeated when Lex Luthor arrives and rips the Kryptonite heart from Metallo's chest cavity.

Superman makes his escape but revisits Luthor in rage after the Kents are drugged and Clark's Smallville sweetheart, Lana Lang, is 'roughed-up' in an attempt to reveal Clark's connection with Superman. Luthor reveals a ring he has had fashioned from the crystal. Once again Superman is weakened, but Luthor is forced to let him go when the reactor at Two Mile Island goes critical. Superman rushes there, rips out the entire reactor and flies it to a height where the explosion will do no damage. As Lois berates Clark for going missing in all the excitement, Luthor's assistant, Amanda, explains that their computer has correlated countless data and come to the conclusion that Superman is Clark Kent. However, Luthor refuses to believe someone with such power would hide behind the identity of a hack reporter.

In 1988 Dirk Maggs moved from being a Studio Manager to a Producer in the BBC's Light Entertainment department. One of the first things he worked on was Superman On Trial. It was pitched by him as a documentary to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the enduring comic character, but he soon realised it would work much better as a dramatisation - a docudrama, as Dirk himself put it. It was well received by Radio 4 and kicked-off several successful comic book adaptations. Superman was a subject Dirk knew plenty about, so it was no surprise when he returned to it with The Adventures Of Superman. The recording story of this one spans the years 1990 to 1994. Although the Superman character and situations were initially created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Dirk adapted updated versions of the original comic tales written by John Byrne, Dave Gibbons and Jerry Ordway. Successful adaptations of Superman On Trial and Batman - The Lazarus Syndrome paved the way for an improved relationship with the powers at DC Comics, but by Dirk's own admission obtaining the required rights is never straightforward. 

To put things in perspective, a script for two hours thirty minutes of material can take three to four weeks to write. It is then necessary to send the script to DC Comics for approval, and then make changes to incorporate the received comments. It is obligatory to show the DC quality controllers the initial script, because they are often concerned about the possibility of 'rules' being broken. Then Dirk, as Producer, has to ensure the finished product is fit for broadcast in terms of language and violence censorship.

The Adventures Of Superman was originally split into two serials, the first culminating in the character's first major confrontation with Lex Luthor and their exchange of threats. Rehearsals took place at the BBC's Maida Vale studios, and Series One debuted on BBC Radio 4 on 18th September 1990, with Series Two following on in 1991. Each series aired as five fifteen-minute episodes. The Mail On Sunday said, "Sheer quickfire genius in the most sensationally produced comic strip..." and "technically brilliant." The Independent called the production "Gripping... a dense blend of dialogue, sound effects and music." In 1992, the same year that Dirk's production of the classic Marx Brothers radio show Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel won the Gold Medal at the New York International Festival, the second series of The Adventures of Superman became a finalist in the Best Use Of Sound category. Both series were repeated on BBC Radio 5 in 1993, where they aired, together for the first time, on Saturdays as five 28-minute episodes between 3rd and 31st July.

When Dirk pioneered what he later termed the 'Audio Movie' process by introducing multi levelled effects at the BBC, and mixing the productions in Digital Dolby Surround, thereby revolutionising radio dramatisations over night, he went back and remixed the adaptations he had produced thus far. Although Superman - Doomsday And Beyond was the first to be tackled, The Adventures of Superman was included in this batch. The revitalised production was released in its two-hour thirty-minute entirety on a double cassette by the BBC Radio Collection (ZBBC 1633) on 5th September 1994 to tie-in with its new broadcast on the BBC Radio 1 Claire Sturgess Programme 3:45pm Monday to Friday, with an omnibus on Saturdays at 1:00pm. Again there is a solid orchestral score from Mark Russell.

The assembled cast of voice artists proves strong once again. Among the throng is established actor William Hootkins as Lex Luthor, with Stuart Milligan returning to the red, blue and yellow, and talented regular Lorelei King playing Lois Lane. Others include The Pink Pather's Burt Kwouk as Dr Teng and ex-Doctor Who and Worzel Gummidge Jon Pertwee as Schwarz.

Although these are generally lightweight tales told from the character's origin, the whole is curiously devoid of humour. Even Batman - Knightfall, which is intentionally dark and gloomy, contains more, emanating from the multitude of psychotic criminals of Arkham Asylum. It would perhaps have been a little more natural to incorporate a handful of funny or glib remarks.

The Adventures Of Superman is competently structured, fast-moving and on the whole enjoyable. The many locations visited in the story are easily differentiated between in the mind due to Dirk's attention to atmospherics. In other words, each setting has its own ambience. The only thing that lets this production down in my humble opinion is the comic character itself. I don't think Superman has nearly enough depth; he's all-powerful unless the relevant plot and a lump of Kryptonite dictates he isn't. Whereas Batman lives off his wits and gadgets and Spider-Man has powers but suffers from all the problems of everyday life. Indeed, although Dirk himself loves the character, he admits that Superman is strangely unappealing and has some of the lowest audience figures of all the things he has done. Having said that, the feedback can't have been that bad or the BBC wouldn't have sanctioned Dirk's proposals for three separate Superman serials for radio!

(Review by Ty Power. A shorter version of this review originally appeared on my previous website 2005).  

As Clark Kent and Lois Lane announce their engagement to friends and colleagues at the Daily Planet, word reaches them that Lex Luthor's private jet has crashed. Superman is first on the scene, and DNA tests carried out at the site confirm the body found is that of Lex. But it is a massive subterfuge. Scientists at LexCorp created a clone which was placed in the pilot's seat. Lex himself escaped in a pod. However, years of wearing a ring of Kryptonite, with which he had hoped to kill Superman, has made him seriously ill with radiation poisoning. The scientists save his brain and grow a new body around him - with certain genetic modifications. Now he is taller, stronger, has a good head of hair and speaks with an Australian accent. He is reintroduced into Metropolis society as Lex Luthor II, his sole heir. 

Meanwhile, Superman visits a scientist friend of his own and learns that it is Earth's yellow sun which gives him his powers. Furthermore, although his body builds up great reserves of strength, they are not inexhaustible. Sustained use of them will weaken his aura of invulnerability. While Clark Kent finally tells Lois the truth about himself, Lex Luthor II takes over the reigns at LexCorp and reveals to the world his new associate, Supergirl. Clark, watching on TV, is stunned. Supergirl, a shape-shifter, was created in a parallel dimension as a homage to Superman, but he has no idea what she is doing here. Worse still, she knows his secret identity. In a brief meeting Superman tries to warn her about the new Luthor, but she won't listen. She assures him she won't reveal his identity. On his way back to the Daily Planet Superman saves a falling construction worker, who vows to pay back the favour. 

A massive creature with bones emerging from its hardened skin escapes incarceration from below ground and causes devastation across Ohio. The Justice League organisation of superheroes intercept it as Superman is being interviewed live on TV. As soon as Superman hears the breaking news he flies out to help. The Blue Beetle from the League has already been critically injured, and their combined efforts have little impact on the behemoth. Superman engages the creature named Doomsday by the press, and becomes embroiled in a desperate fight to the death. They finally go head to head, the impact of which opens a huge crater and creates a shockwave which is felt throughout Metropolis. Doomsday is stopped but, as Lois arrives on the scene, Superman is pronounced dead. Several attempts to revive him prove unsuccessful. 

Double X and Guardian turn up stating they have government approval to claim any extraterrestrial bodies for study. However, the police refuse to release the body, because Superman was an American citizen and therefore deserves a hero's burial. Martha and Jonathan Kent, Clark's foster parents, decide not to attend the media circus that is Superman's funeral. Instead, they opt to hold their own private ceremony on their farm in Smallville. While Superman is laid to rest in a special LexCorp-funded tomb in a security protected area beneath Metropolis, Lois commiserates with the Kents by phone and they promise to visit her.

Lois absorbs herself in her work, taking on an assignment involving the underground flooding of the city caused by Superman's battle with Doomsday. She discovers that Superman's body has been stolen by Double X. Guardian was unaware of the theft and demands he return it. Double X plans to duplicate Superman's body using collected DNA from earlier encounters, but with no active brain to accompany it, it will not be the same man. When the Kents learn Superman's body has been stolen, Jonathan suffers a heart attack and, as Lois arrives frm Metropolis, he flatlines. But Supergirl returns the body and it's sealed in, much to the amusement of Lex Luthor who sees this as his ultimate victory. Jonathan regains consciousness, saying that he has brought Clark back with him. Lois returns to Metropolis to learn there are now four Supermen, and no-one knows if any of them are the genuine article. 

The one known as The Man of Steel is the construction worker who was saved by Superman. He wears an armoured suit, thruster-powered boots, and carries a weapon that fires rivets. He is taking on the street gangs. The second Superman is the Cyborg, part machine, who claims he is the real thing, flies and uses heat vision. The third is the Last Son of Krypton, who looks identical to Superman but wears a black uniform and a visor which shields his eyes from a strange aversion to sunlight, which was the real Superman's energy source. He has different powers and no compassion. The fourth is Superboy, who wears shades and a leather jacket over his uniform, and claims he is a clone of Superman. In the Fortress of Solitude in the Antarctic the essence of the real Superman has been preserved, as all things Kryptonian are, but he wants his body back. As Lex Luthor schemes to get all of the Supermen on his payroll, news is reported that Superman's body has gone again.

The Cyborg Superman breaks through the security of the scientists who tried to take Superman's body. He takes the body of Doomsday into space and secures it to a rock in an asteroid field, with a warning signal should anyone try to claim it. As the Cyborg and Superboy go after the loose cannon that is The Last Son of Krypton a huge cloud moves in to Coast City. But Superboy (the clone) has been lured into a trap. The Cyborg is not what it seems; he is in fact Mongul, an old enemy of the genuine Superman, who has arrived from space with plans to destroy Metropolis with a carnage missile - his first step in turning the Earth into the new War World.

The Last Son of Krypton is The Eradicator, but he is losing his energy. The real Superman, equipped with the Fortress of Solitude Battlesuit, arrives at Coast City. He is intercepted by Superboy, Supergirl and The Man of Steel, as Lois arrives on the scene. When they discover the battlesuit contains the real but weak Superman, they all team-up to go up against Mongul and the Eradicator. However, Mongul manages to launch the missile, and Superboy is obliged to ride it all the way to Metropolis before he can manage to ditch it into the bay. Mongul reveals an asteroid chunk of green Kryptonite to kill Superman, but the energy has been reversed so that Superman receives blue energy which restores his reserves of power. Supergirl removes the threat of the Eradicator, while the revitalised Superman returns to his role of guardian of Metropolis and the Earth.

Superman - Doomsday And Beyond was the last of three visits to the enduring DC Comics character, following Superman on Trial and The Adventures of Superman. Dirk was planning to do Star Trek with the original TV cast, but it fell through, as did his original attempt to dramatise Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - The Tertiary Phase. Dirk was forced to find something very quickly to fill the gap. 'The Death of Superman' stories were still running in the comics at that time, so Dirk realised it would be quite a coup to be doing something as the comics were coming out. Contacting DC, with whom he had developed a good relationship, with his idea found the company reluctant because they were worried he would give all their secrets away, but when he signed a guarantee they agreed. 

The main cast for the previous Superman productions was reassembled. Stuart Milligan, who was also in Dirk's production of Armistead Maupin's The Night Listener, played the title roll, with mainstay Lorelei King as Lois Lane and William Hootkins as Lex Luthor also reprising their roles.

Prior to production Dirk had talked to the BBC Radio group who agreed it would be a real move forward if they could make the radio serials sound like a movie soundtrack with crisp sound effects. It proved a little more difficult persuading certain parties that fifty years of established radio effects were no longer acceptable for these kinds of productions. The powers that be were reluctant to adopt digital technology. 

Superman - Doomsday And Beyond was first broadcast on the old BBC Radio 5 in five 28 minute episodes between 11th September and 19th October 1993. It was the first of Dirk's productions recorded in Dolby Surround sound, after he had recently teamed-up with sound man Paul Deeley. Dirk proved that there was/is an audience for it for this high quality sound.

I have to confess that I'm not a fan of the Superman character (he's a lot less accessible than Batman and Spider-Man), and find it rather restrictive in its potential. However, this is by far the most interesting story for the icon that I've come across, and it's certainly the best of Dirk's trio of productions. Whilst not reaching the heights of Batman - Knightfall, the timing, sound effects and atmospherics are very good, and the story refuses to rely on the tedious subject matter of Kryptonite; although the plot resolution does involve it in an almost accidental sense. Reversing the energy? This idea takes me back to Jon Pertwee's  Doctor Who days of Reversing the Polarity.

Superman - Doomsday And Beyond, based on stories and situations created by Dan Jurgens, Karl Kesel, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson and Roger Stern, was released on BBC twin cassette in 1993 (and under the title Superman Lives! on Time Warner in the US). It was repeated the following year in a 3-minute episodic form to a much wider listening audience on BBC Radio 1. The US edition of the release won the Spoken Word Audio of the Year from US Publisher's Weekly, and the 1994 'Audie' Award for Best Dramatisation from the American Booksellers Association. Perhaps the nicest reward for this work came from Superman editor Mike Carlin, who sent Dirk an autographed 'Death of Superman' comic with "Thanks for keeping his cape clean!" written on it.

(Review by Ty Power. A shorter version of this review originally appeared on my previous website 2004).  

Lexcorp News: Superman is in chains and on trial for Crimes Against Humanity. It is the third and last day of the trial. Lex Luthor argues that Superman’s actions are a crime against mankind’s natural development. Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane battles single handedly to defend him from banishment as a disembodied spirit into the Phantom Zone. Jimmy Olsen, photographer for the Daily Planet, is supposed to be a witness for the defence, but he is late and further delayed by a ticket for speeding.

Superman is mysteriously sick and weakened to the point he can hardly move or speak. As Luthor accuses him of being an alien ‘cuckoo in the nest’, his thoughts go to back to what it was like on Krypton before the planet’s destruction, and particularly of his parents. He was placed into a protective capsule and sent to Earth. The yellow sun made him strong, unlike the ultimately deadly red sun of his home planet.

Lois calls fellow reporter Clark Kent to the stand, but he is not present, so she calls Jimmy Olsen who arrives just in time. His description of Superman’s abilities inform us of his first appearances in the Action Comics editions of DC Comics wherein he had super strength and invulnerability. Rather than fly, he could leap extraordinary distances. Kryptonite was added to the legend during the original radio show when the Superman actor Bud Collyer wanted a break. Thus, the temporary replacement would lie weakened until his return.

Luthor demands to know why Superman has never elected to help fight wars against oppression, but Lois counters by saying the superhero vowed never to intervene in humanity’s progress. We have to learn by our own mistakes. Coverage of the trial is interrupted by an advertisement for Lex Luthor as Mayor. The then President and Publisher of DC Comics, Jenette Kahn, is called to the stand to speak of the morals of comic books and graphic novels. Adam West, Batman from the hit 1960s TV show is next up, giving his opinion on whether comic books are simply good versus evil, and a moral conduct that they should be realistic but not gratuitous.

There is a flashback to when Luthor attempted to put Superman on the payroll, but our hero warns Luthor that the corruption at his hands has to stop. Renowned artist Dave Gibbons is called to the stand to defend the graphic violence often depicted in his stories and artwork, saying that it makes people think about the consequences of similar actions. There’s another flashback to one of Superman’s appearances saving Lois Lane.

Then Batman arrives at court and examines the debilitated Superman. There is a radiation presence. But Batman is cross-examined and we hear about their first meeting. The Krypton irradiated chains are finally broken by Superman. He gives evidence himself, wherein he curiously reveals his secret identity and, as Earth is his new home, he sees himself as human and wants to protect humanity. The court ruling is in Superman’s favour, and the police arrest Luthor for corruption and a string of other crimes.

Proceedings have moved outside the courthouse, and Jimmy Olsen has found Clark Kent who has supposedly been visiting Smallville, where he was raised. He explains that Superman often uses the identity of his brother, as the two were both brought-up by the Kents – and makes light of the situation. Luthor is infuriated by the misinformation given by Superman, and is taken away to jail. 

This was not only the BBC's first attempt at dramatising the Superman character, but also Dirk Maggs's first of what were to become known as Audio Movies. As network promotions' producer he hoped to use Batman and Robin is a series of crime prevention pieces. After contacting DC Comics in New York, their International Copyright Manager called in and during the conversation mentioned that Superman's 50th anniversary was coming up. Dirk was applying for a job in BBC Light Entertainment at the time, and saw this as an opportunity to put forward a programme. The original idea was to write a celebratory documentary but, upon reflection, he turned it into a docudrama to create peril and make the experience more pleasurable. 

Mapping-out a trial allowed Dirk to incorporate some real-life witnesses, such as Adam West (Batman from the hit 1960s TV show), writer and artist Dave Gibbons, and the DC Comics President and Publisher, Jenette Khan. Stuart Milligan, Bob Sessions and Lorelei King are all great in their respective parts - and would reprise their roles in several Superman and Batman audios created by Dirk - but the most powerful presence here is William Hootkins as the always loud, indignant and self-righteous Lex Luthor. It is he who sets the tone for the trial, creating a villain that we can all love to hate. It's worth pointing out that although Dirk was only credited for the writing, he also handled the post production and mixing.

Due to the serious subject matter of Superman's life there is little to no room for humour, which is a shame. This is something which Dirk cleverly balances on his subsequent releases. There is an exception, however. The best sequence of the entire piece is when Hootkins as Luthor threatens to sue everyone whilst reading out the credits at the end. What a rant! And very funny.

Superman On Trial was recorded by Alick Hale-Munro in Studio 7 of BBC Maida Vale on 1st June 1988. The Original Sound Effects were by Ian Harker. The Producer was Neil Cargill. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on 5th June 1988. The air time was originally only 45 minutes, meaning the scenes wherein Jimmy Olsen tries to find Clark Kent were cut. Fortunately, Dirk hung on to these scenes, and they have now been restored, returning the length to one hour. The restored version is also remastered to the quality of his other releases. A strong start, and a sign of things to come.

(Original Review Ty Power 2020.

In this alternative history tale which takes place over two decades, President John F. Kennedy survives the assassination attempt in Dallas, Texas, 1963 - and continues with his vision to see a man walk on the moon by 1969. At this time our heroine Natalie York is a young geology student with an unhealthy fascination for Mars (a "Mars Nut", as she is often called). After the success of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Kennedy (now ex-president) throws down a new challenge to the world. He proposes that America will be the first nation to send a manned mission to Mars. Natalie is excited and somewhat desperate to obtain some Mars rock for her thesis.

When work begins on the Ares Project, an argument rages over the preferred propulsion system. Professor Dana advises a Venus swing-by using proven chemical fuel, but he is ridiculed and shouted down in favour of nuclear power and all its dangers. After the disasters involving Apollo 13, there is a danger of the space program being cut back to the space shuttle only. Eventually, a compromise is reached between NASA and the White House to abandon the Apollos in favour of the Mars Ares Project. Meanwhile, Natalie York is invited to apply for entry into the Astronaut Corps. She attempts to teach rudimentary geology to the established astronauts, with very little enthusiasm from the men.

There is a major rethink when the nuclear reactor powering the Apollo-N blows, exposing the core and killing the three-man crew, including Professor Dana's son Jim and Ben Priest, a close friend of  Natalie - before Houston can guide the craft back home. Mike Conlig, with whom Natalie had recently had a relationship, goes to pieces and Natalie is forced to take over the talk-down. Professor Dana is persuaded to help with a revised version of the chemical rocket he had proposed ten years earlier. New president Ronald Reagan confirms the continuation of the Mars Project, but with only five preparatory flights to get it right. Natalie is announced as being on one of the flights, but as a geologist all she yearns to do is be on the Mars lander. When the news comes through, Natalie is devastated to learn that she will not be on the Mars landing team, particularly when she is ordered to teach the confirmed astronauts more rudimentary geology, so that they can bring her back specimens.
   

As Natalie loses her temper over the decision, she is advised to continue carrying out her duties to the best of her ability, and reminded that anything can happen in the time leading up to the launch. When one of the three-man crew is diagnosed by the doctor as having accumulated too much radiation poisoning, it is decided that the project cannot risk the man falling ill en-route to Mars. It's 1986 and quite suddenly Natalie finds herself the replacement. It is both a dream realised and a frightening prospect. She experiences sickness in zero gravity, backache, and the forgotten problems of using the toilet facilities. However, the advantages greatly outweigh the relatively minor inconveniences. The trio are the first human beings to travel such vast distances, and there is an all too brief highlight of witnessing the last moments of the Venus module before it disintegrates in the inhospitable atmosphere ("Okay, folks, it's official: Venus is a shithole!"). 371 days into the journey the Ares is cleared for Mars orbit insertion. After several nail-biting critical manoeuvres, and the very real possibility of aborting the mission, the craft finally sets down on the surface of the Red Planet - after passing over a "radio dark area." We leave the story as Natalie is allowed to be the first to set foot on Mars and lay a diamond marker.

Voyage began when Dirk Maggs was approached by the agent of Stephen Baxter, one of England's most respected writers of science fiction. A mathematics degree from Cambridge University and a Ph.D from Southampton means Baxter is one of the foremost novelists of realistic technological - or 'hard' science. Negotiations went well, and left Dirk with the daunting task of turning a 600 page epic into ly five exciting half-hour episodes for radio. The book covers several years and is packed with information based on Baxter's research carried out at NASA, which included the original plans for a proposed Mars landing, passed-over in favour of a shuttle program.

In an admirable effort to create another unique Audio Movie experience Dirk had his voice actors crawling around the cramped confines of mock Apollo capsules and Martian Excursion Modules, which were specially created in the studio to capture specific acoustic environments. Dirk himself explains in the sleeve notes that he tried to create a three-dimensional experience which places the listener at the centre of the action. In this respect he has more than succeeded.

Voyage was recorded at The Soundhouse studios, London, and as we've come to expect from Dirk now, mixed in high-quality Dolby Surround Sound, with complete attention to fake location ambience. The music was composed and performed by Wilfredo Acosta, who had previously turned-out some sterling work for the Judge Dredd  serials. The five 30-minute episodes were first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 11:00pm between 12th April and 10th May 1999.

Personally, I prefer my science less fact and more fiction. I'm fascinated by the idea of forward-thinking, speculation on how we will do things in the future; what will become mundane and what cutting edge. How will we travel, eat, think and relate to others? I enjoy 'hard' science fiction, but I found Voyage to be too close to where we are now. The atmosphere is also extremely dark and gloomy, with very little humour (which should creep into all situations - even if it's gallows humour). There are a couple of light comments. When a space capsule returns to the ground there is a rap on the hull and a voice which asks, "Did somebody order a pizza?", and later on the Ares flight there is the comment, "Okay, folks, it's official: Venus is a shithole!" However, these moments are few and far between.

I'm not a big fan of alternative history space program stories, such as they are, and feel that the stories of Brian Aldiss or Peter F. Hamilton (both also English SF writers) would have provided far more suitable tales for public consumption on radio. But what we have to remember here is that Dirk was approached by Stephen Baxter, which must have directly removed half of the heartache and stress with clearing rights, etc. Also, Dirk managed to get this very American concept past the BBC - a gargantuan task at the best of times - a feat which deserves a lot of credit. Stephen Baxter's sequel to the H.G. Wells novel The Time Machine: The Time Ships would have been an intriguing prospect. Maybe in the future!

I'm certain my mixed feelings about this well-scripted and performed production will not concern Dirk, who won a 2000 Sony Bronze Award for Best Drama, and the 1999 Talkie Award for Best Use of Music. 

(Review by Ty Power. A shorter version of this review originally appeared on my previous website 2005).