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The
Eye of the Scorpion
(Iain McLaughlin) |
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 "The Eye of
the Scorpion" is written by Iain McLaughlin, another newcomer
to the Big Finish range, and has the Fifth
Doctor and
Peri in a pseudo-historical romp through ancient Egypt.
This story, which is directed by Gary Russell, stars Peter
Davison and Nicola Bryant. It was recorded on the 21st
and 22nd July 2001 and was released in September 2001.
It is understood that this
story is one of about 230 unsolicited story ideas and
script submissions that have been received by Big Finish
Productions. During the middle of 2000 co-producer Gary
Russell, while reading through them, thought that a number
were worth following up and "The Eye of the Scorpion"
was amongst them. Thus making it the first Big Finish
audio play to be commissioned from the "slush pile" as
such things are, rather unflatteringly, known. This story
was originally due to be released in October 2001 but
it swapped places with "Colditz".
"The
Eye of the Scorpion" also stars: Harry Myers, Jack Galagher,
Jonathan Owen, Caroline Morris, Daniel Brennan, Stephen
Perring, Mark Wright and Alistair Lock.
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Peter
Davison
and Nicola Bryant |
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In Ancient Egypt,
the Pharaohs' power is near its peak. Revered as a God
from the capital at Thebes, a crowned Pharaoh can be all-powerful.
An uncrowned Pharaoh, however, is quite another matter
- especially a female opposed by a priest of Horus.
Set
some decades before the reign of Tutankhamun the TARDIS
arrives near the Egyptian city of Thebes and delivers
The Doctor and his companion into great danger. But The Doctor doesn't remember setting the co-ordinates for Egypt.
But according to the TARDIS log he did so why can't The Doctor remember doing so? Pondering this fact they leave
the safety of the TARDIS to discover why they have been
taken to this particular time and place.
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Peri
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On
investigating the hieroglyphics on a nearby building
they
are interrupted by an attempted assassination of the
young royal Erimem who it turns out is the daughter of the now-deceased
Pharaoh and whose brothers have previously died leaving
her next in line to the throne. Grateful for thwarting
her murderous ambush by chariot, and so saving her life,
she makes the travellers her trusted advisers. In doing
so The Doctor and Peri find themselves enmeshed in the
intrigue around the Pharaoh-in-waiting and invited to
accompany her to the royal palace.
But there is
one slight problem - The Doctor is sure that there never
was a Pharaoh Erimem. As Egypt mourns the death of the
previous Pharaoh an enemy army masses outside the capital
led by chieftain Yanis. But it seems that the plans of
Yanis and his mercenary cohorts go far beyond their attempts
on Erimem's life.
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| Caroline Morris |
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After
another assassination attempt The Doctor, in trying to
protect Erimem, is poisoned and on the brink of death
and then it is discovered that he has disappeared. While
a traitor is at work in the Palace the feisty and open-minded
Erimem, with Peri, go investigating - and soon come face-to-face
with a swarm of deadly scorpions.
The
Doctor meanwhile makes a horrifying discovery in the desert
and realises that Yanis has stumbled across a stasis box
that does not belong in Egypt let alone on Earth! He also
realises that the creature it contained will cause great
danger to those who come into contact with it including
his companion Peri. Yani though thinks he is making good
use of the terrible secret power it contains but he does
not fully understand it. Except that it makes him think
that it will allow him to take over the whole world especially
when he learns of the secrets of the TARDIS.
As The Doctor
learns of how the TARDIS was reprogrammed he has to face
a desperate final battle to save Egypt from the mercenaries.
But just who is the real traitor in the Pharaoh's court
and why is Peri such a liability if she falls into Yani's
hands? What links the scorpion, the symbol of treachery
and death, with this conspiracy? And what is the secret
of the already ancient Sphinx and the important role
it
is destined to play?
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| THE SPHINX |
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| The
Great Sphinx |
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Ancient Egypt
has long been one of the most fascinating of the ancient
civilisations of Earth. We have been filled with awe by
the beauty of their sculptures and paintings, the stories
of their leaders and the splendour of their achievements.
The
ancient Egyptians were one of the first human races to
express themselves in writing, thus leaving us a record
of their history. The powerful images of their building
skills are apparent in the pyramids and the statue of
the Sphinx - the half-man, half-lion statue guarding the
pyramids at Giza.
Is
it a big cat or is it a man? With a human head on the
body of a lion, the sphinx is one of mythology's strangest
half-and-half creatures.
All
sorts of ancient peoples, from the Assyrians to the Greeks,
told stories of the sphinx, but the ancient Egyptians
probably invented this weird beast. The most famous and
largest of all the Egyptian sphinxes is the Great Sphinx
near the Pyramid of Pharaoh Khufu at Giza. Huge and powerful,
the 4-metre wide face of the Great Sphinx stares across
the desert, just as it has for thousands of years.
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Notes:
- Featuring the Fifth
Doctor, Peri and Erimem.
- Serial Number: 6Q/B
- Number of Episodes: 4
- Cover Length: 110 minutes
- Episode Lengths: 1 = 23'52", 2 = 28'53", 3 =
29'37", 4 = 30'45"
- This story takes place between "Planet
of Fire"
and "The
Caves of Androzani".
- Cover Illustration: Clayton Hickman
- Recorded: 21st and 22nd July 2001.
- Recording Location: The Moat Studios
- Released: September 2001
- ISBN: 1-903654-49-1
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On the Back Cover:
Egypt is in
mourning. Pharaoh, the great God-King, is dead. The future
of the Two Kingdoms of Egypt is shrouded in uncertainty
as the Council of Priests debates the claim to the throne
of Pharaoh's only heir.
Out in the deserts around
Thebes, Egypt's capital, a warlord chief is assembling
an army of mercenaries, waiting for just the right moment
to strike at Egypt's heart.
But not all
of Egypt's enemies are outside the city. What is the secret
of the strange box discovered in the desert?
When the TARDIS arrives
nearby, it has apparently been hi-jacked... by The Doctor?
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On the Inside Cover:
I have always loved historicals
in Doctor Who. Actually, let me correct that. I've always
loved history in Doctor Who, It doesn't really matter
whether it's a purely historical story or a pseudo-historical,
I've always adored the idea that as Earth has been pottering
along, The Doctor has been nipping in from time to time
making sure that history stays on track. He's helped Marco
Polo find his way to China, been involved with the signing
of the Magna Carla and then of course he managed to make
sure that the Daleks were removed from the final version
of the Bayeux Tapestry - but that's another story altogether.
But amazingly (to me at
least) there had never been a Doctor Who story set during
Egypt's pomp - at least not on television. Despite the
pyramids and the mummies, even Pyramids
of Mars only had
a few scenes actually in Egypt and even then that story
was set in 1911. So, we really are overdue a Doctor Who
story set in ancient Egypt - the Egypt of the Pharaohs,
the pyramids and the Sphinx. An Egypt of political back-biting,
vicious warlords and plucky princesses.
An Egypt just waiting for
The Doctor to put things right...
|
Iain McLaughlin,
July 2001 |
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Full Cast List:
| Part One |
| The Doctor |
Peter Davison |
| Peri |
Nicola Bryant |
| Yanis |
Harry Myers |
| Fayum |
Jack Galagher |
| Antranak |
Jonathan Owen |
| Erimem |
Caroline Morris |
| Kishik |
Daniel Brennan |
| Horemshep |
Stephen Perring |
| Slave |
Mark Wright |
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| Part Two |
| The Doctor |
Peter Davison |
| Peri |
Nicola Bryant |
| Erimem |
Caroline Morris |
| Slave |
Mark Wright |
| Antranak |
Jonathan Owen |
| Fayum |
Jack Galagher |
| Kishik |
Daniel Brennan |
| Yanis |
Harry Myers |
| Priest |
Alistair Lock |
| Horemshep |
Stephen Perring |
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| Part Three |
| The Doctor |
Peter Davison |
| Peri |
Nicola Bryant |
| Antranak |
Jonathan Owen |
| Erimem |
Caroline Morris |
| Fayum |
Jack Galagher |
| Yanis |
Harry Myers |
| Kishik |
Daniel Brennan |
| Horemshep |
Stephen Perring |
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| Part Four |
| The Doctor |
Peter Davison |
| Peri |
Nicola Bryant |
| Erimem |
Caroline Morris |
| Antranak |
Jonathan Owen |
| Horemshep |
Stephen Perring |
| Fayum |
Jack Galagher |
| Yanis |
Harry Myers |
| Kishik |
Daniel Brennan |
The Production Team:
| Writer |
Iain McLaughlin |
| Director |
Gary Russell |
| Sound/Music |
David Darlington |
| Theme Music |
Mark Ayres |
| Producers |
Gary Russell and
Jason Haigh-Ellery |
| Executive Producer for the BBC |
Jaqueline Rayner |
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