The Axis of Insanity (audio story)

The Axis of Insanity
Doctor:	Fifth Doctor
Companion(s):	Peri, Erimem
Main enemy:	Jarra To
Main setting:	The Axis
Key crew
Publisher:	Big Finish Productions
Writer:	Simon Furman
Director:	Gary Russell
Music:	Gareth Jenkins
Post production:	Andy Hardwick
Cover by:	Lee Binding
Release details
Release number:	56
Release date:	April 2004
Format:	4 Episodes on 2 CDs
Production code:	6Q/E
ISBN:	ISBN 1-84435-094-0
Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories
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The Axis of Insanity was the fifty-sixth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Simon Furman and featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Nicola Bryant as Peri Brown and Caroline Morris as Erimem.

Publisher's summary

What is... the Axis?

For the Doctor and his travelling companions, Peri and Erimem, it's a twisted playground, where reality, morality and sanity no longer apply. Stranded within a dimensional nexus, beset by the molten fury of the Firebreed, they must unwrap a terrifying mystery of damaged timelines and dark science... before the corruption of the Axis spreads and reality itself crumbles.

Pitted against a warped and deadly mind, the Doctor faces his own past transgressions, and the very nature of what it is to be a Time Lord.

Illustrated preview from DWM 342 by Martin Geraghty.

Plot

to be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Peter Davison
• Peri Brown - Nicola Bryant
• Erimem - Caroline Morris
• The Overseer - Roy North
• The Jester - Garrick Hagon
• Jarra To - Liza Ross
• Tog - Marc Danbury
• Bird Trader - Stephen Mansfield
• Carnival Barker - Daniel Hogarth

References

TARDIS

• When Time Lords die, their TARDISes do as well.

Technology

• A Molenski Univarius is the Gallifreyan equivalent of a Swiss Army knife.

Literature

• Peri says that the works of Charles Dickens, Nikolayevich Tolstoy and Barbara Cartland are the greats of English Literature.

Notes

• An illustrated preview for this story featured in DWM 342 with artwork by Martin Geraghty.
• This audio drama was recorded on 22 and 23 January 2004 at The Moat Studios.
• The animated X-Men series featured "the Axis of Time" through which all time travellers passed, which also included a crazed maintenance worker.
• Erimem does not have a TARDIS key in this story. By the audio story Three's a Crowd, however, she regularly wears a key around her neck.

Continuity

• The Doctor previously expressed a wish to visit the "elephant's graveyard" of TARDISes. (AUDIO: Omega)
• Leela, Romana, K9, Narvin and Irving Braxiatel would later visit the Axis following their escape from Gallifrey. (AUDIO: Reborn)
• The subject of TARDISes dying when the Time Lord pilot dies is mentioned. The Eleventh Doctor's journey to his gravesite on Trenzalore revealed his TARDIS was deteriorating after he perished in his final battle. Its dimension dams had also broken down, causing it to grow into a monolith. (TV: The Name of the Doctor)

External links

• Official The Axis of Insanity page at bigfinish.com
• The Axis of Insanity at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
• DisContinuity for The Axis of Insanity at Tetrapyriarbus - The DisContinuity Guide