The Spirit Trap (audio story)

The Spirit Trap was the third Big Finish Productions audio drama in the Jago and Litefoot series.

	Henry Gordon Jago Professor Litefoot
	Ellie Higson
	Mrs. Vanguard
	London, England, UK, Earth, 1890s
	[[publisher::Big Finish Productions]]
	Jonathan Morris
	John Ainsworth
	David Richardson, Fool Circle Productions
	1.3
	30 June 2010
	ISBN 978-1-84435-494-8

Publisher's summary

Ellie Higson believes that spiritualist Mrs Vanguard can hear the voices of the dead, but Henry Gordon Jago thinks it’s all superstition and theatrical trickery. But if Vanguard is a harmless fake, then why have some of those who have attended her sceances disappeared so mysteriously? Jago and Litefoot investigate... And find themselves facing a deadly foe from the afterlife.

Cast

• Henry Gordon Jago - Christopher Benjamin
• George Litefoot - Trevor Baxter
• Ellie Higson - Lisa Bowerman
• Mrs Vanguard - Janet Henfrey
• Toby - Lex Shrapnel
• The Landlord - John Ainsworth

References

• British Empire
• Queen Victoria
• Jago has an elderly aunt named Maude who lives in Margate. She recently became engaged to a fishmonger named Robert Botcherby.
• The "spirit" possessing Jago's body is, in fact, the consciousness of a refugee who escaped from a dying world in the 49th century. He and the other refugees projected their consciousnesses through time and made contact with Mrs Vanguard. They plan to transfer their consciousnesses into the bodies of influential people in 1890s London with their ultimate goal to take control of Queen Victoria. From the historical records, they are aware that she is still in mourning for her long deceased husband Prince Albert. He mentions that, in decades to come, there will be "brutal, terrible wars which will determine the fate of this planet." With one of their kind possessing Queen Victoria's body, they intend to "turn the tides of history" and create a new future, thereby preventing the destruction of their world.

Story notes

• Sergeant Quick and Doctor Tulp do not appear in this story as producer, David Richardson, wanted to focus more on the character of Ellie. As a result this story is not directed by Lisa Bowerman but by John Ainsworth.
• Janet Henfrey (Mrs Vanguard) previously played Miss Hardaker in DW: The Curse of Fenric.

Continuity

• Numerous references are made to the events of JAL: The Bloodless Soldier.
• Jago refers to Li H'sen Chang's act at the Palace Theatre. (DW: The Talons of Weng-Chiang)
• An attempt by time travelling humans from the far future to take over the bodies of their ancestors with the intention of altering their own history also occurred in Russia in the late 21st century. Their plan was defeated by the Fifth Doctor and his companion Turlough. (BFA: Singularity)

Timeline

• The Spirit Trap occurs after JAL: The Bellova Devil
• The Spirit Trap occurs before JAL: The Similarity Engine

External links

• Official The Spirit Trap - Series One Box Set page at bigfinish.com
• The Spirit Trap at the Doctor Who Reference Guide