The Whispering Forest (audio story)

The Whispering Forest
Doctor:	Fifth Doctor
Companion(s):	Tegan, Nyssa, Turlough
Main enemy:	Mertil, Jestan, Shades
Main setting:	Chodor, the 29th century
Key crew
Publisher:	Big Finish Productions
Writer:	Stephen Cole
Director:	Barnaby Edwards
Producer:	David Richardson
Music:	Richard Fox & Lauren Yason
Sound:	Richard Fox & Lauren Yason
Cover by:	Iain Robertson
Release details
Number of parts:	4
Release number:	137
Release date:	13 August 2010
Format:	2 CDs Download
Production code:	6H/B
ISBN:	ISBN 978-1-84435-473-3 (physical); ISBN 978-1-78575-684-9 (digital)
Main Range
← Previous	Cobwebs
Next →	The Cradle of the Snake

The Whispering Forest was the one hundred and thirty-seventh story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Stephen Cole and featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka and Mark Strickson as Turlough.

It was the second Big Finish audio story in the 2010 Fifth Doctor season. It continued a series of stories starring Davison, Sutton, Fielding and Strickson, who were reunited as a TARDIS team for their first new Doctor Who stories since 1983.

Publisher's summary

The TARDIS arrives in alien woodlands, where a small group of humans hold tight against the menace of the Takers — strange creatures who come by night to spirit away members of their settlement.

But if there's one thing that the inhabitants of Purity Bay fear more than the Takers, it's the dirt and disease spread by strangers. Strangers like the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa...

The fanatical Sister Mertil and her hygiene-obsessed acolytes are victims of a terrible corruption — but not in the way they think. Only the whispering forest knows the truth...

Plot

to be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Peter Davison
• Tegan Jovanka - Janet Fielding
• Nyssa - Sarah Sutton
• Turlough - Mark Strickson
• Seksa - Hayley Atwell
• Mertil/Woman - Sue Wallace
• Jestan/Man/Taker - Paul Shelley
• Hervey/Taker/Demi-Taker - Harry Melling
• Anulf/Taker - Lennox Greaves
• Antan/Taker - Aneurin Barnard

References

Conflicts

• During the 27th century, the Earth Empire was engaged in conflicts across Dravidian space.

Planets

• The planet Chodor, on the eastern edge of Aldebaran has at least one moon, but no strategic or mineral importance.

Notes

• This audio drama was recorded on 30 December 2009 and 5 January 2010 at The Moat Studios.
• It was first released on 13 August 2010.
• The story was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra between 20 and 23-25 May 2011, forming a radio season with Cobwebs and The Cradle of the Snake.
• This story shares similarities to the television story The Face of Evil, with a lost colony based on the remnants of a spacecraft scenario.
• This story is set between Enlightenment and The King's Demons.

Continuity

• A green crescent moon is the universal symbol for medical care. (TV: New Earth, Gridlock)
• Tegan is concerned that the Mara is still inside of her. (TV: Kinda, Snakedance)
• The Mara taunts the Doctor by saying Chodor is too green for him, which is what he said about Deva Loka. (TV: Kinda)
• The events of this story lead directly into AUDIO: The Cradle of the Snake.

External links

• Official The Whispering Forest page at bigfinish.com
• The Whispering Forest at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
• DisContinuity for The Whispering Forest at Tetrapyriarbus - The DisContinuity Guide