Madam, I'm (audio story)
Madam, I'm was the fifty-second story in the Torchwood audio series by Big Finish Productions. It was written by James Goss and featured Samuel Barnett as Norton Folgate, Bryan Dick as Adam Smith and Dervla Kirwan as Lizbeth Hayhoe.
Publisher's summary
Torchwood, Soho, the 1950s. Disgraced agent Norton Folgate has a new boyfriend, the very lovely Adam. Brilliant scientist Lizbeth Hayhoe meets a charming stranger on the underground, the very lovely Adam. Very soon, Torchwood has a new leader – the very lovely Adam.
With people losing their lives and their souls, Lizbeth and Norton must work out what's happening to Torchwood. And why is Torchwood preparing to go to war?
Plot
Lizbeth arrives at Room 13 and is introduced to a man by Norton. Whilst she initially says that they will have to erase his memory, she is impressed that he has brought custard tarts and asks what his name is. He says that it is Adam.
Running late to visit her sister Margaret because of staying late at work, Lizbeth rushes to catch a train and misses it because of a man standing in her way. He invites her to instead join him at the Black Dog for a drink and tells her that his name is Adam.
Norton arrives at Room 13 with a friend, Adam, who Lizbeth says looks familiar. When he shakes her hand, she says that he has good manners and that Norton could learn something from him, but says that they will have to erase his memory. Adam says that they will get along famously.
Lizbeth runs to catch her train at Aldwych tube station and gets on thanks to a man holding the doors for her. She talks to him about her fascination with mice and that she is going to see her sister, who is investing in stock options. The man introduces himself as Adam.
At work, Lizbeth is angry that Section Q have requisitioned mind rubies from Torchwood India. Adam, who says that he is new in the post room, enters to give Norton and Lizbeth their mail which includes a memo from Rigbsy about the approaching Kernaz fleet. Once Adam has gone, Norton stares at the door, smitten, and Lizbeth tells him to get on with his work.
Norton and Adam kiss in a graveyard and hear a sound which Adam identifies as the moaning of the Kernaz scout that they had attacked. They continue kissing and Adam suggests that they turn their torch off whilst they have sex.
Adam tells Lizbeth that he has finished his report and whispers to Norton that their new assistant's efficiency scares her. Adam gives them a memo from Rigsby about V Squad's capture of a Kernaz scout drone, but Lizbeth tells him to forget about it.
Lizbeth dines with her only nephew, Adam, who confides in her that he wishes that he had as good a relationship with Margaret as he does with her.
Norton, Lizbeth and Adam search a bombsite in Hoxton in the middle of the night for the source of a Kernaz energy signal and find a Kernaz ship.
Talking to herself on a bench in Finsbury Park, Lizbeth is approached by a stranger, Adam, and realises that she has no idea what she is doing there. Adam walks her to the London Underground, as she is miles away from home. She says that something is wrong.
At Cartso Cottage Boarding House, Norton answers the phone to Lizbeth, who tells him that something is wrong at Torchwood but that she cannot explain what it is. He begins to feel that the last few weeks have been somewhat dream-like and is interrupted by Adam, who distracts him by kissing him. When Norton mentions him, Lizbeth realises that Adam has something to do with what has been going on, but Adam tells Norton to hang up the phone.
Norton has managed to access the computer of the Kernaz ship and Lizbeth gets it to show up on a screen. Rigsby's deputy, Adam, arrives to see their work as Rigsby is at the Buckingham Palace. The display seems to show the Kernaz fleet heading towards Earth.
Lizbeth boards a train after being brought to attention by a stranger.
Lizbeth feeds the ducks with Norton and brings up the amount of the computer's data which is walled off, data which Norton says is corrupt and will be separated by a device which Adam will be giving them. He says that Torchwood is better with Adam as leader. Lizbeth says that something is wrong with Torchwood and that she brought him outside in the hopes that it would clear their minds, also saying that she thinks that it is connected to Norton's boyfriend. However, Norton denies having one.
to be completed
Cast
References
Animals
- Lizbeth thinks that mice are fascinating and wonders how they got down to Aldwych tube station.
Arts and entertainment
- Norton mentions Come Dancing.
Food and drink
- Lizbeth says that she cannot be nice without coffee.
- Adam brings cakes, including custard tarts, for Norton and Lizbeth.
- Lizbeth's evening with Margaret will involve tepid pork chops.
- Adam says that they serve horrible ale and strong gin at the Black Dog.
- Lizbeth drinks tea.
- Lizbeth and Adam eat sandwiches and cakes.
- Bombay is made with fish.
Individuals
- Lizbeth has a sister, Margaret.
- Janet Fotheringay was last seen near Saturn after Section Q tried to make an anti-grav capsule.
- Norton and Andy kiss against the gravestone of Dacre C. Woodrow, who was born in 1731 and died in 1787.
- Norton has a landlady.
- Rigsby is demoted from leader of Torchwood Soho to janitor.
- Adam is a Memeovore.
Locations
- In the event of her death, Lizbeth tells Adam to release her cats on Old Kent Road.
- Norton, Lizbeth and Adam scour a bombsite in Hoxton.
- Lizbeth sits on a bench in Finsbury Park.
- Norton lives at Cartso Cottage Boarding House.
Notes
- This story uses the 1950s style Torchwood introduction music, introduced in Parasite. This is one of many examples of altered Torchwood intros used to indicate a different time setting, such as the Victorian theme and the retro theme.
- Despite being released after Torchwood: Soho, this story takes place before that boxset and after Norton's attempted takeover of Torchwood in Goodbye Piccadilly.
- This story was recorded remotely on 23 February 2021.
Continuity
- Until the arrival of Adam, Reginald Rigsby is currently leading Torchwood. (AUDIO: Parasite)
- Reference is made to Torchwood India. (AUDIO: Golden Age)
- Adam is able to his memory altering capabilities to change Rigsby's job title. When Adam escapes the Void again in the 2000s, he would use these powers to alter the memories to change the personalities and memories of the Torchwood Three team in much the same way. (TV: Adam)
- Norton Folgate once again worries about the fog in London. (AUDIO: Parasite, The Creeping Death)
- Upon defeating Adam, Norton once again tries to seize control of Torchwood by claiming that Adam stole his place at the head of the Institute. This is the second time Norton has tried such a bold takeover. (AUDIO: Goodbye Piccadilly)
- Adam uses his powers against Lizbeth's sister to torture her. He takes the identity of her deceased son and later takes pleasure in using his powers to turn her life into a misery. He would later do something similar to Ianto Jones, making him believe that he was a murderer. (TV: Adam)
External links
- Official Madam, I'm page at bigfinish.com
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