The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance (audio story)
The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance is a 2010 audio adaptation of a 1964 Doctor Who spec script of the same name. It was included in the First Doctor Box Set from Big Finish Productions that began the second season of The Lost Stories series.
It is markedly different in format to the published script. Most significantly, it has narration from the standpoint of an omniscient author, which allows for perspectives that would not have been available to either television audiences or those who read the original script.
Though it features the characters of the First Doctor, Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright and Susan, it only utilises the vocal talents of William Russell, Carole Ann Ford and some guest artists. It also has a minimalistic musical and foley score, evocative of Hartnell-era Doctor Who. Thus its format sits somewhere between a Companion Chronicle and a full-cast drama.
From a behind-the-scenes perspective, it is likely most significant, along with the indivisibly purchased Farewell, Great Macedon, for reuniting Ford and Russell for their first professional engagement as Susan and Ian since The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
Publisher's summary
On an alien planet, a man named Rhythm woos Barbara. She is unaware, however, that her rejection of his advances mean that Rhythm is now sentenced to die.
Plot
to be added
Cast
- Ian Chesterton - William Russell
- Susan Foreman - Carole Ann Ford
- Rhythm - John Dorney
- Rhyme
- Iamb
- Melody
- Harmony
References
- The TARDIS crew have been on the planet Fragrance for a while, long enough to have had time to form relationships with the inhabitants of the planet.
Theories and concepts
Notes
- The author intended that the length of the story be one episode. Though this is a highly unusual length for the original version of Doctor Who, it was written before the show had actually evolved "standard" lengths. The Daleks was just beginning its run as Moris Farhi wrote this episode, so it was by no means clear that all stories were going to be the same length as An Unearthly Child, which was itself arguably a one-part story followed by a three-part one.
- Though released by Big Finish Productions as a "lost story", it was in fact never a serious candidate for production and thus only as "lost" as any story idea that gets turned down after the initial pitch. The difference was that Farhi made his pitch in the form of a completed script, which made it relatively easier to convert into an audio play.
- The sapient species of Fragrance is never named. No noun or adjective for "of or relating to Fragrance" is given by the author or adapter. Thus an "inhabitant" or "native" of Fragrance is the closest the text allows in terms of naming the resident species.
- This story contains an in-depth explanation of how the Doctor actually flies the TARDIS —far more substantial than any given on television.
Continuity
to be added
Timeline
Placement of this story is uncertain. As it was never produced, it wasn't integrated into the season. It doesn't flow from or fade out with a cliffhanger, the way that every other story of Season 1 does. This means it may be retroactively placed between The Reign of Terror and Planet of Giants, the only two televised stories featuring Susan which are not narratively connected. Some fans have tried to assert that it comes after Farewell Great Macedon, but really the two stories can be placed in any order with respect to each other.
- This story occurs after BFA: Farewell, Great Macedon
- This story occurs before PDA: City at World's End
External links
- The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
- Official The First Doctor Box Set page at bigfinish.com
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