Bernice Summerfield (The Trials of Tara)
Bernice Summerfield was a character in Paul Cornell's play The Trials of Tara.
She was a friend of the Doctor and travelled with him in his ship the TARDIS which was capable of visiting other planets. Bernice was clearly based upon the person of the same name who was a companion of the Seventh Doctor. (PROSE: The Trials of Tara [+]Loading...["The Trials of Tara (short story)"])
Character biography[[edit] | [edit source]]
Act I[[edit] | [edit source]]
In Act I Scene 3, Bernice and the Doctor arrived in a clearing on Tara. She complained that he made her change her dress for something more boyish as she had anticipated wearing courtly frocks, with the Doctor explainining it was because Tara was a "warmly feudal place" and so it was best to "avoid the stare of amorous ducs". They were soon confronted by a Taran beast and split up to escape.
Bernice next appeared in Scene 5, by which point she had become lost in the forest. She encountered Count Grendel of Gracht, whom the Doctor had warned her of. Grendel believed her to be a yeoman, with Bernice adopting the name Bertrand, and told her they could offer a "longshank rogue" like her good service in his army. However, Bernice rejected the proposal, as well as the offer to enjoy some North Taran wine with Grendel, as she knew it was foolish to take drinks from strangers. Grendel left and then King Oberon appeared, introducing himself and explaining that Grendel had taken his queen, Titania. Bernice replied that she knew a man who could help, having beaten Grendel once before and being a friend to those in power, asking that Oberon direct her to the royal castle.
Act II[[edit] | [edit source]]
Bernice next appeared in Act II Scene 3 after gaining access to Castle Tara. She met Queen Strella and her maid Miranda. Strella was immediately enamoured with "Bertrand" and confirmed she was aware that by entering the castle, and being a man, she had committed to compete in a game where the prize was Strella's hand in marriage.
In Scene 5, Bernice was reunited with the Doctor and also met Augmentio, the other competitor. The first challenge was opening the casket of confusion, which they each attempted while the others were blindfolded. The Doctor helped Bernice pass this test by narrating his actions during his own attempt and, on her attempt, talking in the language of a race from far away who used eyebrows to communicate.
Act III[[edit] | [edit source]]
In Act III Scene 2, the Doctor successfully proposed that the next test should involve the three competitors acting out parts in familiar tales dressed in the female robes and courtly masks of Appolonia's troupe, the Girl Players of Outer Traken. Bernice promised, in Strella's words, that she would "strut the stage a perfect acted girl".
In Act III Scene 3, Bernice was alone outside the castle wall when she inadvertently identified herself as an agent of Grendel to his executioner, Sir Kandyman, by repeating the password "mong" back to him. The Kandyman provided Bernice with a potion which bent the will to one's words to assist in her machinations before returning to Grendel's encampment.
In Act III Scene 4, Bernice participated with the other competitors in a performance of Zob's Labours Lost. Bernice played Lady Mickeldiver. The Archimandrite thought Bertrand unconvincing and Zadek similarly thought he was a "twee and awkward girl". After Augmentio malfunctioned exposing himself as a android, Bernice applied some potion to his ear to compel him to speak about his objective.
Act IV[[edit] | [edit source]]
In Act IV Scene 1, while Castle Tara was being beseiged by Grendel's forces, Bernice noted that she would join Appolonia's troupe in helping to defend the castle, prompting a confused Zadek to ask "Bertrand" why he wouldn't be doing that anyway.
In Act IV Scene 3, encoutering Grendel and the Kandyman on the battlefield, Bernice threw buckets of Taran red wine over the Kandyman at the Doctor's instruction. This had the effect of killing him, while Grendel escaped.
Bernice last appeared in Scene 5, after the Doctor had defeated Grendel once more and Appolonia and her troupe had revealed themselves to be Prince Reynart and his men. Strella admitted to fancying Bertrand which flattered Bernice. She and the Doctor eventually left in the TARDIS on a distant heading, departing before the remarriage of Reynart and Strella. (PROSE: The Trials of Tara [+]Loading...["The Trials of Tara (short story)"])
