The Peterloo Massacre (#210)

   Big Finish Main Range

 

This is strictly a historical in the vein of the 1st Doctor. The crew crash lands in England due to the pollutants from the Industrial Revolution. They end up having individual adventures on the way to the Peterloo Field, where the massacre occurs. This is a dark historical day in England’s history. And I suspect Nyssa and Tegan misplaced the father of Peter by one generation, too.

However for me, this historical was fine as it explored a rather distasteful and horrid event in England’s history. I think it handled it quite nicely, where we get to see the attitudes of the time and the counterpoint of our more modern heroes. By having individuals for us to follow in the story, there is a “window” into the event for us modern listeners. Never having heard of this event before, it was probably not meant for me as the audience. It’s a horrid thing but all countries have similarly horrible events in their history. And similarly horrible people writing them off as “necessary.” But I just couldn’t get into the story all that much. It was well written and acted but just didn’t pull me in.


Peter Davison (The Doctor), Sarah Sutton (Nyssa), Janet Fielding (Tegan), Hayley Jayne Standing (Cathy), Robbie Stevens (Hurley), Gerard Kearns (William), Philip Labey (Thomas Tyler), Wayne Forester (Walton/Roberts/Rev Small), Liz Morgan (Mrs Hurley/Sister). Other parts performed by members of the cast.

Writer: Paul Magrs

Director: Jamie Anderson

Release: March 2016

© Laura Vilensky 2019