Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred, Philip Olivier, Samuel West, Alisdair Simpson, Russell Bentley, Tim Treloar, Emily Tucker.

Heroes, true heroes, those that seek no recompense for their actions in saving someone’s life and see no honour in reminding others what they have done for them in the past are so rare, so infrequent; that it is hardly surprising that tales of epic valour seems to be steeped in antiquity and legend. For those in ancient Greece, tales of heroes were what gave the collection of disparate nations and its people hope in times of war, pestilence and the invention of Greek comedy and one of its Godfathers, Aristophanes.

Greece is in trouble, not only has the plague come knocking at the door of Athens, it is joined by the Spartan army spoiling for a fight before the big one against the Persian army and yet the biggest terror of them all awaits in the wings, its ruler, King Cleon, has seriously offended Ace. Misfortune comes in threes it is said, but with the playwright Aristophanes on hand, the God of misrule, Dionysus has plenty of fun in James Goss’ engrossing play. It is just a shame that they don’t teach this type of version of Greek history in schools anymore.

As it is rare to find a true hero, it is also rare to find a guest star on Big Finish who just steals the limelight that normally is held so well by Sophie Aldred in Sylvester McCoy’s incarnation. In Samuel West the story-line springs to life like a much admired Arthur Miller play or a newly hatched butterfly stretching its wings for the first time and realising that it has the potential to cause havoc with the winds in South America.

Samuel West is no stranger to the Big Finish family, like his father, the great Timothy West, he has performed before on an audio drama alongside the Doctor. This time though his ear for the comedic role is one to be admired and just as riveting to the listener as when he portrayed the re-incarnation of Morbius in the Paul McGann story The Vengeance of Morbius. His interpretation of the master ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes is one in which raises several smiles to the listener’s face and at times you cannot help but wonder if at one time, with his overwhelming spirit, just how good a possible Doctor he would have been. It is the type of speculation that would have seen his elevated to the same lofty height as Sean Pertwee. The lips just quiver in an alternative universe in anticipation.    

In Gods and men, we are in the end mere mortals, in the hands of the most manipulative Doctor, it could be argued that we are just playthings.

The Mask of Tragedy is a story of heroes and there is no better than the Doctor.

Doctor Who: Mask Of Tragedy is available from Worlds Apart on Lime Street, Liverpool.

Ian D. Hall