Doctor Who Companion Chronicler: Project Nirvana by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright (CD review).

‘Project Nirvana’ is a ‘Companion Chronicle’ that forms part of the series of adventures with Lysandra Aristedes (Maggie O’Neill) and Sally Morgan (Amy Pemberton). While the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) manipulates his other companions, he sets the two women off on a mission in Lysandra’s past when she worked for the mysterious agency, the Forge, under the charismatic Nimrod. This is more like a ‘Mission: Impossible’ than the average TARDIS excursion. It’s Earth 2015 and there’s a train to catch.

Lysandra finds there is more to this mission and she confronts the darkness of her past. This is quite a disturbing story and I wasn’t expecting this to be quite so grim. It’s very well presented in a cast of mainly two with an occasional appearance by the Doctor. The Forge already has a comprehensive history in previous Big Finish releases and they are well worth looking up. You don’t need this knowledge to enjoy this episode though.

Written by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright, there is a story here to get your teeth into, not least, this is part of the main story arc about the Seventh Doctor and the black and white TARDISes. Despite the brevity of ‘Project Nirvana’, this has an epic feel to it. The quality of the acting is impressive and the end deeply moving. It is a great addition to the output of Big Finish.

Sue Davies

(pub: Big Finish. 1 CD 60 minute story. Price: CD: £ 8.99 (UK), Download: £ 7.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-84435-948-6)
cast: Maggie O’Neill, Amy Pemberton and Sylvester McCoy
check out website: www.bigfinish.com