This is the first of 5 of these Hornet's Nest stories that mark the first time Tom Baker has been talked into re-donning the scarf since he regenerated.The story is pretty slight but good fun. It features Captain Mike Yates answering an ad in the paper that seems to have been placed there especially to catch his attention. He answers , travels to a remote cottage and discovers the Doctor living there with a crotchety old housekeeper and a menagerie of stuffed animals that have a tendency to spring to life and attack.
The Doctor then relates the story of the Hornets that inhabit the brains of these ex-animals and of his first encounter with them. The rest of the series deals with subsequent dealings.
It's fab to hear Baker again. He's on top form delivering some rapier lines of dialogue. When the mind controlled taxidermist accuses him of being crackers the Doctor replies "Marvellous isn't it!" in his huge booming voice. I was giggling for a mile (I was listening in my car).
Captain Yates is a good surprise too. Richard Franklyn has a great voice for these audio plays.
Like I said the storyline is a little light and most of it involves the Doctor telling Captain Mike the story so far. Two other characters appear - and they only briefly - and all the tension is built through Baker's wonderful voice and some good music.
The prospect of another 4 of these is a nice thought and I've already loaded the second onto my little blue mp3 player.
Marvellous!
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