Jago & Litefoot: Series Five Box Set by Jonathan Morris, Marc Platt, Colin Brake, Justin Richards (CD review).
The dynamic duo, Jago and Litefoot, return in their fifth box set and with 4 stories set in the 1960s and the writers really go to town.
Part 1: The Age Of Revolution by Jonathan Morris introduces our pair as they are dropped off by the Sixth Doctor having been on a few trips with him. See the stories: ‘Voyage To Venus’ and ‘Voyage To The New World’.
Our Victorian valiants soon manage to fit in with the swinging sixties, due in great part to a very old friend, Ellie, played by the talented Lisa Bowerman. Apparently the vampire cure didn’t work and she has become a very wealthy and very long-lived business woman. She helps get the theatrical entrepreneur, Henry Gordon Jago (Christopher Benjamin) into TV, presenting his own musical hall show. She is a wonderful plot device as the story then hinges around the mass medium of TV and its influence. Pathologist Professor Litefoot (Trevor Baxter) would be unlikely to be able to practise his original trade and so becomes the owner of an antiquarian bookshop which also sets him up for a later story…
To move the plot along and give a little bit of an outside perspective we meet Detective Sergeant Sacker, played by Duncan Wisbey, who narrates this first story. He just happens to be the descendant of one of their original contemporaries, Dr. Ormund Sacker. He’s investigating a missing person but becomes very interested in the odd couple who have to confess to their own story. Sacker can’t quite believe his ears but soon he’s caught up in their investigation which leads to the whole team being drawn into danger.
A fair part is taken up by a bit of back-story but the fish out of water scenario leads to a wonderful ‘What did the 60s ever do for us?’ conversation by our two buffers.
Nicely sprinkled with period detail this episode has a wonderful array of voices that recall the era including one that is a sound-alike of Patrick Barlow from ‘Bridget Jones’.
Part 2: The Case Of The Gluttonous Guru by Marc Platt
Jago likes his tucker but his appetite gets him into trouble when he encounters a restaurant where he is on the menu. Making wonderful uses of the strong characteristics of Jago, Christopher Benjamin gets to go to town with this one. Once again, using the well-known tropes of the sixties, the story really conjures up the atmosphere and manages to get a few laughs in as well
Part 3: The Bloodchild Codex by Colin Brake
Books are very good for you, an education is wonderful but sometimes a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Professor Litefoot’s books are in demand but this time he’s getting the wrong kind of customer.
Ellie is quickly on the case when a customer requests a copy of ‘The Bloodchild Codex’. She won’t have any truck with dodgy goings-on.
I wonder when we will get a spin-off of this spin-off with the adventures of Ellie the vampire?
Part 4: The Last Act by Justin Richards
With the return of an old enemy, our intrepid adventures are playing the end game. It’s all or nothing as they fight for survival. Say no more as this brings to mind the pair’s original adventures and ends the current series well.
Fair play to the writers of this series that they have several outcomes they need to achieve by the end of the fourth episode and they designed this really well to realise them.
I have to make special mention for the excellent music and effects which fit so well into the era. The theme tune was already catchy but this would make a great ring tone if only Big Finish would go into ring tones. The feel of the piece is great with the sixties vibe delightfully highlighted by the music as well as the choice of the stories.
So if Ellie gets her own series, she could perhaps have a meet up with the Counter Measures group as they could surely make use of a woman of experience on their team?
Just a thought. Looking forward to more ‘Jago & Litefoot’ soon. Corks!
Sue Davies
(pub: Big Finish. 25 CDs 300 minutes 4 stories and extras. Price: CD: £35.00(UK). Download: £30.00 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-84435-563-1)
cast: Christopher Benjamin, Trevor Baxter . Lisa Bowerman, Duncan Wisbey, Raquel Cassidy, Ben Willbond, Jamie Newall, Chook Sibtain, Ken Bones, Anna Tolputt and Alex Mallinson
check out website www.BigFinish.com