Martyn – Page 32 – The Bad Wilf Network

Review-Ocean’s Eight

On paper, an all-female instalment in the Ocean’s series, featuring a great cast-lead by Sandra Bullock sounds like everything you need for a great time. In practise however, Ocean’s Eight never really hits the mark.

There’re a lot of parallels in this film to Ocean’s Eleven. The movie starts at the parole hearing of Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock). Once released, she reunites with her old partner in crime Lou (Cate Blanchett, Thor: Ragnarok) to pull off a $150 million diamond heist at the Met Gala.

They assemble a heist team; fashion designer Rose Weil (Helena Bonham Carter, Big Fish), jeweller Amita (Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project), hacker Nine-Ball (Rihanna, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets), pickpocket Constance (Awkwafina, Dude) and Tammy (Sarah Paulson, The Post).

The idea behind this film, seems to be to just chuck a bunch of famous names together and see what sticks. The script really doesn’t have anything to say, the camera work is basic and, the characterisations are one-dimensional and this talented cast just go through the motions, with very little to work with.

They really hammer home the George Clooney/Danny Ocean references. I get that they need to establish that this is in the same universe as the previous films, but it’s done incredibly sloppily.

There is clearly a lot of potential here and the cast are clearly having a great time, but they deserve a movie worthy of their talents, Ocean’s Eight isn’t it. Perhaps they can convince Steven Soderbergh to return for Ocean’s Nine…

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Review-Sancho: An act of remembrance

Rather shamefully, I knew nothing about Charles Ignatius Sancho prior to this play.

Sancho was born into slavery, but went on to become a classical actor, a composer, an anti-slavery campaigner, property owner, and the first black British person to vote in a general election.

Paterson Joseph begins his one-man play, in a bold and unusual way. He comes out as himself and explains the driving force that made him write the play. He explains that after seeing his contemporaries get cast in costume dramas, he was keen to join them. However, he was constantly told he couldn’t, as there were no black Britons before the Windrush generation.

It’s impossible to not be drawn in by Paterson Joseph’s charm, wit and energy. He’s an extremely characteristic man. His entrance is fantastic and a great way to launch a solo show. There is no fourth wall in this production, Sancho will lock eyes with audience members, pull them up on stage, ask why they’re laughing. The play defies theatre traditions, much like Sancho’s life defies our perception of black history in Britain.

The 70 minutes fly-by, the script is sharp, witty and political. The set and sound design are both exceptional. The backdrops are wooden and help hint and Sancho’s origin. The sounds help truly immerse the audience into the period.

Joseph fully embodies Sancho. He’s clever, witty, a raconteur and ever so slightly camp.

Sancho: An act of remembrance is masterfully acted, beautifully written and reminder about the power of theatre. I left the with a greater knowledge than when I entered. Sancho’s life should be a TV series.

I hope this kick starts a re-evaluation of our history.

Sancho – An Act of Remembrance is at Wilton’s Music Hall until June 17th. For more information, click here.

REVIEW: BIG FINISH: JENNY — THE DOCTOR’S DAUGHTER

She’s got planets to save, civilisations to rescue, creatures, to defeat… and an awful lot of running to do!

It’s difficult to believe the character of Jenny debuted in Doctor Who 10 years ago. Since then fans have wondered whatever happened to The Doctor’s daughter?

The character was rife for further exploration and it’s amazing the BBC never thought to bring her back.

Thankfully, we have Big Finish. They’ve taken the character and given her a range of her own.

The scripts are sharp, funny and perfectly honed. A lot of work and love has clearly gone into this box set. The stories are kinetic and full of real-world allegories; which in lesser hands could’ve come across as clunky.

Georgia Tennant and Sean Biggerstaff have instant chemistry as Jenny and Noah. A personal highlight is they allow Jenny to be fun. She makes jokes, which work well and relieves tension in scenes. The mystery surrounding Noah is intriguing and you finish the audios with even more questions about him.

Big Finish has done it again. The Doctor’s daughter is fantastic, a breath of fresh air. The theme music is epic. familiar but different. It perfectly encapsulates the Doctor’s nature in Jenny. The stories and the cast are engaging. The sound design is flawless.

Jenny-The Doctor’s daughter is firing on all cylinders. A perfect synergy between cast and crew. I’m practically begging for series 2.

Written By: Matt Fitton, John Dorney, Christian Brassington, Adrian Poynton

Directed By: Barnaby Edwards

Cast

Georgia Tennant (Jenny), Sean Biggerstaff (Noah), Siân Phillips (COLT-5000), Stuart Milligan (Garundel), Sarah Woodward (Vesh Taralesh), Clare Corbett (Lukaku), Arabella Weir (Angie Glazebrook), Silas Carson (Ood Leader), Rosalyn Landor (Vanessa Elledge), Olivia Darnley (Emily Cole), John Dorney (John Macguire), Pik-Sen Lim (Old Woman), Arina II (Shoon-Wei), Sara Houghton (Alitta), Paul Courtenay Hyu (Po), Adèle Anderson (Dreyda), Anthony Calf (Cal). Other parts played by members of the cast.

Producer: David Richardson
Associate Producer: Georgia Tennant
Script Editor: John Dorney, Matt Fitton
Executive Producers: Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs

REVIEW: Star Trek in concert

As part of the Royal Albert Hall’s Films in Concert, two showings of Star Trek were shown over the weekend. Saturday showed 2009’s Star Trek. Sunday showed Star Trek:Beyond.

Both screenings were accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and conducted by Ernst van Tiel.

We attended the Saturday event.

I’ve attended concerts like this at The Royal Albert Hall, many times. But some how each time feels like the first.

For those who are unfamiliar with these concerts, the films are played on a suspended screen, above the musicians. The dialogue is intact, with the Orchestra performing the soundtrack and sound effects live.

Not only are these amazing musicians a sight to behold on stage, but the evening provided a phenomenal audio experience that no Blu-Ray can possibly live up to.

My personal highlight of the evening was the Orchestras performance of the Star Trek theme, over Leonard Nimoy’s “space the final frontier” speech. They received a seven minute standing ovation for this.

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What I took away from this event, is just how beautiful and timeless Gene Roddenberry’s vision is. This is an experience I will cherish for a life time.

I highly recommend attending one of these screenings. Click here to find out information about the next one.

Class is back in session

Class is back in session – on audio, from Big Finish.

Some readers may know, that this weekend I was lucky enough to interview three of the cast members, whom hinted to me they had signed up to reprise their roles on Big Finish.

The news has now been confirmed, after subscription copies of the new Doctor Who Magazine were sent out early.

The Class range will comprise of two new box sets of adventures.

The original cast; Grey Austin, Fady Elsayed, Sophie Hopkins, Vivian Oparah, Jordan Renzo and, Katherine Kelly will all be reprising their roles. However, they’ll be joined by Sophie Aldred as Ace. They will also face off against some Daleks.

The six stories are by Roy Gill, Jenny T Colgan, Scott Handcock, Tom Foley, Guy Adams, and Tom Leng.

The series will be directed by Scott Handcock. Music will be by the series’ TV composer Blair Mowat.

These audios will be set during the series and will not be resolving the cliffhanger.

I wasn’t really a fan of Class on TV, I felt it didn’t truly live up to its potential. However, I’m excited for this. Big Finish have proved themselves time and time again, I’m confident they’ll make Class the series it should’ve been.

Sylvester McCoy interview

Recorded at London’s MCM expo, here’s an interview with the seventh Doctor himself, Sylvester McCoy.

Sylvester McCoy is a Scottish actor, best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who from 1987 to 1989—the final Doctor of the original run—and briefly returning in a television film in 1996. He has also featured on countless Big Finish audio plays.

He also featured in the Hobbit trilogy, as Radagast the Brown.

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Check out our podcast interview with the cast of Class.

Episode 191:Class interview

In which Martyn attends the MCM expo and interviews the cast of Class.

Class was a spin-off of the long-running programme Doctor Who. It was created and written by Patrick Ness, who also produced alongside Doctor Who showrunner and lead writer Steven Moffat, and Brian Minchin.

Two days after this interview, it was announced that Big Finish Productions would produce a series of six Class audio adventures, telling the further adventures of the students at Coal Hill Academy.

Check out our interview with Sylvester McCoy.

The podcast is available from all good podcast services, such as but not limited to Amazon Music, Podchaser, Player FM, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.

Check out our Youtube.

If you’d like to support the show, then please shop via our Amazon link. A small percentage goes our way, at no extra cost to you.

Socials:

Twitter:

Martyn – @BadWilf

Gerrod –@InGerrodsMind

Pete – @BeeblePete

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Martyn-@BadWilf

Big Finish review-Torchwood: We always get out alive

In “We always get out alive,” Gwen Cooper and Rhys Williams are faced with a cataclysmic event and must flee as fast as they can. As Torchwood operatives, they’re no strangers to danger and uncertainty, but this time there’s something else in the car with them, heightening the tension and suspense.

The audio production is a testament to the perfect synergy between writer Guy Adams and director Scott Handcock. While the premise of two characters sitting in a car for 98% of the audio may sound dull, Adams and Handcock have crafted an imaginative and captivating story that is both epic and intimate in scope.

Through the course of the audio, we gain deeper insight into the personal lives of Gwen and Rhys, and their struggles to balance their duties as Torchwood operatives with their responsibilities as parents. The natural chemistry between actors Eve Myles and Kai Owen shines through, adding to the authenticity and emotional resonance of the story.

Adams skillfully uses the audio format to his advantage, leveraging the constrictive nature of the car and the medium of audio to create a gripping and immersive experience for listeners. The audio is a strong character-driven piece, with well-crafted dialogue and superb acting that draws you in and keeps you engaged.

“We always get out alive” is a must-listen for fans of the Torchwood series and audio dramas in general. It is a well-crafted and engaging production that showcases the talents of everyone involved, earning it a solid 5/5 rating.

Big Finish Review-Torchwood:Believe

The Church of the Outsiders is on a mission to lead mankind to a new era of evolution, one that takes them beyond the stars. But Torchwood’s Owen Harper believes they must do everything in their power to stop them. With the original Torchwood team back together in full-cast audio, fans have been eagerly awaiting this moment. Despite the actors recording their parts separately, the result is flawless. You won’t be able to tell the difference, and it’s a joyous reunion.

Set before the end of series 2, Guy Adams has perfectly captured the era, creating an episode that feels like it was plucked straight from 2008. The performances are outstanding, with John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Burn Gorman, Naoko Mori, and Gareth David-Lloyd all shining. Each character is given the opportunity to develop, but the Owen/Tosh relationship is a particular highlight. Owen pushes Tosh to do unspeakable things while attempting to prove himself as a capable leader.

John Barrowman’s performance in this audio is absolutely fantastic. Despite recording his parts separately from the rest of the team, his chemistry with his co-stars is still palpable. He effortlessly slips back into the role of Captain Jack Harkness and delivers a performance that is both charming and commanding. Barrowman’s energy and enthusiasm for the character and the series shine through in every line, making it a real treat for fans to hear him back in action as the iconic Torchwood leader.

Prequel stories can be challenging, but Guy Adams’ script and Gareth David-Lloyd’s performance are so compelling that there’s one moment in particular where you’ll be genuinely concerned for Ianto’s fate. With such high quality, 2018 is shaping up to be an excellent year for Torchwood on audio. This is a must-listen, earning a 10/10 rating.

Episode 190: Ready player one

In which Martyn and Gerrod discuss ready player one.

Ready Player One is a 2018 American live action/animated science fiction adventure filmproduced and directed by Steven Spielberg, and written by Zak Penn and Ernest Cline, based on Cline’s 2011 novel of the same name. The film stars Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, T.J. Miller, Simon Pegg, and Mark Rylance.

The film takes place in 2045, when much of humanity uses the virtual reality software OASIS to escape the desolation of the real world. Orphaned teenager Wade Watts (Sheridan) discovers clues to a hidden game within the program that promises the winner full ownership of the OASIS, and joins several allies to try to complete the game before a large company run by businessman Nolan Sorrento (Mendelsohn) can do so.

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