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YEAR OF THE PIG (BF AUDIO)

2 episodes. Approx. 143 minutes. Written by: Matthew Sweet. Directed
by: Gary Russell. Produced by: Gary Russell.


THE PLOT

The year is 1913. The brink of a world war - but no one knows that
yet. It is still a time of leisure in Europe, as vacationers from
various countries enjoy a pleasant seaside resort in Belgium. The
Doctor and Peri are there for the same reason - a relaxing vacation,
one that will allow the Doctor to finally catch up on his Proust.

Until Inspector Chardalot (Michael Keating) almost drowns in the
water. The Doctor rescues him, pulling him to safety... and embroiling
himself and Peri in mystery. It's clear very quickly that Chardalot is
not all he seems. The inspector is hunting somebody. Perhaps the
mysterious occupant of Suite 139? The energetic Miss Bultitude
(Maureen O'Brien) is certainly stalking that suite, eager to meet its
occupant: A distinguished gentleman of the stage, one with a rather
porcine character.

His name is Toby. Toby the Sapient Pig (Paul Brooke). For his part,
Toby is hiding, on the run from a man he is convinced wants him dead.
A man he refers to as... "the Doctor!"


CHARACTERS

The Doctor: Colin Baker is wonderful here, his relaxed performance a
prime example of why he so quickly became so very acclaimed as an
audio Doctor. The script emphasizes the Doctor's compassionate side,
from his patient and gentle interactions with Toby in Part One to the
almost regretful way that he reveals the truth to the guest cast at
the end of Part Two. Though I do think that much of what happened to
Colin's television era was the fault of external forces, I also think
that he would likely be better remembered had his television scripts
focused more on this side of his Doctor.

Peri: Going from Timelash straight to this might give you whiplash!
The Peri of this story is no damsel in distress, existing only to be
menaced and leered at by the villains until the Doctor can rescue her.
She is very much a partner to the Doctor, actively investigating the
deceptions of Inspector Chardalot while maintaining a wary skepticism
of all the guest characters. One imagines that this was more the
characterization Nicola Bryant would have liked to have had in the
mid-1980's, as opposed to being dragged around hallways wearing
bondage collars.

The Pig: Paul Brooke is also very good, maintaining Toby's gentlemanly
status at all times, even when standing over the unconscious bodies of
the Doctor and Peri wondering if he should "eat the evidence."
Brooke's proper English tones are perfect as Toby reminisces about his
life on the stage while ordering incredible quantities of gourmet
food. I also enjoyed his moments of moodiness, such as when he
descends into a fit of pique after Miss Bultitude confesses to having
bought a taxidermist's knockoff of him (offended as much at the low
price of the knockoff as the taxidermy itself).


THOUGHTS

The Year of the Pig is a story that could be safely described as "not
for all tastes." It wasn't even entirely suited to my tastes, on first
listen in 2006. Though I initially enjoyed the quirkiness and the
atmosphere, on that first listen my interest drifted as it went along.
In the end, I felt it was too long, too slow, too silly.

Revisiting it six years later, I find my initial dismissal of it
insupportable. This is no interesting effort that didn't quite come
off. On the contrary, I think outgoing producer Gary Russell's
valedictory serial is one of the jewels of his long era, full of wit
and atmosphere and an oddball charm that makes it something to be
savored.

Year of the Pig is a long story. It is not an exciting one. Incident
is minimal, with the characters put in immediate danger exactly three
times during the entire 140+ minutes of it. The vast bulk of the
serial consists of people sitting in rooms, talking. Mostly talking
around subjects, often talking about things half-remembered or
remembered falsely. That is, when the characters aren't simply flat-
out lying.

The unreliability of the characters is one of the story's cleverest
conceits. Early in the story, Toby described memories of his childhood
and his parents. At first, he seems to be describing particularly
vivid memories. But when pressed for more details, he simply repeats
the exact phrases he's said, only more emphatically - a clear signal
that his memories are not real memories at all. When another character
does something similar later in the story, it's a major clue to the
audience as to the real situation behind the characters' beliefs about
their situation.

Matthew Sweet's script makes wonderful use of language. There are many
points in this story in which mental pictures are conjured - not of
the direct characters and actions (which are, again, usually people
sitting in rooms), but of the things they are discussing and
describing. The dialogue is vivid, detailed, and wonderfully
descriptive. A simple conversation will occasionally turn to a
startlingly effective moment, whether it be Toby's chillingly accurate
description of the hells of the Great War still on Europe's horizon or
a detailed description of an illustration that ties together so many
of the story's threads at the end.

Overall, on this listen I found Year of the Pig to be a lovely piece.
It may appear light and fluffy at a glance, but there are layers of
flavor beneath the surface. It's a meal that I think it best not to
bolt in one go (probably my mistake on first listen). This is a dish
best savored. Allow yourself pauses to absorb the atmosphere and
reflect on the various tastes and textures. By spacing out the story
over four sessions this time, I was able to appreciate each course as
it came - and in the end, I found it an absolute delight.

While anything but a fast-paced adventure, and very far from a
traditional Doctor Who romp, Year of the Pig is a story that audio Who
is the richer for possessing. Far from the disappointment I first
dismissed it as, I now think it's a fine curtain for the Gary Russell
era of Big Finish Productions.


Rating: 9/10.

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