Review: Jago & Litefoot Series 6 / Author: Various / Publisher: Big Finish Productions / Starring: Trevor Baxter, Christopher Benjamin, Conrad Asquith, Lisa Bowerman, Geoffrey Whitehead, Francesca Hunt, Keith Bartlett, Adrian Lukis, Nancy Carroll, Timothy Speyer, David Timson / Release Date: Out now
Our favourite Victorian adventurers Jago and Litefoot have returned from the 1960s back to their home time to be reunited with Sgt Quick and Ellie the barmaid. This time they have been called to the service of Queen Victoria herself as they investigate mysterious goings-on in a version of history that dips its toes into steampunk but never loses the flavour of the original characters from the Doctor Who story The Talons of Weng-Chiang.
Jonathan Morris sets the scene in the opening story The Skeleton Quay, a superb tale that could easily stand alone. The topic is the mystery of a haunted seaside town that was washed away in a great storm. We have a tale of intrigue, salty sea dogs, pirate tunnels and skeletons a-plenty. The story also walks that line between science fiction in which the supernatural has a scientific explanation and fantasy/horror where it does not.
The second story is Return of the Repressed by Matthew Sweet. This is all about Sigmund Freud and childhood memories. While the backstories of both Jago and Litefoot have some interest, this didn’t work and neither did it add to the overall story arc. There was too much erratic behaviour and we never felt convinced.
The box set ends with a two-part adventure, Military Intelligence by George Mann and The Trial of George Litefoot by Justin Richards. Here we learn the truth about the Colonel (the shadowy figure in the employ of Her Majesty under whose orders Jago and Litefoot generally operate), and aided by Ellie, Sgt Quick and their new comrade in arms Agatha they take on the might of the Colonel’s army of automata and the stakes are raised high. While much is resolved by the ending, our heroes have only a moment’s respite before they are heading off for further adventure and we have to hold our collective breath until April 2014.
In summary another great collection of stories with wonderful performances all round, and unlike some of their foes, Jago and Litefoot show no signs of running out of steam. Even with the debatable Freud story this rates a comfortable:
