Nick Briggs has long since earned his star in the geek pantheon for his knowledge of and support for Dr Who during its Dark Ages. Here he tackles Blake’s 7, often seen as Who’s little brother, particularly with regard to the sharing of quarries, one of the many sets visited by the interviewees in this compilation of interviews old and new(ish).
The interviews are, mostly, conducted by Briggs, who does a very good impression of a fanboy on his best behaviour, desperately trying to ask thoughtful questions about jobbing actors’ lives while bursting to ask about interpersonal tensions on the bridge of the Liberator.
There is something particularly loveable about all of these interviews, particularly because the interpersonal tensions on the Liberator seem to have amounted to zero, zilch and none, every interviewee stressing (separately and without prompting) what fun they had working with each other.
Peter Tuddenham (or Tudders, as the others call him) is particularly adorable and, in an extra cute touch, plays his own interviewer, in character as Orac. The sadly recently-departed Jacqueline Pearce is also every bit as languid and minxy as you could possibly want or hope of her, and Blake himself (the late Gareth Thomas), while still clearly trying to position himself as an actor of some standing outside of the role of Blake, is still willing to enter into the silly fun of having Federation troopers stalking around as he’s being interviewed. Michael Keating (Vila) doesn’t have a huge amount to say, but clearly has a lot happy memories, particularly of location shooting. We also discover, many many many times over, that his life since has been very rich, since “he’s a rambler, you know”.
One downside is the clear negative effect that this childhood favourite clearly had on the careers of these jobbing actors, for whom repeat fees and, later, conventions have ended up being a boon, but perhaps not one that would make up for the loss of work in the years after they left Blake’s 7. Vila only seems unfazed by this, but aside from being Walford’s vicar, nothing fazes him as “he’s a rambler, you know”.
Paul Darrow (Avon) is frustratingly notable by his absence, but often summoned up – almost literally by two interviewees – only in third person. Stephen Greif manages a very good impression of him though.
If all you’re interested in is Blake’s 7, you may find yourself disappointed as there’s not much new here, but if you’re interested in people, then these are seven interesting people with stories to tell. And one of them is a rambler, you know.
BLAKE’S 7: MYTHMAKERS / CERT: E / DIRECTOR: NICK BRIGGS / STARRING: GARETH THOMAS, JACQUELINE PEARCE, JAN CHAPPELL, STEPHEN GRIEF / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
