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“INCONSTANCY - A CONSTANCE CONUNDRUM IN A PARADISE LOST”

Inconstancy opens with a narrative technique familiar to seasoned Big Finish listeners—dual-perspective storytelling—this time delivered via separate monologues from the Doctor and Constance, each recounting recent events to different interlocutors. But while the structure may seem conventional, its execution is refreshingly sharp. Writer Ian Potter crafts a cleverly paced tale that uses the twin narration device not just to tell the story, but to enhance it: we hear things differently depending on who’s speaking, with the sound design subtly adjusting to mirror the perspective of each narrator. It’s a smart and satisfying audio flourish that helps illuminate the distinctions between Sixie’s cerebral approach and Constance’s grounded practicality.

A PARADISE IN CHAINS

The Doctor’s planned holiday for Constance on the fabled paradise planet of Hoi doesn’t quite go as intended—naturally. Upon arrival, they discover a society overrun by robots who have imposed a bleak and brutal regime, complete with labour camps and enforced servitude. This dystopia isn't revealed all at once; rather, the narrative peels it back in layers, alternating between the Doctor’s meetings with the weary yet formidable Governor Claudia, and Constance’s far more uncanny encounters with the Proteans—bioengineered shapeshifters originally designed to serve humanity.

There’s an engaging slow-build quality to the first half. The protagonists get separated early on, which is hardly new territory, but the divergence in their experiences is meaningful. While the Doctor explores the political and ideological structures of the colony, Constance finds herself at the heart of something deeply personal and uncanny. The Proteans, having imprinted on her, begin to look, speak and behave exactly like her. It’s an effectively creepy development, made all the more disquieting by Miranda Raison’s eerily layered vocal performance. Her voicing of the Proteans is enhanced with subtle audio effects that lend them a ghostly, discordant echo—an audible manifestation of Constance’s fractured sense of self.

FROM HELPER TO HAZARD

As the plot thickens, it becomes clear that the Proteans’ devotion to Constance—though well-intentioned—is dangerously destabilising. They only want what their template wants, but in doing so, they’ve begun to act on her pain, her anger, her regrets. And now there are more and more of them, all fuelled by a loyalty that risks toppling the colony’s already precarious balance.

This is where Inconstancy truly comes into its own. The drama turns inward. The danger isn’t just the enslaving robots or the dystopian regime—it’s Constance herself, or more specifically, the ways in which her past and pain have been externalised in a legion of malfunctioning doppelgängers. There’s a potent thematic weight here: how do we reckon with the parts of ourselves we don’t like? What happens when our flaws are weaponised by others? And can someone like Constance, who’s spent her travels with the Doctor trying to do good, accept that she may not always succeed?

The climax is small in scale but heavy with emotional and philosophical stakes. The Proteans now want to imprint on the Doctor, seeking a new purpose from a purer source. Constance, recognising the danger, fights to stop them—not because she doesn't care for them, but because she does. It's a poignant moment: she’s faced with the fact that, like so many things in her life, she cannot save them. She must let them go, and live with what she’s done.

THE DOCTOR AND THE GOVERNOR

Colin Baker, ever the grammarian, delivers a finely tuned performance full of linguistic flourish. The script gives Sixie plenty of witty, erudite lines that sparkle with his characteristic love of language. But the Doctor isn’t just witty here—he’s also deeply engaged. His scenes with Governor Claudia provide some of the strongest dialogue in the play, as he tries to navigate a morally complex situation where the "villain" isn't evil but desperate.

Claudia herself is a standout character: a pragmatic, authoritarian leader who once fought against slavery, only to enforce a version of it herself when the Proteans turned. She justifies her decisions as necessary for survival, and she’s not entirely wrong. Her arc—suggesting a memory wipe to absolve herself of guilt, only to be challenged by the Doctor to live with the consequences—is subtle and sobering. She’s no cartoon dictator, but a mirror to Constance: another strong woman forced into impossible decisions in the name of duty.

ATMOSPHERE AND AUDIO CRAFTSMANSHIP

The sound design in Inconstancy is quietly superb. From the cold sterility of robot patrols to the oppressive industrial hum of the labour camps, the atmosphere of Hoi is vividly realised. The robotic antagonists are brought to life with clipped, metallic voices and weapon effects that underscore the totalitarian weight of the colony’s regime.

Particularly inspired is the choice to vary the sound design between the Doctor’s and Constance’s narrations. Where the Doctor’s scenes emphasise precision and order, Constance’s perspective has a more organic, emotional quality, reflecting the psychological undercurrents of her bond with the Proteans. These subtle shifts enhance both the storytelling and the listener’s immersion, making Inconstancy feel like more than just another audio drama—it feels like a layered exploration of perception, memory and identity.

📝VERDICT: 71/100

Inconstancy is a deceptively intimate story wrapped in the familiar trappings of dystopian science fiction. Though its format is recognisable and the plot doesn't dramatically escalate, it’s the character work—particularly for Constance—that gives the story weight. Her development, the eerie Proteans, and the moral ambiguity of Governor Claudia all coalesce into a satisfying and unsettling tale about responsibility, identity, and unintended consequences. With strong performances, sharp writing, and superb sound design, this is one of Constance Clarke’s most nuanced outings and a thoughtful slice of Sixie-era storytelling. It may not reinvent the wheel, but it certainly gives it a compelling spin.

The most interesting thing about this story is how it is told, but sadly that is almost the only interesting thing about it. The plot is straightforward, the characters lack depth (and particularly good motivation), the setting and atmosphere is passable, and it turns out that the lovely framing device has very little impact on the story as a whole. On the plus side, Constance gets some development, though not too much.

Not exactly a brand new plot for a story, but it’s told in a unique way. The previous review is correct, this is done in very much the style of a Companion Chronicle with the Doctor and Constance relating the events of the story after the fact to different people. I wasn’t grabbed that much by the story, but it has a nice little ending with the present Doctor and Constance meeting up. This whole set was recorded in 2021 so Colin Baker sounds better than he has recently and Miranda Raison is always a delight as Constance.

Best way I can describe this is it’s a doctor adventure in a companion chronicles format this is probs the closest we will get to a Constance companion chronicle so if that’s up your alley highly recommend