There are many things to be critical of in this episode; the plot is nonsensical, the dialogue is preposterous and the acting is hammy. And yet, to quote Roger Ebert's review of The Mummy, "I was not bored, and sometimes I was unreasonably pleased." I had a lot of fun switching off the critical part of my brain and getting swept up in the pantomime drama of it all. I cheered when the day was saved by love and I gasped at the impending heartbreak foreshadowed by Charley and the Doctor's final exchange. A good fun way to spend a couple of hours.

I've realised since listening to this story and loving it that it seems to be a controversial one without much of a consensus on it's quality, both loved and hated. And obviously by my rating I'm here to defend it, because it might be heavy on tropes that have been done before, but that's not a bad thing when it's done well with so much charm like it is here in my eyes. This was the 3rd Big Finish audio I ever listened to after Storm Warning and Sword of Orion, and this one holds a special place as the one which drawed me in to the world of audio for good and made the 8th Doctor really click for me.

The atmosphere and dialogue throughout are brilliant, which really capture a historic and traditional Venician setting, even if that technically wasn't what it was supposed to be. That could be one small criticism of the story, I completely forgot it was meant to be set in the far future, which could be explained away by the strong desire to preserve somewhere as historic as Venice leading to the future there looking just like the past, we can never tell what the future is going to look like. Such an explanation could've been done in just a few lines of dialogue, but is unfortunately missing from the story. I feel like the far future setting was written in to avoid having to do the explaining that would have to happen to fit this story into our own history. Nevertheless it's a very engaging and charming setting in every aspect and whether it's the past like it feels or is actually in the future doesn't feel too relevant while listening.

I can see why some people would think the ending is cliche and predictable, but it's actually the part of the story I love the most. The day was saved with love which has been done a million times before, but here it is done really well and it lands perfectly for me. It beautifully emphasises the beauty and power of humanity which I always think Dr who does best. I loved how the Doctor figured it all out in a beautiful speech, but ultimately all his words couldn't save the day, only humanity could. It's sweet and fantastical and I love it.

All in all it's a gorgeous story in a gorgeous setting which will always hold a special place in my heart for not only being where 8 and Charley settled in to their parts brilliantly in my eyes but also for it's wonderful charm and sentiment. 4.5 stars feels slightly generous but 4 stars isn't enough, it's an 8.5/10 for me.

I enjoy it, I will say it’s an improvement over the last one for me (sorry sword of orion fans), but yeah this one is excellent. Would I say it’s a favorite? Not sure, but if we are talking about the first run of 8 and Charley, it might very well be.
The Setting is really nice and the Performances, as well as the banter between our leads, is pretty entertaining to listen to.
As others already pointed it out in great detail, the dialogue is just fun. While it may end up not being the most original story, it still offers a lot of great moments and is overall a superb outing for this very likeable Tardis Team.

This one has a much more interesting plot than “Sword of Orion”, but while it keeps you engaged, it is a mess. Duke Orsino married a woman called Estella, but then lost her in a game of cards (huh), she got pissed and “killed” herself, cursing him and Venice to be destroyed in 100 years time. Why 100 years? No clue. Moving on. Now it’s doomsday and we have 1) people just there for the party (who apparently are OK with dying), 2) the Gondoliers, an oppressed amphibian race (who are eagerly awaiting the sinking of the city, because then it’s all theirs), and 3) the Cultists who worship Estella and think she’ll come back to life and lift the curse. Charley gets mixed up with the Gondoliers, the Doctor with the Cultists. Pietro the Gondolier has an incredibly stupid and pointless plan: he makes Charley tell the Duke she’s Estella to distract him from going after the remains of the real Estella, lest he somehow resurrects her and stops Venice from sinking. But the Duke was not even going to do that in the first place, so it all comes to nothing. Then in the end we find, surprising absolutely no-one, that the mysterious old lady the Doctor and Charley met when they first arrived was Estella all along. And she’s an alien. She and the Duke sacrifice themselves to save the city with her magic alien will-amplifying jewels (?). The Cultists are sad, the Doctor has one throwaway line about how he hopes they treat the Gondoliers better now (they absolutely will not), and that’s the end.    

All the side characters were soooooo hammy and overdone. It was exhausting, and I didn't care for them. The Doctor has some great moments, and some things about his character come to the fore. He really is trying to just show Charley a good time, and is guilty that he’s been putting her in so many life threatening situations. He’s so scatterbrained he only noticed she had left to talk to Pietro, like, an hour afterwards. He gets lost in thought, deaf to all around him, constantly. People are shooting at him, he’s planning a trip to Venice. That exchange with the curator that goes “I’m good friends with the Duke” “Are you really” “No”. He’s snarky all the time, but in such a soft tone that people don’t even understand. Stealing the jewels, lying about knowing where the portrait is, keeping the information that the coffin is empty from everyone, talking about Liza Minnelli… Good stuff, good stuff. Charley’s character is beginning to crystallize. Mostly, she wants to have fun and see new things! She wants to meet people, not go see some paintings. She complains about how the TARDIS looks too old and Gothic and has too much wood paneling (SLANDER - maybe that’s part of the reason the TARDIS dislikes her). She’s still impressed by the Doctor and has full faith in him, but she mocks and snarks at him every chance she gets. She’s sympathetic to the struggles of the Gondoliers, but with an air of superiority, I guess I could say. A rich girl who is a nice person and does care, but doesn’t fully grasp the implications and nuances of social/racial struggles. This is not a criticism; it’s great to see, and gives her room to mature. 

The Doctor and Charley’s back and forth is delightful. They both tend to talk fancy, making for some very polite-sounding teasing. They clearly care a lot about each other already and are having a good time. There’s some foreshadowing here about her and the Doctor's relationship, or at least I think there is. “She loved him, of course she stepped into the flame”, “it was all about love in the end”, Charley thinking dying together is the peak of romance, the kind of ominous tone and music when the Doctor says he’s not going to abandon her, his best friend... hmmmmmmmm.

25.05.2022

Ugh. You can guess the main twist in the first 15 minutes of the play. The revolution subplot is brought up to be dismissed on a technicality. The day is saved by love (that wasn't there until the plot required it to be). A safe skip. 1/5

MR 018: The Stones of Venice

Uh... it's a Doctor Who story and stuff happens I guess. Really, these first few Eighth Doctor stories aren't that interesting.

The city of Venice is sinking into the ground in the future. But there's a whole legend around the Duke, who is 100 years old, having been cursed by his lover to die when the city sinks. Because he "lost her in a card game," which is a giant lol wut to me. This is your lover, not a car. And he gives no reason for it either which is bizarre. Surely that's not legal unless the 23rd century has legal slavery. This entire premise is bizarre.

A cult has formed to worship the lover and has her tomb deep underground. But her tomb is empty because she was never dead. She is an alien of some kind who used her jewels to amplify her hatred of the Duke and curse the city to die. But to save the city something has to die in return so she forgives the Duke and they die together.

Which is so weird. Why would she forgive him for "losing her in a game of cards," which I reiterate, makes no sense. And why would she choose to die with him, throwing herself on the funeral pyre style.

The Doctor talks about how humans make up legends and stories. But this REALLY IS a legend and story come to life. She did curse the Duke and the city to live for another hundred years and then die. There really is no reason for the cult to not worship her when she can destroy the entire city. There's also some paintings that she brought with her from space.

And an underclass of fish people who drive the gondolas. They're both supported and condemned by the story. Revolution of the underclass who force Charley into trying to fool the Duke that he is his long lost lover.

Yeah, the writing just feels all over the place here. That's the main problem. It's very unfocused and it ends up feeling like a mess of underbaked ideas.

The Monthly Adventures #018 - "The Stones of Venice" by Paul Magrs

Of all the writers in the Whoniverse (I wish there was a better term for that), the one I’ve been looking forward to getting into the most is Paul Magrs. A mad hat, entirely unique and possibly insane writer that has written both the most mental and the most revered stories in Doctor Who, created the beloved (and frankly, perplexing) character of Iris Wildthyme and has made a very loud name for himself in both prose and audio. The Stones of Venice seems to be a more regular story for him, devoid of Wildthymes and Mad Dogs and instead, a somewhat beautiful future-historical hybrid set in a sinking city.

Desperate for a break from all the running, shooting and ducking, the Doctor and Charley land in Venice, on the eve of its demise. But what truth lies behind a curse placed on the city? And what do the revolutionary plots of fishmen and a cult mean for Venice?

(CONTAINS SPOILERS)

The Stones of Venice is unlike pretty much any story I’ve listened to before. A gorgeously realised fairy tale set in 23rd Century Venice, which is beautifully portrayed through some utterly stellar sound design, that presents itself as this mediaeval/futuristic hybrid, with fishmen driving gondolas and aliens putting curses on the city. It's a mashup of genres that I haven’t really seen in Doctor Who before and I adore the whole fairytale vibe it’s going for, which I find reminiscent of something like Series 5, which coincidentally had an episode with fish people in Venice, though it did something a little different with the concept. No, this is a glorious end of days thrillride with the Doctor getting involved in the machinations of a cult worshipping the spirit of the woman who cursed the city and Charley impersonating said woman in order to allow the race of fish people to put a stop to the curse. I love plots where it’s a bunch of different threads that all collide at the end and The Stones of Venice does this wonderfully, both Charley and the Doctor get a good amount of airtime and I enjoy both narratives. This is probably because tagging along with these two is a really enjoyable side cast, everybody here feels like a well-developed character and I, dare I say it, liked a few of them.

If I had to level one complaint at this story, it would be that the middle dragged quite a bit. All the praise I give to this audio is aimed at parts 1 and 4, 2 and 3 are simply not much to write home about. The story really drags in the middle and it can get quite forgettable, but the setting and characters are good enough to keep my interest up until the final part. However, the twist of Mrs Lavish being Estella was somewhat predictable, not the best third act reveal I’ve seen in The Monthly Adventures by a long shot.

The Stones of Venice surprised me, as I liked it a lot more than I expected to. Definitely more fairy tale than science fiction but I don’t think that does it a disservice, the story and characters are interesting and it boasts one of the most unique settings I’ve seen in an audio. It’s just a little forgettable, that’s all.

7/10

Pros:

+ Wonderfully realised future Venice

+ Incredibly constructed and intricate soundscape

+ Complex and interesting narrative that builds to an effective climax

+ Interesting and varied side cast

Cons:

- The middle slows too much and drags its feet

- The final twist was predictable

Doctor Who – The Monthly Adventures

#018. The Stones of Venice ~ 10/10

◆ An Introduction

Italy is a nation with a rich cultural heritage – something I know after watching James May’s Our Man In Italy – so it should really come as no surprise that creatives and geniuses alike flock to the Bel Paese.

Venice has captured the hearts and minds of millions, with its centuries-old architecture, cobblestone alleys, a maze of eye-catching islands, and of course, the famous canals that run through it all.

But what happens when the city starts sinking into the swamp it’s built on? A love-sick aristocrat throws a knees-up, of course!

◆ Publisher’s Summary

The Doctor and Charley decide to take a well-deserved break from the monotony of being chased, shot at and generally suffering anti-social behaviour at the hands of others. And so they end up in Venice, well into Charley's future, as the great city prepares to sink beneath the water for the last time…

Which would be a momentous, if rather dispiriting, event to witness in itself. However, the machinations of a love-sick aristocrat, a proud art historian and a rabid High Priest of a really quite dodgy cult combine to make Venice's swansong a night to remember. And then there's the rebellion by the web-footed amphibious underclass, the mystery of a disappearing corpse and the truth behind a curse going back further than curses usually do. The Doctor and Charley are forced to wonder just what they have got themselves involved with this time…

◆ The Eighth Doctor

Paul Magrs is someone we tend to associate with comedic adventures – probably because he created that nutty nanna, Iris Wildthyme – but he can do much more sombre pieces like this one. He showcases an excellent understanding of the Eighth Doctor in ‘The Stones of Venice’.

I believe this was the first adventure recorded by this TARDIS team, which makes me doubly impressed! Paul McGann delivers an immaculate performance.

There is nothing he likes more than putting the kibosh on a really good vile regime. During his spare time, he likes to drink a cup of tea. The last time the Doctor was in Venice he watched the light from the palace windows spill onto the Grand Canal; all the stars looked as though they were trapped underwater, bursting to get out. He is sometimes downright rude, forgetting about things like good manners and introductions. The Doctor was here when the city was being built, when it still smelt like a swamp: now it smells of damp wool, but there is still a trace, a foretaste of the primordial world below. The Doctor informs Churchwell that he used to be terribly good at name-dropping and bluffing his way into places, but that he can’t do it for toffee these days. His TARDIS is trustworthy, watertight, and his best friend – it also happens to be extremely discreet, like him. Cults have never appealed to him because there are too many rules, and it’s all a bit solemn: going round in robes and chanting just isn’t for him. The Doctor doesn’t like the nastiness and people getting away with it. If he didn’t believe there was a way to put things right, he wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning, eat breakfast, or ever leave the TARDIS: he would never have left home in the first place!

◆ Charley Pollard

This probably should’ve been Charley’s first adventure through the fourth dimension, because she actually gets a fair bit to do. I wouldn't mind hearing Magrs pen another script for this TARDIS team, actually.

‘The Stones of Venice’ features an amazing performance from India Fisher.

Charley thinks that going somewhere peaceful, without being threatened with death every five minutes, would be rather nice. A traveller is certainly what she’d like to be, but her father wasn’t too keen on her striking out on her own. Her family would be suitably mollified at the thought of her travelling with the Doctor! Charley believes that, for a really futuristic ship, the TARDIS ought to have gleaming white surfaces and flashing controls… rather than looking like something from a Jules Verne novel. They were supposed to be going somewhere gorgeous on holiday, get out of that Gothic nightmare of a TARDIS. Instead, the Doctor has brought her somewhere horrible where everyone wants to die! Poor Charley was already sympathetic towards the web-footed gondoliers… but that doesn’t stop them drugging her, and making her play pretend as Estella!

◆ The Death of Venice

I previously mentioned that Paul Magrs is someone we tend to associate with comedic adventures – probably because he created that drunken trans-temporal adventuress, Iris Wildthyme – but he proves with this script that he can do something gorgeously sombre too.

People have come from across the globe for one final knees-up before Venice sinks into the primordial swamp forever. Meanwhile, the natives grieve the loss of this floating metropolis. We spend more time with the latter group, meaning the script is tinged with melancholy throughout: a beautiful sadness.

◆ The Venetians

Some people have been whinging that this doesn’t feel like a futuristic adventure, that despite being set in the dying days of the 23rd century, the setting and characters all feel more at home in the 18th. Some of you also claim that the story is more fairytale than science fiction. These are all valid complaints… which I don’t really care about! I’ll probably lose credibility as a reviewer for that stance – assuming I had any to begin with – but the characters just have so much personality to them.

The eccentric Duke Orsino laments the city’s sinking, but is far too busy arranging parties and hoping for his own death! He honestly reminds me of the Hedonism Bot from Futurama.

Vincenzo is a total head-case, and de facto leader of the Cult of Estella. He is quite easily one of the campiest villains imaginable, though that’s to be expected when you cast Mark Gatiss.

Churchwell is curator of the Duke’s private collection, and a second companion of sorts; a man who has such passion for art that he cares more about saving the collection than his own skin!

‘The Stones of Venice’ thrives because of its over-the-top characters who ooze personality and charisma. As much as I enjoyed the previous adventure, we cannot deny it featured little-to-no character development. This is a massive improvement.

◆ Sound Design

Venice has been the setting for many Doctor Who adventures, but Andy Hardwick makes the floating metropolis feel truly alive… ironic, considering it’s sinking into the primordial swamp!

The Doctor and Charley flee gunfire and explosions after freeing a civilisation from a vile regime. Tweeting birds accompany flowing water in the canals, whilst church bells chime throughout the city. Off in the distance, ignorant revellers party as Venice sinks into the depths. Water trickles down from the ceiling of a dungeon, used as the Cult of Estella’s headquarters. The distant sound of chanting cultists. Party music plays at the Duke’s grand ball, revellers celebrating what they believe to be their last night. As Venice begins sinking into the waters below, the city erupts into chaos; the gondoliers rise up and start fighting with Orsino’s swordsmen, fragments of masonry fall from buildings like warheads dropping out of the sky.

◆ Conclusion

“And the clocks chime out for the death of Venice!”

Paul Magrs is someone we associate with comedy adventures, but he went completely against expectations this time round, delivering a beautifully sombre piece about a floating metropolis sinking into the murky depths below.

Featuring an exquisite soundscape, characters that are pure camp, and some amazing performances, ‘The Stones of Venice’ should be considered an underrated classic!

😑20/50 = Underwhelming! = Not recommended!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

THE ITALIAN JOB!

The opening sees the Doctor and Charley decide to take a holiday in Venice after getting tired of being shot at constantly. Part 1 then sets up the main conflict of a cult trying to resurrect a dead bride, which sees Eight paired with the annoying Churchwell and Charley given the generic companion role of getting into trouble.

By the end of Part 2, the narrative has barely progressed, and it is this slow pace and lack of excitement or tension that make this story a bit forgettable. However, Magrs brings the story to a satisfying conclusion with an emotional Part 4, which reveals the deeper love story behind the adventure.

Other than the stellar main cast, the only guest actor of note is Michael Sheard (Professor Scarman from Pyramids of Mars) as Count Orsino. Mark Gatiss is in there somewhere, but he doesn't stand out like he did in Phantasmagoria.

This one has a strange soundscape from the start and doesn't quite capture the feel of a future Venice about to be submerged. The sound mixing sounds a bit off for me, as there is a strange echo to a lot of the spoken dialogue.

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS:

The Venice setting and the aquatic creatures in the story bring to mind the Eleventh Doctor's adventure, Vampires of Venice.

I admit I had a lot of fun with this audio. It is not exceptional but I did find it very easy to listen to. It weirdly reminded me of a better version of Vampires of Venice, even though that TV episode features a very different Venice of the past compared to this one's future, Stones of Venice felt like a fun little historical (even if it wasn't). The intrigue and fish people really felt like just another cozy Doctor Who adventure, weirdly enough. At a time when I was taking a bit of a break from Big Finish, this audio managed to get me back into the swing of things again as just this enjoyable, relatively simple story.