City of Spires
Encyclopedia
City of Spires is a Big Finish Productions
audio drama based on the long-running British
science fiction television
series Doctor Who
.
Highlands
, Black Donald
is fighting the Redcoats
to halt the Clearances
. But time itself seems to be confused. And the mysterious Red Cap
has built anachronistic machines that are extracting the blood of the land.
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
audio drama based on the long-running British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
.
Plot
In the ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
, Black Donald
Black Donald
Black Donald is a Highland colloquialism for the Devil in Scottish mythology. The defining characteristic of Black Donald is his cloven feet, which betray whatever disguise he assumes.- In history :...
is fighting the Redcoats
Red coat (British army)
Red coat or Redcoat is a historical term used to refer to soldiers of the British Army because of the red uniforms formerly worn by the majority of regiments. From the late 17th century to the early 20th century, the uniform of most British soldiers, , included a madder red coat or coatee...
to halt the Clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
. But time itself seems to be confused. And the mysterious Red Cap
Redcap
A Red Cap or Redcap, also known as a powrie or dunter, is a type of malevolent murderous dwarf, goblin, elf or fairy found in Border Folklore. They are said to inhabit ruined castles found along the border between England and Scotland...
has built anachronistic machines that are extracting the blood of the land.
Cast
- The DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
- Colin BakerColin BakerColin Baker is a British actor who is known for playing Paul Merroney in The Brothers from 1974 to 1976 and as the sixth incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who, from 1984 to 1986.- Background:Colin Baker was born in London, but moved north to... - Jamie McCrimmonJamie McCrimmonJames Robert "Jamie" McCrimmon is a fictional character played by Frazer Hines in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A piper of the Clan McLaren who lived in 18th century Scotland, he was a companion of the Second Doctor and a regular in the programme from 1966...
- Frazer HinesFrazer HinesFrazer Hines is an English actor best known for his roles as Jamie McCrimmon in Doctor Who and Joe Sugden in Emmerdale. Hines was born in Horsforth, a civil parish of Leeds.-Acting career:... - Alice - Georgia MoffettGeorgia MoffettGeorgia Elizabeth Moffett is a British actress. Moffett was born in West London, the daughter of actors Peter Davison and Sandra Dickinson....
- Victor - Richard Earl
- Major Heyward - James Albrecht
- Sergeant Rilke - Russell FloydRussell FloydRussell Floyd is a British actor. He played Michael Rose in the BBC soap opera EastEnders from 1996 to 1999, and DC Ken Drummond in the ITV police drama, The Bill, from 2002 to 2005...
- Guthrie - Sam Graham
- RobRobert Roy MacGregorRobert Roy MacGregor , usually known simply as Rob Roy or alternately Red MacGregor, was a famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century, who is sometimes known as the Scottish Robin Hood. Rob Roy is anglicised from the Scottish Gaelic Raibeart Ruadh, or Red Robert...
- Charlie Ross - Red CapRedcapA Red Cap or Redcap, also known as a powrie or dunter, is a type of malevolent murderous dwarf, goblin, elf or fairy found in Border Folklore. They are said to inhabit ruined castles found along the border between England and Scotland...
- John Banks
Continuity
- City of Spires is followed by the Companion Chronicles story Night's Black AgentsNight's Black Agents (Doctor Who audio)Night's Black Agents is a Big Finish Productions audiobook based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Continuity:...
, with the Doctor and Jamie still in Scotland. Some elements, such as the mention of "the man of your god" (Reverend Merodach), are foreshadowing for this next tale. - Jamie McCrimmonJamie McCrimmonJames Robert "Jamie" McCrimmon is a fictional character played by Frazer Hines in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. A piper of the Clan McLaren who lived in 18th century Scotland, he was a companion of the Second Doctor and a regular in the programme from 1966...
was originally a companion of the Second DoctorSecond DoctorThe Second Doctor is the second incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by character actor Patrick Troughton....
, until the Time Lords returned him to Scotland and erased his memories of travelling in the TARDIS (but retained their initial adventure, The HighlandersThe Highlanders (Doctor Who)The Highlanders is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 17 December 1966 to 7 January 1967....
). The Sixth DoctorSixth DoctorThe Sixth Doctor is the sixth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Colin Baker...
previously encountered Jamie on screen in The Two DoctorsThe Two DoctorsThe Two Doctors is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in three weekly parts from 16 February to 2 March 1985. It starred Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant as the Sixth Doctor and his companion Peri, respectively...
(while still with the Second Doctor). - Jamie briefly had his memories restored by a Time Lord in the Companion Chronicles story The Glorious RevolutionThe Glorious Revolution (Doctor Who audio)The Glorious Revolution is a Big Finish Productions audiobook based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, but ultimately chose to have them erased again. - Jamie's vision of the "Phantom Piper" (actually a CybermanCybermanThe Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of humanoids originating on Earth's twin planet Mondas that began to implant more...
) occurred in The Moonbase. - The Doctor's line about the assembled hordes of Genghis KhanGenghis KhanGenghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
not being able to break into the TARDIS is also what the Ninth DoctorNinth DoctorThe Ninth Doctor is the ninth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is played by Christopher Eccleston....
told Rose TylerRose TylerRose Marion Tyler is a fictional character portrayed by Billie Piper in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who, and was created by series producer Russell T Davies...
in the first episode of the revived TV series RoseRose (Doctor Who)"Rose" is the first episode of Series One of the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who. Written by show runner Russell T Davies and directed by Keith Boak, the episode was first broadcast on 26 March 2005....
. - The black water is seen again in The Wreck of the TitanThe Wreck of the Titan (audio drama)The Wreck of the Titan is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. -Plot:...
and Legend of the CybermenLegend of the CybermenLegend of the Cybermen is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
, where its secrets are revealed. - This story arc concludes in Legend of the Cybermen, which also reveals the origin of the aliens in City of Spires.
Cast Notes
- Georgia MoffettGeorgia MoffettGeorgia Elizabeth Moffett is a British actress. Moffett was born in West London, the daughter of actors Peter Davison and Sandra Dickinson....
, daughter of Peter DavisonPeter DavisonPeter Davison is a British actor, best known for his roles as Tristan Farnon in the television version of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small and the fifth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, which he played from 1982 to 1984.-Early life:Davison was born Peter Moffett in Streatham,...
, was in the 2000 Doctor Who audio story Red DawnRed Dawn (Doctor Who audio)Red Dawn is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Plot:...
, alongside her father as the Fifth DoctorFifth DoctorThe Fifth Doctor is the fifth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Peter Davison....
. In 2008, she was in the Doctor Who TV story The Doctor's DaughterThe Doctor's Daughter"The Doctor's Daughter" is the sixth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 10 May 2008.- Synopsis :...
, in the titular role, JennyJenny (Doctor Who)Jenny, portrayed by Georgia Moffett, is a fictional character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. She first appeared in the episode "The Doctor's Daughter", originally broadcast 10 May 2008...
. She also voiced a role in the 2009 Doctor Who animated story DreamlandDreamland (Doctor Who)Dreamland is the second animated Doctor Who serial to air on television...
.