Jago & Litefoot Series 14 Big Finish Review

Change can be challenging and is never easy. Due to the death of Trevor Baxter in 2017, who played the astute and kind Litefoot in The Talons of Weng-Chiang,  the fourteenth Big Finish series of Jago & Litefoot is different to the other series brought out for fans. Recorded on 24 September, 7-8 and 16 October, 18 and 23 December 2020 at the Soundhouse a decision was made to adapt each of the four scripted episodes, originally planned before Baxter’s death, into an audiobook with each story read by a separate narrator.

I don’t dislike audiobooks as a form dwelling as they can when good to give a real sense of your narrator if an autobiography or build your characters dealing with their inner thoughts and reactions and add drama through the prose. The characters of Jago and Litefoot as part of The Talons of Weng Chiang were one of the most memorable double acts from Robert Holmes.  I went in with an open mind into this series hoping to learn more about their lives and journeys into the strange and bizarre.

14.1 The Red Hand

This opening story is written by Simon Barnard and Paul Morris. Narrated by Jamie Newall who has played a recurring character called Aubrey in the Jago and Litefoot series I did have to get used to the mature gravel tone of his voice which although it really suited our middle-aged characters felt at times very odd and squawky for female characters such as Ellie Higson. Their easy friendship which I imagine has been built over the previous series is deeply ingrained and the strength really is the dialogue that effortlessly captures Jago’s bluster, Litefoots keen perceptiveness and Ellie’s sharpness.

Returning home from their voyage to a parallel world, Jago and Litefoot find that things aren’t quite as they left them. There’s a terrifying new chief inspector, their closest friends have turned against them, and there’s something that neither of them can remember. Their only hope to understanding their strange new world lies with a shadowy organisation called the Red Hand.

I did enjoy at times some of the mysterious tones of this story introducing a changed world as Jago and Litefoot realise their friends are behaving strangely and distant. There was an effective air of oppression and paranoia created as “The enemy is everywhere “and appearances of “the red hand” within a dark and smoky London. The setting and “monsters” were reminiscent at times of the Cybermen from the “Next Doctor” albeit less technologically advanced.

I must admit it didn’t grab me entirely however as the confrontation at the end in the warehouse does take ages to get to. There is a diversionary subplot of Jago getting arrested which comes to nothing so my mind wandered at times and I got fidgety during this story, to be honest.

14.2 The Laughing Policeman

The second story is written by Jonathan Barnes, adapted by Paul Morris and narrated by Duncan Wisbey who plays the character Dr Ormond Sacker in the previous series. A variation of the narrator and the energy changed far more positively for me as Duncan Wisbey put in a great performance. Gone is the somewhat ponderous assurance of following Jago and Litefoot’s steady footsteps of the first story. He is on the other side and what I liked about this story is it’s a refreshing perspective seeing the world through Gilhooey’s eyes. Instead, we move to be the shadow partner of a different less assured character as Inspector Gilhooey follows the trail of a brother and sister called Cotterill.

Inspector Gilhooey is used to dealing with mundane crimes, but he’s been given a new assignment, to root out enemies of the state. His investigations have led him to the Temperance Hall, where the Cotterill siblings are giving a seditious speech. However, Gilhooey discovers that the Cotterills aren’t -the only disloyal duo in attendance, there are two more traitors in the crowd: traitors called Jago and Litefoot! –

Wisbey easily grasps and reflects the illogical suspicious character of his police mind observing Jago and Litefoot at a distance, of a man struggling to make sense, not always correctly of what is going on. The blackouts where Gilhooey doesn’t remember add an air of mystery. The spiritualist cultist’s atmosphere of the Cotterills actually adds an interesting melodrama in the illusion of the strange world that has taken over the usual Victorian bobbies of Scotland Yard workhouses and factories. Gradually a disturbing truth dawns as more clues point to a greater conspiracy.

14.3 The Corridors of Power

The third chapter is written and adapted by Paul Morris and narrated by Lisa Bowerman. Her narration does buoy this story somewhat which separates our Watson and Holmes. There is a lighter touch in this story with a brave and sincere rescue, some touching revelations as well as the duo playing dress-up in a somewhat comic turn. A bright spark was our pair also finally meet the eminence behind the strange smoky empire of this world so we know our villain but it’s taken almost 9 hours to get to the point.

Despite the good fun elements, there is a huge weakness within the story as it does see a great swathe of it dwelling in one location with a plethora of dull uninspiring aristocrats. Full-cast audio at this point would have really helped to bring these characters to life. The narrator Lisa Bowerman did her very best trying out different tones of voices but it just felt a bit flat and I desperately wanted it to move on from the endless party Litefoot was stuck in.

In order to get closer to the truth of what’s happened to the world, Jago and Litefoot are forced to split up. While Litefoot finds himself mixing with high society, Jago has to find a way to reach his friend, as the professor is trapped in a party that seems never to end…

14.4 A Command Performance

The final chapter is written by Justin Richards and Julian Richards and is narrated by Henry Gordon Jago himself Christopher Benjamin. It’s a welcome change of emphasis as we have a more serious worried Jago. I guess it is fitting to give the actor the final word on the series. In the previous stories Jago was very much the comic foil to the more thoughtful Litefoot and at times it felt over-used and a broad one-note characteristic. Christopher Benjamin’ pitches Jago at the right tone here creating a rich evocation of his character trying to deal with warped and strange events within his own familiar stomping ground. Christopher Benjamin also inhabits various other characters and brings the climax of this series home as he drew me into the conclusion of the series.

I was held as were the audience of the New Regency Theatre as the enemy revelled in a plan to send a shiver down the spine. This enemy is linked back to Doctor Who which I didn’t think was strictly required but as it’s the final series it is a pass to bring Jago and Litefoot full circle to where they first began their journey. And spoilers! It’s Christmas and they live to fight another day if needed.

It’s time for the Christmas Day pantomime at the New Regency Theatre. Jago’s more stressed than usual. Not only has he got to deal with a packed house, messy stagehands and peculiar acts, but there’s a VIP coming. The problem is, this particular VIP can’t possibly becoming, for one simple reason. They’re dead.

Conclusion

Was this series a hit or a miss? Converting a script into an audiobook does create a completely different experience for a listener. Coming off as I did a recent rewatch of the Talons of Weng-Chiang the audio-book style was not something I would have chosen. Starting in the third character created some emotional distance for me from the protagonists versus seeing the original TV characters of 1977 in full flow against a sublime Tom Baker and Louise Jameson. It was an adjustment because the conversion to an audiobook has the effect of slowing this set of stories down at times to a self-indulgent crawl.

The result is something of a mixed bag as each individual story stretches to almost three hours. This was something that I found really frustrating in this series as the plot fixed on certain points in the story and didnt seem to move on for ages. I also noticed the some of the dialogue for Jago used 20th-century phrasing which then took me straight out of the Victorian era it is meant to be set in and had the additional effect of annoying me.

The idea of using different narrators isn’t a bad one at all but then it really relies on their skill to keep the audience interested. To be honest during the introductory The Red Hand, despite my best efforts I  had to start over after almost falling asleep. For me, the Laughing Policeman and a Command Performance are the strongest stories of the quartet.  The other two stories do have an atmosphere at times and are building up our main characters but I cant help but think it all needed a good edit of the whole story to make it flow better. Not having listened previously to any of the older  Jago and Litefoot series (which were put out in the format as intended) I wouldn’t advocate starting with series 14.

It isn’t the swiftest or easiest representation to listen to of the friends of the Red Tavern.I feel unkind as I was really looking forward to discovering for myself the wonder of Jago and Litefoot. Perhaps Series 14 wasn’t the best jump on point for me as I found it really hard going at almost 12 hours duration when the whole series story could have realistically been abridged to probably four hours. The audiobook format does have its own life and character which if not the same as a full cast still gives a sprinkle of what should have been but then not all the stories were equally captivating to draw me in.

If you aren’t the patient sort to listen in one sitting or a newbie to Jago and Litefoot like me, I’d pennyworth listening in half-hour chunks (much like the Radio 4 book at bedtime) to make it easier to absorb and enjoy the intonations brought by the different narrators.  This final series is definitely one for the collection of the most loyal, devoted fans of the series.

A variable quality series with some nice moments 7.0 /10

If you’ve already listened to this series what did you think? Post your comments on here, The Big Blue Box Discord Server or on Twitter. Let’s talk!