Tom Baker’s audiobook adventures as The Doctor in the third part of Paul Magrs Serpent Crest audio series continue with a surreal pantomime flavoured adventure entitled Aladdin Time.
Featuring Susan Jameson as Mrs Wibbsey and a stellar support cast including Guy Harvey, Sophie Ward, Terrence Hardiman, Andrew Sachs, Simon Shepherd and Su Douglas, Serpent Crest: Aladdin Time follows directly on from events in Serpent Crest: Tsar Wars and Serpent Crest: The Broken Crown.
Doctor Who - Serpent Crest: Aladdin Time - A Brief Synopsis
Apparently trapped underground, the Doctor and Mrs Wibbsey come across a small boy claiming to be Aladdin who has been sent in search of a fabled lamp.
The Doctor and Wibbsey soon realise they have encountered Aladdin before and several other characters under different guises in 19th century Hexham. Embroiled into a dangerous narrative told by the Princess Scheherazade; the Doctor, Wibbsey and Aladdin must discover the power source and switch it off.
On their way The Doctor and his friends must overcome several obstacles contained within vast rooms stuffed with exotic items and dark dangers contained within torch-lit tunnels. As mythical creatures appear from the shadows the travellers need all their wits about them, but not even The Doctor is prepared for the most curious creature of all – his own multi-coloured scarf which appears to have come to life.
Paul Magrs Paints Imagery Of Magical Kingdoms Into Aladdin Time Narrative
The third instalment of Paul Magrs Serpent Crest Series picks up precisely where the second instalment left off with the Doctor and Mrs Wibbsey having been catapulted into a strange world created by the magnificent powers of the Skishtari egg.
Writer, Paul Magrs allows the listener to paint elaborate settings of treasure filled caves within magical kingdoms as Aladdin Time goes from one fantastical predicament to the next.
Sophie Ward as the Princess Scheherazade recounting the tale to her king attempts to keep order of a storyline that quickly spearheads out of control as the characters within the narrative take on a life of their own. Her comment "How Can A Tale begin to tell itself?" as The Doctor and his friends quickly escape bizarre cliff-hangers in order to survive.
Andrew Sachs Brings The Doctor's Scarf To Life In Aladdin Time
Perhaps the most bizarre scenario in this episode is The Doctor’s own scarf taking on a life of its own courtesy of the voice of Andrew Sachs. Sachs snake like portrayal makes the listener wonder if the scarf is indeed there to help or hinder.
"You’ve never been able to talk before" says The Doctor, taking events firmly in his stride.
"Have you considered I may not have had anything worthwhile to say" retorts The Scarf.
These scenes are almost reminiscent of the recent Doctor Who TV adventure The Doctor’s Wife in which Matt Smith's Doctor has similar bizarre conversations with a humanoid form of The TARDIS.
Indeed the scarf’s comment "Wherever you go Doctor, I’m always looking over your shoulder" certainly gives food for thought, that even in bizarre situations objects surrounding The Doctors fantastic adventures may have a guiding life force of their own.
Serpent Crest: Aladdin Time - In Conclusion
Serpent Crest: Aladdin Time is a jolly romp with a little tongue in cheek humour for good measure and as the story events unfold to a satisfactory conclusion, one is left wondering what the final two instalments of Serpents Crest could possibly bring.
Doctor Who: Serpent Crest : Aladdin Time is available on audio download and compact disc formats from AudioGO and has a total running time of 1 hour, 14 minutes.
