Audio Visuals
Encyclopedia
The Audio Visuals were an unlicensed series of Doctor Who
audio dramas
made by British fans in the 1980s.
Featuring Nicholas Briggs
as the Doctor
, twenty-six audio plays were recorded and distributed on audio cassette between 1985 and 1991 (a pilot, in which the Doctor was voiced by Stephen Payne
, was recorded in 1984).
The first three seasons (released 1985-1988) were produced by Bill Baggs, and the fourth and final season (1989-1991) by Gary Russell
.
Although the Audio Visuals audios were a violation of copyright
, the BBC chose to look the other way. Gary Russell later told an interviewer,
Many of those involved in the Audio Visuals went on to work in more professional, licensed science fiction audio drama, either through BBV
(founded by Bill Baggs) or through Big Finish Productions
(which in 1999 began producing licensed Doctor Who audio drama under the guidance of Gary Russell). Nicholas Briggs
has worked for both BBV and Big Finish as an actor and as a writer; he also worked on additional Doctor Who-related/inspired productions for Reeltime Pictures
and, beginning in 2005, provided vocal work for the new Doctor Who series.
Several Audio Visuals scripts have been remade professionally, either by BBV (with the Doctor Who elements removed, as part of the video series The Stranger
) or Big Finish (as licensed Doctor Who audios). The Big Finish audios which were adapted from Audio Visuals plays are The Mutant Phase
, Sword of Orion
, Minuet in Hell
and the Doctor Who Magazine
special releases Last of the Titans
and Cuddlesome
.
Elements from various Audio Visuals plays also appear in Gary Russell's contributions to the licensed Doctor Who novel ranges published by Virgin
and the BBC, most notably in Deadfall. The Nicholas Briggs incarnation of the Doctor has also appeared in the DWM comic strip both as an unspecified future version, and the form taken by Shayde
when posing as the Ninth Doctor.
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...
audio dramas
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
made by British fans in the 1980s.
Featuring Nicholas Briggs
Nicholas Briggs
Nicholas Briggs is a British actor and writer, predominantly associated with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and its various spin-offs, particularly as the voice of the Daleks. Briggs sometimes uses the pseudonym Arthur Wallis...
as the Doctor
Doctor (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....
, twenty-six audio plays were recorded and distributed on audio cassette between 1985 and 1991 (a pilot, in which the Doctor was voiced by Stephen Payne
Stephen Payne
Stephen Payne is the name of:*Stephen Payne , British ship designer*Stephen Payne , American lobbyist...
, was recorded in 1984).
The first three seasons (released 1985-1988) were produced by Bill Baggs, and the fourth and final season (1989-1991) by Gary Russell
Gary Russell
Gary James Russell is a freelance writer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs in other media...
.
Although the Audio Visuals audios were a violation of copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
, the BBC chose to look the other way. Gary Russell later told an interviewer,
- "We were fans doing some stuff for a handful of people. We never advertised in professional magazines, we kept ourselves to ourselves. In doing so, we broke every copyright rule in the book (hell, Terry NationTerry NationTerry Nation was a Welsh screenwriter and novelist.He is probably best known for creating the villainous Daleks in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who...
would have crucified us - although I think our DalekDalekThe Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Within the series, Daleks are cyborgs from the planet Skaro, created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals...
stories knocked spots off Saward'sEric SawardEric Saward was born on 9 December 1944 and became a scriptwriter and script editor for the BBC, resigning from the latter post on the TV programme Doctor Who in 1986....
!) JNTJohn Nathan-TurnerJohn Nathan-Turner was the ninth producer of the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who, from 1980 until it was effectively cancelled in 1989...
was certainly aware of us, but he didn't care. Why should he? We were no more than any other fan product and at least we weren't printing articles about him or the show. I doubt Saward knew or cared. He wouldn't know drama if it bit him."
Many of those involved in the Audio Visuals went on to work in more professional, licensed science fiction audio drama, either through BBV
BBV
BBV is a video and audio production company specialising in science fiction drama, known for its links with the British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
(founded by Bill Baggs) or through Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
(which in 1999 began producing licensed Doctor Who audio drama under the guidance of Gary Russell). Nicholas Briggs
Nicholas Briggs
Nicholas Briggs is a British actor and writer, predominantly associated with the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and its various spin-offs, particularly as the voice of the Daleks. Briggs sometimes uses the pseudonym Arthur Wallis...
has worked for both BBV and Big Finish as an actor and as a writer; he also worked on additional Doctor Who-related/inspired productions for Reeltime Pictures
Reeltime Pictures
Reeltime Pictures is a British multimedia film and video production company founded in 1984 by Keith Barnfather.It is known for its many documentaries about the long-running television series Doctor Who and in particular for The Myth Makers, a series of interviews with people associated with the...
and, beginning in 2005, provided vocal work for the new Doctor Who series.
Several Audio Visuals scripts have been remade professionally, either by BBV (with the Doctor Who elements removed, as part of the video series The Stranger
The Stranger (video series)
The Stranger is a series of direct-to-video science-fiction dramas produced by BBV and starring Colin Baker. They are now available on DVD.The series began in 1991 with Summoned by Shadows, co-produced with the BBC Film Club...
) or Big Finish (as licensed Doctor Who audios). The Big Finish audios which were adapted from Audio Visuals plays are The Mutant Phase
The Mutant Phase
The Mutant Phase is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, Sword of Orion
Sword of Orion
Sword of Orion is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. This audio drama was broadcast on BBC 7 in four weekly parts starting from 3 September 2005, and was repeated in 2006...
, Minuet in Hell
Minuet in Hell
Minuet in Hell is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Unlike the other Eighth Doctor audio plays from this "season", Minuet in Hell was not broadcast on BBC 7 in 2005, primarily due to story references that were...
and the Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine
Doctor Who Magazine is a magazine devoted to the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
special releases Last of the Titans
Last of the Titans
Last of the Titans is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was given away free with Doctor Who Magazine issue 300 and came with the first episode of the Eighth Doctor play Storm Warning...
and Cuddlesome
Cuddlesome
Cuddlesome is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was released free with issue 393 of Doctor Who Magazine. This has Peter Davison playing the Doctor....
.
Elements from various Audio Visuals plays also appear in Gary Russell's contributions to the licensed Doctor Who novel ranges published by Virgin
Virgin New Adventures
The Virgin New Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
and the BBC, most notably in Deadfall. The Nicholas Briggs incarnation of the Doctor has also appeared in the DWM comic strip both as an unspecified future version, and the form taken by Shayde
Shayde
Shayde is a fictional character who appeared in the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
when posing as the Ninth Doctor.