A teenage Amelia encounters Missy and Leela meets Marie Curie in a new audio drama boxset for International Women’s Day – The Eighth of March: Strange Chemistry.
Updated 05/03/23: Ahead of the box set’s release this week, there’s now a trailer abroad. It gives us a first chance to hear Catlin Blackwood as the teenage Amelia Pond.
The scenes also offer Missy (Michelle Gomez) sporting an outrageous accent as some sort of fortune teller. However, the trailer begins with scenes from ‘A Ghost of Alchemy’ as the Doctor and Leela meet a reluctant Marie Curie (Holly Jackson Walters).
As if it needed saying, The Eighth of March: Strange Chemistry is out on Wednesday, March 8th 2023.
We look forward to bringing you a CultBox review in due course.
Updated 27/02/23: Big Finish have released the cover for this year’s International Women’s Day box set.
Caroline Tankersley’s artwork gives us a classic Leela and Fourth Doctor, with Marie Curie and a steam train. However, as you might expect, Missy (Michelle Gomez) dominates the image.
What’s interesting is the deception of the teenage Amelia Pond – not yet Amy – as portrayed by Catlin Blackwood. Of course, in the flashback scenes of ‘Let’s Kill Hitler’, we did see her as a slightly older Amelia during her interactions with her pal (also daughter) Mels. We look forward to seeing how this all fits together!
As the title suggests, Strange Chemistry is out on March 8th, 2023.
Original article (from 31/01/23) continues…
Caitlin Blackwood returns as Amelia Pond for Big Finish
A teenage Amelia encounters Missy and Leela meets Marie Curie in a new audio drama boxset for International Women’s Day – The Eighth of March: Strange Chemistry.
Over the past couple of days, audio producers Big Finish have released details of their plans for International Women’s Day 2023.
This is the third release celebrating The Eighth of March; in 2019, River Song met Leela, while Ace and Bernice Summerfield teamed up. We also heard the first tale for The Paternoster Gang and there was a UNIT investigation for Kate Stewart and two Osgoods.
In 2022, Protectors of Time gave us a post-‘Warriors Gate’ adventure for Romana, and a meeting between Jenny, The Doctor’s Daughter and Lady Christina de Souza. Plus, there was a team up for Rani Chandra, Jo Jones (née Grant) and UNIT Science officer Jac
The Eighth of March: Strange Chemistry
This year Strange Chemistry, a two-story set, sees Caitlin Blackwood as the (now teenage) Amelia Pond dealing with Missy (Michelle Gomez). Plus, Leela (Louise Jameson) encounters the pioneering physicist and chemist Marie Curie.
Scattered through time and space, many women have crossed paths with the Doctor – friends, foes, and figures from history – and there can be a strange chemistry when they meet…
Impulsive warrior encounters celebrated scientist, as Leela and the Doctor run into Marie Curie in 1920s America.
And in a quiet English village, one of the Doctor’s oldest enemies seeks out one of his most devoted companions to find an escape – and the results are explosive!
A Ghost of Alchemy
When the TARDIS lands in New York in 1921 the Doctor takes the opportunity to introduce Leela to one of the foremost women of the age – the great Marie Curie, visiting America to be celebrated for her work.
But the time travellers are not the only people interested in the famous scientist. Sinister forces are gathering around her and the TARDIS crew will have to work their utmost to keep her safe on her historic journey through the United States.
This is a traditional 4-part story with Holly Jackson Walters playing the role of Marie Curie.
Writer Louise Jameson said:
“Marie Curie was just the most extraordinary and fascinating woman who saved many a life. She was also genuinely very shy and didn’t like crowds or public speaking… Marie and Leela are polar opposites – one is all brain and the other is all heart. Finding common ground between them was very nice to write for.”
Fairies At The Bottom Of The Garden
Young Amelia Pond is used to getting into trouble. After another fight at school, she is sent back to counselling. But her new therapist is rather unconventional…
Because Missy is also in trouble. Stuck on Earth, she’s targeted one of the Doctor’s best friends to get his attention – but her timing’s off. Amy’s TARDIS encounters lie years in her past and future, but there’s something strange in her garden now. As Missy sets her sights on young Pond, the fairies may be her only hope!
Written by Karissa Hamilton-Bannis, this is a single hour-long tale.
Caitlin Blackwood said:
“Amelia is struggling through her teenage years. She meets Missy for the first time and is trying to figure her out… It’s been a long time since I played Amelia and coming back to it was like riding a bike. I’ve had a lot of fun. I’ve loved it.”
Competition Time
Celebrating the release, Big Finish have also launched a portrait competition. Artists are invited to create traditional portraits – using non-digital media – of one of the box set’s stars; either Louise Jameson (as Leela), Michelle Gomez (as Missy), or Caitlin Blackwood (as teenage Amelia Pond).
Three winners will be selected, and the prize is a £100 voucher to spend on any Big Finish release.
The competition judges are Big Finish producer Emma Haigh, Creative Director Nicholas Briggs, Graphic Designer Mark Plastow and Sophie Cowdrey. Graphic artist Sophie Cowdrey won a Big Finish competition in 2018 and is well-known for her stunning work on the Doctor Who Blu-ray Steelbook range. She also works in the art department at Bad Wolf on the upcoming Doctor Who 60th Anniversary specials and the forthcoming series.
Full terms and conditions are here, with the closing date set for the 8th of March 2023 at 12pm.
The Worlds of Doctor Who – The Eighth of March: Strange Chemistry is now available to pre-order as a collector’s edition CD box set + download), or on digital download only from Big Finish.