Set after Ian and Barbara have returned to Earth and given up their travels with the Doctor, ‘The Sleeping City’ finds the couple arrested by the Security services.

Under suspicion as Russian spies, their captors are very keen to learn all they can about the Doctor and Vicki.

Ian is initially reticent, seeking to preserve the secrets of his friends and aware that his tales might seem fantastical, but when he is threatened with Barbara’s safety, he begins to relate a tale of when the TARDIS visited the city of Hisk.

The travellers have arrived close to Vicki’s own time of the 25th Century. On Hisk, they discover a harmonious city which works on the principle of shared resources. The residents who live and work together also indulge in a shared dreamspace too, mingling their unconscious thoughts in order to unify them to work for the common good.

The concept fascinates Vicki who indulges and is enraptured, raving about a magical experience. She persuades Ian and Barbara to try, although the Doctor resists, not wishing to share his unconscious thoughts.

Later however, during another session they witness one of the populace experience a demonic bad omen, known as a Harbinger. Once seen, it is revealed that those citizens tend take their own life shortly after, with the Harbinger representing a weak or depressed mental state. The travellers are horrified to discover that in this city of a million souls, between forty and fifty people commit suicide each year.

Springing into action, the TARDIS crew attempt to help the doomed man. They are unable to prevent the death, but the Doctor believes he spots someone leaving the scene and he fronts an investigation which uncovers some surprising and horrific secrets about this city of dreamers. The Doctor rails against a self-fulfilling prophecy that all those around him seem to accept as inevitable.

Slipping easily back into the role of Ian, William Russell is an engaging storyteller and he also provides a decent take on the First Doctor too. The additional voices are supplied by John Banks who as Gerrard provides an impressive interrogator, as well as helping to populate the city too.

Writer Ian Potter brilliantly evokes the characters and feel of the Hartnell era, with this older Chesterton remaining as much the inquisitive hero as he ever was, working his captor in order to find out more about the situation and seeking to help the Doctor if he can.

He also provides a neat dodge on Vicki’s surname, which was never revealed on screen. In the storytelling, he creates some lovely interplay between the four travellers and within the dreamspace, allows knowing references to their unspoken feelings too.

Our favourite moment of the play comes however when Ian is asked to describe the operation of the TARDIS and how it is powered, as he provides the most fantastic response: “Quicksilver and springs and the power of a Sun. Valves and magic.”

Released in February 2014 by Big Finish Productions Ltd.

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