Fiesta of the Damned

Fiesta of the Damned

Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Janet Langford (Mel), Sophie Aldred (Ace), Enzo Squillino Jnr (Juan Romero), Christopher Hatherall (George Newman), Owen Aaronovitch (Antonio Ferrando/Control UNIT), Tom Alexander (Luis/Phillipe). Other parts portrayed by the cast.

In search of “a taste of the real Spain”, the TARDIS transports The Doctor, Ace and rejoined crewmember Mel not to sizzling Fuerteventura, or the golden sands of the Costa Brava – but to 1938, amid the horrors of the Spanish Civil War.

Having fallen in with a rag-tag column of Republican soldiers, the time and space travellers seek shelter from Franco’s bombers in the walled town of Farissa – only to discover themselves besieged by dead men returned to life…

Written by: Guy Adams
Directed by: Ken Bentley

• Fiesta of the Damned was the two hundred and fifteenth story in Big Finish’s monthly range.
  
• George Newman is a reporter for the Times.
  
• Juan Romero and Phillipe grew up in the same village.
  
• Farissa is near Valencia.
  
• The Spanish Civil War began when a group of conservative generals revolting against the democratic government out of fear that traditional Catholic values were being undermined and the government was leaning towards Communism.
  
• In 1936, the Spanish Nationalists’ original leader José Sanjurjo was killed in a plane crash caused by the fact that he was carrying too much luggage. He had wanted to look impressive when he took power. He was succeeded by Francisco Franco.
  
• Mayor Antonio Ferrando’s son served in the war and was killed in Galicia.
  
• The Battle of the Ebro River has recently ended with a decisive Nationalist victory over the Republicans. It was the crucial battle of the war and paved the way for Franco to seize power. He ruled Spain until his death in 1975.
  
• The Doctor describes pacifism as “a noble ideal”.
  
• The Doctor previously visited Spain during the Civil War and saved Gustavo Riviera’s life. (The Rapture)
  
• Mel refers to Ricosta. (A Life of Crime
  
• Ace once again refers to Mel as “Donut”. (Dragonfire, A Life of Crime)
  
• The Doctor uses K9’s dog whistle to control the lynx. (The Ribos Operation)
  
• Ace still carries a ladder. (The Curse of Fenric)
  
• The Doctor tells Ace and George that the Time Lords wiped out most of the Great Vampires. (The State of Decay)
  
• Official Fiesta of the Damned page at bigfinish.com
  

coming soon