Visiting the English seaside town of Cromer in the summer of 1932, the Doctor happens upon the strange world of the Cromer Palace of Curios. The young Ernestina Scott is unusually beguiled by one of the museum's exhibits, and when the Doctor befriends her, they unwittingly embark upon a terrifying escapade. Chased by animated dolls through a nightmarish model house, the Doctor realises he is being hunted by a familiar enemy. The unmistakable sound of hornets is in the air, and they are keen to speak to him. Overseeing this game of cat and mouse is the Palace of Curios' curator - a certain Mrs Wibbsey...With Tom Baker as the Doctor, Richard Franklin as Mike Yates, Susan Jameson as Mrs Wibbsey, Clare Corbett as Ernestina, and Christian Rodska as the Reverend Small, "The Dead Shoes" is the second of five linked stories written by the acclaimed Paul Magrs. '...a lively mix of humour and horror...' - "Cambs Times". '...Baker delivers the drama and intensity that you recognise from the Forth Doctor of old' - "Doctor Who Magazine".
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... a lively mix of humour and horror... -- Cambs Times, October 15, 2009
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Story #1, "The Stuff of Nightmares", was entertaining but a bit full of exposition and never really felt scary. With this second story however the pace changes and the mood darkens.
Set in an English seaside town in the 1920s the plot concerns a pair of 'enchanted ballet slippers', except that, as is usual in Doctor Who, the enchantment turns out to have a 'scientific' explanation (involving power-hungry aliens). The slippers are on exhibition in the town's museum, a creepily deserted place; and we arrive as they prepare to claim their next victim.
Great stuff, reminiscent of the Philip Hinchcliffe era and wonderfully voiced by Tom Baker and the supporting cast. Tightly plotted and genuinely suspenseful.
By the end of the story we also understand more about the nefarious 'Hornets' and their evil plan.
Set in an English seaside town in the 1920s the plot concerns a pair of 'enchanted ballet slippers', except that, as is usual in Doctor Who, the enchantment turns out to have a 'scientific' explanation (involving power-hungry aliens). The slippers are on exhibition in the town's museum, a creepily deserted place; and we arrive as they prepare to claim their next victim.
Great stuff, reminiscent of the Philip Hinchcliffe era and wonderfully voiced by Tom Baker and the supporting cast. Tightly plotted and genuinely suspenseful.
By the end of the story we also understand more about the nefarious 'Hornets' and their evil plan.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
After the initial story's slightly restrained re-introduction of the Fourth Doctor as played by Tom Baker, part 2 really gets the ball rolling. The storyline is indeed extremely macabre, but this simply echoes the Gothic feel of Baker's mid-period TV stories, and the creepy and doom-laden atmosphere only enhances his rich and booming delivery of a host of classic lines. Baker and writer Paul Magrs are both clearly at the top of their games, and the supporting cast (including a sadly sidelined Richard Franklin) are great value too. A superb installment in a great series - roll on part 3!
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By M. Evans
Format:Audio CD
The second installment of Tom Baker's 5 story return as the Doctor is a step up in quality from the first episode, which itself was hugely enjoyable, although it did feel a little awkward in places and Baker took a while to settle back into a role that he hadn't played properly for nearly 30 years. Here, however, he sounds much more like the Doctor we know, and throws himself whole-heartedly into the action. Baker really sounds like he's enjoying himself here, and gives a wonderful performance, much more like the fourth Doctor, and less like the Tom Baker, Little Britain narrator he often came across as in the first story. It helps greatly that the story itself is a much better one, with more great characters than part one had, a great setting, excellent performances from the other actors, and a fantastically strange, bizarre and macabre storyline. It also benefits from giving the Doctor a companion of sorts for this story, as Baker's Doctor has someone to bounce off like he did in the old series, the character just doesn't work very well when he's on his own. Also, the balance between spoken narration and audio drama is more even in this installment, about 50% narration and 50% audio drama.
Richard Franklin's Mike Yates has, unfortunately, very little to do here, appearing just at the beginning and at the end, although this does help as there is no intrusions throughout the story, as there was in the first part, with the Doctor breaking off mid way through his 'tale' to speak with him.
I enjoyed the first story, but I found this one to be better by far.... Read more ›
Richard Franklin's Mike Yates has, unfortunately, very little to do here, appearing just at the beginning and at the end, although this does help as there is no intrusions throughout the story, as there was in the first part, with the Doctor breaking off mid way through his 'tale' to speak with him.
I enjoyed the first story, but I found this one to be better by far.... Read more ›
By Keen Reader
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This story, the second in the Hornet's Nest series, follows on well from the first story, The Stuff of Nightmares.
The story would not stand well on its own, but follow on nicely as a second instalment, with background becoming clearer on Mrs Wibbsey, and the link between Percy Noggins and the insects making a bit more of a linear transition. As the Doctor moves back in time the hornets are moving forwards - should make for an interesting meeting point at some stage in this series!
Tom Baker is well in form in this story, with his wonderful tones ringing out the story; you feel as if you are there in the Nest with him and Mike Yates as he tells the story of the Dead Shoes ... and the feet still in them.
Can't wait for the next one! I can feel the story building up to something really spectacular and who better than Tom Baker to spin this gothic yarn in his own inimitable way.
The story would not stand well on its own, but follow on nicely as a second instalment, with background becoming clearer on Mrs Wibbsey, and the link between Percy Noggins and the insects making a bit more of a linear transition. As the Doctor moves back in time the hornets are moving forwards - should make for an interesting meeting point at some stage in this series!
Tom Baker is well in form in this story, with his wonderful tones ringing out the story; you feel as if you are there in the Nest with him and Mike Yates as he tells the story of the Dead Shoes ... and the feet still in them.
Can't wait for the next one! I can feel the story building up to something really spectacular and who better than Tom Baker to spin this gothic yarn in his own inimitable way.
By Andy
Format:Audio CD
Firstly this Edition of the umbrella story 'Hornet's Nest' is part two in a five part fantasmagorical, baroque, enthralling, grotesque adventures featuring the Fourth Doctor. As colourful, funny and quirky as Tom Baker's 7 year run was, one gets the impression that these audio adventures are exactly as they should have been had Tom Baker had 100% creative input into the show. Which is to say that although his TV stories were always the best, has Hornet's Nest been made for TV the ratings would have shot through the roof as nobody in Britain would have been watching anything else.
The first installment 'Stuff of Nightmares' was a fantastic beginning if one is a fan of the weird, wacky and wonderful but this second adventure is where the dirt and grime of the story begin to appear. If you are interested in curiosities, the bizarre and the grotesque then allow Tom Baker and the narrative of these stories take you to a 'Palace of Curios' in the town of Cromer 1932 and encounter the Dead Shoes!
The first installment 'Stuff of Nightmares' was a fantastic beginning if one is a fan of the weird, wacky and wonderful but this second adventure is where the dirt and grime of the story begin to appear. If you are interested in curiosities, the bizarre and the grotesque then allow Tom Baker and the narrative of these stories take you to a 'Palace of Curios' in the town of Cromer 1932 and encounter the Dead Shoes!
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4.0 out of 5 stars
the dollhouse of doom
Second in the new series of doctor who talking books from the bbc that feature tom baker reprising the role. Read more
Published on 24 Oct 2009 by Paul Tapner
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended! The saga continues. . .
The disc starts with a helpful "The story so far. . ." recap before launching into an intriguing, (and just plain batty), tale of dancers, dolls' houses, piers, hornets and Tom... Read more
Published on 2 Oct 2009 by M. Edmonds
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