One of the best showcases of the Eighth Doctor, this audio adventure has, and I'm not afraid to say so. Paul McGann's very first performance for Big Finish still ranks as one of his — if not the — absolute best. Just listen to his silky, smooth voice as he drifts off into romantic reminiscence as he sits on a gondola as it makes it way through a decaying Venice, and later as he recites pure poetic bliss in the midst of a pivotal plot moment. Simply put, this Doctor and the sensibilities of Paul Magrs are a match made in heaven; the script is bursting with rich lines for not just the Doctor, but for every single character. Charley gets to have her own adventure here, and it's as gloriously bizarre as one would expect from a story of this nature.
This is also an audio experience where Gary Russell's talents as a director pop off to an enormous degree. Venice, decaying and dying due to a century-old curse, is brought to life with the ever-present sound of sinking buildings off in the distance, the snazzy music of decadent masques, and one of Big Finish's best scores ever (composed by Andy Hardwick). Charley Pollard's hallucination is also brought to life in the most aurally pleasing of ways; I know this is an odd thing to comment on, but I've listened to a few drug-induced hallucination scenes in my days and this cannot be topped in terms of its design.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ
The Stones of Venice's reception seems to be drastically divided, and while that confuses me to no end (why would anyone go so far as to hate something so harmless?), I must concede that this isn't for everyone. This is the ultimate Doctor Who pleasure cruise, a drifting theme park ride into a story of love and betrayal, cults and lost portraits, all set in a city of romance that's on its last legs. Its fairy-tale sensibilities may be far from what some people look for in Doctor Who, but for me this is ecstatically good stuff. Whyever would I not love an Eighth Doctor adventure that's filled with beauty, decadence and bedtime story romance? I've listened to The Stones of Venice countless times over many years, and I can confidently say that this is one of my all time favorites from Big Finish — a crowning achievement of performances, storytelling and sound design.
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