All of Time's a Stage. (Doctor Who - The Talons Of Weng Chiang (DVD))

Member Name: marlowe

Product:	Doctor Who - The Talons Of Weng Chiang (DVD)
Date:	26/06/09 (24 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good plot, good effects and good acting

Disadvantages: Too long, parts could be edited out.

At the Palace Theatre in London in the latter years of the nineteenth century, the audience are astounded every night by the act of one Li H'sen Chang, a magician who incorporates levitation and hypnosis into his repertoire, with the "aid" of a sinister mannequin known as Mr Sin. Yet the entertainment is shadowed by increasing reports of missing girls and young women in the area and when the husband of one of the women observes her entering the theatre shortly before her disappearance and challenges Li H'sen Chang over it, it becomes apparent that that magician is closely connected with the cases in question. For behind his magnetic and authorative personality lies a centuries old secret. With the assistance of a group of Chinese men who belong to a sect named "The Black Scorpion", Li H'sen Chang uses the cover of the theatre to assist in his over riding goal, enabling his master - a being seemingly the God Weng Chiang - into recovering a strange cabinet from the house of a Professor of Pathology, a Professor Litefoot, and enabling Weng Chiang to rejuvenate. As they move ever closer to their goal and the powers of both Weng Chiang and Li H'sen Chang become more evident, it appears that nothing will prevent them from accomplishing their task. Yet their efforts coincide with the arrival of the Doctor and his companion Leela, who have decided to visit London during the later Victorian years so that Leela may witness how her ancestors used to enjoy themselves. As events conspire to draw the Doctor and Leela into the paths of Li H'sen Chang and his associates, it becomes clear that if the magician and his God are to be prevented, the Time Lord and his companion will not only need all their skill and courage, but also the assistance of others. In a narrative heavily drawing upon the Sherlock Holmes stories and - to a lesser extent - Pygmalion, the Doctor, Leela, the owner of the theatre (a verbose fellow named Henry Gordon Jago) and Professor Litefoot unite forces to uncovering the true secrets of Li H'sen Chang and Weng Chiang and thwarting their goals.

First shown in 1977 and showing Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor and Louise Jameson as his companion Leela, "The Talons of Weng Chiang" is one of the more lengthy Doctor Who stories, being comprised of six episodes and whilst, unfortunately, that does result in some unnecessary padding, the overall appearance is one of an intriguing plot which captures the viewer's imagination more than adequately. Through the use of various themes we are subjected to a thought provoking and adventurous account which manages to incorporate both the historical and sci - fi elements of a good Doctor Who plot. Probably the most evident themes - as mentioned previously - are the representations of the Sherlock Holmes stories and "Pygmalion". With the former this is noted not only by the implication given to other characters that the Doctor is a private investigator, but also with his change of apparel into something which closely resembles the garb of Holmes, a reference to a housekeeper named Mrs Hudson and, of course, the strong themes of detecting which run throughout the episodes. The Doctor does not have a strong a detached nature as his fictional counterpart, yet like that detective he is able to command a sense of authority over others which rapidly establish him as the controller of the investigation. It may be wondered if Tom Baker's depiction in this role inspired later producers to cast him in his role as Sherlock Holmes after he hung up the Doctor Who mantle. At any rate he manages to balance his role admirably well, ensuring that the personality of the Doctor is still very much apparent, yet at the same time allowing the viewers to note the parallels between that persona and that of Sherlock Holmes.

In addition to the Holmes comparison, the "Pygmalion" element is also firmly established with the efforts of the Doctor to teach Leela what may be considered to be socially acceptable, in Victorian London and the wider context. The contrast between the conventional late 19th century female dress which Leela wears and the strong influences of her life as a member of the Sevateem which continue to direct much of her actions. Her unquestioning account of how she was taught to stab someone to Professor Litefoot is one such example, as is her decision to eat a large piece of meat with her hands when she is at the Professor's house, rather than using a knife and fork as other women of her apparent time would have been expected to do. It is noticeable that in this similarity, there is no attempt to belittle or patronise Leela. Indeed, Professor Litefoot reveals himself to be the perfect host by not embarrassing her and promptly eats his piece of meat in exactly the same manner. The Doctor assists her with several matters, explaining at one point that he is trying to get her to think, yet he is also sensible enough to realise that a complete eradication of her prior self would be dangerous. When the Doctor's life is threatened and Leela takes matters into her own hands, the Doctor changes his attitude from reprimanding to agreeing that she had better accompany him on his journey. Moreover, Leela's character is shown to be intelligent and questioning, able to come directly to the root of the matter in an uncomplicated way. This is noted particularly when the Doctor - talking about another character - refers to a complicated description of dna and cell regeneration, to which Leela states that this being is like a water bag with a hole in the bottom which is getting bigger. Her sharpness is also noted when she says to the Doctor "you ask me so you can tell me" when he asks her a question that she can not possibly know the answer to."

Lesser themes are also apparent with "The Talons of Weng Chiang" and one of these is the shifting of power balances and the ways in which various personalities within the episodes command control over others. For the theatre owner, Henry Gordon Jago, his management of the theatre and the staff is accomplished via a sort of genial verbosity which makes those he works for like and trust him. His initial attempts to dissuade the handyman Casey that there is nothing sinister about the theatre cellar are done in a way which, whilst making it plain he thinks Casey is overreacting, is nevertheless fairly kind. This relaxed and jovial nature, which must, by dint of the fact he is able to own and manage a theatre, hide a reasonably determined and controlling personality contrasts with the far more sinister nature of Li H'sen Chang. For much of the earlier episodes, that magician is very subtly in charge of what occurs around him. His quietly spoken voice combined with his deceptively mild nature and the respect which he commands not only at the theatre, but also at the police station, results in others subconsciously deferring to him even when he is not deliberately mesmerising them. Yet his nature transforms itself dramatically when he is with Weng Chiang and the viewers are witness now to a man who cowers, who craves acceptance and who is very plainly subordinate. Weng Chiang commands through fear, his violent outburst indicating someone beset not only by megalomaniacal tendencies, but also fear. It is perhaps noticeable that here, in Weng Chiang we have a noticeable difference between himself and the Doctor. Whereas it may be suggested that Weng Chiang is essentially weak since he can only command through brute force and the subjugation of others, the Doctor is able to establish at least an equal level of command through gaining respect and through a quiet authority which does not need to use fear to accomplish it. The subtle way in which he goes from paying heed to and obeying what the police officer says to gaining command of the situation within one scene is indicative of his ability to be in charge by barely thinking about it. Indeed, it may be stated that Weng Chiang and The Doctor are opposite parts of each other. Whilst I do not want to spoil the story by revealing too much of the secrets of Weng Chiang, it is possible to note the main similarities. Both the Time Lord and Weng Chiang have escaped from their own beings via a rickety time capsule, both have devoted companions and both are advanced far ahead of others in the story. Yet whereas The Doctor uses his abilities and knowledge to assist others, Weng Chiang seeks only for his own aims and considers others to be dispensable. The differing attitudes towards the lives of others are established firmly within the episodes. When the Doctor moves to help someone who is injured and who has tried to harm him, this contrasts sharply with Weng Chiang who will happily kill without a second's regret.

It is also clear, when watching "The Talons of Weng Chiang" that many of the characters within it are putting on a show for others, a deliberate point with the theatre at the focus of the story. The deception, either mild and harmless or for more dangerous means, which the characters employ is noted in several ways. Leela plays, to some extent at least, the part of a Victorian lady, the Doctor is the eminent private investigator, Henry Gordon Jago covers up his fears with an aura of magnanimous verbosity, Li H'sen Chang hides his subservience to Weng Chiang with a command over others and Weng Chiang himself is not entirely who he appears to be. Secrets abound throughout most of the events of the episodes and, whether benign or malignant, all have an important role to play within the plot.

If one of the main focuses of the episodes is that of an elaborate show, then the actors portraying the role rise to the occasion with mostly admirable ease. Tom Baker is as strong in his depiction of The Doctor as ever and combines his usual balance of deliberate frivolity with a gravity befitting to the circumstances. Louse Jameson manages to incorporate the naivety of Leela with her nature without descending into farce or complete unbelievability. Christopher Benjamins's portrayal of Henry Gordon Jago is entertaining and at times clearly reveals the mask which that person puts on before others. The quiet way in which he tells Professor Litefoot "I'm not so bally brave" is in sharp contrast with his usual exuberant persona. John Bennet gives a superb performance as Li H'sen Chang and whilst it is disappointing that the casting didn't employ a Chinese actor in this role, Bennet nonetheless manages to play the part without resorting to over the top stereotypes. Instead he moves easily from the differing characterisations of Li H'sen Chang - the enigmatic and magnetic personality of one side as well as the craven, desperate efforts of the other. Trevor Baker's part as Professor Litefoot is also admirably done, the appearance of a reserved and respected gentleman evident throughout his appearances. Chris Gannon as Casey does sometimes step too far into farce and overacting, but for the most part handles the depiction well. Deep Roy makes a good appearance as the repugnant Mr Sin, ensuring that he acts well within the very limited confines of the role of a mannequin. In terms of the extras, or the minor characters, on the whole these are acted very well, the actors playing the parts of The Black Scorpion group establishing their parts admirably and other extras manage to encapsulate the variety of late Victorian personalities in a way which enhances the overall plot.

With the episodes centred around a theatre in late Victorian London, with various mysterious phenomena occurring, it would be expected that the special effects, costumes and scenery would be needed to put to ample use and this is greatly achieved. Cast and crew have worked well to provide the viewers with a realistic appearance of the late nineteenth century city, even going as far as to cover a car in hay in one shot when they couldn't move it, rather than cutting that scene a little. The ordinary lives of the populace are made evident throughout the narrative, through good visual effects and the acting within the episodes. Furthermore, when the scenes call for more complicated special effects, such as the appearance of giant creatures or the use of Weng Chiang's murderous apparatus, then the results - whilst obviously not being completely realistic - are nevertheless fairly convincing.

If a criticism is to be made of "The Talons of Weng Chiang" it is that, at six episodes, the story is too long. That is not to state that its length purely makes it too long, there are times when such a time scale can be understood. Yet many scenes are inserted more as padding, extended too long or simply not necessary. The short appearance of a singer before Li H'sen Chang appears for his act is one example. If a remake where to be done, it is quite probable that the story could be cut by one third and still retains its focus and its intriguing nature. This is just a small criticism, however, and the plot is still an enjoyable one.

In conclusion, "The Talons of Weng Chiang" is one of the strongest and most memorable of the Fourth Doctor stories and probably of Doctor Who as a whole. Combining murder, subterfuge and even pathos at times with humour and a good pseudo - historical account the episodes are highly recommended. Moreover, whilst much of the effect of the show comes from its appearance, such is the strong acting and plot that with some reworking the story could be adapted to an audio work without too much effort.

Summary: Worth watching.