The Sirens of Time is a strange beast. It's the first of the Big Finish official Doctor Who audio plays. It's also a multi-Doctor story, featuring the 5th, 6th and 7th incarnations of everybody's favourite Time Lord.

The Doctor, currently in his seventh incarnation, finds himself trapped on a strange planet, where killer insects are on the loose and the ‘inhabitants’ are far from helpful.

Meanwhile, his previous two incarnations are also in dire straights. With the 5th Doctor a prisoner on a German U-Boat and the 6th stuck on a stricken spaceship, the future looks grim for the Time Lord.

But he can't expect any help from Gallifrey, which is having problems of its own. Who are the mysterious Knights of Velyshaa? What is the secret of the Temperon? And can the three Doctors unite to save Gallifrey from the Sirens of Time?

Unfortunately, The Sirens of Time doesn't quite work. The first three episodes are devoted to a Doctor each, with them all involved in seemingly different adventures. This means that the cliffhangers are not resolved at the start of the next episode, which is a strange move. It makes for a disjointed feeling to the overall story, with the action jumping from Doctor to Doctor at the end and beginning of the first three episodes.

Each separate adventure works quite well in isolation, with these three incarnations of the Doctor working well together in the final part. Peter, Colin and Sylvester sound like they really enjoyed working together, and that sense of camaraderie is evident in the final episode where they share some excellent scenes together. And while there is also some entertaining bickering, even they cannot lift the confusion that reigns in that final episode.

Of the guest cast, a special mention must go to Sarah Mowat, who plays a separate character in every episode, each of them very different. It is certainly a challenge but one that the young actress rises to very well. Also worthy of note are the stalwart of the Auton video series Michael Wade as the Time Lord President and Who author Mark Gatiss, who like Sarah Mowat plays a number of roles within the play.

Nick Briggs' script seems too rushed, with explanations and new problems piling on top of each other. However, there is enough promising material in this story to give plenty of hope that the future is safe in the hands of Big Finish.