"Welcome to the Forge..."

Some time after their adventure at The Dusk night-club in London, the Doctor has finally perfected an antidote to the Twilight Virus, used to turn humans into vampires. Setting the TARDIS to tracking mode, he and Evelyn set out to help Cassie, an unfortunate victim of the virus they left in self-imposed exile in Scandinavia.

Unfortunately, the TARDIS is unable to return them to a point just after they left and some years have passed for Cassie. She has almost given up hope and when the sinister Nimrod arrives, things take a definite turn for the worse.

Taken to the Forge, an independent research station using much alien material left behind by would be invaders, the Doctor and Evelyn just manage to escape with their lives. But Nimrod still has plans to put into effect his Project: Lazarus, whichever incarnation of the Doctor turns up next!

I must say, I wasn't a particular fan of the story this is a sequel to, Project: Twilight. But Lazarus is a much better tale I'm pleased to admit. It takes the villainous Nimrod back to his base of operations, The Forge, a secret base hidden under Dartmoor.

The regulars are on top form, with Colin Baker taking a more sensitive line with the Sixth Doctor and Maggie Stables' Evelyn admitting to Cassie that she has kept a big secret from the Time Lord. These two are developing well together and their latest four outings (this one, plus Jubilee, The Pirates and Real Time) have all stretched the previously cosy relationship they have enjoyed. It will be interesting to see where Big Finish take them next.

In the second half of the play its Sylvester McCoy that Colin gets to spark off, and a wonderful pairing of bickering Gallifreyans they make too. Not since the Troughton/Pertwee meetings have two Doctors created such friction! But it's all natural, nothing sounds forced and it seems obvious that the two of them had great fun recording their scenes together.

Also getting their share of the limelight are Stephen Chance as the menacing Nimrod and Rosie Cavaliero as Cassie, the returning characters from Project: Twilight. Both develop their parts well and take these second opportunities to add layers of depth to the roles they play.

The plot of Lazarus hangs together better than Twilight before it. The action moves fast and I was quite surprised by the time of the third episode cliff-hanger that there was only one more episode left to run! And once again, the ending has been left open for the possibility of another story, which would presumably feature the Eighth Doctor. Something for us Big Finish fans to look forward too.

All in all, a very good adventure, well plotted and acted. Highly recommended.