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Iris Wildthyme #1.01
Wildthyme at Large
A message to you from Panda:
'Apparently, it has been ten years since Tom's adventures aboard Iris Wildthyme's transdimensional double-decker bus. Tom has now settled into a life of writing weird and wonderful novels (his description; I call them schlocky) about his erstwhile friend in order to support himself and, of course, his best real friend, me! One small, highly intelligent and terribly sophisticated Panda.
Then, one night at a book launch, there was a ruckus in the signing queue. Suddenly, the loud-mouthed floozy of the multiverse was back in his life, no our lives! I ask you, how rude is that? Anyway, she embarrassed him in front of his fans and caused a punch up. Before Tom even knew it, Iris had entrusted him with her most precious possession, ridden off into the night with Robin Hood, and revealed that she was being hunted by evil forces from a higher dimension. Of course, they both needed me to save the day.'
'Apparently, it has been ten years since Tom's adventures aboard Iris Wildthyme's transdimensional double-decker bus. Tom has now settled into a life of writing weird and wonderful novels (his description; I call them schlocky) about his erstwhile friend in order to support himself and, of course, his best real friend, me! One small, highly intelligent and terribly sophisticated Panda.
Then, one night at a book launch, there was a ruckus in the signing queue. Suddenly, the loud-mouthed floozy of the multiverse was back in his life, no our lives! I ask you, how rude is that? Anyway, she embarrassed him in front of his fans and caused a punch up. Before Tom even knew it, Iris had entrusted him with her most precious possession, ridden off into the night with Robin Hood, and revealed that she was being hunted by evil forces from a higher dimension. Of course, they both needed me to save the day.'
2 pages, Audio CD
First published September 30, 2005
1 person is currently reading
38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 27, 2020
When Times are uncertain, always go to Aunty Iris. She knows how to make things better.
March 14, 2010
Tom is an author of an increasingly successful series of novels about Iris Wildthyme, a rather wacky aging lady who dresses flamboyantly and travels through the multiverse in a red London bus. (Number 22 to Putney Common). But Tom has a couple of secrets. One is that his best friend is, for no adequately explained reason, a sentient toy panda. The other is that Iris Wildthyme is real, and Tom's novels are nothing more than retellings of real adventures that Tom had when he travelled with her, some years ago.
Which is fine, until Iris Wildthyme turns up at one of Tom's book signing events, pursued by evil forces who are after her memories, which she has stored in a crystal that she gives to Tom. Hijinx ensue, but by the end Tom and Iris have patched up the differences that made them split up, and Tom, Iris, and Panda are off for new adventures.
Entertainingly wacky is the most succinct way to describe this. David Benson really steals the show as Panda, , who keenly feels the indignity of being regarded by the rest of the world as a mere stuffed toy. A nice start to what I hope are many more adventures.
Which is fine, until Iris Wildthyme turns up at one of Tom's book signing events, pursued by evil forces who are after her memories, which she has stored in a crystal that she gives to Tom. Hijinx ensue, but by the end Tom and Iris have patched up the differences that made them split up, and Tom, Iris, and Panda are off for new adventures.
Entertainingly wacky is the most succinct way to describe this. David Benson really steals the show as Panda, , who keenly feels the indignity of being regarded by the rest of the world as a mere stuffed toy. A nice start to what I hope are many more adventures.
December 3, 2014
I am a sucker for Iris, so maybe my reviews aren't as objective as other sources. I decided to listen to these again because I had just read some Iris novels I hadn't before. Katy Manning is have a ton of fun as Iris. Her performance is so bonkers that it makes listening to them so much fun. Plus, Panda!
I extended my workout at the gym just to finish this in one go. I tend to listen to audioplays/books when working out but usually have to stop when my mind just wants to wander. But, not with Iris. It's so entertaining that I am enthralled at the crazy adventure and wish that one day she'd drag me on to her bus for a go through the multiverse.
I extended my workout at the gym just to finish this in one go. I tend to listen to audioplays/books when working out but usually have to stop when my mind just wants to wander. But, not with Iris. It's so entertaining that I am enthralled at the crazy adventure and wish that one day she'd drag me on to her bus for a go through the multiverse.
September 14, 2020
Wildthyme at Large serves as an introductory tale into the universe of Iris Wildthyme and her best friend Panda, which is something that strikes me odd as Iris very rarely needs any prerequisites to understand. Seriously. 95% of Iris Wildthyme content can be picked up and read without issue.
After Iris stores her memories inside a Memory Crystal from Marlion, an entity known as the Head tries to steal the Crystal from her, she goes to her old friend Tom, entrusting him with the Crystal. She flees to Sherwood Forest, where she's captured by Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Meanwhile, Tom feels guilty about the books he wrote about him and Iris, so he and his friend Panda go to the publishers to get them to relieve Tom of his contract. Unluckily for Tom, the publishers are actually a front for MIAOW (kinda like UNIT) who are trying to discover Iris' secrets...
This story is fast paced, over-the-top pantomime, emphasis on the over-the-top. As well as pantomime stories can work with Iris Wildthyme (see Enter Wildthyme as an example), this story felt really silly. Not in a bad way, but nevertheless silly. For instance, Little John (a member of Robin Hood's Merry Men) is literally tiny. Miniscule even. Speaks with an extremely high pitched squeaking.
As such, being a pantomime, there isn't much depth to the plot.
One thing I always enjoy, are stories that show companions' lives after their travels in the stars, and this is a great example of it done well. After Tom leaves Iris in the 1990s, he becomes an author of books about him and Iris. He also meets Panda, who has also been on his fair share of travels prior to this story, and honestly, I would enjoy an anthology just about Tom and Panda.
And this brings me to the characters themselves. While their characterisations are not that of a masterpiece, they are still really good. A winning combination of Paul Magrs' writing and fantastic actors. Whoever first cast Katy Manning should be knighted. She's perfect as Iris. David Benson as Panda, and Ortis Deley as Tom - they too, are perfect.
Also of note is the music - it's really good. I want Big Finish to go back to releasing soundtracks, as I would buy just so many, and this story's music would be at the top of the list.
Wildthyme at Large isn't the best Iris Wildthyme story, nor a representation of the series as a whole, but I very much enjoyed it, as I always do with the Iris Wildthyme series.
After Iris stores her memories inside a Memory Crystal from Marlion, an entity known as the Head tries to steal the Crystal from her, she goes to her old friend Tom, entrusting him with the Crystal. She flees to Sherwood Forest, where she's captured by Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Meanwhile, Tom feels guilty about the books he wrote about him and Iris, so he and his friend Panda go to the publishers to get them to relieve Tom of his contract. Unluckily for Tom, the publishers are actually a front for MIAOW (kinda like UNIT) who are trying to discover Iris' secrets...
This story is fast paced, over-the-top pantomime, emphasis on the over-the-top. As well as pantomime stories can work with Iris Wildthyme (see Enter Wildthyme as an example), this story felt really silly. Not in a bad way, but nevertheless silly. For instance, Little John (a member of Robin Hood's Merry Men) is literally tiny. Miniscule even. Speaks with an extremely high pitched squeaking.
As such, being a pantomime, there isn't much depth to the plot.
One thing I always enjoy, are stories that show companions' lives after their travels in the stars, and this is a great example of it done well. After Tom leaves Iris in the 1990s, he becomes an author of books about him and Iris. He also meets Panda, who has also been on his fair share of travels prior to this story, and honestly, I would enjoy an anthology just about Tom and Panda.
And this brings me to the characters themselves. While their characterisations are not that of a masterpiece, they are still really good. A winning combination of Paul Magrs' writing and fantastic actors. Whoever first cast Katy Manning should be knighted. She's perfect as Iris. David Benson as Panda, and Ortis Deley as Tom - they too, are perfect.
Also of note is the music - it's really good. I want Big Finish to go back to releasing soundtracks, as I would buy just so many, and this story's music would be at the top of the list.
Wildthyme at Large isn't the best Iris Wildthyme story, nor a representation of the series as a whole, but I very much enjoyed it, as I always do with the Iris Wildthyme series.
April 29, 2024
Really enjoyed this.
Being unable to source any of the books in which Iris first appears and a recent Big Finish character sale, I decided to take the plunge with this one. I loved it from the very beginning. The more frivolous side of the Whoniverse is explored with dimension-traversing double decker buses, sentient panda plushies and ridiculously-voiced baddies. Everything in this story is preposterous and all the better for it. A clever meta-textual twist justifies this as being a soft reboot for listeners new to the character and a fantastic onboarding point for this section of the Whoniverse.
A great story and highly recommended. Can't wait to experience more adventures with Auntie Iris!
Being unable to source any of the books in which Iris first appears and a recent Big Finish character sale, I decided to take the plunge with this one. I loved it from the very beginning. The more frivolous side of the Whoniverse is explored with dimension-traversing double decker buses, sentient panda plushies and ridiculously-voiced baddies. Everything in this story is preposterous and all the better for it. A clever meta-textual twist justifies this as being a soft reboot for listeners new to the character and a fantastic onboarding point for this section of the Whoniverse.
A great story and highly recommended. Can't wait to experience more adventures with Auntie Iris!
January 17, 2022
If you ever want something so crazy, so wild. Katy Manning as Auntie Iris is up your alley.
Prepare for a wild gin and tonic of a series from her creator Paul Magrs, once you meet Iris Wildthyme, your world will never be the same again.
Prepare for a wild gin and tonic of a series from her creator Paul Magrs, once you meet Iris Wildthyme, your world will never be the same again.
December 22, 2025
A pretty good introduction to Iris Wildthyme's adventures, though I think some of the humor would have worked better if I'd actually published a novel and that it should have jelled together just a bit more.
January 12, 2018
Quirky, adventurous, fun!
August 4, 2019
I really like this crazy old lady and her trans dimensional bus. Had a lot of fun listening to this and can't wait to listen to more Iris adventures.
December 6, 2019
Iris shows up at Tom's book reading and pulls him into her world once again.
May 5, 2021
Fun, if a bit hectic. Katy Manning shines as the eponymous heroine.
June 30, 2022
I guess one would expect me to like this, being an author myself and all. Some of it was funny, but not as great as expected.
January 28, 2025
Fun and entertaining episode. Panda easily steals the show
July 9, 2012
...well, that doesn't make me happy: Goodreads just ate the review I wrote.
Short summary, then: surreal lunacy, triple threat of Katy Manning (Iris), David Benson (Panda), Paul Magrs (writer), if you liked Time Bandits and/or the better bits of Hitch-Hiker's, you'll possibly like this. Frankly, this is the part Katy Manning had been waiting for all her life, and she gives it her all.
Short summary, then: surreal lunacy, triple threat of Katy Manning (Iris), David Benson (Panda), Paul Magrs (writer), if you liked Time Bandits and/or the better bits of Hitch-Hiker's, you'll possibly like this. Frankly, this is the part Katy Manning had been waiting for all her life, and she gives it her all.
May 14, 2013
There's nothing like listening to a series completely out of order. Already a fan of Iris and Panda I enjoyed going back to almost the beginning - I say almost because I read her meeting of the 3rd Dr in a BBC book years ago.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews