TDP 1270: #Torchwood 83. Torchwood: Disco PODCAST REVIEW
This title was released in May 2024. It will be exclusively available to buy from the Big Finish website until 31 July 2024, and on general sale after this date. It's 1987 and "Disco" Jones is still dancing. Life and soul, bab, life and soul. Wednesdays is darts at The Merry Miller, Thursdays - shove ha'penny at The Boilermakers, Fridays played by ear, and Saturdays it’s the Disco at Cinderella's. So who is Tom and why does he want to build a fence with him? Gareth David Lloyd said: “It all started last summer, when I said to James that I had an idea for a script and he said he had another couple of thoughts, so would I mind having a look at those as well. “James gave me a few starting points for other ideas, and I chose a pair of them, adapted them, and added my own one, which became Disco.” “Disco has been a long time coming. Ianto's dad has been this nameless entity so far who seems to have been quite a negative force in Ianto’s life. So, I thought it was about time that we made him a three-dimensional character and really looked to who he was and at the reasons Ianto is so affected by him. “Ianto creates an opportunity in Disco to find out who his dad was before he knew him. He is described by old friends as the life and soul of the party. That takes Ianto by surprise as he only knew him as quite a tragic figure. Ianto’s interest is piqued and he wants to meet this version of his dad that people have such fond memories of.” Director Lisa Bowerman said: “Disco is an extraordinary script because Gareth has managed to combine what is essentially a time travelling story with the most authentic, emotional and domestic context. It has a huge arc and a huge depth to it. It’s a brilliant piece of audio drama.” Producer James Goss said: “Disco is a remarkable play. Gareth David-Lloyd tells the story that Torchwood fans have always wanted to know – what's up with Ianto's dad? The answer is joyous and sad. Torchwood at its best takes a classic idea and does something unexpected with it. This is a time travel story about two blokes building a literal fence. It's an epic about the web of time but there's also dancing, darts, and a trip down the dole. “The play is also linked to the Torchwood One box set , released the same month. We've pulled off a coup where a mystery set up in I Hate Mondays is answered in Disco. You can enjoy both titles completely separately, but put together they complete a picture of a truly terrible fortnight in Ianto's life. “Honestly, Disco is magnificent, and Gareth deserves to win all the awards for it.”