The Nightmare Fair (novelisation)

The Nightmare Fair, published in 1989, was the first release in the Target Books spin-off line, Target Missing Episodes. This line novelised scripts commissioned for Season 23 before the BBC decided to put Doctor Who on hiatus for 18 months in 1985-1986. When the series returned, it was decided to do a season-long arc called The Trial of a Time Lord and the originally commissioned Season 23 serials were abandoned.

In February 2009, Big Finish announced they would making an audio drama of it as part of their Lost Stories line. 

1989 edition
''On Wednesday 27 February 1985 the BBC announced that their longest running sci-fi series, Doctor Who, was to be suspended. Anxious fans worldwide, worried that this might mean an end to the Time Lord's travels, flooded the BBC with letters of protest. Eighteen months later the show returned to the TV screens.''

''But missing from the Doctor's adventures was the series that would have been made and shown during those lost eighteen months. Now, available for the first time as a book, is one of those stories: The Nightmare Fair.''

Drawn into 'the nexus of the primeval cauldron of Space-Time itself,' the Doctor and Peri are somewhat surprised to find themselves at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Is it really just chance that has brought them to the funfair? Or is their arrival somehow connected with the sinister presence of a rather familiar Chinese Mandarin?

1992 edition
"How often do I have to win before you give up?" the Doctor demanded with a sigh. "Oh lots," replied the Mandarin...

In February 1985 the BBC announced that their longest-running SF series, Doctor Who was to be suspended. Anxious fans worldwide, worried that this might put an end to the Time Lord's longevity, flooded the BBC with letters of protest. Eighteen months later the show returned to the TV screens.

But missing from the Doctor's adventures was the series and would have been made and shown during those eighteen months, and contained in this volume is one of those stories: THE NIGHTMARE FAIR.

Drawn into the nexus of the primeval caudron itself, the Doctor and Peri are somewhat surprised to find themselves at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Is it really just chance that has brought them to the funfair? Or is their arrival somehow connected with the sinister presence of a rather familiar Chinese Mandarin?

Characters

 * Sixth Doctor
 * Peri
 * Celestial Toymaker
 * Kevin
 * Stefan
 * Woman
 * Shardow
 * Yatsumoto
 * Geoff

Production Notes

 * Doctor who's Audio Series producer David Richardson briefed all the Composers including Jamie Robertson to give the lost stories season an original but classic "80's Retro" feel.
 * Jamie used Various Synths for the music soundtrack and sound design including an AKAI AX-80 and a Yamaha SY85.

Continuity

 * Seven months before this audio was released, Big Finish brought back the Celestial Toymaker in The Magic Mousetrap.
 * In this story, the Doctor marked a reference to City of Death character, Duggan.

Timeline

 * This story takes place after ST: A Star is Reborn
 * This story takes place before TME: The Ultimate Evil

Audio adaptations
In 2003 an unofficial audio drama adaptation of the novel/TV script was produced by Argolis. Produced in two episodes on a single CD, the production was released as a charity fund-raiser for Sense, and included liner notes by Anthony Read, who chose the charity. The CD cover does not identify it as a Doctor Who story, but rather gives the overall title as Series X.

In November 2009, an official full cast audio drama adaptation will be released by Big Finish Productions. Recording was finished on the 10th March 2009. The audio drama stars Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor, Nicola Bryant as Peri and David Bailie as the Celestial Toymaker. It is the first in a spin-off series called The Lost Stories which will adapt stories planned for television production, specifically the aborted Season 23, but never made.