| THE MASSACRE (OF ST BARTHOLOMEW'S EVE) by John Lucarotti |
| Story 22 Synopsis: The TARDIS lands in Paris, 1572. The Doctor goes to visit Charles Preslin, and Steven looks around the city. He befriends some Huguenots, but maintains he is not taking sides. He believes the Doctor is impersonating a local dignitary, the Abbot of Amboise. There is a religious fervour about the city, and talk of a repeat of Wassy. As events spiral out of control, the Abbot is brutally murdered, and Steven flees, believing himself trapped. He has befriended a local girl, Anne. The Doctor returns from his visit, and flees swiftly with Steven, but refuses to take Anne with them. The TARDIS makes a short stop in London, where Steven storms off at the Doctor's policy of non-interference. He returns with a girl named Dodo, who could be a descendant of Anne's. The TARDIS leaves. |
| Review:- Long overlooked, it seems that this story is gaining favour now, for its drama and intrigue. Also, it perhaps helps to have such a savage and hitherto unfamiliar episode of history to examine. France was as regular a haunt for this Doctor as Skaro, and here we meet another man named Colbert! How coincidental. But, of course, the tragic slaughter is dressed up with a little double dealing, as William Hartnell gets a rare chance to take a holiday from playing the Doctor, whilst remaining on screen. That the Abbot is such a reprehensible character makes the contrast all the more shocking (a point that would also count well for Salamander in The Enemy Of The World). His death is as harsh as any, and Steven's panic is quite understandable. The other chicanery concerns Anne Chaplette. Did the Doctor condemn her, and does the arrival of Dodo suggest she escaped? Well, in the book, he does try to save her, and also claims that Chaplette is a common French surname anyway. So, who can say? It does allow for a scene of real power, when Steven walks out on the Doctor altogether. The actual bulk of the cast is quite average, but perhaps this is an unfair claim to make of 'real' people. But it is a great idea to counter the prelude to the Massacre with the Doctor's sudden and overwhelming desire to meet someone famous. I can recommend this as a strong and thought-provoking piece of drama, and an educational look into a historical episode little remembered. And the danger of religious mania is as relevant now as it was in 1966, when this was shown, and 1572, when the events in question happened. |
| Disclaimer: I've read the book. |