One of my lasting memories from growing up in the '70s was playing the Escape from Colditz boardgame - recreating the heroism of WWII prisoners-of-war trying to escape from the Nazi's "most secure" facility.One of the many things I loved about this game - above and beyond the sheer nail-biting excitement of a good game - was the treasure trove of replica documents included in the game. I guess this was planting the first seeds of "role-playing" in my head that would take root several years later when I discovered Dungeons & Dragons!
So, I suspect it was this childhood memory, coupled with my inner Indiana Jones, that was quite excited by the idea of a Big Finish Doctor Who audio play pitting the Doctor and Ace against Nazis in an adventure around Colditz Castle (Oflag IV C).I picked up the disc for a snip on eBay and then had the added fanboy thrill of discovering the main Nazi antagonist - a sleazy and sadistic sergeant called Kurtz - was played by none other than David Tennant! This was recorded back in 2001 ... a lifetime before he would have even thought it possible that he could ultimately be on the other end of the gun as the adventurous time traveller.
The story itself is classic Who, with the involvement of another time traveller, messed-up history, conflicted characters and Ace finally growing up. I was never a fan of Ace when this era of Dr Who was first being screened, and even now when I watch episodes on DVD, the "80s London street kid" still really jars despite Sophie Aldred's strong portrayal. But here, in this audio drama, when she spends a lot of time away from the Doctor, the character really comes into her own.
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