Venus Mantrap (Bernice Summerfield Big Finish) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Mark Clapham (Author)

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Big Finish Productions (August 31, 2009)
• ISBN-10: 1844354229
• ISBN-13: 978-1844354221
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,144,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Claptrap, October 9, 2010

By 

S Maslin (Utsunomiya, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Venus Mantrap (Bernice Summerfield Big Finish) (Audio CD)

It doesn't take long into 'Venus Mantrap' to work out that we are in for something akin to a Passover Seder meal served with chocolate fudge ice cream moulded into the shape of a carrot. Half profundity and depth, half base comedy.

Example One: "Since Jason's death..." says Benny, all broken and regretful for the loss of her wayward ex-husband, cueing sensitive harp music. Then her rival Scoblow responds in the Packars' trademark comedy-rodent voice and the music goes all cutesy again, from fourth gear into reverse and back again in one uneasy manoeuvre. Scoblow and Bernice's bickering tries to be entertaining and as the story creaks on, it seems clear that we are supposed to be concentrating on 'funny', Benny being obliged to pass herself off as a 'Love Drone' for instance. But suddenly, in the midst of her flirtatious exchange with her client N'Jok we get: "I'm not quite sure if I'm ready... I just lost..." Then right back to the hilarious hi-jinx. Problem is, it's not hilarious. Not at all. Nothing wrong with the cast or the production, it's just that the script is not at all amusing when it is clearly trying so hard to be so.

Example Two: Twisk's speech goes way over the limit in the smut department, without once threatening to produce so much as a smile. (What is this, 'Carry On Up The Cosmos'?)

Example Three: Mister Felterby whom we see at the beginning is not in fact a tourist but a... Which means... Oh, my sides! And a ship explodes... And Peter's been kidnapped...

And who the hell cares...