Illuminating the past

Marc Platt, writer of the Victorian-set Ghost Light and numerous audio adventures, reveals how historical research shapes his stories.

INTERVIEW BY GRAHAM KIBBLE-WHITE

Josiah Smith (Ian Hogg) and his ward Gwendoline (Katharine Schlesinger) in Ghost Light.

It had been a while since Marc Platt watched Ghost Light, the three-part story he wrote for Doctor Who in 1989.

Marc Platt, the writer of the 1989 story Ghost Light

“But I looked at a bit of it this morning,” he says. “I wasn’t quite sure what I thought. There are so many wonderful things about the production values. So much care went into it. There’s a lot I liked. However, it also felt a bit rushed. People always say it needs another episode. I think it just needs another five minutes on each, to let it breathe. And yet, it’s my first-born, so I absolutely adore it. Oh, I don’t know... Conflicted feelings!”

The Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace (Sophie Aldred) are dinner guests at Gabriel Chase in Part One.

Marc set the story in 1883, but admits the year he chose for his tale had no particular relevance (“Although I think it’s the year of Krakatoa actually”) other than to tally with Ace’s memories of firebombing the house a century later when she was a young teen. However, the Victorian period was one he felt comfortable tackling. “I’ve always really loved BBC costume drama. I grew up on all those half-past five Sunday afternoon Dickensian things. Andrew Cartmel, the script editor, andI both thought that it was one of the things the BBC does best.”