Critical Praise for Kaldor City: Hidden Persuaders

 

"Escapist it ain't. Hidden Persuaders has 22 voices, some very familiar names... Regulars Russell Hunter and Paul Darrow are served well as ever. Kaldor City is building into a detailed and interesting dystopia. Each play has given up storm mines of information, where the fuller picture seems to be as thought-out and considered as the plot in hand. As dark as Kaldor is, I find myself interested to know what's next."
--Vanessa Bishop, Doctor Who Magazine

"Hidden Persuaders benefits from a growing confidence in the production team, with the various plot elements interweaving with each other brilliantly to form a superb piece of drama. Basing a series around corrupt and/or amoral individuals is a risky business as the lack of conventional heroes can sometimes alienate the audience. Anti-heroes must be charismatic and full of conviction in both the way they are written and performed to function successfully, and in this respect the Kaldor City audios achieve this superbly with their three distinct leads."
--Simon Catlow, Shockeye's Kitchen

"The script, by Jim Smith and professional anthropologist Dr Fiona Moore, has a troubling real-life resonance regarding the political manipulation of public fears about terrorism. But Uvanov’s own machinations blow up in his face, just as the West’s supply of weapons to corrupt regimes in the past now poses a threat to Western nations. Once again, the Magic Bullet team have provided us with an intriguing and intelligent tale. ['Hidden Persuaders'] sows plenty of seeds for intriguing future developments, including a character who might just prove to be Iago’s equal."
--Richard McGinlay, Sci-Fi Online

"This seemed like the most straightforward of the Kaldor City audios so far.... At the same time, I like the way the impression of simplicity is so deceptive, as the overall story is tangling nicely. The seam of black comedy that's running through the audio gives the whole series an edge and a very distinctive style."
--Daniel O'Mahony

"Just wanted to offer you a round of applause for 'Hidden Persuaders'! I bought a copy and it is very well-done all around-- the equal of the first CD, if not better! "
--Friday Jones

"This latest addition to the Kaldor City series well and truly lives up to the high standards set by Occam's Razor and Death's Head, with the superb acting and production that fans of the series are fast coming to expect as par for the course. The dangerous Iago, played with customary flair by Paul Darrow, supplies the usual helping of humour... and of course plenty of comic-strip violence. Uvanov (Russell Hunter) and Landerchild (Peter Miles) continue their fascinating psychopolitical jousting, Carnell (Scott Fredericks) is as exquisitely irritating as ever, and Rull (Trevor Cooper) and Cotton (Brian Croucher) provide a combination of plot teaser and light relief."
--Sarah McEvoy, AVON

"Smith and Moore use the best techniques from current episodic television to produce layered storytelling that balances humour, drama and character. The intercutting of the plot strands dispels the 'stagey' feeling that many audio plays seem to be stuck with, and ensures the attention doesn't waver. Characters and humour are, let's face it, where Kaldor City is at. 'Hidden Persuaders' is another excellent release."
--Mark Clapham

"The cast, as always, are excellent, with Russell Hunter really getting a chance to shine as Firstmaster Chairholder Uvanov. Kaston Iago (Paul Darrow) is not so much the central figure of the story as he was in the series' initial offering Occam's Razor, but never fear, he is still a powerful presence, and the shift in focus gives other actors, notably... David Bickerstaff (as the splendidly unhinged terrorist Manzerak) a chance at the spotlight. Of the new cast members, Nicholas Courtney and Jasmine Breaks form a rather terrifying duo as members of the Kaldor City News Team, and David Collings delivers a subtle performance as a rebel leader whom one suspects has a prior connection with Uvanov. The story is set off nicely by Alistair Lock's cinematic production style; I particularly like the way in which he uses the background noises of the city to set the mood of each scene, rather than relying on incidental music."
-Philip Davis, Celestial Toyroom

 

Full reviews of "Hidden Persuaders" by James Applegate and Patrick Chapman are also available on this site.