There’s a high definition herpetological treat in store for fans of Doctor Who’s premier businessman, as Sil comes to Blu-ray this November. Nabil Shaban returns to the role he made his own with a new adventure, written by the character’s creator, Philip Martin: Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor.
In this original story, directed by Keith Barnfather, we find Sil imprisoned on the moon, facing deportation for drugs offences committed on Earth. If deported, the ravening reptile faces a death sentence. With the clock ticking, Sil must use all his resources of cunning, dishonesty, and amoral scheming to avoid his Waterloo.
Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor also features Sophie Aldred (Ace), Janet Henfrey (The Curse of Fenric, Mummy on the Orient Express), Sakuntala Ramanee (Survival), and Christopher Ryan (Mindwarp, The Sontaran Stratagem, The Poison Sky and, of course, The Young Ones) reprises his role as Sil’s boss, Kiv.
Sil first appeared in Vengeance on Varos (written by Philip Martin) in 1985 and immediately made a big impact on Doctor Who fans with Shaban’s superb makeup, memorable vocal performance, inimitable laugh, and endearingly unapologetic cocktail of avarice, malice, and sycophancy. Such was the success of the toadying toad, he came back the following year for Peri Brown’s swansong, Mindwarp. Shaban has since returned to the role in the Big Finish audio dramas, Mission to Magnus in 2009 and Antidote to Oblivion in 2013 (both written by Martin).
Fans can also watch interviews with Shaban and Ryan as part of the new The Doctors: More Monsters! DVD. This 2 disc, 5-hour release also includes interviews with the late Stephen Thorne (Omega in The Three Doctors, Azal in The Daemons and Eldrad in The Hand of Fear), Terry Molloy (Davros in Resurrection, Revelation, and Remembrance of the Daleks and Big Finish’s I, Davros), and Who rubber suit veterans, Stuart Fell and Jon Davey.
Sil and the Devil Seeds of Arodor will receive a special premiere screening at the Rudolf Steiner House Theatre in London on 3rd November and at the QUAD in Derby on the 8th. Both this and More Monsters will be available on the 4th of November and can be pre-ordered on the links.
