Class: Audio Volumes 3 & 4 - Trailers and Cover Art

Class: The Audio Adventures Volumes 3 & 4 - Trailers and Cover Art

By Jamie H. C.

It's April - and almost time for a return to Coal Hill! So let's look over once more Big Finish's cover art and trailers for their upcoming third and fourth Class audioplay boxsets, set during the events of Series One.

The cover art this time has been done by Tom Webster and takes quite a different direction from the first two volumes... Though it's unavoidable that we return to those familiar publicity photos (to be fair, getting pictures of Greg Austin now might be a little bit troublesome given how much he's bulked up) but the vibrancy has been toned back some and we've been given something atmospheric... (and what does that wolf and moon mean? Werewolves?). It's certainly a nice addition for the shelf...

The Cover Art for Class Volume 3

The stories in Class Volume 3 (no synopsises this time round but we'll get to that in a minute) are as follows:

3.1 The Soer's Ditch by Carl Rowens

Now, plenty folk far more versed in these things have raised that Soer's Ditch is apparently an old name for Shoreditch. What does that mean? Well, I am hoping that means we might be getting a bit more time travel into Shoreditch's history - Charlie's experience in 1963 during In Remembrance in Volume 2 was a highlight, but it would be nice to see much more depth to that. Perhaps even without an alien touch involved?

3.2 Catfish by Kate Thorman

This sounds like it's a standard fare - something about the dangers of catfishing for teens... but given this is Class, I feel that's deceptively simple. We've seen some wonderful twists exploring teen issues so far and I've got a lot of hopes that this will be equally interesting as those.

3.3 Sweet Nothings by Michael Dennis

"Sweet Nothings" are basically lover's flirtatious words. Given that we've already had a very word-centric Chatteusz story in Tell Me You Love Me, I suspect this will be a Ram and April-centric piece along similar lines. But then I could be massively wrong.

That said, based on the trailer, it sounds like we have another new kid, Paul, in a Tanya-centric story. Perhaps he's an alien posing as human... but then wouldn't Quill and Charlie also be catfishes of sorts? Hm... Either way, there's someone - I presume, asking for a date to the theatre. And it seems that Soer's Ditch is a Charlie and Matteusz-centric story. There's some Matriarch... and Charlie quoting Shadow Proclamation law in a dangerous situation? Of course he would.

Like with those first two boxsets, I am incredibly curious as to how they will fit into Series 1 and how the characters will develop. But I'm also eagerly curious - I'm left in the dark without any synopsises and I'm actually majorly excited by that. The prospect of going into Class blind, like I did with those first two episodes? Brilliant!

You can listen to the trailer for Volume Three of Class: The Audio Adventures below.

The Cover Art for Class Volume 4

Okay, I'll admit - I'm a little that Volume 4 doesn't link up with 3 coverwise like the first two as it made for nice displaying... but still, it is a lovely and lively cover. Something very off-kilter. The "torchlight in darkened school" promo pics are finally put to good use, Matteusz has been lifted from one of the rarer promos... and Charlie's got a whole new body. Not his original (Why do I say that? You'll see when we get to 4.3...) though, given the cobwebby-ness of this cover... is this perhaps Charlie in a Halloween outfit? Oh, and there's a nice nod within the trailer in that Quill references something being on "Old Street"... and said street is also very close to trouble within the Joyride novel.

The stories in Class Volume 4 are as follows:

4.1 Mock by Alfie Shaw

Like the trailer states, there's a Physics mock for the gang. This also got previewed in the Big Finish podcast sometime ago, and it seems it will have all six of the gang featured within to some capacity. How exciting! Though, I do wonder, is this the mock that Tanya said she failed in Everybody Loves Reagan? And, honestly, I will say now - if this story is going to be almost entirely set in a mock exam room (I'm speculating entirely here) then I'll be impressed majorly!

4.2 The Creeper by Lizzie Hopley

Little to theorise here except that perhaps this is what Charlie is dressed up for? And Halloween celebrations get interrupted by this mysterious creeper?

4.3 Queen of Rhodia by Blair Mowat

Right, okay, I'll admit - I did suss who this was gonna be written by when Blair started teasing on Instagram during recording... but HOLY HECK, I DID NOT EXPECT THAT TITLE! And honestly, I don't know what to expect here. References to Charlie in a honourable fashion, swordfighting... is this what Rhodia was like? I don't know... Blair has said this story might not be what we expect, and there's a distinct lack of a Wanda O'Connor here... could this be Halloween instead? Does Charlie gets set as a fake prince at a Halloween roleplay party (which would work because honestly if Ram thought he sounded like royalty, surely everyone else would...) and the roleplay becomes all too real? Then there's the bit in the trailer where everyone is trying to call Charlie back, break him free from something. Is Charlie going to fall into his own mind? Or an illusion from which we'll not be sure exactly how much is true? There's so many questions here. No matter what, I'll say one thing - if Class does have this as its last official tale (this is the end of Big Finish's current licensing agreement for Class) then it sounds like we're certainly ended on quite the bang.

I should also - at last - address the elephant in the room. Yes, I'm sad that Katherine and Vivian shalln't be returning in their parts... but sadly, if people are unavailable or not up for it then things have to push forward. I imagine waiting for Greg and Jordan to back over from America made things difficult enough. Based on what I've heard thus far in the trailers and the teaser bit for Mock in the BF podcast, the writing is certainly in place and Kirwan and McGibbon are running with the rhythms and vocal mannerisms already set down by Kelly and Oparah - but not making it a impersonation attempt. If I were making a likeness, I'd compare it to Mark Elstob's work for Big Finish on the Prisoner - flavour of McGoohan with a touch of his own. And honestly, I'm happy with it so far. McGibbon's voice has settled in nicely already and a few relistens of the trailers is easing Kirwan's into my head too.

You can listen to the trailer for Volume Four of Class: The Audio Adventures below.

Volumes 3 & 4 of Class: The Audio Adventures are available for pre-order now at £20 each on CD or £17 each on download from the Big Finish website (They can also be purchased as a bundle together at the price of £38 on CD and £33 on download.) and will remain at this price until the boxsets are released until release later this month. Additionally, it's worth noting that after the significant interest in Class Volumes 1 & 2, the physical run number has been increased to 1000 sets for each.

And as Charlie says, let's hope this is not the end because "I hate cliffhangers."