Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Doctor Who at the Cavern
Anyone planning to be in the Liverpool area on the 4th May, who has even the slightest interest in the world of Doctor Who, would be well advised to get themselves along to the world-famous Cavern Club. Because once there, they’ll be greeted by a host of star names from the world of classic Who.It’s all part of Who At The Cavern 3, a day-long convention organised by the Wirral-based Fans Like Us Doctor Who group. Guest stars already confirmed for the event include two Doctors – Peter Davison and Colin Baker – along with Barry Letts, Chris Guard, Nicola Bryant and Terrance Dicks. There’s a few names in there to get the pulses of any classic Who-fan a-pumping.
More guests are expected to be announced, but those interested in attending are being advised to book their tickets in advance. The last two similar events sold out, so to avoid disappointment, you need to find £25 for an adult ticket, and £10 for concessions. Then, either head over to the online box office at http://www.whoatthecavern.co.uk/tickets.aspx, or by calling 01253 625802.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on the event’s website at www.whoatthecavern.co.uk for the latest news to do with the convention. Have fun…!
More guests are expected to be announced, but those interested in attending are being advised to book their tickets in advance. The last two similar events sold out, so to avoid disappointment, you need to find £25 for an adult ticket, and £10 for concessions. Then, either head over to the online box office at http://www.whoatthecavern.co.uk/tickets.aspx, or by calling 01253 625802.
It’s also worth keeping an eye on the event’s website at www.whoatthecavern.co.uk for the latest news to do with the convention. Have fun…!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Finchley actor to star at the National — and in Dr Who
An emerging star of stage and screen is set for his debut at the National Theatre.
Yorkshire born actor Ryan Sampson, 22, who now lives in High Road, East Finchley, has landed two roles in a series of explicit productions on the realities of growing up into adulthood.
The self-confessed university "drop-out" will also be appearing in two episodes of the BBC's popular Doctor Who in April.
"It was amazing to film," said Mr Sampson.
"It's an actors dream, the set is like a play pen, and everything was top notch in terms of costumes and gadgets."
Despite having had no formal training, the actor has already made a name for himself starring alongside Nicholas Lyndhurst in the BBC comedy After You've Gone.
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He is now set to appear at the National Theatre in two of three separate hour-long plays.
DNA is about a group of teenagers who find solace after committing a terrible act.
The other play, The Miracle, explores how a mysterious arrival can help an ailing community.
"It was great to get the opportunity to go for these roles, it is where you aspire to be and it is terribly exciting," said Ryan, who has previously appeared on stage at the Soho Theatre and the Sheffield Crucible.
"In DNA, there are no holes barred and the play is really harrowing, it's sensory overload.
"The roles are quite challenging because the experience of the characters have been difficult to work out how to play, but it is really different to anything I've done before."
With the shows due to start on February 28, Ryan has been rehearsing long hours, and learning his lines when he gets home.
He hopes to continue taking on stage roles, and already has another two series of After You've Gone lined up.
He said: "I have got a long way to go and a lot of things I want to do.
"I would like to move into films, but I don't know if they would be interested in a small boy from Yorkshire."
Tickets for the three productions are on sale now from 020 7452 3000 or www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.
Yorkshire born actor Ryan Sampson, 22, who now lives in High Road, East Finchley, has landed two roles in a series of explicit productions on the realities of growing up into adulthood.
The self-confessed university "drop-out" will also be appearing in two episodes of the BBC's popular Doctor Who in April.
"It was amazing to film," said Mr Sampson.
"It's an actors dream, the set is like a play pen, and everything was top notch in terms of costumes and gadgets."
Despite having had no formal training, the actor has already made a name for himself starring alongside Nicholas Lyndhurst in the BBC comedy After You've Gone.
advertisement
He is now set to appear at the National Theatre in two of three separate hour-long plays.
DNA is about a group of teenagers who find solace after committing a terrible act.
The other play, The Miracle, explores how a mysterious arrival can help an ailing community.
"It was great to get the opportunity to go for these roles, it is where you aspire to be and it is terribly exciting," said Ryan, who has previously appeared on stage at the Soho Theatre and the Sheffield Crucible.
"In DNA, there are no holes barred and the play is really harrowing, it's sensory overload.
"The roles are quite challenging because the experience of the characters have been difficult to work out how to play, but it is really different to anything I've done before."
With the shows due to start on February 28, Ryan has been rehearsing long hours, and learning his lines when he gets home.
He hopes to continue taking on stage roles, and already has another two series of After You've Gone lined up.
He said: "I have got a long way to go and a lot of things I want to do.
"I would like to move into films, but I don't know if they would be interested in a small boy from Yorkshire."
Tickets for the three productions are on sale now from 020 7452 3000 or www.nationaltheatre.org.uk.
Paul O'Grady to appear in 'Doctor Who'
Paul O'Grady will guest star in the series four finale of Doctor Who, reports The Sun.
The TV presenter will play himself discussing "strange goings-on" during his chatshow as David Tennant's Doctor departs on a mission.
A BBC source revealed that O'Grady had been wanting to appear on the show for some time and his role would be a little more "sinister" than people are used to.
"Paul has been desperate to be on the show for ages and asked if he could be a guest star," revealed the BBC insider.
"Fortunately Who creator Russell T Davies is a big fan of his too, and jumped at the chance.
"We’ve had to wait until his chatshow is filming again so we can shoot him on the set.
"It will be the usual camp Paul - just maybe a bit more sinister."
Stars including Kylie Minogue, Peter Kay and Anthony Head have previously appeared in guest roles in the cult series.
The TV presenter will play himself discussing "strange goings-on" during his chatshow as David Tennant's Doctor departs on a mission.
A BBC source revealed that O'Grady had been wanting to appear on the show for some time and his role would be a little more "sinister" than people are used to.
"Paul has been desperate to be on the show for ages and asked if he could be a guest star," revealed the BBC insider.
"Fortunately Who creator Russell T Davies is a big fan of his too, and jumped at the chance.
"We’ve had to wait until his chatshow is filming again so we can shoot him on the set.
"It will be the usual camp Paul - just maybe a bit more sinister."
Stars including Kylie Minogue, Peter Kay and Anthony Head have previously appeared in guest roles in the cult series.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Q&A with Freema Agyeman - Radio Times, February 2008
NG: So you're out of the Tardis and into Torchwood…
FA: Martha Jones is very much more suited to Torchwood, if you like, because of her experiences [with the Doctor]. She wants to keep her feet on the ground, have her nearest and dearest within arm's reach. And she's this young doctor, qualified now, who has all this information, so she's invaluable to both Torchwood and Unit [a scientific and military elite force].
Your first telly job was on Crossroads in 2003. I assume you're too young to recall the original show?
I don't really remember the original, but I remember the legacy that remained: the sets wobbling and Benny. It was a regular part [she played saucy trainee chef Lola Wise], so I was excited but nervous. I learnt a huge amount, and we had a ball. Maybe that's selfish, because nobody else enjoyed it, but we did!
You also did stints on The Bill and Casualty. Did they bump you off in either?
I lost an arm in Casualty [laughs]!
Did you have to hide it behind your back?
No! Because it was a Christmas special [Casualty @ Holby City in 2004], there was some discussion and they decided they couldn't show that much at Christmas. So there was an injection of anaesthetic and the scene was cut there, so you never saw me limbless.
Hugh Quarshie played the doctor who had to cut my arm off, and of course I bumped into him years later on Doctor Who [for last year's Daleks in Manhattan story], and I said to him, "Look, Hugh - I got it back!" And he totally didn't understand what I meant.
Can you walk the streets without being mobbed by children?
If anyone's going to recognise me, it will be a child. You'll see them look once, look twice, then stare. Sometimes they'll follow you, or look around corners, it's really cute. I'll wave sometimes - it freaks them out.
As well as Torchwood, though, Martha's returning to Doctor Who, isn't she?
I knew from about January of last year what Martha's whole journey was going to be. And I was never in any doubt that the decision for her to not be there full-time was very much a character decision. Because where do you go after you've saved the world and confessed your love to the Doctor, who hasn't returned the feelings? She encounters the Doctor again, but it's in a more professional capacity.
Have you had to pile into the police box with David Tennant and Catherine Tate [who will play the Doctor's new regular companion, Donna]?
Last year it was Captain Jack [John Barrowman] and David and I standing in there, gossiping. This year it's been just as much fun with Catherine and David. Talking about where you're going on holiday, what breakfast cereal you like, right in each other's faces in this little box. It's very funny.
One final question: while filming with Catherine Tate, have you had to suppress the urge to go, "Am I bovvered?"
I think I said, "How very dare you!" once, and I caught myself and went, "Oooh…" and she just smiled. The funniest thing is, she says them herself, which completely relaxes you. She's warm and funny and good company. It's a really nice vibe.
FA: Martha Jones is very much more suited to Torchwood, if you like, because of her experiences [with the Doctor]. She wants to keep her feet on the ground, have her nearest and dearest within arm's reach. And she's this young doctor, qualified now, who has all this information, so she's invaluable to both Torchwood and Unit [a scientific and military elite force].
Your first telly job was on Crossroads in 2003. I assume you're too young to recall the original show?
I don't really remember the original, but I remember the legacy that remained: the sets wobbling and Benny. It was a regular part [she played saucy trainee chef Lola Wise], so I was excited but nervous. I learnt a huge amount, and we had a ball. Maybe that's selfish, because nobody else enjoyed it, but we did!
You also did stints on The Bill and Casualty. Did they bump you off in either?
I lost an arm in Casualty [laughs]!
Did you have to hide it behind your back?
No! Because it was a Christmas special [Casualty @ Holby City in 2004], there was some discussion and they decided they couldn't show that much at Christmas. So there was an injection of anaesthetic and the scene was cut there, so you never saw me limbless.
Hugh Quarshie played the doctor who had to cut my arm off, and of course I bumped into him years later on Doctor Who [for last year's Daleks in Manhattan story], and I said to him, "Look, Hugh - I got it back!" And he totally didn't understand what I meant.
Can you walk the streets without being mobbed by children?
If anyone's going to recognise me, it will be a child. You'll see them look once, look twice, then stare. Sometimes they'll follow you, or look around corners, it's really cute. I'll wave sometimes - it freaks them out.
As well as Torchwood, though, Martha's returning to Doctor Who, isn't she?
I knew from about January of last year what Martha's whole journey was going to be. And I was never in any doubt that the decision for her to not be there full-time was very much a character decision. Because where do you go after you've saved the world and confessed your love to the Doctor, who hasn't returned the feelings? She encounters the Doctor again, but it's in a more professional capacity.
Have you had to pile into the police box with David Tennant and Catherine Tate [who will play the Doctor's new regular companion, Donna]?
Last year it was Captain Jack [John Barrowman] and David and I standing in there, gossiping. This year it's been just as much fun with Catherine and David. Talking about where you're going on holiday, what breakfast cereal you like, right in each other's faces in this little box. It's very funny.
One final question: while filming with Catherine Tate, have you had to suppress the urge to go, "Am I bovvered?"
I think I said, "How very dare you!" once, and I caught myself and went, "Oooh…" and she just smiled. The funniest thing is, she says them herself, which completely relaxes you. She's warm and funny and good company. It's a really nice vibe.
Torchwood mini mates
In lieu of news of actual Torchwood action figures, it appears that the Mini Mates range are doing a new set of Doctor Who figures, including Captain Jack Harkness.You can see the designs for the figure here and further info on Mini Mates here. These are primarily a US range of toys but can usually be found in the likes of Forbidden Planet in the UK.
Tardis Gazette rolls out a tired old rumor...again
Doctor Who to face his evil enemy Davros after 20 years
Doctor Who will face his evil enemy Davros when the character returns for the first time in 20 years.Julian Bleach - best known as The Monster in ITV's version of Frankenstein last year - takes on David Tennant as the leader of the Daleks.Their battle forms the climax to the latest series featuring the Time Lord which starts in April.A show source said: "It's an explosive finale. We want him to come back and cause havoc." Davros was last tackled by Doctor Who Sylvester McCoy in 1988.
David Tennant: 'Astrology is nonsense'
Doctor Who star David Tennant has claimed that astrology is "absolute nonsense".The actor added that if he could place anything inside Room 101, astrology would be the first thing on his list.Speaking on Radio 4's Chain Reaction, Tennant said: "There are get-out clauses everywhere you go. If nothing comes of the predictions, you conveniently forget about it."And the one day of the year you do meet a tall dark stranger you say, 'You see, Mystic Meg was right'. It's absolute nonsense."Were I to do Room 101, astrology would be top of the list."
Martha will stand up to Doctor in 'Who'?
Martha Jones will be reunited with the Doctor in the new series of Doctor Who - but in a "more professional" capacity.Actress Freema Agyeman - currently guest-starring in Who spinoff Torchwood - told Digital Spy that her character, now a fully qualified doctor herself, has "outgrown" the Time Lord."Martha was always mature, independent and all those things but she was still a bit wide-eyed with him - and that's what's gone," she said. "She still really respects him and knows he's far beyond her intellect and the rest of it, but she was dominated by him and now there's a different dynamic there."Martha, who appears in five episodes of the new series, also has a new love interest. "They've still got this friendship but there's somebody else in Martha's life now," teased Agyeman, "so she doesn't need The Doctor in that respect. That part of her soul has been fulfilled."
Terrance Dicks Interview
EADT (Suffolk and Essex Online) is currently running an interview with Doctor Who legend Terrance Dicks. Few people have been as active in the world of Doctor Who as Dicks, and in this interview he talks about his long career with the series as well as most recent project, the Quick Reads book series, featuring his newest title Revenge of the Judoon. In the interview Dicks talks about his first writing jobs (with an advertising agency), how his landlord Malcolm Hulke got him started in writing for television, the new projects that he currently has on his plate, and his feelings about the current state of Doctor Who starring David Tennant. You can read the article here.
Monday, February 18, 2008
The lowdown on the Brit Awards this week
The Brits Awards 2008 is live on ITV1 at 8pm this Wednesday. Performers will include Kylie Minogue, Kaiser Chiefs, Leona Lewis, Mark Ronson with Adele, Amy Winehouse, Rihanna with The Klaxons and Mika. Presenters include David Tennant, Michelle Ryan and Beth Ditto.
Jack Osbourne has been persuaded by his mum to present an award. It will be the first time all four of The Osbournes - Kelly, Jack, Sharon and Ozzy - have appeared in public together since their reality TV show ended.
The theme is 70s Glam v Punk - just like Kate Moss's recent birthday - even when it comes to food with guests getting smoked salmon mousse with dill cream to start. The main is shepherd's pie and lamb and desert is trifle and cheesecake.
Jack Osbourne has been persuaded by his mum to present an award. It will be the first time all four of The Osbournes - Kelly, Jack, Sharon and Ozzy - have appeared in public together since their reality TV show ended.
The theme is 70s Glam v Punk - just like Kate Moss's recent birthday - even when it comes to food with guests getting smoked salmon mousse with dill cream to start. The main is shepherd's pie and lamb and desert is trifle and cheesecake.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
A close encounter with David Tennant
When we were kids, we thought it was hilarious: "Knock, knock." "Who's there?" "Doctor." "Doctor Who?" We laughed and laughed. And now, 40 years later, I'm talking to him. Doctor Who!
He is, they say, over 900 years old, yet he sounds like an excitable wee boy. And yes, the word "wee" is intentional, because this boyish man is as Scottish as shortbread. "Hellooo," he says, his voice high and lilting, his accent as lovely as a single malt near a crackling fire. "How are ye?"
A bit overwhelmed, to tell the truth. I grew up watching Doctor Who, often through the fleshy louvres of my fingers during the scary bits. I watched in amazement as he hurtled through time and space in a blue police box called the Tardis, and I quaked in my jocks whenever he went into battle with seemingly unbeatable herds of intergalactic bad-arses.
It was a different Doctor Who in those days, of course. I grew up during the reign of the second and third doctors, Patrick Troughton (1966-69) and Jon Pertwee (1970-74), and lost interest part-way through the reign of the fourth doctor, Tom Baker (1974-81). The guy I'm talking to today is the 10th doctor, played by David Tennant.
Tall, skinny, quick-witted and cheeky, Tennant has been credited with revitalising the Doctor Who franchise. The show originally ran from 1963 to 1989, with New Zealand broadcasting from 1964, the first country to pick up the show outside the UK.
Then, after a long hiatus, production resumed in 2005. Christopher Eccleston played the mighty Time Lord for one season before being replaced by Tennant in the middle of 2005. He is now widely hailed as the best Doctor Who in the show's 44-year history.
In particular, he's been a big hit with female fans, many of whom type slightly randy prose about him in Doctor Who chatrooms and admit to first becoming smitten when Tennant played the titular bodice-tearing horndog in Casanova, an earlier series written by current Doctor Who writer, Russell T Davies.
I can't see the attraction myself. Rail thin, with a stiff black bush of hair, Tennant looks like a broom in a suit. Perhaps his appeal is simply an issue of contrast, given that most of the previous doctors were dowdy old buggers.
"Oooh, I don't know about that. I think the doctor is a very sexy dude, really, no matter who's playing him. It's just that the way the show is written nowadays invites girls and women in more than it did before. Russell gives it a kind of emotional heart that it hasn't always had, which means that the stories are still enjoyable to sci-fi or adventure fans, but now they connect with people who like more conventional drama as well."
Doctor Who was initially intended to appeal to adults as well as children, and to be educational; the time-travelling concept meant younger viewers could learn about history, while the more futuristic storylines were intended to foster a love of science. But from the start, most kids liked it because it was scary.
Some particularly creepy plotlines rolled out during the early 70s, including one story that involved psychopathic plastic dolls, daffodils that killed people who bent to sniff them, and android policemen with blank faces. An early Doctor Who exhibition at London's Museum of the Moving Image was called "Behind The Sofa", in honour of the fact that hiding behind the couch during the worrying bits was one of the great shared experiences of British childhood.
This was a shared experience among many New Zealand children, too. Certainly, what I loved most about Doctor Who were the monsters. Back then it was the Daleks and the Cybermen, but since then the good doctor has dodged death at the hands of Zygons, Sontarans, Sea Devils, Ice Warriors, Autons, Silurians, the Slitheen, the Judoon and a host of other worrying critters, most of them conveniently bipedal and suspiciously human-shaped.
In the early days, most of the monsters looked like they'd been strapped together on a low budget in somebody's suburban tool-shed. The Daleks ("Exterminate! Exterminate!") resembled animated pepper pots, and the Cybermen looked like skinny guys wrapped in tinfoil.
"Well, it doesn't matter when you're wee, does it?" says Tennant. "You just go with it. If things are a bit clunky, your mind fills in the gaps. I was very frightened by the show myself as a kid, but it's the kind of fear that does you good when you're growing up. It scares the shit out of you to just the right degree, without pushing you over the edge. I think a few gentle nightmares is something we should all experience as children, so long as it's a safe fear."
The modern version is still pretty scary. An episode that plays here in a few weeks is bound to make a few kids run screaming from their grandmas: it features a little old lady who is a "plasmavore" and kills her victims by jamming a drinking straw into their necks and sucking out their blood.
This kind of inspired ridiculousness has made Doctor Who a huge hit worldwide, though the most rabid fans, known as "Whovians", are generally found in the UK. Many seem to be nerds of the highest order, spending half their lives on Doctor Who internet sites discussing interplanetary lore, monster genealogy, tardis mechanics and so forth.
"Well, it becomes a hobby, doesn't it?" Tennant says. "I think that's OK. I think Doctor Who fans are somewhat unfairly judged, like what they're doing is socially unacceptable. It's entirely harmless. At least they're not going out raping or murdering people. And it's a fantastic world to lose yourself in, which is probably why it has survived so long.
I'm not sure about New Zealand, but certainly in Britain, Doctor Who is a part of the cultural framework of our nation. It has an iconic status here, so the amount of attention and analysis is inevitably huge. Which can be daunting as an actor, actually. The show has a lot of devoted followers, and they're looking to you to not ruin something they love. It's quite a responsibility."
Now 36, Tennant was born David McDonald in West Lothian, Scotland, in 1971, the son of a minister in the Church of Scotland. There was already a British actor of the same name, so he later swiped the surname of the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant.
"I was about three when I decided acting was something I wanted to do, which is lucky, because I was far too young to realise how unlikely it was that I would succeed. If I'd been 12 I'd have probably thought, hey, hang on, people from Paisley don't really do that; I'll get a job in a shoe shop instead. But no, I had a really singular view of my path.
"I used to watch the telly and very quickly understood that there were people who spent their lives pretending to be other people so as to tell stories. I thought that was a fantastic thing to do. As soon as I left school I went straight to drama college and have made my living as an actor ever since." Tennant has been a fixture on British stages and screens for more than 20 years now.
A particular love is performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. But the lead in Doctor Who carries with it a huge risk of type-casting. Now that he's so widely lauded as a time-travelling, Dalek-trouncing alien hero, can Tennant ever go back to playing Romeo? "I certainly hope so. As an actor, you don't want to destroy your career by becoming so associated with one role that people will never accept you as anyone else. But the only other option was not to accept the part, and I couldn't do that, because Doctor Who is one of the best TV characters ever invented, I think.
"He's a free spirit and an anarchist, almost a force of nature, but he also has this immoveable moral centre to him. That's what makes him heroic, really. He's not heroic in the way that Superman or Batman is, or even Captain Kirk is. He's not a jock. He's not the strongest or the fastest, but he's the quickest witted, so it's about the triumph of the geek over the all-powerful, really, and I think that's very appealing. It was certainly very appealing to me as a child. It's wit over brawn. He's fast and anarchic and fun, but there's a degree of comfort attached for kids, because they always know where they stand with him. He's always got that strong moral compass."
Tennant is notoriously close-lipped about his private life, but it's well known that he lives in London, is dating actress Sophia Myles and has a sufficiently well developed sense of humour to drive a Skoda. He is also a staunch supporter of Britain's Labour Party, and once told a reporter he was amazed whenever he met anyone involved in the arts who voted Conservative: "I'd be thinking, `I have never met anyone from your world. What's it like? Do you roast children over open fires?"' He laughs when I remind him of it; in fact, he laughs all the time. He's certainly the happiest 900-year-old alien life form I've had the pleasure of speaking to.
"Yes, well, I'm having the time of my life. I'm very content at the moment. The public appreciate me, I love my work, and here I am on my day off, sitting in sunny London in the middle of summer, overlooking the West End from my agent's very posh office. Life, as they say, is sweet."
The new series of Doctor Who screens on Sunday nights on Prime at 7.30pm.
He is, they say, over 900 years old, yet he sounds like an excitable wee boy. And yes, the word "wee" is intentional, because this boyish man is as Scottish as shortbread. "Hellooo," he says, his voice high and lilting, his accent as lovely as a single malt near a crackling fire. "How are ye?"
A bit overwhelmed, to tell the truth. I grew up watching Doctor Who, often through the fleshy louvres of my fingers during the scary bits. I watched in amazement as he hurtled through time and space in a blue police box called the Tardis, and I quaked in my jocks whenever he went into battle with seemingly unbeatable herds of intergalactic bad-arses.
It was a different Doctor Who in those days, of course. I grew up during the reign of the second and third doctors, Patrick Troughton (1966-69) and Jon Pertwee (1970-74), and lost interest part-way through the reign of the fourth doctor, Tom Baker (1974-81). The guy I'm talking to today is the 10th doctor, played by David Tennant.
Tall, skinny, quick-witted and cheeky, Tennant has been credited with revitalising the Doctor Who franchise. The show originally ran from 1963 to 1989, with New Zealand broadcasting from 1964, the first country to pick up the show outside the UK.
Then, after a long hiatus, production resumed in 2005. Christopher Eccleston played the mighty Time Lord for one season before being replaced by Tennant in the middle of 2005. He is now widely hailed as the best Doctor Who in the show's 44-year history.
In particular, he's been a big hit with female fans, many of whom type slightly randy prose about him in Doctor Who chatrooms and admit to first becoming smitten when Tennant played the titular bodice-tearing horndog in Casanova, an earlier series written by current Doctor Who writer, Russell T Davies.
I can't see the attraction myself. Rail thin, with a stiff black bush of hair, Tennant looks like a broom in a suit. Perhaps his appeal is simply an issue of contrast, given that most of the previous doctors were dowdy old buggers.
"Oooh, I don't know about that. I think the doctor is a very sexy dude, really, no matter who's playing him. It's just that the way the show is written nowadays invites girls and women in more than it did before. Russell gives it a kind of emotional heart that it hasn't always had, which means that the stories are still enjoyable to sci-fi or adventure fans, but now they connect with people who like more conventional drama as well."
Doctor Who was initially intended to appeal to adults as well as children, and to be educational; the time-travelling concept meant younger viewers could learn about history, while the more futuristic storylines were intended to foster a love of science. But from the start, most kids liked it because it was scary.
Some particularly creepy plotlines rolled out during the early 70s, including one story that involved psychopathic plastic dolls, daffodils that killed people who bent to sniff them, and android policemen with blank faces. An early Doctor Who exhibition at London's Museum of the Moving Image was called "Behind The Sofa", in honour of the fact that hiding behind the couch during the worrying bits was one of the great shared experiences of British childhood.
This was a shared experience among many New Zealand children, too. Certainly, what I loved most about Doctor Who were the monsters. Back then it was the Daleks and the Cybermen, but since then the good doctor has dodged death at the hands of Zygons, Sontarans, Sea Devils, Ice Warriors, Autons, Silurians, the Slitheen, the Judoon and a host of other worrying critters, most of them conveniently bipedal and suspiciously human-shaped.
In the early days, most of the monsters looked like they'd been strapped together on a low budget in somebody's suburban tool-shed. The Daleks ("Exterminate! Exterminate!") resembled animated pepper pots, and the Cybermen looked like skinny guys wrapped in tinfoil.
"Well, it doesn't matter when you're wee, does it?" says Tennant. "You just go with it. If things are a bit clunky, your mind fills in the gaps. I was very frightened by the show myself as a kid, but it's the kind of fear that does you good when you're growing up. It scares the shit out of you to just the right degree, without pushing you over the edge. I think a few gentle nightmares is something we should all experience as children, so long as it's a safe fear."
The modern version is still pretty scary. An episode that plays here in a few weeks is bound to make a few kids run screaming from their grandmas: it features a little old lady who is a "plasmavore" and kills her victims by jamming a drinking straw into their necks and sucking out their blood.
This kind of inspired ridiculousness has made Doctor Who a huge hit worldwide, though the most rabid fans, known as "Whovians", are generally found in the UK. Many seem to be nerds of the highest order, spending half their lives on Doctor Who internet sites discussing interplanetary lore, monster genealogy, tardis mechanics and so forth.
"Well, it becomes a hobby, doesn't it?" Tennant says. "I think that's OK. I think Doctor Who fans are somewhat unfairly judged, like what they're doing is socially unacceptable. It's entirely harmless. At least they're not going out raping or murdering people. And it's a fantastic world to lose yourself in, which is probably why it has survived so long.
I'm not sure about New Zealand, but certainly in Britain, Doctor Who is a part of the cultural framework of our nation. It has an iconic status here, so the amount of attention and analysis is inevitably huge. Which can be daunting as an actor, actually. The show has a lot of devoted followers, and they're looking to you to not ruin something they love. It's quite a responsibility."
Now 36, Tennant was born David McDonald in West Lothian, Scotland, in 1971, the son of a minister in the Church of Scotland. There was already a British actor of the same name, so he later swiped the surname of the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant.
"I was about three when I decided acting was something I wanted to do, which is lucky, because I was far too young to realise how unlikely it was that I would succeed. If I'd been 12 I'd have probably thought, hey, hang on, people from Paisley don't really do that; I'll get a job in a shoe shop instead. But no, I had a really singular view of my path.
"I used to watch the telly and very quickly understood that there were people who spent their lives pretending to be other people so as to tell stories. I thought that was a fantastic thing to do. As soon as I left school I went straight to drama college and have made my living as an actor ever since." Tennant has been a fixture on British stages and screens for more than 20 years now.
A particular love is performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. But the lead in Doctor Who carries with it a huge risk of type-casting. Now that he's so widely lauded as a time-travelling, Dalek-trouncing alien hero, can Tennant ever go back to playing Romeo? "I certainly hope so. As an actor, you don't want to destroy your career by becoming so associated with one role that people will never accept you as anyone else. But the only other option was not to accept the part, and I couldn't do that, because Doctor Who is one of the best TV characters ever invented, I think.
"He's a free spirit and an anarchist, almost a force of nature, but he also has this immoveable moral centre to him. That's what makes him heroic, really. He's not heroic in the way that Superman or Batman is, or even Captain Kirk is. He's not a jock. He's not the strongest or the fastest, but he's the quickest witted, so it's about the triumph of the geek over the all-powerful, really, and I think that's very appealing. It was certainly very appealing to me as a child. It's wit over brawn. He's fast and anarchic and fun, but there's a degree of comfort attached for kids, because they always know where they stand with him. He's always got that strong moral compass."
Tennant is notoriously close-lipped about his private life, but it's well known that he lives in London, is dating actress Sophia Myles and has a sufficiently well developed sense of humour to drive a Skoda. He is also a staunch supporter of Britain's Labour Party, and once told a reporter he was amazed whenever he met anyone involved in the arts who voted Conservative: "I'd be thinking, `I have never met anyone from your world. What's it like? Do you roast children over open fires?"' He laughs when I remind him of it; in fact, he laughs all the time. He's certainly the happiest 900-year-old alien life form I've had the pleasure of speaking to.
"Yes, well, I'm having the time of my life. I'm very content at the moment. The public appreciate me, I love my work, and here I am on my day off, sitting in sunny London in the middle of summer, overlooking the West End from my agent's very posh office. Life, as they say, is sweet."
The new series of Doctor Who screens on Sunday nights on Prime at 7.30pm.
Louise Jameson Interview - 'Dr Who'
In 1977 Louise Jameson donned a distinctly eye-opening leather outfit to star alongside Tom Baker's fourth incarnation of The Doctor, playing the savage warrior Leela. Over two seasons she flung her knife and poisoned thorns at an impressive array of monsters, such as the dreaded 'Robots of Death', giant rats, killer toy Mr Sin and the potato-headed Sontarans. She's now back reprising her role as Leela in a range of audio plays from Big Finish, so Cult Spy spoke exclusively to the legendary companion at the launch of the new online download service.
How hard did you find it stepping back into Leela's leather boots?
"I found it really, really easy and I think it's absolutely to do with her speech because she never condenses any words. She's never colloquial. Since I hit that rhythm, I was back in the saddle really."
Has Leela changed much since she last appeared on Doctor Who?
"I think the writers have acknowledged that I'm that bit older and have given her more wisdom. Also, because it's on audio she's been able to take control of the situation. She's more separated from The Doctor and much more of a driving force."
Do the audio dramas pick up where Leela was left in the television series, on the planet Gallifrey?
"They're in between stories... I've teamed up with Lalla Ward (Romana) to become her bodyguard. We get on extremely well."
Do you swap anecdotes about Tom Baker?
"When asked, Lalla always says 'he's the sweetest man I've been divorced from', which is just brilliant!"
Do you hope he might be persuaded to perform in any Big Finish audio dramas one day?
"I think it would be marvellous. He was in [Doctor Who] longer than anybody. He has a very distinctive and beautiful voice, so sure. He has a huge fanbase."
What challenges do recording the audio dramas have, as opposed to the television series?
"To be able to get very concentrated, very quickly is the main thing. Especially for a long passage, a monologue. With the risk of sounding like my teachers, it's all about the preparation. If you put the homework in you can go anywhere. Knowing your motivation, your objectives."
Do you think the skimpy leather leotard you wore in the show was at all exploitative?
"In retrospect I suppose it was, but I wasn't expecting it. Now it might be very different. I was going into a big show and it was a shock - all this male attention afterwards. Like it or loathe it, it really gave my career a boost."
There's a family drama on ITV called Primeval in which the female lead stripped off to her underwear every time she was in her flat because her pet lizard needs a hot climate. Shades of Leela in terms of keeping the dads happy?
"Haha! Brilliant! At least Leela [being a warrior] had more of an excuse to wear that costume!"
Do you find it strange that K-9 is now associated with Sarah Jane Smith instead of his original owner Leela?
"I have to confess to being a little bit jealous that Liz Sladen is back, but being furious that she ended up with K-9. It's my dog! But I can see why they've done it, as [Sarah Jane] always comes up number one in all the polls - with Leela a close second!"
Did you think when K-9 first trundled on set that he would still be around decades later?
"I had no idea I would still be involved. It's been 30 years. I absolutely had no idea and I wished I'd stayed on a bit more."
Did you have the chance to stay on longer?
"I had the chance to go back into it to do the takeover, Peter's takeover."
The Tom Baker to Peter Davison regeneration scene?
"Yes, but they wanted me back for a whole series. Me, in my arrogance, only wanted to come back for the one story."
Do you regret that?
"Yeah, I do... [but] maybe I wouldn't have been able to do Tenko then."
Did they want you back to ease the transition?
"Yes, because it's such a loyal fandom that they wanted to keep them satisfied. I just said that I didn't want to do a whole series. Shame on me."
Well, it helped you avoid being typecast as a savage warrior...
"Haha. For the rest of my career. Now there's a thought!"
Do you follow the new series much?
"I liked the recent Children In Need one [Time Crash]... I caught it almost by accident. I just loved the line 'You were my Doctor'. It's something the fans say all the time - 'You were my companion.' It's very touching."
You could say to K-9 - you were my dog!
"Yeah, you were my dog and then you buggered off!"
In the current incarnation of Doctor Who, many elements from the classic series have been brought back. Would you be keen on a return for Leela?
"I'd go back, yeah. I wish they would ask. I really would love to go back... but I'm glad that I had a hand in the foundations, as it were."
Louise Jameson is currently reprising her role as Leela in a range of spin-off Doctor Who audio dramas from Big Finish, which can be downloaded from www.bigfinish.com
How hard did you find it stepping back into Leela's leather boots?
"I found it really, really easy and I think it's absolutely to do with her speech because she never condenses any words. She's never colloquial. Since I hit that rhythm, I was back in the saddle really."
Has Leela changed much since she last appeared on Doctor Who?
"I think the writers have acknowledged that I'm that bit older and have given her more wisdom. Also, because it's on audio she's been able to take control of the situation. She's more separated from The Doctor and much more of a driving force."
Do the audio dramas pick up where Leela was left in the television series, on the planet Gallifrey?
"They're in between stories... I've teamed up with Lalla Ward (Romana) to become her bodyguard. We get on extremely well."
Do you swap anecdotes about Tom Baker?
"When asked, Lalla always says 'he's the sweetest man I've been divorced from', which is just brilliant!"
Do you hope he might be persuaded to perform in any Big Finish audio dramas one day?
"I think it would be marvellous. He was in [Doctor Who] longer than anybody. He has a very distinctive and beautiful voice, so sure. He has a huge fanbase."
What challenges do recording the audio dramas have, as opposed to the television series?
"To be able to get very concentrated, very quickly is the main thing. Especially for a long passage, a monologue. With the risk of sounding like my teachers, it's all about the preparation. If you put the homework in you can go anywhere. Knowing your motivation, your objectives."
Do you think the skimpy leather leotard you wore in the show was at all exploitative?
"In retrospect I suppose it was, but I wasn't expecting it. Now it might be very different. I was going into a big show and it was a shock - all this male attention afterwards. Like it or loathe it, it really gave my career a boost."
There's a family drama on ITV called Primeval in which the female lead stripped off to her underwear every time she was in her flat because her pet lizard needs a hot climate. Shades of Leela in terms of keeping the dads happy?
"Haha! Brilliant! At least Leela [being a warrior] had more of an excuse to wear that costume!"
Do you find it strange that K-9 is now associated with Sarah Jane Smith instead of his original owner Leela?
"I have to confess to being a little bit jealous that Liz Sladen is back, but being furious that she ended up with K-9. It's my dog! But I can see why they've done it, as [Sarah Jane] always comes up number one in all the polls - with Leela a close second!"
Did you think when K-9 first trundled on set that he would still be around decades later?
"I had no idea I would still be involved. It's been 30 years. I absolutely had no idea and I wished I'd stayed on a bit more."
Did you have the chance to stay on longer?
"I had the chance to go back into it to do the takeover, Peter's takeover."
The Tom Baker to Peter Davison regeneration scene?
"Yes, but they wanted me back for a whole series. Me, in my arrogance, only wanted to come back for the one story."
Do you regret that?
"Yeah, I do... [but] maybe I wouldn't have been able to do Tenko then."
Did they want you back to ease the transition?
"Yes, because it's such a loyal fandom that they wanted to keep them satisfied. I just said that I didn't want to do a whole series. Shame on me."
Well, it helped you avoid being typecast as a savage warrior...
"Haha. For the rest of my career. Now there's a thought!"
Do you follow the new series much?
"I liked the recent Children In Need one [Time Crash]... I caught it almost by accident. I just loved the line 'You were my Doctor'. It's something the fans say all the time - 'You were my companion.' It's very touching."
You could say to K-9 - you were my dog!
"Yeah, you were my dog and then you buggered off!"
In the current incarnation of Doctor Who, many elements from the classic series have been brought back. Would you be keen on a return for Leela?
"I'd go back, yeah. I wish they would ask. I really would love to go back... but I'm glad that I had a hand in the foundations, as it were."
Louise Jameson is currently reprising her role as Leela in a range of spin-off Doctor Who audio dramas from Big Finish, which can be downloaded from www.bigfinish.com
Tennant and Tate's Chain Reaction
Catherine Tate will be heard interviewing David Tennant on BBC Radio 4 on February 21 when Chain Reaction returns for a new series.In it, they talk about working on Doctor Who - as well as playing extras on The Bill.The show's format sees the interviewee becoming the interviewer of a different guest the following week, with them talking to people whose work they admire and appreciate.Next week (February 28), Tennant will be interviewing Richard Wilson, who played Dr Constantine in The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances, while Wilson's interviewee the week after that (March 6) will be Arabella Weir, who used to lodge with Tennant and made him godfather to her youngest child. Weir also played the Doctor in the Big Finish drama Exile - which featured Tennant playing an unnamed Time Lord and a pub landlord. (Weir will round off the series of Chain Reaction by interviewing fellow Fast Show star Paul Whitehouse.)The half-hour programmes start at 6.30pm. The series was recorded last year.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
"A Day in the Death" synopsis
A Day in the Death:
Owen must decide between power and loyalty in the conclusion of the Martha Jones story arc. Will the girl on the rooftop help him, or a search to destroy a powerful alien artifact? And how far will Toshiko go to save him?
Owen must decide between power and loyalty in the conclusion of the Martha Jones story arc. Will the girl on the rooftop help him, or a search to destroy a powerful alien artifact? And how far will Toshiko go to save him?
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