Dalek photos aplenty

Dalek Spy has been scouring through the vast amount of photos taken by other members of the cast and crew. Here's a selection by Jonathan Andrews (JA), one of the delegates and a Science Dalek, taken during various rehearsals. There's also a couple by Stuart Currie (SC), builder and operator of the Supreme Dalek, taken on the stage before differnet shows.

• I'm left behind while everyone else goes off for their tea break (JA)
  
• Phil Cottrill (Governor Trantis) examines the new mini Dalek species (JA)
  
• A close up of the beautiful home build of Stuart's Supreme Dalek (JA)
  
• The Supreme Dalek discovers the TARDIS (SC)
  
• The Time Destructor is prepared for its final operation by the Supreme Dalek (SC)
  

Click on an image for a larger version in a new window

It's the end, but the moment has been prepared for...

So this was it, Saturday evening (October 27) and the final performance.

It was a very strange feeling backstage, not just because this was the last show, but also it was the end of an era. Some of the cast and crew had worked on Nick Scovell's stage adaptations since "The Web Of Fear" back in 2000. For them it was definately the final chapter in the book. For others, like myself who had only been in this play, it was still sad that all those months of hard work and the final week of rehearsals of then the shows had come to an end.

With a heavy heart, as the music thundered round the theatre, I walked onto the stage for the last time. It was strange, doing what I'd done four times before but knowing that this was the last time. The performance just flew by, rushing off stage to get changed and then into my Dalek and back on amid the smoke. Before I knew it the Doctor had saved the Universe, been forced to regenerate and we were taking our bows.

Then it was all over.



Dalek Spy was still snapping away at the last show for you...

• Lorna Bailey (Dalek Commander) with the Science Daleks, talks to a member of the audience
  

Click on the image for a larger version in a new window

All good things...

As they say, all good things must come to an end and this was the last day that we would be performing the play. With just two performances left everyone was still buzzing, but there was a certain sadness starting to creep through.

There was a tight turn around after the mini-convention to make sure that everything was all set for the matinee. In fact I had about 30 minutes or so to have something to eat, change and get ready.

The performance went wonderfully well, as always, and there were plenty of laughs where we wanted them and yet again Stuart Currie's Supreme Dalek received a huge round of applause when it entered, let alone the gasps of delight as the middle section spun round at the end.

It took just as long to get through everyone who wanted to come onto the stage at the end, but time was even more tight as we needed to prep for our final ever performance...



Sneaking into the dressing rooms before the matinee, Dalek Spy was able to snap the following before being thrown out.

• Phil Cottrill (Governor Trantis) shows just hypnotic he can be!
  

Click on the image for a larger version in a new window

Third time lucky!

Friday (October 26) was a manic day to say the least!

I arrived at the theatre early afternoon to drop off my stuff and then went to meet Peter Labrow and Martin, a friend of his. Peter was one of guests who would be at Saturday's mini-convention and I wanted chance to meet him and have a chat before the madness of Staurday. We all spent an enjoyable hour or so chatting away, with Peter recounting some very good stories. Sadly out time was cut short when I had a call from the hotel where some of the otehr guests were staying at. Rob Shearman, writer of 2005's "Dalek" episode had arrived and there was a bit of a mix up. Thankfully the hotel is close to the theatre so I went round there to sort it all out. On my way back I bumped into Rob, who had just popped out to the Co-op! I apologised for the mix up and we both went in to theatre and I showed round a bit and he had chance to kindly sign some CD and DVD inlays for me.

It was then time to get ready for that evening's show and this time I was determined that when the Doctor extracted my DNA we would use a combintaion of the effects from the previous two shows. As it's now happened I can talk about it all! On the first night I shuddered and swung my dome, the second night we had a head that came apart just below the dome and lifed up. Third nightwe hit it right! As the Doctor uses his Sonic Screwdriver to open me up, there is a sound effect as well. Using this as my cue I shuddered, turned my ears on and then swung my dome to the right. As the Doctor walked over I then lifted the head up so he could reach inside to remove the Dalek's DNA. When he was done, the Doctor then taps the dome, making the head go down, the dome wing back and the ears turn off. Perfection! According to Ashley Nealfuller, who built the Dalek and the special head, this worked the best so we kept it this was for Saturday's two performances as well.

After the show, I noticed Barnaby Edwards lurking in the crowd. He'd arrived at the hotel earlier and had popped along after the show to see us. I got him up on stage to meet Stuart Currie, who not only built the Supreme Dalek but was also inside operating it as well. Barnaby was very impressed with Stuart's work, which was all done in his garage in spare evenings and weekends. In fact, I think that Barnaby may ven have wanted to take it away and show how someone had managed to build a rotating middle section for real!

After we had cleared the theatre, a lot of us went to the bar for a well needed drink. I spent a very enjoyable hour or so chatting with James George (Mavic Chen) and Rob Shearman, who had also come along after the preformance. Rob is a great guy and it's so easy to get caught up in conversation with him and to listen to his fascinating insights into Doctor Who.

The best thing about this performance was that a friend's 13 year old daughter who, thanks to NuWho is now a big fan of all Doctor Who, was coming along. For the last near year that I've know about the play and been working on it, I'd kept it all secret from her. I had said that we'd go along and see it and got the tickets. On the day I called her and said I couldn't make it, but her Dad had the tickets and would take her. She was certainly surprised when at the start of the play she saw me walk onto the stage. An even bigger shock was when her Dad told her that I was in a Dalek and pojted out which one. She enjoyed the show greatly and I am officially, "The best person in the whole world... ever!" I'd also like to thank all the cast and crew who kindly signed a programme for her, which she loves.



Dalek Spy was lurking about the stage and in the bar after the show to snap these treats for you.

• People up on stage enjoy photos with the Daleks while Barry Thorpe (Scenic Operator) stands guard
  
• Stuart Currie (Supreme Dalek builder and operator) with Barnaby Edwards (TV's Dalek opeartor)
  
• In the bar afterwards - clockwise from far left is David Bickerstaff (Marc Cory), Nick Scovell (the old Doctor), Nick Briggs (Dalek voices and the new Doctor), Barnaby Edwards, Rob Shearman (TV and Big Finish author) and James George (Mavic Chen)
  

Click on an image for a larger version in a new window

Let's do the Time Warp again...

So, second night - was it any different? I think it's fair to say not really, just as manic and full of nerves.

Nick Scovell did warn us that it can dip a bit on the second night, owing to the fact that we've had the first performance and this can result in a slight drop off. However, I was just as nervous as before while we waited in the wings ready to go on. That's not a bad thing either, as it helped to keep my performance going. I was reading a text message from a friend, that arrived just as I walked on, during the crowd scene as well!

The dome trick was certainly done differently as well, thanks to the efforts of Ashley Nealfuller who built the Dalek. I would say more, but I don't want to give out any spoilers for those that haven't seen the show yet.

Later today (October 26) I'm going to be meeting one of the mini-convention guests, Peter Labrow from the Dalek Links website, to have a coffee and chat about things ahead of tomorrow's event.



Dalek Spy can reveal that Nick Briggs has kindly offered to be interviewed for this very blog. There will also be another interview with the creative force that is Nick Scovell, this time talking about his role as the Doctor. Both of these should hopefully be shot today and be online towards the end of next week... as they may contain spoilers!

A couple of photos for you taken after the show from the Dress Circle, sorry for the poor quality.

• Martin Johnson (Composer) waves hello with Doug Inman (Scenic Operator), to his left, doing his security routine
  
• Nick Briggs (Dalek voices) talks to a young fan
  

Click on an image for a larger version in a new window

What a magnificent opening!

What can I say - we've done it!

Last night (October 24) was totally magical, as we performed to a packed house - even the standing room tickets had gone. We were told at about six o'clock that the four very last tickets ever, which were for Friday, had just been snapped up. So we know that every performance is now a total sell out.

For those that came / will be coming please enjoy the special cast posters that are outside the theatre's entrance and also inside upstairs. Each one show a character with a quote from the play. In the space of two weeks I created 11 of these and they look beautiful printed up. Once the show is over then I'll add copies here so you can see all of them.

The nerves did set in yesterday with me! I had a shaken up stomach and was sick once before I left for the theatre in the early afternoon. Nerves - I knew you'd get me in the end!

Getting ready, we all sat and chatted in the dressing rooms, with Nick Briggs coming out with some very funny stories to keep us amused.

It was very strange waiting backstage for the final call (five minutes before we first go on) and I just wanted to get out there. With just a minute before I walked on, I hit a calm zone which is what helped me go on and get through it all.

As far as I could tell, everything went very well last night - we'll find out tonight if there were any problems. I do know that I slightly fluffed a couple of bits as my Dalek. This wasn't helped by the fact that my gun, which is meant to do something special when it fires, suddenly wouldn't work correctly and this threw me a bit. Overall though, I was very happy with my performance.

I did err big style though, which made it difficult for me. At the point when the Doctor does something to me in Act Two I swung my dome round and had to stay still. Foolishly I swung to the left which meant my head was nearly squashed between the back of the dome and the arm inside that works the eye! Tonight, it'll go to the right as there's more room.

At half time, myself, Lorna and Liam sat out back with only our domes off and got some air... I had a mug of tea and a large cookie as well! We missed out on all the fun (if there could be any without us) in the dressing rooms.

After the show the stage was opened up, for a donation, for people to come onto and have a picture taken with the Daleks. The queue was very long, but it all went off smoothly. Finally, we all retired to the bar and sat there talking about Doctor Who in general. We did find out what all our first memories of the show were and Martin Johnson (the composer) won with the most recent - 1988's "Remembrance of the Daleks"! Grief, I was 18 then... made me feel old!

I got home before turning into a pumpkin at just before midnight. For some reason I then decided to heat up a chilli and eat that!

Well, here we go again tonight and I've got about 25 people from Portsmouth City Council that I know and work with coming to see it... no added pressure then!