Doctor Who: Projections in Time: Dragonfire Screening and Guests Report

A Doctor Who event was held at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith across the 6th -8th September, as part of Riverside Studios Made at Riverside TV Festival. The festival comprised screenings and discussion of firstly The Old Grey Whistle Test, the influential music show of the 1970s and 80s presented by Bob Harris and Hancock’s Half Hour Double Bill featuring the 1960’s comedian and writer Tony Hancock.

Also, in conjunction with the DWAS (Doctor Who Appreciation Society) there was a screening of the 7th Doctor story Dragonfire. It was introduced by Tony Jordan, from the DWAS promotions team, with a welcome from Bonnie Langford on video, before setting off for the trading colony of Iceworld on the dark side of the planet Svartos.

Interview with Seventh Doctor set designer John Asbridge and writer Ian Briggs

Following the screening of episode one of “Dragonfire” Tony Jordan warmly welcomed Ian Briggs to his first society event in 33 years and also John Asbridge to his first-ever convention as they settled into the interview. “Dragonfire” introduces us to companion Dorothy or Ace. As the creator of the character, Ian described the origins of Ace and set her in Perivale. It had come from a period of submitting various story ideas which John Nathan Turner hadn’t approved until they had Dragonfire. Ace and her background coming from Perivale was because she was an amalgam of three different teenagers Ian knew from a youth theatre group in West London he was involved in.

Given that the first episode of “Dragonfire” ends with a literal cliffhanger of the Seventh Doctor hanging by his umbrella off a cliff Tony Jordan had to ask Ian Briggs if that was what was envisaged. As the writer Ian revealed the actual cliffhanger to episode one should have been Mel screaming as she and Ace encounter the dragon. However, in post-production, there were different decisions made. Questioned if the decision was made because the episode was under-running Ian thought not because there was a scene dropped from earlier where Sabalom Glitz, last seen in “Trial of a Timelord“, was trapped under a shard of ice and had to be rescued by the Doctor. That scene he mused was probably dropped because the episode was over-running rather than under-running.

Ian Briggs was also asked about and discussed the development of a scene from episode 2: A Stimulating Philosophical Discussion. It was an idea Ian had had for a character in a different context that was used for the guard. It was really interesting to hear how it was used to build character for both the guard but also ” created a moment” for the Doctor to be confounded. This was as well to push the action along as Glitz needed to get past the guard to his ship.

Considering the development of Ace in Curse of Fenric Ian did admit that when he wrote Dragonfire and the idea of Ace being drawn up by a time storm it was unclear at the time that Ace was going to the companion replacing Bonnie Langford. Ace’s background was set up to be more like a one-off creation and it was only later that Ian was able to incorporate part of her family background and the time storm into an interesting story.

Designer John Asbridge being asked to attend this event had made him go back to his diaries and sketches after a very long time. Whilst he was aware of Doctor Who fandom in the past it had felt like such an early part of his career filming at BBC Television Centre. He found watching his Doctor Who stories again “an eye opener” realising he could enjoy them as a piece of broadcasting history. Moving specifically to the stories he was involved in John felt privileged and excited to work on Dragonfire.

He was excited to read the script but was acutely conscious of time and that he was working also on Delta and the Bannermen at the same time so was scribbling designs furiously. Asked about the differences between solely a studio production and being on location John preferred the “comfort zone” of the studio because controlling things is so much easier. Being outside, he said, is very dependent on trying to make the location work. John also worked on The Happiness Patrol and Silver Nemesis and disclosed he really enjoys attention to detail on the sets he dresses.

He remembered in Silver Nemesis dressing Lady Peinfort’s period home and also the fun had at Arundel Castle which he dressed to double for Windsor Castle.

John was asked about his relationship with Verity Lambert who was a “huge, wonderful friend” He was introduced to her when he was working on the mystery crime drama series Jonathan Creek written by David Renwick as Verity was a producer on the programme. It was the start of a long close friendship as John also worked on other productions where Verity was a producer such as Love Soup also written by David Renwick and a period drama series called The Cazalets John Asbridge conveyed a lot of warmth for Verity and expressed regret that he hadn’t met her sooner. He described her as a woman who didn’t dwell professionally when things went wrong or bear a grudge.

The actor’s panel – interview with Edward Peel (Kane), Patricia Quinn (Belazs), Tony Osoba (Kracauer) and Shirin Taylor (Customer)

All the actors for this panel are very experienced and familiar faces of the 1970’s through to the 2000’s. Tony Osoba who played Kracauer has many credits including the 1970’s comedy series Porridge as Jim ‘Jock’ McLaren with Ronnie Barker and has also appeared in several Doctor Who television stories over the years including as Lan in Destiny of the Daleks (1979), Kracauer in Dragonfire (1984) and Duke in Kill the Moon (2014).

He talked at length alongside Edward Peel (Kane) and Shirin Taylor about the preparation that actors go through including the important rehearsal period they were allowed at the “Acton Hilton” where scripts and characters were really homed in the rehearsal rooms in preparation for filming.

Patricia Quinn, who is probably best known for her part as Magenta from the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, was thrilled to mark off her bucket list working on Doctor Who. However, discussing costume fittings for the serial and the challenges she faced she really didn’t like her costume especially the hat she wore. Patricia lamented the lack of glamour as Belazs in being asked to wear a uniform and hide her red hair under a helmet or being asked to have her hair up. With a very dry sense of humour, she commented this was apparently all due to Bonnie Langford having her long red hair down and she wasn’t allowed to do the same as a guest which upset her.

Interview with Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred

It’s always a pleasure to see Sophie Aldred and Sylvester McCoy at an event together as their chemistry as actors and friends is palpable. There’s a real beauty of the show when a close relationship forms between a Doctor and companion and they both remind me of the similar vibes of Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant in that respect.

Both Sylvester and Sophie admitted that they do spend a lot of time together whether it’s on a Big Finish story or travelling to conventions, Sylvester he loves confirmed he loves to travel and had done “some terrible jobs in lovely places” because he always wonders what’s over the horizon. Sophie also said they share similar political views but also life values. She also laughs at Sylvester’s jokes!

However, Sylvester McCoy declared he found watching himself in Dragonfire at the screening a strange experience. Dragonfire is a story from his first series and he noted that he was always keen to make use of the alien locations so Ice World was acting sliding everywhere although he was the only one doing it. Interviewer Tony Jordan picked up that the 7th Doctor was at this stage still doing what was described as “pratfalls” a reflection of the more comedic side of Sylvester’s first season.

As Sylvester explained it was his interpretation after being given the Tardis key but not a real direction on how to play the character. The element of pratfalls was hotly disputed by Sophie Aldred though as she felt his Doctor still showed gravitas amongst the lightness of the comedy.

Sophie Aldred discussed how she became the companion. Bonnie Langford hadn’t decided if she was leaving her role as Melanie Bush when Sophie had been cast as Ace and in rehearsals at the “Acton Hilton”. However, there was a possibility. Both she and Sara Griffith who played Ray in Delta and the Bannermen became potential for a companion.

After Bonnie did decide she was leaving, John Nathan Turner at the end of Sophie’s first day on Dragonfire came down into the studio, lighting a cigarette and said to her “Well darling, we’re on if you’re on” which she took to mean that she had done a good first-day job.

Both Sylvester and Sophie expanded on their experience at rehearsals as a really creative and positive time to know their characters, where the cameras would be and to be ready for the studio. As both of them are aware and lamented that with the speed of today’s television, there isn’t really the luxury of rehearsal time and the expectations are to perform on cue, Sophie explained that she felt quite nervous returning to Power of the Doctor. She had spoken briefly with the director Jamie Magnus-Stone on the phone but arrived in Bristol for the studio where people were in masks, Sophie was put on her mark and everyone in the studio stopped what they were doing.

The first assistant director welcomed her back to Doctor Who which was followed by a round of applause from the crew. Sophie found it all quite moving to realise the young crew knew who she was in terms of the show.

Asked about a favourite scene Sylvester and Sophie enjoyed the scene in Silver Nemesis where they are walking down the street whistling which was improvised. Sylvester joked Sophie enjoyed the scene in Power of the Doctor with him as the Doctor although both of them filmed their scenes separately. Sophie also recalled Tales of the Tardis and the speech she had where she talked about her grandmother. It was meant to emulate the scene in the library in Ghostlight where the Doctor forces Ace to talk about her past. Sophie mentioned that she was very lucky that in the original run, they had scriptwriter Andrew Cartmel and the new writers he brought in.

Andrew Cartmel, who was in the audience, said there was a conscious decision to keep Sophie and Sylvester together because of their chemistry rather than splitting the Doctor and companion which drew a round of applause from the audience. Asked about changes or developments if a fourth series would have gone ahead, Andrew didn’t think there would have been many changes as he was very happy with the direction of the show at that time. Eventually Ace would have passed over to a new companion.

During the event, there was an opportunity to have studio photographs with the guests or collect their autographs in the River room before the event finally closed at 7pm.

Given that tickets for this event sold out in two hours I really hope the DWAS continue running these Projection in Time events. The DWAS do have the pedigree and are able to attract a high calibre of classic Who guests to their events. Running for six or seven hours represents great value as well as being very enjoyable.

This was another fantastic occasion for all fans of Doctor Who.