BBC Books Announces April Releases

Friday, 15 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The BBC has released details of three forthcoming books featuring the 11th Doctor, with new companion Clara also in one of them. All three hardback titles will be published on Thursday 11th April.

The Dalek Generation, by Nicholas BriggsThe Dalek Generation
Written by Nicholas Briggs
(Pre-order here)

Sunlight 349 is one of countless Dalek Foundation worlds, planets created to house billions of humanoids suffering from economic hardship. The Doctor arrives there, suspicious of any world where the Daleks are apparently a force for good – and determined to find out the truth.

He soon finds himself in court, facing the "Dalek Litigator". But do his arch-enemies really have nothing more to threaten than legal action? The Doctor knows they have a far more sinister plan – but how can he convince those who have lived under the benevolence of the Daleks for a generation? However, convince them he must, and soon. For on another Foundation planet, archaeologists have unearthed the most dangerous technology in the universe . . .
 
Nicholas Briggs has been a prolific Doctor Who contributor since 1999, when he began work on the Big Finish Doctor Who audio dramas, for which he is now executive producer. Nick is also an actor, and since Doctor Who’s return to television in 2005 he has worked on set with all three of the new Doctors as the voice of the Daleks, also providing the voice of the Cybermen and other aliens.

Plague of the Cybermen, by Justin RichardsPlague of the Cybermen
Written by Justin Richards
(Pre-order here)

When the Doctor arrives in the 19th-century village of Klimtenburg, he
discovers the residents suffering from some kind of plague – a "wasting
disease". The victims face a horrible death – but what's worse, the dead
seem to be leaving their graves. The Plague Warriors have returned . . .

The Doctor is confident he knows what's really happening; he understands
where the dead go, and he's sure the Plague Warriors are just a myth. But
as some of the Doctor's oldest and most terrible enemies start to awaken, he realises that maybe – just maybe – he's misjudged the situation.
 
Justin Richards is creative consultant to BBC Books' range of Doctor Who titles, has written for stage and screen, and has penned novels and graphic novels. Together with Jack Higgins, he has also written several action thrillers for older children.

Shroud of Sorrow, by Tommy DonbavandShroud of Sorrow
Written by Tommy Donbavand
(Pre-order here)

It is the day after John F Kennedy's assassination and the faces of the dead are everywhere. PC Reg Cranfield sees his deceased father in the mists along Totter's Lane. Reporter Mae Callon sees her late grandmother in a coffee stain on her desk. FBI Special Agent Warren Skeet finds his long-dead partner staring back at him from raindrops on a window pane.

Then the faces begin to talk, and scream - and push through into our world. As the alien Shroud begins to feast on the grief of a world in mourning, can the Doctor dig deep enough into his own sorrow to save mankind?
 
Tommy Donbavand is the author of the 13-book Scream Street series, published in more than 12 languages worldwide, and was the winner of the 2011 Hackney Short Novel Award.




FILTER: - Merchandise - Books - Eleventh Doctor - BBC

BFI To Show The Robots Of Death

Wednesday, 13 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The BFI is to screen The Robots of Death to mark the Fourth Doctor's era as it celebrates Doctor Who's 50th anniversary, it was announced today.

The four-part story, which first aired in 1977, will be shown at BFI Southbank on Saturday 20th April at 2pm. The guests will be announced in due course.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday 12th March but will be available on Tuesday 5th March to people with a standard BFI membership and on Monday 4th March to Champion members.

Screenings that the BFI organised for last month, this month, and next month - honouring the First, Second, and Third Doctors - all sold out to members before tickets were due to go on general release.

The organisation has a Doctor Who At 50 season this year, showing a story per Doctor per month as well as digitally-restored prints of the two Dalek films, with question-and-answer panels featuring special guests at each session. In addition, the BBC Two docudrama An Adventure In Space And Time about the show's genesis, written by Mark Gatiss and currently being filmed, will debut at the BFI in November.




FILTER: - Special Events - UK - BFI - WHO50 - Fourth Doctor

Series 6 Double Bill At Australian Cinemas - UPDATES

Tuesday, 12 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
BBC Worldwide Australasia is currently in talks with Event Cinemas to show the Series 6 two-part opener The Impossible Astronaut and Day of the Moon at venues across Australia.

However, despite Event Cinemas' website listing venues showing the episodes and giving dates for the screenings - details that were reproduced here - we have since been informed by the BBC that it has merely been holding talks with Event about the possibility of a screening, with no dates settled as yet.

Having published the details in all good faith, based on publicly available information, we regret any confusion caused and will update readers as and when.

13th Feb, 12.05pm: DWN understands that Event Cinemas is now in the process of taking down the screening details from its website.





FILTER: - Special Events - Series 6/32 - Australia

Guests Announced For The Mind of Evil Screening At BFI

Monday, 11 February 2013 - Reported by Harry Ward
The special guests for the screening of The Mind of Evil at the BFI Southbank next month have been announced. The announcement was made at the screening of The Tomb of the Cybermen on Saturday.

The event, which takes place on Sunday 10th March at 2pm, will see cast and crew from the episode on stage during the Q&A panels. The guests are:
Tickets for the screening sold out within 5 minutes of going on sale to BFI members on 5 February at 11.30am.




FILTER: - Special Events - UK - Third Doctor - BFI - WHO50

Dr.Who @ The Movies

Wednesday, 6 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
Riverside Studios are to present the digitally remastered versions of the two 1960s cinematic outings for the Daleks on the big screen. Starring Peter Cushing, both Dr Who and the Daleks and Daleks' Invasion Earth: 2150AD are to be shown in high definition on Sunday 26th May from 2:00pm.

Movie Poster Movie Poster

The Dalek-themed afternoon is being presented in association with the Doctor Who Appreciation Society - further details including how to book can be found via their website.




FILTER: - Special Events

Costume Designer Howard Burden To Give Talk At BFI

Wednesday, 6 February 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
Current costume designer Howard Burden will be giving a talk about his work later this month.

He will be at the BFI in London on Wednesday 20th February for an afternoon seminar entitled Designing For Science-Fiction, which will examine "how various screen craft disciplines work to realise fantastical science-fiction visions."

The event - the first in a new series looking at what it takes to succeed as a designer in the film and TV industries - is being presented in association with Wimbledon College of Art.

Burden has been the costume designer on Doctor Who since Asylum of the Daleks. His sci-fi pedigree also includes working on Red Dwarf from series three onwards as well as on the 1998 six-part series Invasion: Earth, which was a BBC Scotland/Sci-Fi Channel co-production.




FILTER: - Special Events - UK - BFI

Details announced of Splendid Chaps "Two/Evil"

Sunday, 3 February 2013 - Reported by Adam Kirk

As previously reported, Splendid Chaps is a year-long performance/podcast project to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who hosted by comedian Ben McKenzie (Dungeon Crawl, Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour) and writer John Richards (ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast).

Described by its creators as part intellectual panel discussion, part nerdy Tonight Show, Splendid Chaps is a combination of analysis, enthusiasm and irreverence. The first episode went to number 1 on the iTunes TV & Film Podcast chart in Australia, and to number 4 in the UK.  The podcast is available  at www.splendidchaps.com or at  iTunes.

Tickets are now on sale for the second live recording, which features actor Toby Truslove (ABC's Laid, Outland, The Strange Calls) and cultural theorist Dr Djoymi Baker discussing the second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, and the notion of “evil” in Doctor Who. Is it absolute? Are there cosmic forces of right and wrong? And is the Doctor always on the right side? Plus performance guest, cabaret comedian Dean Acuri – performing a song written especially for the show.


Splendid Chaps: A Year Of Doctor Who: "Two/Evil"
Space: 303, 303 High Street, Northcote
Time: Sunday, February 17; bar open from 4 PM, show starts 5 PM (note that as event is recorded, latecomers will not be admitted until intermission)
Tickets: $15 full price, $12 concession (plus booking fee)
Bookings: via TryBooking; tickets also sold at the door (subject to availability)



"One/Authority" event shows (from left to right) Ben McKenzie, John Richards, Lee Zachariah, Nerida Haycock, Alexandra Tynan (nee Sandra Reid), Petra Elliot. Photographer Robert Young.
(with thanks to John Richards)





FILTER: - Special Events - Fan Productions - Second Doctor - Patrick Troughton - Australia

A Fancy Dress Experience

Friday, 1 February 2013 - Reported by Chuck Foster
The Doctor Who Experience has announced a number of fancy dress competitions to take place over the course of February's school half term period:
On Saturday 9th, 16th and 23rd February, the Doctor Who Experience will host three fancy dress competitions a day, with each day having a different theme:
  • On Saturday 9th February dress up in your favourite Doctor’s costume from any of the series, for the ‘Dress-up as a Doctor’ fancy dress day.
  • Saturday 16th February will see Doctor Who monsters take over the Experience - the scarier the costumes the better! Make sure you really look the part by coming along to one of our ‘walk like a monster’ demos, learn how to strut like the favourite monsters you’ve dressed up as!
  • The third fancy dress competition is ‘Companions’ themed - if you think you have the best Clara Oswin Oswald outfit or Astrid Peth’s costume, then come along on Saturday 23rd February when we will be judging the best ‘Companions’ costumes.
With up to £50 of merchandise to be won three times a day, start planning your Doctor Who inspired outfits today!
There will also be a number of behind-the-scenes talks and other events taking place, dates still to be announced.




FILTER: - Special Events - UK - Exhibitions

Guests Announced For Tomb Screening At BFI

Monday, 28 January 2013 - Reported by John Bowman
The guest line-up for next month's celebratory screening of The Tomb of the Cybermen at the BFI Southbank was announced today.

The event, which takes place on Saturday 9th February at 2.30pm, will see seven people make up the Q&A panels. They are:
Part of the organisation's Doctor Who At 50 season to mark the show's milestone anniversary, it sold out to BFI members before tickets went on general release.

Throughout 2013, the BFI is showing a story per Doctor as well as digitally-restored prints of the two Dalek films. It will also be premièring An Adventure In Space And Time - a 90-minute BBC Two docudrama about the show's creation, written by Mark Gatiss, which is due to start shooting next month.

Marking the Third Doctor's era, the première of the colour-restored story The Mind of Evil plus a discussion takes place on Sunday 10th March at 2pm. Tickets will go on general sale on Tuesday 12th February at 11.30am. BFI members get priority booking plus discounts on ticket prices and are exempt from booking fees. An annual membership currently costs £30 - down from £40. This special offer expires at the end of February - click here for more details.





FILTER: - Special Events - UK - Second Doctor - BFI - WHO50

"Splendid chaps" podcast now available

Monday, 28 January 2013 - Reported by Adam Kirk
The Splendid Chaps podcast is now available on its website.  As previously reported, to celebrate 50 years of Doctor Who,  John Richards (creator/writer of the ABC1 sitcom Outland, Boxcutters podcast) and Ben McKenzie (Channel 31′s Planet Nerd, Dungeon Crawl, ‘patron saint of geek comedy’ – T-Squat magazine) have joined forces to host a year-long performance/podcast project, entitled "Splendid Chaps", in Melbourne, Australia.
Each month, from January to November 2013, John and Ben will record a live Doctor Who panel discussion – one for each of the eleven Doctors – with a different theme, special guests, musical and comedy performances and loveliness. These will also be edited into podcast episodes, released on the 23rd of each month.

The highlight of the first podcast, featuring the first doctor, includes Alexandra Tynan (nee Sandra Reid) talking about her designs for the Cybermen, in both The Tenth Planet and The Moonbase, and also the filming of the first doctor's regeneration scene. The podcast is also available at iTunes.




FILTER: - Special Events - Fan Productions - Australia