So last Wednesday we snapped up the 3 remaining tickets for the Doctor Who Experience for that week. We had originally planned to go the Saturday, but it had sold out! This worked out better for me as I had another birthday party to attend the Saturday night in Birmingham. Did I mention this was all for Steven's birthday? Anyway, our third ticket didn't yet have a home, but on the Friday Steven managed to talk his friend James into coming along, who's birthday was also this weekend! I had never met James, but as it turned out, we work in the same field, only he'd a lot clever than myself and his work sounds rather amazing. He works with the restoration team for Doctor Who! Amazing! He's even in the DVD extras :)
On Friday morning I was so excited and so under prepared I didn't even eat until I was on that coach while texting all my mates about how excited I was! Until I fell asleep on the coach. It was totally necessary as I hadn't slept much that night due to over excitement. I'd never been to anything like this and I knew I had the best tour guide ever to fill my day with Doctor Whoiness all through the day until the Experience at 3pm.
At about 11 I arrived at Victoria Station, leather boots on, black jacket, t-shirt, jumper, trousers, sun glasses. Can anyone guess who I was yet? I still had my back pack on with sleeping bag and the lot, but managed to run to my Doctor and it fitted quite well with the costume.
So there we were; the Doctor and Lady Christina De Souza reunited.
OK, so I'm not much of a cosplayer, but it was his birthday. And for not-much-of-a-cosplayer, the next thing I did would fit that category quite well. We were in Tie Rack and they had the exact tie from Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal! No joke. THE tie!! It's a really particular tie; white, straight at the bottom, made of some other material, and this was the one. I phones my friend Julia straight away who told me I had to buy it. Best £12.99 I will ever spend on a tie!
Our first port of call on our Doctor Who jam-packed day was the Powell Estate! This was amazing. Ok, so much of the floor had been dug up, but we did a quite bit of filming for our spoof and I got to re-envision the TARDIS crash landing and David Tennant's final scene. It was pretty cool. I've never been to a recognisable filming location of something I love before. Then it was back to the station, just in the nick of time to meet up with James. I changed my shoes for the run back to the tube. Boots are a pain! Literally!
We also attempted to spray paint my hair black at the Powell Estate as we hadn't had time to do it before. This was funny. We also tested hair spray in Steven's hair after Ed, another DT cosplayer, had said to me it was the absolute best method of capturing the DT look. Steven's hair already had gel in it and I came to conclude his hair is entirely un-manageable. Sorry Steven!
Now on to meet James. It was now almost half 2 and we were rushing to get to the Experience on time, but Steven had chosen to meet James somewhere very specific and I'm so glad he did!
I can't remember the name of the station we were at but there was a TARDIS parked outside!! (Just found it on Google. It was Earl's Court Tube Station). We managed to film just one shot to go in our video before we had to run for our train. I'm sure James was probably very confused at this point. Although, knowing Steven, James has probably seen it all before. He was a very good camera man so I don't think it was his first time :)
He was such a cool guy. Steven, possibly a little lost once we started talking about colour recovery methods. Decoding chroma signals isn't usual banter I suppose, but I was quite fascinated by what James had achieved with restoring Doctor Who and when we arrived back at Steven's that night we immediately put on the Planet Of The Daleks DVD. If you've not seen it, buy it.
Anyway, arriving at Olypia pretty much dead on 3 it was great watching 'The Doctor' run off into the wind, coat sweeping behind him as he ran ahead for the tickets. James and I were quite enjoying our chat and were surrounded by other people on their way to the Experience, so we took our leisurely time.
I found it odd we were the only ones in costume. Is this odd? I thought that was usual form. I did see one very cute little 3 foot tall David Tennant, and I was recognised as Lady De Souza! I didn't expect that. I only really did it for the video, and for Steven. It was his birthday!
It was a staff member that recognised the costume. All the staff were really nice, which was great, as if I had been them, a customer like me would have very much got on my nerves!! Once we were in, we stayed 3 hours! Eventually we were asked to leave as there was a private party that night. It wasn't like we didn't exhaust every exhibit by this point! We were in no way rushed.
For anyone who's been to the Doctor Who Exhibitions, it probably starts very much the same, only it had all the new stuff from the new series. As far as I'm aware, this is the first tour of these particular exhibits. And so, typically, our first photo was taken with my favourite Dalek of the new series! No, not the big fat power ranger ones. The Ironside!
This section of the Exhibition was short and sweet, as it was more of a decorated waiting room as we waited for the actual Experience. There was a count down and our Doctor had everyone counting down to the main event!
The Experience began with a run down or reminder of Doctor Who series 5 and then we joined the adventure! Past that, I don't want to spoilt it for you. We couldn't take cameras into the Experience and quite right too. I'm glad I didn't speak to anyone who had been before hand (although I did attempt to construct some sort of boob-cam using a flip video camera, but they failed. I would have felt too guilty to release them had I succeeded). I was in total awe from the second we walked in. It was freaky, scary, exciting, interactive and whole load of other adjectives!!
I can't even tell you the best bit in case it spoils it for you!! But the effects and audio where great. There was one bit I'm sure you won't mind me telling you, when we were walking down a corridor between one section of the story and another, done out like a space ship interior, with Matt Smith's voice still guiding us, I went to put my hand out to touch the wall when Matt yelled "Don't touch the walls! Please, please hurry. The future of the Universe relies on you!" I jump out my own skin! It was funny though. Then I think the other people experiencing The Experience found me very amusing as I jumped at every twist and turn, and was in awe at some of those sets. Can't tell you what they were though! Although I don't think they'll mind me saying their 3D effects were the best I've ever seen!
The Experience itself lasted just under an hour, but the event wasn't over yet as we still had a full exhibition on the other side! I've not been to any others, but I'm not sure this one could have been topped! As soon as you get through the doors, the Pandorica is in front of you. We filmed a quick clip and took a couple of photos. I thought this was cool. Then there were all the costumes and Steven got to sit in the Pandorica chair! Apparently this is the same one from the series.
I thought that was it; a Pandorica and some costumes, with 2 cyber men around a corner, appearing to block the exit. I was scared to leave and watched them for a long time as other passed, just to see if they'd jump. The Cyber Men have always scared me. I think it's because the concept of them seems to be getting so much closer to a reality each day, and it's the same method Doctor Robotnik uses to take over Mobius in the Sonic The Hedgehog Adventures. This idea of robots taking over us or us becoming them is a freaky thing.
Anyway, eventually, after much mickey taking by James and Steven and being dared to touch them, which I didn't, I eventually walked past, and what I found... I think was my ultimate experience as a Doctor Who and David Tennant fan. His TARDIS. The TARDIS interior of the Eccelston/Tennant era was right in front of me, to see, touch and walk on. Well, you can't touch the centre console, but we as good as did. I touched the floor he walked on! lol
Then there were more costumes, this time of the companions. Then another TARDIS!! This one was the one spanning Peter Davison to Colin Baker... I think... It was white. That was cool too! :)
There were loads more exhibitions of the bad guys including Davros, Daleks in many incarnations, including the special weapons Dalek! (Much cooler than Storm, sorry guys! lol) Oods, Scare crows, etc. Oddly, seeing Doctor Constantine and the child from The Doctor Dances together reminded me of the Doctor and Jack. Their costumes are very similar.
Then there was more interactive stuff including a video of a dalek ship battle sequence we had to add sound effects to and a sort of dance room where a video of loop of Doctor Who's choreographer teaches you how to walk like a Scare Crow and a Cyber Man. James managed to catch a lot of footage or Steven and I making total fools of ourselves, but I don't have it here with me to release. Sorry guys!
Once we reached the final exist, which lead to the shop with a little spiny door thing to stop you re-entering the exhibition, we rushed back to DT's TARDIS for some more photos, more nosing around, and so that Steven could re-enact David Tennant's final scene and Matt Smith's introduction, in sync to the video playing in the back ground. All the while some staff gathered to watch. Others avoided us as they tried to set up for the private party on its way in. As they set up the table with refreshments, of the alcoholic variety, I was tempted to stay, but eventually, after enjoying a cup of tea in the adjoining cafe, we were asked to leave. They were very polite and patient and we were certainly the last to leave. I also treated myself to a TARDIS mug! I was really splashing out. I hardly own any merchandise because I'm too tight.
The journey back to Steven's was an adventure in itself given how packed it was, but we couldn't wait until the next one. We had another birthday to attend! Straight in the house, I tended to my blisters and then it was straight to the pub! Costumes and everything! Luckily you'd never known mine was supposed to be anything other than someone very boring. We enjoyed some atrociously embarrassing pool games and a well deserved pint before the others carried on to clubbing, but Steven and I were dead on our feet and returned back to his to finish the day with the X Files! Perhaps this wasn't Steven's ideal end to a Doctor Who packed day, but I was up to the series 3 finale and just couldn't wait any longer! He'd also never seen it. A crime. I put that right. Pizza, cakes and 3 episodes later, it was about 3am and we pretty much collapsed.
***
Saturday!
Predictably got up late, but we'd earned our sleep! This did however cut in to our filming time and we had a spoof to finish!! I was determined not to let the previous days filming go to waste so the costumes were back on! We were incredibly strapped for time now, especially given that I'd forgotten my tickets home so my dad was giving them to someone at New Street station to pass to me on the other side. A risky strategy, but it worked! And Paul was lovely. I had to run to meet him, still in my costume but I suppose that made it easier for this wonderful stranger to spot me at Euston. We then went for a pint, in a pub full of Brummies! They were all preparing for the Birmingham - Arsenal Carling Cup Final on the Sunday. If I hadn't have got my tickets, my back up plan would have been to beg a coach driver at Wembley to get me home the next day. I also enjoyed the company of a lovely young man who helped me navigate London's underground system and a man told me how pretty I was as I left the pub lol I also saw a guy who looked just like Elliott from E.T.! Which was odd, as I'd only been watching the trailer for E.T. 2 a few days earlier, courtesy of Russell's facebook posting.
Filming... I don't know how well it went as I had no time to watch the footage back or to move it on to Harrison, my hard drive, so sorry I've got nothing to show you there. I enjoyed the script we wrote on the way to the bus though! Yes, it was filmed on a bus! No, not a flying bus. Couldn't get one on short notice. Sorry.
Filming wrapped, Experience experienced, tickets in hand, it was time to head home for another birthday party!! Yep, that's right, a forth birthday to celebrate! If Lauren reads this, least she's know I really genuinely did not get chance to attend hers too, which I'm gutted about, but had an awesome weekend none the less. Still need to celebrate Kailash's birthday actually! But anyway, back to Saturday night!
Still in costume as I hadn't had time to change, I did a Super Man change routine in the train toilets before I arrived at the pub where my mum and her friends looked like they were having a great time. Tired and having just received a text informing me Peter Davison had been at the party at the Experience after us! I was so glad to get that first pint, already waiting on the table. And suddenly, as if the band knew I was there, they played Billie Jean!! The band were amazing too, and all so hot! Honestly, this was a hot, talented band.
***
Waking up Sunday morning I was so happy not to have a hang over, but unfortunately couldn't walk flat on my feet yet after wearing those boots so long. Still, we had a great day ahead of us. This was the day the weekend either became the greatest ever or the ultimate anit-climax!
Birmingham were in the Carling cup final!
I'm sure you all know the end of this story and it was...
THE
BEST
WEEKEND
EVER!!!
Thanks Steven, James, my dad for getting me my tickets, the stranger who gave me my tickets, to the staff at the Experience and all the odd wonderful people I met on the way! And the band! And Julia for talking me into buying that tie!
Everyone is amazing :)
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