The traveller known as the Doctor, faced with a crisis too big to handle on his own, contacts his own people, the Time Lords, for help. They answer his call, but put him on trial for breaking their vow of non-interference. His plea that they must use their power to fight the evil in the Universe does not go unheard, but he is exiled – and given a new form into the bargain. This new Doctor is dashing, flamboyant and charming; as handy with his fists as his mind, enamoured with gadgets and obsessed with repairing his disabled TARDIS, he is nonetheless primarily a scientist. Stranded on Earth, he takes up a post with his old friend the Brigadier as scientific advisor to the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, an international military organisation watching out for alien threats – and its not long before such threats begin to appear…
Splendid Chaps is a year-long celebration of Doctor Who‘s fiftieth anniversary: eleven live performances recorded as podcasts in which your brains will be fed, your funny bones tickled, and your hearts opened (yes, both of them!). For our third outing we burst forth in glorious colour and take a big risk: travelling through time and space is out, and battling foes on slightly-in-the-future[ref]It is the policy of Splendid Chaps not to engage in debates about the UNIT dating controversy, but feel free to do so yourselves.[/ref] Earth is in! The Third Doctor (“Three”), played by comedy actor Jon Pertwee, delights in extravagant clothes and fast cars, knows (and is willing to use) Venusian aikido, and matches wits not only with alien menaces, but with politicians, bureaucrats, and even one of his own people: The Master. Despite being stranded on Earth without his previous human friends, the Doctor soon becomes part of the UNIT crew – a surrogate family that leads him to remember his own youth on Gallifrey, and us to choose the theme of “Family” in Doctor Who. Why are there so few families in the early years of the show? What’s with all the distant aunts? How did it change the show when companions’ families started to appear after Rose? And is the TARDIS crew effectively a family of a sort for the Doctor, who seems not to know what happened to his own family?
Hosts Ben McKenzie, John Richards and Petra Elliott are joined by New York Times best-selling author Sean Williams (Evergence, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, The Fixers and many more) and actor/dancer/director Cathy Adamek (Polecats, The Babadook, Cut) plus other guests poached from the Adelaide Fringe Festival!
Space: The Tuxedo Cat – The Yellow Room, 199-200 North Terrace, Adelaide
Time: Sunday, March 10; show starts 2 PM (note that as we will be recording, latecomers will not be admitted until interval)
Accessibility: This venue is wheelchair accessible.
Tickets: All tickets $15 (plus booking fee where applicable)
Bookings: trybooking.com; tickets also sold at the door (subject to availability)
Podcast: not yet available; released 23rd of February, 2013.
