The Lurkio Review of
The Brighton Exhibition
October 2005
The 2005 Series displays
On passing these you immediately become aware of another piece of optical trickery, a transparent police box rotating with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper’s costumes on plastic headless mannequins, the heads melting on a nearby console I shouldn’t wonder… Pay special attention to the guard rail and see if it reminds you of anything.
A video screen on the floor surrounded by a section of TARDIS hexagonal wall
roundels gives you a flavour of the interior set. On every standing “set” you’ll
see plenty of work from the Doctor Who art department, initial designs and
storyboards mingling with props you never clearly saw on screen (my favourite
being the keypad on the Doctor’s bomb from “Rose”)
Clearly the Brighton Pier staff were working on a very low budget and although the dome isn’t that large, somehow they’ve shoehorned in a separate area for each of the 2005 series stories without feeling in any way claustrophobic. In fact, it felt positively spacious! Perhaps the dome is bigger inside than out?
Rose
Although disappointingly there were no Tower blocks and no member of staff dressed as Jackie inviting you into her bedroom clad only in a dressing gown, there was plenty from Episode 1 to go all dewy-eyed over.
What you do get is the featured Autons, a Wheelie bin, Mickey’s head, anti-plastic and the Doctor’s bomb.
The End of the
World
Lots of goodies here, the Ostrich Egg, the steward’s notebook, the spiders, the Moxx! And almost every alien from the episode. A concept drawing of Cassandra in a cartoon style is particularly hilarious.
The Unquiet Dead
Beware the Gelth! In this section you have a body on a slab, in the coldness of Sneed’s mortuary. A wrought-iron gate to hide behind and beware the mortician’s tools hanging above.
Aliens of London/World War III
Ah, poor little piggy. Shot dead by the military, he has now been stuffed and mounted in an exhibition. Also the rotating Clock Tower which was struck by the Slitheen’s spaceship. Passes worn in Downing Street (even a certain MP’s pass), Margaret’s head complete with emanating light and other things I’ve forgotten.
Dalek
More goodies here from the art department. Ah yes, and what’s that thing that malevolently spins round to threaten you? I forget its name. Also guards’ earpieces, the Doctor’s shackles, a large hairdryer and other curios.
The Long Game
A skeletal head from floor 500, more concept drawings, guns etc. So much stuff to see that I can’t remember what was in…
The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances
A large WWII bomb behind some (sadly blunt) barbed wire with “Schlecter Wolf” stencilled on it. A gas mask on the wall, and again, details you forget as you move on.
Between Empty Child and Bad Wolf is a neglected original Dalek from 1963, placed purely for a sympathy vote, I'm sure...
Bad Wolf / The Parting of the Ways
The Dalek Emperor! And other things that I just can’t remember!
All in all well worth the £6 we paid to get in and look at the detail of the
props. Unless you’re friends with someone on the 2005 production team you’ll
never see this much stuff this close-up again.
Bear in mind that some of it will be destroyed in fires and damaged in moves! Go see it now before it’s too late!
Exhibition closes on Nov 6th. Go! Go see!