Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular

The Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular has made it to us a couple of times before, with this version giving Australian Whovians live premiere performances of music from Peter Capaldi’s series. Hearing and seeing the music was a real boost for those of us still not sure of they ‘get’ the new Doctor and his stories.

Composer Murray Gold is now a decade into scoring the show, and arranger and conductor Ben Foster starred again, keeping it all together between The Metropolitan Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonic Choir, as well as host Peter Davison. Davison’s time in the Tardis was before the new reboot (and musical renaissance), and he played with the legacy and his place in it nicely. Repeated jokes about his immediate successor, Colin Baker, rewarded those who had been around long enough to remember, while not being too intrusive for the newbies still working their way backwards. Davidson also had a go at the current potential ‘spill’ in Canberra – not a bad (if slightly depressing) local reference.

Highlights included Capaldi’s new theme, A Good Man, as well as Wherever, Whenever (which featured a great Steven Moffat speech about fear), and the Companions Suite. After the interval proceedings picked up with a great march of monsters, and yes, there’s nothing like having a ‘real’ Dalek circle while their theme is played. The big screen featured past seasons and stars in regular compilations and towards the end in particular it became clear who the crowd favourites were (arise David Tennant’s 10th and Matt Smith’s 11th), although the inevitable finale, the iconic Ron Grainer theme tune, rumbled with the same rock as it always has. Davison lent Foster his Doctor Number Five jacket for the occasion, which was a nice touch, although minus the always unexplained piece of decorative celery.

Qantas Credit Union Arena, 7 Feb