On Saturday February 7, an invasion occurred in our fair city. A vast swarm of intergenerational Whovians descended upon the Qantas Credit Union Arena for a night of deliciously geeky orchestral entertainment.
Hosted by the hilarious and charming Fifth Doctor, Peter Davison, the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular truly lived up to its name. From the moment the first bowstring was plucked, the entire audience was taken on a multisensory rollercoaster that has been over 50 years in the making.
Fans were treated to the melodic sounds of the Metropolitan Orchestra, paired with some of the most iconic moments from the show playing onscreen. The atmosphere was such that you could feel our collective hearts swelling along with the music during particularly emotional scenes. I’m not afraid to admit that I cried on more than one occasion. Damn you, Tennant!
The night perfectly showcased composer Murray Gold’s genius when it comes to creating the score for the television show. The emotional pieces were beautifully permeated by light-hearted mischief music. An array of monsters also invaded the auditorium throughout the evening, some remaining terrifyingly stoic, whilst others terrorised some delighted audience members. Naturally, the highlight of this was the entrance of the Daleks, who demanded compliance and that the orchestra “surrender their rebel conductor” who had piss-bolted moments before. Luckily, he returned to take them on with his very own sonic screwdriver. The whole scene perfectly encapsulated the wonderful cheese factor that is often present in Doctor Who.
Old-school fans will have been happy to note that each of the Doctors featured onscreen throughout the night, including in a beautiful homage to their the deaths and regenerations through the years. The show was truly worthy of the standing ovation that it received, and I eagerly await for its return to Sydney again.
5/5 stars
The Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacularplayed at Qantas Credit Union Arena on Saturday February 7.
