Shirt…

…Invasion XI!!

Having missed two previous Invasions, Shirt’s interest was piqued by Seventh Galaxy Events announcing two of Large Endings’ most recent companions, whom he did not already have in his “The Companions” book – Niky Wardley (‘Tamsin’ from the Eighth Doctor Audio Adventures) and Beth Chalmers (‘Raine’ from the forthcoming ‘Season 27’ Lost Stories season). Other guests included Jacqueline Pearce, John Levene, Jimmy Winston, David ‘Peter the Winder’ Ajala, monster-actor Matt Doman, and making his convention debut, Rodney Bewes (one-time Likely Lad and “Resurrection of the Daleks” guest star). Shirt therefore decided to book a ticket, the promise of further ‘sponsored’ Large Endings’ guests strengthening his resolve.

Fighting his way across London due to innumerable public transport works, Shirt finally found himself at the school that he had attended for Invasions V, VI & VII. Joining a short queue, Shirt picked up his convention pack with the programme that allowed him his two free autographs from each guest. Paying for an extra item for Rodney Bewes, Shirt wandered around the school to check where all events were taking place, there not being a map in the pack. Returning to the main hall where the panels were taking place, Shirt was just in time for the start of proceedings, which comprised a slideshow tribute to Nicholas Courtney who had died a few days before.

The first panel was Rodney Bewes and Jimmy Winston, who spoke enthusiastically about their involvement in popular culture in the 1960s, Rodney on television and Jimmy as a member of ‘The Small Faces’. Rodney also spoke of how he once climbed Big Ben, leaving a pair of black ladies knickers at the top. The interviewer seemed to be attempting to leave ‘Doctor Who’ until the end, presumably hoping that more attendees might turn up as the panel continued. Rodney and Jimmy exchanged stories of being killed by the Daleks, and as there were no audience questions, the panel came to an end.

Next up was Jacqueline Pearce, but Shirt decided to go and get some autographs. Going via the merchandise room, he purchased photos of Niky and Beth, before paying for an extra item for Niky. There was no queue, so Shirt walked up to the signing table, getting Beth to sign his “The Companions” and the photo, before sliding the book along to Niky, who also signed it, as well as the photo (which she was keen to stress was of ‘Tamsin’, telling Beth that she would never have her hair like that in real-life) and a “Situation Vacant” CD cover. Both chatted amiably with Shirt until Large Endings’ producer David Richardson popped in to say hello. Returning to the merchandise room, Shirt had a chat with the lovely Lisa Bowerman, before getting her to sign a few covers. She laughed when he gave her the “Mission to Magnus” sleeve.

“I wasn’t 100% sure that you did direct this one”, said Shirt, “I couldn’t find the directing credit.

Lisa then proceeded to not only find her directing credit, but signed next to it with a large arrow pointing to ‘Directed by Lisa Bowerman’.

Shirt then moved up to the other end of the Large Endings table, where he selected a copy of “Peri and the Piscon Paradox”, a Companion Chronicle performed by Ms. Nicola Bryant, with assistance from Colin Baker, whose author Nev Fountain was sitting there.

“The Companion Chronicles are £9 each or two for £15”, Shirt was told by Richard Dinnick who was standing at that end of the table. Shirt therefore decided to purchase “A Town Called Fortune”, another Sixth Doctor ‘Companion Chronicle’, but this time featuring Evelyn as portrayed by Maggie Stables.

“You’ll have to take the CD out of the cellophane”, said Nev, as Shirt took the CDs and asked Nev to sign his CD, “I can’t open it, I’m the talent!”.

Shirt smiled weakly at this, continuing to hate Nev for being in a relationship with the lovely Ms. Bryant.

CD signed, over what Nev described as ‘Nicola’s boys’ (photos of Peter & Colin located over Ms. Bryant’s infamous assets) and Richard Dinnick having struggled to sign a “Sapphire and Steel” audio that he had written, Shirt returned to the other end of the table, where Lisa signed the other ‘Companion Chronicle’, which she directed. He then got John Dorney on “Solitaire” and “The Demons of Red Lodge”.

Returning to the panel room, having purchased a personally-signed copy of “Life Begins At 40”, a comic novel about two Doctor Who fans, and a cartoon print of the Sixth Doctor and Peri on Necros (by Victoria Sommer), Shirt was just in time to catch the end of Jacqueline Pearce’s panel, in which she was talking about her work with monkeys (not Paul Darrow & Michael Keating). Next up were the new series guests, with David and Matt sharing mask-related stories. Both hinted that they would be returning in Series Six.

The panel room emptied slightly as the next panel was the two Large Endings’ companions, who it seemed had both been introduced to LE by Peter Davison. Beth also attempted to persuade Niky to name her unborn child (Niky was five months pregnant), Beth. Niky and the interviewer also managed to spoil parts of EDAA Series 4 for Shirt, by revealing some of the plot-twists. Niky appeared to be enjoying her first experience of fandom, whilst Beth was a convention regular, and so future appearances seemed assured.

Shirt then briefly returned to the merchandise room, getting Nicholas Briggs to sign two posters, “The Four Doctors”, and “An Earthly Child” which he purchased at the table. He also chatted to Nick and Richard Dinnick about the forthcoming ‘Sherlock Holmes – Series 2’, as Nick is the star and Richard adapted “The Hound of the Baskervilles”. It seemed that Mr. Gatiss had stolen many of their ideas for his “Sherlock – Series 2”, namely the Hound and Reichenbach. On the other side of the room, Nina DeCosimo was signing, but as Shirt had previously met her at a Seventh Galaxy event in the previous December, he found his way to the room where Matt and David were signing.

First up was David who signed Shirt’s Royal Mint ‘Winder’ medal, telling him that it was the first that he had actually seen, before signing a photograph as Shirt already had him on his “Series 5” poster (see S…Is Feeling Very Depressed). Matt signed Shirt’s “Series 3” and “Series 5” posters, and struggling to fit the posters back in the tube, Shirt made his way back to the hall, where John Levene was giving a one-man-show that seemed to involve a lot of swearing, and some completely unnecessary comments about the recently departed Nicholas Courtney. John seemed to be becoming increasingly annoyed that not everyone was laughing at his jokes.

John’s time up, it was lunch-time, and Shirt made his way to a local supermarket to get sandwiches, not wanting to partake of the ‘Invasion Tuck-Shop’ which seemed to mainly comprise Pot Noodles. Returning to the school, Shirt decided not to join the queues that were building outside the autograph rooms, instead returning to the panel room, where the penultimate panel of the day was the Large Endings’ guests from the merchandise room – Nicholas Briggs, David Richardson, John Dorney, Rob Shearman, Nev Fountain, Lisa Bowerman and Richard Dinnick.

All guests spoke about the upcoming LE projects that they were involved in, including ‘Sherlock Holmes – Series 2’, ‘The Lost Stories’ and ‘Jago & Litefoot – Series 3 & 4’. Lisa also spoke about being the lone LE female, and in particular how this seems to mean that she gets the ‘sexist planet of the women’ stories, having directed both “Mission to Magnus” and “Prison in Space” for the ‘Lost Stories’ range (the latter seemingly also involving spanking). However, both Nick and David remained tight-lipped about the result of their meeting with GOD (or Tom Baker as he is also known).

Deciding to forego the final panel of the day, a reading by the authors of “Life Begins at 40”, Shirt made his way to the autograph rooms. First up was Rodney Bewes (who was sitting with Niky & Beth), who happily signed Shirt’s “Resurrection” DVD and video covers. Shirt then proffered a photograph that Dufus had asked him to get signed:

“Can you sign this to Dufus, please. With a U”

Rodney then proceeded to sign the photograph ‘To Dufus Please. With a U, Rodney Bewes’.

Smiling wanly, Shirt picked up his items and joined a short queue in the room next door for Jacqueline and Jimmy.

First up was Jacqueline, who having signed around twenty ‘Hammer Horror’ related items for the attendee in front of Shirt, seemed pleased that he just had a “The Actor Speaks” CD cover and the “Liberation” Blake’s 7 guide, for her to sign.

Moving along the table, Shirt got Jimmy to sign his “The Seventies” and a “Day of the Daleks” video sleeve, having sidestepped Jimmy on the last time that they had met (see S…and The Jackson Fight).

The final queue was the longest, due to John Levene, taking time to chat to each attendee as he signed for them. Shirt decided not to mention his thoughts about John’s earlier talk. Two DVD covers signed later, and Shirt was stowing all his items in his bag for the last time that day.

All panels having completed, Shirt left the venue, walking back to Barking Station, from where he wended his way home via Naughty Asteroid, musing on the day’s events.

[PL]