The finale is a 3D show in which The Doctor’s enemies seemingly come out of a crack in a wall
The exhibiTion
firsT person experience
Kathleen Whyman
the US, Germany and Portugal where the show is also popular), I watched the show through splayed fingers as a child. While no Whovian, I’m still enjoying the pro- gramme as an adult and looked forward to the Doctor Who Experience. The attraction is suitable for children
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over five. Bennett and Sarner are aware that some parts of the experience may be a little alarming for younger visitors, so have included exits along the route if peo- ple want to step out of the show. The opening film gives a great précis
of the last series and really gees you up. Then the crack opening in the screen is a dramatic and powerful start to the show. When first entering the Tardis, I must
confess to exclaiming “wow” out loud when I saw the central console and time rota and felt rather envious of the chil- dren with remote controls who got to “fly” the time machine. The attention to detail throughout the attraction is fantastic. The metal interior of the dalek’s spaceship is cold to the touch and the dalek’s them- selves are enormous and sinister. At this point I wished I’d brought my four-year-
AM 2 2011 ©cybertrek 2011
ike so many Brits (and fans in Australia, Canada,
Artefacts include: n The actual studio Tardis exterior and a waxwork figure of Matt Smith as The Doctor n A Tardis exterior used in the series in the 1980s n The costumes and information about all 11 doctors and many of their companions n Two authentic Tardis sets used by previous Doctors n Models of many of the aliens The Doctor has encountered n The evolution of the Cybermen and the daleks including Davros (head of
the Daleks), showing the progression through time from 1963 to now n Walk Like a Monster, an interactive exhibit where children learn to mimic a Cyberman’s walk n An art department set showing models, visuals and scenics n The Sounds of Doctor Who, an interactive sound effects studio giving visitors the opportunity to hear their own voice transformed into a Dalek or Cyberman n A changeable area to update the attraction with scenes from the most current series. It’s currently showing props and outfits from the Christmas 2010 special
olddaughter so I had a hand to hold. The battle scene is extremely impressive. Rather than observing a CGI animation on a painted backdrop, it was as realistic as watching an actual fight between space- ships through a window (not that I’ve done this very often). For me, the walkway through the for-
est of Weeping Angels was too rushed. I understood the other visitors’ haste to move onto the next stage of the story, but I would have preferred to linger and peer into the trees for longer than I was able to. The 3D finale was impressive and the
plot and script throughout the experience were very in keeping with the programme and of the same calibre. It was written
by Stephen Moffatt, the creator of the tv programme, and includes footage of the current Doctor, Matt Smith, who was filmed specifically for the experience. This atten- tion to detail further enhances the show. The free-flow exhibition was well laid out and contained enough artefacts, props and interactives to keep me entertained for an hour. Finding the toilets was a bit of a mission in itself – at one stage I wondered if they were in another galaxy – but per- haps too much signage would have spoiled the magic of the experience. The exit is cannily located through the shop, which is full of so much Doctor Who merchandise that I congratulated myself on leaving my children at home. l
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