Doctor Who fans are in for a treat in Norwich on Sunday 9 April, 2006 when stars from the classic series gather at the Norwich Puppet Theatre. Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith) and Norfolk's Terry Molloy (Davros) will be on stage and answering questions from fans, followed by a signing. They'll be joined by local actor Peter Sowerbutts (Doctor Who audio adventures) and writer Paul Parsons (author of The Science of Doctor Who). The event celebrates the forthcoming second season of the new Doctor Who on BBC ONE and the DVD release of Genesis Of The Daleks - which always ranks highly in the 'best ever story' polls amongst fans and features Elisabeth Sladen as the Doctor's companion. Elisabeth SladenFans of the show will enjoy the company of Lis Sladen at the event. Her character Sarah Jane Smith was a companion to the third and fourth Doctor and she returns with her sidekick K9 to join new Doctor David Tennent in School Reunion, an episode due to be screened in April. "Lis was our first guest nine years ago when we opened the shop. It seemed a natural choice for Lis to help us bridge the gap between the old and the new series," said event organiser David Crothers of Kulture Shock in Norwich. Connections to the DoctorNorfolk has a number of connections with the Doctor. "Terry Molloy, who has played Davros since 1983, lives locally and as well as Doctor Who, Terry has also been a regular on The Archers since 1973 as Mike Tucker, the milkman from hell," said David Crothers. "Peter Sowerbutts appeared in the Doctor Who audio adventure The Holy Terror, alongside Elisabeth Sladen in her Sarah Jane Smith audio adventure comeback. Peter is currently in residence at the Maddermarket Theatre," he added. Terry Molloy | | Terry Molloy with Dalek |
Terry Molloy played Davros for three seasons of the classic series, working with Doctors Peter Davidson, Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy. He's also been involved with the release of Genesis, narrating the documentary The Dalek Tapes which features as a DVD extra. "John Kelly, one of the restoration team, rang me up. I've worked with him on a number on occasions, so he called me into narrate this history of the Daleks," said Terry Molloy. Nearly 20 years after Terry was first involved with the classic series, he never expected to still be caught up in the wave generated by the Doctor. "It's something I never expected when I first did the show, but it's a delight to meet with the fans who have kept Doctor Who alive between its initial demise in '89 and its regeneration in 2005. I love these kinds of events, they're great fun," said Terry. Keeping the Doctor aliveEven when the show was off-air, thanks to the release of episodes on video and DVD, the fans have kept it alive. "The series was on since 1963, so up until 1984 everyone who grew up in that time had their own Doctor. After that the release of the episodes on video and then DVD ensured it wasn't forgotten," said Mr Crothers. "It's also an English show, so the actors constantly appeared in theatres and at signings all over the UK which meant the die-hard fans had access to the show. Now we have a new generation of viewers whose parents were probably fans when they were young.  | | Terry Molloy as Davros |
"UK Gold also showed the series regularly, so really it has always been around. It's also given us some of the most memorable characters in television history with Daleks, Cybermen, etc. "When the show returned last year we invited Terry Molloy to the shop and had a fantastic event and requests to do more, so we are reacting to our customers' requests. "This event has had a fabulous response especially because Lis is returning in the new series and Terry is always a fan favourite thanks to his characters' link to the Daleks," he added. The Doctor Who Day takes place at the Norwich Puppet Theatre on Sunday 9 April, 2006 from 2pm. For more details call 01603 625557.Doctor Who - A Midsummer Invasion takes places in Holt on Sunday 25 June, 2006. Call 01263 711102 for more information. | 
