Doctor Who’s Midnight

Doctor Who’s Midnight
by Russell T. Davies. Directed by David Dyte. Holden Street Theatres, Hindmarsh. Adelaide Fringe. February 12-27, 2016

This is a relatively straightforward stage adaptation of Midnight – one of the most intimate, small scale episodes in the history of long running British TV series, Doctor Who. This adventure sees the enigmatic time traveller known as “The Doctor” (Hugh O’Connor), book passage on a shuttlecraft embarking on a flyover of the resort planet, Midnight. Halfway through the trip, the shuttle breaks down and is infiltrated by a hostile alien lifeform that has the ability to take possession of the passengers.

The sets are sometimes a bit shaky. Although it’s possible this might’ve been done deliberately, as a homage to the low budget 60s Doctor Who serials, it is an unwelcome distraction from the tense human drama.

Leighton James, Tony Cockington, Chris Irving and Kate Hall have a suitably heated chemistry as the panicked space-tourists quick to turn on each other, whilst Steph Clapp and Kahlia Tutty give strong, dignified turns as the flustered crew members trying to maintain order. Samantha Blackmore steals the show with chilling precision, as the passenger possessed by an alien. That said, all of these actors need to work harder on their projection, at times their delivery was overly quiet and difficult to discern. The performance that almost derails the proceedings is O’Connor, his depiction of The Doctor lacks the ebullient eccentricity typically associated with the character and he often fails to come across as sufficiently energized in the face of danger.

Probably only of interest to really hardcore Whovians.

Benjamin Orchard

Images; Celeste Jane Photography.

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