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• The Dalek Masterplan
  • Performance dates and cast details
  • Looking back, moving forward
  • From screen to script to stage
  • Composing a Masterplan
  • The Daleks
  • Daleks out and about
  • Making the music for Masterplan
  • Inside the music studio
  • So it begins
  • The Return of the Daleks
  • The Dalek Masterplan reviewed
  • Photograph gallery
  • Music from the Masterplan
  • Behind the scenes video
• Related Web sites
  • New Theatre Royal
  • Doctor Who: Devious
  • My Dalek Life

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Half the fun of being a Director of a show is being able to make final decisions. The most enjoyable decision I’ve had to make for both Evil and now for Masterplan is to do with, what else, but the Daleks. How should they look?

When you have such important props (or should that be costumes?) in such a show it is right and proper that one gives them a lot of attention. The Daleks will be the stars of the show, as they were last year, and are such an icon in their own right that the temptation to put our own stamp on them is too strong to ignore! Whereas in the TV series, both old and new, their appearance is dictated by time and what they have looked like before we have no such restrictions and we let ourselves get a bit wild!

The Daleks start out as 3D illustrations – this one is a propsosed design for the Supreme Dalek for Dalek Masterplan

First of all, let me reassure everyone that the Daleks in Masterplan will be proper Daleks. We’re not going down a spider route or anything like that, but we do want them to have their own distinctive look. This means, basically, a brand new colour scheme. Not just new from Evil, but something really brand new!

A 3D concept illustration of a silver and metalic Dalek from the stage production of Evil of the Daleks 

For Evil, we eventually went for a mostly silver ‘traditional’ look, save for substituting light blue skirt balls for dark green and the Emperor’s bodyguards having dark green domes. The reasons for this were largely practical. Evil was a dark and brooding story set in a spooky Victorian mansion, and the Daleks needed to make a physical impact on the moodily lit stage. Having them painted at the paler end of the spectrum was the obvious answer and although we tampered with some alternative colour schemes, as you can see from the pictures, the silver variants were deemed the most suitable.

The Dalek that never was – a green Dalek, designed for the stage production of Evil of the Daleks, but too dark on stage – so the green colour was dropped

Masterplan is a slightly different kettle of fish. This is a story set in the future in futuristic settings and the lighting will, at this stage, be a tad brighter and look less like night-time lighting. This was my guiding thought for the Evil lighting. I wanted to give the impression that the events of Evil took place over the course of one ‘dark and stormy night!’

Daleks under construction for the stage production of Evil of the Daleks

So, we were free to open up the range of colours in which to paint the Daleks. They needed a re-spray anyway having had a good bashing during the course of the show and being carted in and out of rehearsal rooms and stage doors for weeks. We are retaining the big lights and eye-stalk cowling from last time.

A Dalek production line

Fortunately, we have two of the best Dalek builders in the business on the show. Ashley Nealfuller of Devious is once again taking on the brunt of the work. His army was the Evil army and we are pleased as punch that we have his boundless enthusiasm and ingenious expertise back on board. Ashley is especially excited as the adaptation of the script has called for a couple of unique modifications to be made to one of his Daleks…

More Daleks under construction, again from Evil of the Daleks

Joining us this time is another Davros in the shape of Stuart Currie. He is a member of the Dalek Builder’s Guild and a very skilled Dalek and prop maker. Stuart will be making the Supreme Dalek for the show, which will be a brand new build, plus tackling special props like guns, tarannium cores and the giant Time Destructor itself!

Now there’s something you don’t see very often

I want to get a deeper sense of menace in our Masterplan Dalek army – as in this story that is exactly what they are! An invading army – out to conquer! Legion upon legion of them! Now, we haven’t got quite that many props, so we need to create an impression of ‘rank and file’ and also a true sense of solidity and strength. So a darker colour scheme has been decided upon, but one that will also reflect Dalek colour roots and be a new arrangement of standard Dalek colours that have never been used in this way before!

How many balls do six Daleks have? And they all have to be painted...

Now, obviously I’m not going to say now what they are as that would spoil the surprise, but we feel sure that Dalek fans will not be left wanting! Added to the fact that a well-loved method of live extermination that was seen in the 1960’s on the big screen is being brought into play and the result should be a genuine treat for Dalek nutters everywhere!=