The programme for The Curse of the Daleks (1965).
The early days of Doctor Who had more in common with a series of televised plays than the snappily edited dramas of today’s streaming services, or even the motion pictures of the period. Filmed in sequence on a series of interlinked sets within a daunting 90-minute time slot, each episode was performed once through, with special effects added live in the studio and retakes only considered as an expensive last resort.
Inevitably, Doctor Who soon transferred to the stage – albeit without the Doctor. In December 1965, at the height of Dalekmania, The Curse of the Daleks opened for four weeks of matinée-only performances at Wyndham’s Theatre on London’s Charing Cross Road. Written by Dalek creator Terry Nation and series architect David Whitaker, the play revolved around a group of stranded space travellers.
Daleks glide out of Wyndham’s Theatre to promote The Curse of the Daleks.
The Time Lord’s absence didn’t seem to bother little James Russell, who accompanied his brothers and a group of schoolchildren as part of a Christmas tea-party laid on by the nearby Troubadour Coffee House. “Being fans, we were all very excited,” he recalls. “We went to the play first and sat in the left-hand side of the circle – to be honest I don’t remember much about the play, but it was great to see real Daleks.”
Trevor Martin as Doctor Who in a publicity pic for Doctor Who and the Daleks in Seven Keys to Doomsday (1974).