The Doctor Who Anniversary Party (review published in `Shada` 1984)
Who would have thought that when Doctor Who began all those years ago in
grainy monochrome as a children's show that, some twenty years later it would
have provided the impetus for an event like the Anniversary Party, held at the
Grand Hotel Birmingham on September 3/4 1983. It's one of the greatest achievements of
television that it has brought together as many people from different areas of
the country who might not have otherwise crossed paths and if I'm getting
unusually philosophical its probably because I'm still recovering from the
sheer gut wrenching horror of the Demon Driver, Steve Mercer, speeding out of
Brum at the weekend's conclusion as if we were being chased by a dozen homing
missiles; hapless onlookers diving for cover. Not that I exaggerate, though if
I told the truth about some of the things which went on that weekend, you
wouldn't believe a word. So here goes with the (relatively) censored version.