The Doctor Who TV series begins its sixtieth birthday celebrations in Edinburgh.
Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder exhibition opens from 9 December 2022 until 1 May 2023 in the National Museum of Scotland. It was developed as a collaboration between the BBC and Sarner International — a partnership that previously created the long-running “Doctor Who Experience” in London and Cardiff.
Steven Swaby, curator and writer of the exhibition said: “This time, the aim was to provide something with a more direct educational connection, to tour museums and science centres internationally for around five years. And of course, exploring the relationship between Doctor Who and science is very fertile ground.”
“Obviously, the show — as a sci-fi/fantasy series — has often played fast and loose with scientific fact, but it has also been inspired by real-world science again and again.”
Science fiction has always been an inspiration for writers, scientists and musicians. The Rezillos, an Edinburgh band formed by students at Edinburgh Art College, wrote songs about the sci-fi world. The guitarist, Jo Callis, had his own life size Dalek that he kept in his flat and it would occasionally make its way onto the stage.
Fay Fife, front woman of the Rezillos, said: “Outer space fantasy, especially when it was trashy, was something The Rezillos could use. It expressed an otherness and encapsulated a naive but hopeful youthfulness. In outer space there’s always another universe out there another life form; ideally a non-human one!”
From the outset, Steven wanted to look at the history of Doctor Who in its entirety, not just the 21st century revival. One thing the exhibition will show is that, even in the 1960s and early 1970s, stories, characters, gadgets, planets and monsters were all inspired by contemporary science and our fears about threats to the future of humanity and the environment.
Steven said: “You can see the fear of automation and cybernetics stealing our humanity in monsters such as the Cybermen, or the perils of playing God with DNA via genetically-manipulated and cloned life forms such as the Daleks and Sontarans. Over the years, there have been a number of storylines that look at the consequences of pollution, global warming and other eco-catastrophes, too.”
The exhibition will include interviews with real scientists, most of whom have been fans of Doctor Who since childhood. Their contributions make clear the distinctions between known fact, theories and fantasy and how this British TV show can inspire the future careers of kids around the world.
Production of the exhibition suffered delays caused by the pandemic however its timing has worked out well with the very special 60th anniversary of Doctor Who just around the corner next year. And there’s a new Doctor, the fourth Scottish actor to play the role. Ncuti Gatwa known for the Netflix comedy-drama “Sex Education” becomes the next Time Lord.
Steven said: “Exciting times if you’re a fan, new or old.”
