Sunday the 26th of May: Sitting outside The Chancellors pub
having a pint (or a ‘scoop‘ as one of my mother’s husbands always said.) with
Paul Winter, who’s organised a Dr Who gathering in the Riverside Studios
opposite. It’s a very sunny day!
Then Karen, who’s helping out on the day, comes over. She’s
going to interview me during the Question and Answer session after the showing
of Daleks Invasion of Earth in which I, an extremely young version of the slob
sitting outside The Chancellors supping beer, appear.
Five minutes on, we go into the foyer of the Studio, where a
table is laid out with piles of photo’s of the very young me in various
productions including pictures of the perennial bowler hatted Mr Benn. I put
dow a few copies of my autobiography ( ever hopeful ) on the table.
People come up, I sign photos, some want have pictures taken
of me with them, I oblige, then miracle of miracles, I sell THREE books. Bingo!
The film starts but Karen and I still sit at the table
twiddling our thumbs. I’m tempted to shoot off to the pub for another ‘livener‘
but resist. Anyway we talk. She has worked in fitness clubs, does Panto’s in
Norwich, used to have MGB, doesn’t drink or smoke, and me, who has never
crossed the threshold of a fitness club and never intends to, listens to the
whippet framed athlete in awe. In between the list of lifting weights and
healthy diets, she asks me about the things I’ve done. Obviously needing to
bone up for the Q and A session.
‘We need to go up to the cinema in a few minutes the film’ll
be over soon.‘ she says. ‘There’s quite a few stairs to climb but there’s a
lift you can use if.’ ...‘Don’t be daft.‘ I laugh.‘I’ll use the stairs too.’
She goes up three at a time, I manage just one. In the
cinema, standing at the back, the film is coming to an end, Daleks tumbling
down shafts and finally the Space ship blows up. The House lights come up,
‘I’ll go down first and introduce you.‘ She zooms down the stairs to the stage.
‘Ladies and gentleman, please welcome Ray Brooks.‘ Applause, applause.
I go down to the stage slowly, the stairs are steep, hoping
that the applause will last until I arrive. It does. The Q and A starts. It’s
rolling along quite well. I can’t help thinking back to my pub function room
experiences, when there were never more than ten people present, they were a
struggle. Here there are 200. Questions are asked about Big Deal, EastEnders,
Cathy Come Home, Mr Benn etc.
Then Karen said, I think. ‘Say that famous line.‘ So I said.
‘Suddenly as if by magic...‘ The reaction was extraordinary, to my ears anyway.
So I continued. ‘Maybe I should go round the country doing the shortest show in
the world, just go on the stage and say “Suddenly as if... “ ‘ From the noise
they made it seemed that they thought it was a good idea. Then I cut the 100th
Anniversary cake for Peter Cushing. This was followed by the trailer for the
the film, made by Kevin Davies, which included out takes. ‘You could see
yourself dubbed into Spanish‘ he told me.
 |
| the 2nd most famous Mr Benn |
Later downstairs for more signings and photos taken plus I
sold FIVE more books! Good old Dr Who.
Eventually I leave. In the taxi home, the driver suddenly
turns round and says. ‘Your voice is very familiar. Aren’t you Mr Benn?’ That
little man pops up again. Twice in one day? Could this be the Eureka moment?
I’ve done 4 Dr Who jamborees and 1 Carry On, they’ve all
been well attended, the glitter dust of those titles worked.
Could the glitter dust of Mr Benn work for me? Could I go
out and talk about Mr Benn?
Yes, a Mr Benn evening, show an episode or two, talk about
the background, a few anecdotes, a couple of jokes and conclude with the hit
song ‘Suddenly as if by Magic’.
It might work.
Comments
Mark(Wednesday, June 05 13 11:08 pm BST)
Excellent news Ray! I think I said not so long back that the
Who fan circuit is usually very friendly and could be very successful. So glad
to hear that's the case.
Mick Kedian(Sunday, June 16 13 01:53 pm BST)
Double pleased for you Ray... deserved recognition I
sincerely hope this leads somewhere.
Valerie Blackwood(Sunday, June 23 13 04:11 am BST)
Lovely to read your blog.
