Shirt...

...Call Me Madame

Having attended both the IBF showing of the Paul McGann ‘TV-Movie’ and a signing event organised by Spirit Sinema on a Saturday, Shirt had no intention of attending the winter ‘London Film and Comic Con’ at Olympia, running on the same weekend. However, having met two-thirds of the Paternoster Gang – Shirt’s favourite thing about Series 7B – at the summer event (see S...The Gang’s All Mostly Here), the last-minute announcement of the head of the triumvirate, namely Madame Vastra aka Neve McIntosh, on the Sunday meant that Shirt’s mind was swiftly changed.

Being unable to pre-book, Shirt presented half-an-hour after earlybird entry had begun, finding no queue, and bought an earlybird ticket. Entering the hall, Shirt made for the large photo of Madame Vastra, picking up a virtual queuing ticket (#62) for Neve, who had not arrived yet. Having had a preliminary look at the stalls, and returning to the signing area, Shirt found that Neve had arrived and was signing up to #50. In order to waste more time, Shirt went to see if he could get his photo taken with a real Ludo prop from ‘Labyrinth’, but found that the photographer was on her break. Returning to the signing area, he was told that Neve would sign up to #50, then go to a panel. Shirt therefore picked up a free ticket for the ‘Doctor Who’ panel, before returning to the photo area, where he posed with Ludo, the photographer having returned.

Then, it was time for the ‘Doctor Who’ panel, hosted by Mr. Quarrelstick. Alongside Neve were Karen Gledhill, Colin Fay, Dick Mills, and Kate O’Mara (who repeatedly spoke of wanting to return as the Rani in the new series).

Panel completed, and Shirt dashed back to Neve’s signing table, whose sign now indicated that she was signing up to #75. Shirt therefore joined a small queue, and ten minutes later, was placing down his Series 7B poster for Neve to sign, paying her attendant for two autographs.

“Where should I sign ?”, Neve asked.

“Next to Dan and Catrin”, Shirt responded.

Poster removed from the table, and Shirt was placing down the photo that he already had signed by Dan and Catrin.

Reading the messages written by her colleagues – “Sontar-ha!!” & “The Wife” – Neve added “Green is good !” to her signature and dedication.

“Can I have a photo with you ?”, asked Shirt, and twenty seconds later, the steward was taking it.

After another look at the stalls, Shirt wended his way home after what had been a very tiring weekend.

[PL]