DEVIOUS - THE DOCTOR

Tony Garner plays the Doctor in the epic 'Devious' tale. His portrayal is very much his own particular style - only occasionally bringing in a Troughtonesque or Hartnell gesture. Like David, Anthony and Steve he is an amateur actor; being a member of a local drama group who put on plays and musicals several times a year.

His Doctor is an interim incarnation. During the regeneration of the Second Doctor, he is taken out of time by some mystery Observers who decide he must undergo a test. The Observers felt that the judgement of his trial shown in 'The War Games' was unfair - he needed a second chance. Unfortunately, this new 'two-and-a-halfth' Doctor is unaware he is again being tested.  If he succeeds, he will get to 'keep' this regeneration. If he fails, then maybe the original course of events will ensue and there will be a different Third Doctor.

Even though he does get to meet the future Third Doctor within the course of the story it does not necessarily mean he fails. When those who set the rules of the test change them during its course, then how can one hope to succeed? The test becomes irrelevant as the events unfold; he Doctor becoming embroiled in more of a damage-limitation exercise. His most evil adversaries are somehow also involved in the test, but are they being manipulated themselves, and by whom?

We must also give thanks to Tony's great patience with us over the years. If we had all of our sets and props ready then we would have been much quicker with 'Devious', but then we only get occasional weekends and evenings on the project due to the pressures of our other lives. Tony is a great fan of Doctor Who and a very keen collector of all the videos and merchandise. Indeed, he has a spare room dedicated to the series; a rather convenient place to store one of our daleks in fact! It is residing with him until needed again later this year.

As such a keen follower of the series, watching from the very start, and preferring the older stories, it was a great honour for him to work with Jon Pertwee in the only scenes actually set in the Doctor's Tardis.

I remember his amazement at the Panopticon 96 when someone asked him for his autograph after seeing the extract from Devious shown that day. That was a special moment. Well done Tony!

Ashley - 15th February 1998