The Curse of the Daleks
Main setting:	Skaro, 2179
Key crew
Writer:	David Whitaker Terry Nation
Release details
Premiere:	21 December 1965

The Curse of the Daleks was the first stage play to be based upon elements of Doctor Who and the first production to take place within the Doctor Who universe which didn't actually feature the Doctor.

Overview Edit

The Curse of the Daleks came to London’s Wyndham's Theatre at the height of "Dalekmania" in the UK. It had a month long run from 21 December 1965 to 15 January 1966 as a matinee show. Afterwards, the production was not remounted to go on tour and has never been performed since.

Summary Edit

to be added

Cast Edit

• Captain Redway - Nicholas Hawtrey

Captain of the Starfinder

• Rocket Smith - Edward Gardener

The co-pilot, nicknamed "Rock".

• Bob Slater - David Ashford

communications engineer

• Professor Vanderlyn - John Moore

has refrigerated samples of biological specimens from many planets

• Marion Clements - Hilary Tindall

Vanderlyn's assistant

• Jonathon Ladiver - John Line

former Commander, convict arrested for uranium smuggling; has been to Skaro before and knows the Thals

• Harry Sline - Colin Miller

convict arrested for slave-trading

• Dexion - Nicholas Bennet

leader of the Thals

• Ijayna - Suzanne Mockler

Dexion's daughter, is engaged to Ladiver

• The Daleks - uncredited

depowered at the time of the Starfinder's landing

led by a Black Dalek

Crew Edit

• Producers - John Gale and Ernest Hecht
• Director - Gillian Howell
• Licensee and Managing Director - Donald Akbery
• Designer - Hutchinson Scott

References Edit

• Unispace Police have declared Skaro off-limits.
• Every five years, the local stars are patrolled.
• The Deeps is a prison located in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Paris and London were destroyed during the war.

Notes Edit

• The script for the play is currently filed in the British Library in the Manuscript Collection as Play no 1965/50, Lord Chamberlain’s Licence No. 356, November 1965.
• The writing of the play is credited to both David Whitaker and Terry Nation, although Nation actually had very little to do with it.
• An advert appeared in The Stage newspaper in October 1966, in which John Gale Productions announced that they were putting their entire stage production of The Curse of the Daleks, including the Daleks, up for sale. The Dalek props, hovever, did not get sold - they were recycled for Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D..
• The frequently used title device "... of the Daleks" did not originate with this story. That honour actually goes to the comic story Invasion of the Daleks.
• David Whitaker credits this story as coming from one of the Dalek Chronicles.
• Five Dalek props were used, one painted as a Black Dalek.
• The "Dalek December" rhyme is a reworking of "Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November".
• The Power of the Daleks would again feature the idea of depowered Daleks.

Continuity Edit

• The story says it is set in 2179, fifty years after the Daleks had their power shut down.

Remakes Edit

Main article: The Curse of the Daleks (audio story)

• In April 2008, Altered Vistas released their computer-generated fan-production of The Curse of the Daleks (AV16). It was later withdrawn on announcement of an official release.
• In November 2008, a new production of the play was mounted for CD release by Big Finish Productions as Doctor Who: The Stageplays - The Curse of the Daleks.

External links Edit

• Live From Mars - Curse of the Daleks
• Altered Vistas - Curse of the Daleks (a withdrawn fan-production)
• Dalek 6388 - A Dalek Prop History - Curse of the Daleks Stage Play