Living with Doctor Who

Toby Hadoke – Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf

Riverhead Theatre, Louth

FROM the moment Toby Hadoke leapt out from behind the sofa onstage, one thing was obvious: this guy was committed.

The sofa itself was adorned with Doctor Who memorabilia – magazines, DVDs, and a suspicious looking 500-Year Diary – and Toby himself looked the part, draped in Tom Baker-esque clothes, minus, of course, the scarf, which, as the title suggests, had been eaten by moths.

The show, of course, centres around Toby's one passion in life, Doctor Who.

Early on, it is established just how much Toby adores his childhood hero – he knows everything! From the first William Hartnell episode to the latest David Tennant one, you would be hard-pressed to find a better- informed person on the subject.

And he certainly uses this to his advantage – from the very beginning to the very end, the audience is treated to the many wonders of Doctor Who... why it is such a enduring show, why it is so popular with just about every generation, and why Toby has devoted so much of his time to it.

The show is full of surprises – and probably the one we, being of the most recent Doctor Who generation, were most delighted by, was the fact avid Tennant (our Doctor!) is personally involved.

It turns out, as we discovered afterwards when we spoke to Toby, that there is quite a story behind it.

Toby decided to do a gig for the hospice where David Tennant's mum worked and died, and David Tennant was so grateful that, as a favour, he decided to record a voiceover for him.

Another sweet addition to this already superb show was the readings of the diary Toby kept over his lifetime, documenting his progress with the opposite sex (most of whom loved him… as a friend!) and relating his experiences with the adventures of his idol.

However, this show is not, as Toby told us, a "party political broadcast" for the Doctor Who party.

In reality, this is so much more than that. It is about his relationship with his son, his wife (affectionately referred to as Mrs Toby) and his own father, who unfortunately, was not around to share the Doctor with him. As the show continues, we see how the bond between himself and his own son is enriched by The Doctor's involvement.

One of the sweetest moments is one in which Toby shows his son Louis his first ever Doctor Who episode. The next day, when he picks Louis up from school, he sees a little outcast standing alone in the middle of the playground.

Because he, Toby, was such an outcast when he was a young boy, he is very concerned to see his son alone – exactly how he was at his age – and when another group of boys approach him, he is even more worried.

That is, until he sees Louis raise the topic of the show he watched last night with his Daddy.

Suddenly the boys are hanging on his every word, and, as Toby says, it is all because of the Doctor, his childhood idol.

Toby has crammed this clever and witty show full of intelligent one-liners, and delightfully entertaining tangents.

What will stick in your head after watching this show is Toby's wonderful use of language ("botoxed cadaver", anyone?), his developing relationship with his son (which comes to a wonderful conclusion at the end, when Louis presents his father with a Doctor Who scarf to replace the one that was eaten), and above all, his incredible passion for all things Who.

You cannot help but come away from this show with a warm feeling, desperate to re-watch every Dr Who episode! A must for all Doctor Who fans, or for anyone who has ever been obsessed. We give it four and five stars!

Guest reviewers Sophie Bloss and Kate Finnie (both 15)