Asylum of the Daleks Screening post [spoiler free]
I had the most amazing day which needs to be written up tonight so I don’t forget anything.
On 14 of August Doctor Who’ Series 7 first episode screening was planned, which is called Asylum of the Daleks. Screening was held at BFI Southbank at 18:00.
The thing is, I heard about the event too late in July, and the tickets were obviously sold out by then. BlogtorWho on twitter still suggested showing up early for any lucky, last minute tickets so that’s what I did. I though ’ sod this, if I’m not gonna get a ticket, at least I’ll have a chance to meet all the awesome people who’ll be attending!’ And I did!
I showed up around 5, because I spent all day at Tower Hill which was a great experience. there was a huge queue for people like me, but it wasn’t moving, because there weren’t any tickets to sell whatsoever. To be quite honest, this whole ticket thing is unfair. What happened is that when months ago tickets went on sale online, first ones that got it were BFI Members and when other people wanted it, it was mostly sold out. Yeah so a bit unfair, I think. Obviously I wouldn’t be a member living in another country or just outside London, would I?
Anyway, back to screening. I chatted with two sisters while in the queue and they were very nice, meanwhile we spotted Matt, Arthur and Steven just talking on the phone and walking around upstairs and photographed them.
Before the screening started, BFI staff told us that they wouldn’t be selling any tickets, but we were still welcome to stay, so we did. Soon the ones with the tickets were asked to go inside and Steven came down. While I was busy watching him and asking for an autograph, apparently Mark Gatiss passed me and I couldn’t see him, which was a bummer. Steven had to leave but promised to be back in a minute, but of course he didn’t becsuse the screening was starting, but I knew I’d probably see him afterwards so that was okay. Soon everybody got in the screening room, so we were just hanging around like silly people. We knew that after the episode, there would be a Q & A and it would all end around 8 so sisters went to grab some dinner and I decided to stay in BFI and just hang around. While they were gone, I made new whovian friends who were sticking around like me, waiting for the cast members to leave. We made daft ideas like putting on BFI t-shirts to not be obvious fans with our Whovian t-shirts (I was wearing reapersun’s wholock, haha) and go into screening room with water bottles, pretending to be staff members of something)) We did creep near the screening room since there wasn’t any security nearby, but didn’t attempt to go in or anything, just heard an explosion and Doctor Who theme tune. Also planned to tweet that as a ‘spoiler’ on twitter later, but didn’t, because most people wouldn’t get the joke. One staff member did see us while I was taking a photo of just a door and he thought we might be trying to film the episode or something since we all had huge cameras and warned us how dangerous it was and we’d be in big trouble. We explained and just laughed about it, it was silly since we’d never do such a thing) After that we just went back to waiting. After realising that we had more than hour, we went out on South bank near graffiti skating place (which is in Sherlock 1 x 02) and I was happy to get wi-fi signal and ramble on twitter and tumblr how I’d seen Steven, Matt & Arthur))
We all exchanged our internetey things and called ourselves #BFIRejects ))
Soon it was time to get back to BFI and upon arriving, we saw that other people were queuing near the exit, some of them fans, some of them nasty people who make money from eBay by selling autographs.
After quite some waiting, people started coming out, most of them seemed confused or just amazed really. I spotted Matt Eliott, eleventh doctor cosplayer and he really does look like him, quite awesome. Wanted a photo with him, but he was leaving and didn’t want to annoy him or anything)
There was this funny bit when someone screamed: “Karen!” and we all started photographing a ginger girl with nerdy friends and then she yelled: “I’m not Karen!” and it’s true, she just looked and had dressed like her, amazing)) Meanwhile, in this haze, I spotted Sue and asked her for a photo, she was really nice, even complimented one of the whovian’s M & M’s nail polish))
Apparently while we were chatting with Sue, Steven Moffat slipped by again)) Soon the staff told us that there was no one left there and that we should stop queuing, but of course there was after party sort of event planned till eleven, so I decided to stick by at the other side of the building and maybe get a photo with trio and other awesome people. Meanwhile sisters had come back and they informed me how I had missed Mark Gatiss again while I was taking a photo with Sue. So basically it can be said that Mark was 1 meter away from me twice today and I never saw him, not even ONCE! lol. The thing about waiting for so long to meet all this people is that yeah, I did feel a bit bad, but we weren’t annoying them, just sticking around to see if we there was a chance and also this might be my only chance to be in the UK and nothing ever happens in Georgia, so I was like, ‘sod this, I’m gonna stick around, maybe I’ll be lucky and try my best not to invade their privacy.)
Also while sisters were out for dinner, they apparently saw Stephen Fry on south bank just passing by with cool sunglasses and headphones in, so for the same reasons stated above, they decided not to go up to him and disturb his routine. That was really nice of them)
Back in BFI, some people left, some of them obviously stayed for the party since they didn’t leave the room so we hanged around and waited. After a bit we tried another exit and guiltily creeped near Blue Room, which has a glass window and everything can be seen from bankside so we waited there in hopes that we would see them leave. It wasn’t too much of a bother since it was just 5 of us left. Matt was awkwardly waking around talking all the phone all night, when he decided to leave, those eBay guys showed up again and he didn’t have much time for all of us, I was torn between trying to take a photo with him or asking him to sign Doctor Who Magazine’s last issue’s giant 3 doctors poster, which would’ve been quite bloody awesome, huh? In the end (decision had to be made in seconds) I stuck with a picture, but he couldn’t take any with fans, so I have 2 of him just leaving. ( It was too late and rude of me to run after him with a poster as well)
Soon Arthur came out and in the queue I took a photo of him with someone else, but when it was my turn, he had to rush. I’m not mad at him or anything, I know how busy they are and they can’t get every single thing with everyone, pressure is too much and fans can be quite demanding, so I understand. I’d have loved a picture with him and Matt, though 
A bit later we saw Karen rush out with bodyguards. Turns out she was a bit tipsy and maybe she was a bit embarrassed or just was too tired so she said sorry to us and had to leave immediately. Unfortunately there are some things that happen at these sort of events, like actor apologising and leaving, but some crazy people running after her to her car for a stupid autograph. That’s just rude and invading her privacy when she obviously asked to be left alone. Do get rich on those photos, why don’t you.
After that there was a gap, nobody was really leaving. I knew Steven was still up there since his kids were running around. They’re so cute with Steven’s curls and Sue’s colour of hair. I was still hoping to meet Mark Gatiss, but nobody knew if he was still present.
Around 40 minutes later Sue came out with kids and some other people from the party were leaving as well. We saw Steven and queued up nicely, what was left of 7 of us or something)) I had already gotten a nice photo with Sue, so I just had to ask Steven if he agreed for a photo. Had to admit he was a bit tipsy as well and was very nice to us, took every photo and signed everything. I decided to ask just a photo and it came out very nicely, really.
I managed to ask if Mark was still here and Steven told me that he had left quite a while ago, made fun of him saying ‘for some important business’ or something like that, oh, Moff xD
Next and last was Nicholas Briggs, the voice of the Daleks. He was also nice enough to sign and take photos with us. I got both a photo and asked him to sign the huge Daleks poster from latest DWE. Amazing!
After 6 hours of being there, I walked back to south bank all excited and full of impressions and adrenaline and stuff.
Only after I got home and turned ‘Unlocking Sherlock’ while I had some midnight tea (Only have Sherlock saved up in iPad) I realised who I had just met. Steven Moffat. The Moff. The troll of the fandoms. The amazing, genius who likes to ruin our lives on a daily bases and we’re gladly letting him to.
Honestly though, I’m just so grateful of him, Steven might not be the only one, but he is biggest part of Doctor Who and Sherlock and as silly as it might sound, both those shows make my boring life quite an exciting one.
As much good as telly can get, it’s that. So thank you Steven (and everybody else) for all of this and I think it’s okay that I didn’t get to watch Asylum of the Daleks tonight, cos I’m gonna be comfortably sitting with the internet on 25th with some snacks and watch it back at home. I’m sure it’s terrifying, heartbreaking, full of surprises & brilliant as always.
I’m so glad that I showed up for this screening today. This day was one of the exciting ones in my life, which consisted of making new friends and meeting people who you sort of love and appreciate so much. Isn’t that what life is really about?
