The first Saturday session was Paul Darrow and Steven Pacey whom Paul introduced as the non-show Glynis Barber; Steven played up to it beautifully with a falsetto and mince. They started by auctioning the coffee club sessions, Paul warning us that Michael Keating's table manners were appalling (totally untrue, incidentally). I bid for a ticket for coffee with Michael and was delighted to get one.
Paul was in a pale blue suit with cream shoes of which he seemed inordinately proud, showing them off to us at intervals throughout the session and asking us if we liked them to everyone's amusement; he seemed hurt that we didn't. They were glossy and cream with heels and looked a bit like a court shoe designed for a middle-aged transvestite—sorry, Paul. I heard rumours that Janet Lees-Price (his wife) was hoping to auction them later. I didn't manage to get a photo of them, but Steve Rogerson has several on this page.
Steven and Blake's 7: Steven was asked about City at the Edge of the World and said he didn't remember much about it but loved working with Colin Baker who was a "very funny man". Someone asked if he'd watched any episodes yet and he said he was waiting for the DVDs to come out. He looked disconcerted when everyone yelled that season 1 was out, and said he'd been busy doing things—like having lunch. He also said that he'd been told he made a better Deeta than Del.
Paul Darrow was asked what it was like to stand between Hercules' legs (this is in a game show I've never seen). Paul explained that the show featured a 30-foot nude gold statue of Hercules, at which Steven said, "Ah! It was like wearing drop earrings!" Paul said that at one stage someone put a condom on Hercules as a joke. He had no idea what they'd do with it if the show wasn't renewed—perhaps Elton John would buy it. He finally answered the original question: as there was a wonderful view of the sea from there, it was very pleasant standing between Hercules' legs.
Someone asked Paul about his part as Samuel Vimes. He said that the character was a drunk, and when Gareth saw the play, he'd said, "Why didn't I get that part? I wouldn't have had to act!"
Stephen was
asked about a series he's in called MIT and said there was no second series.
He finished in the
stage play Democracy at
the end of its run at the National Theatre in March,
though the play has transferred to
the West End.
He also said he loved playing Tony Blair; the script was brilliant, and it was
the most fun he'd ever had on TV. What would he do if he were Tony Blair? He'd
leave the soldiers where they were, though they shouldn't have been there in the
first place. George Bush, he added, has trouble with the French because 'they
have no word for entrepreneur'.
When asked if anyone in Blake's 7 had problems with staying in character off set, Steven pointed at Paul, grinning. Paul told us about when he had to go through a door like Starsky and Hutch so he kicked it open and broke his ankle. He reminded Steven about breaking Deep Roy's collarbone, and Steven said darkly but jokingly, "He had it coming."
Paul remembered the first day of location shooting in Betchworth quarry when he, Michael Keating, and David Maloney had to hide behind a tree as they were inadvertently in shot during a scene with Cally and Blake, and they were all muttering, "Why are we doing this?"
Steven said that on his first day on Blake's 7, he was at home, thinking it was the next day. He rang up and asked when they wanted him, and they said he should be there already. They had to use a stage manager in a curly wig in long shot for Tarrant. Paul said solemnly that "He was very good."
While Steven told us about rehearsals for his new play Old Masters which will open in Birmingham on June 15, Paul slumped in his chair and feigned sleep. Steven prefers theatre to TV as more time is taken over the script which is therefore much better quality.
A child asked Paul what happened after the last shot. Paul said Servalan rushes on, crying, "No, don't shoot him, I love him!" and they get married. Everyone laughed; he said that a lady once bough him and Michael for breakfast at a con for $1000, and Michael said that for that amount she could have had more.
Someone asked about B7E. Paul said he resigned because it wasn't going where he thought it was going.
When Steven was asked what his ultimate movie role would be, Paul said, "Ace Ventura!" Steven plumped for James Bond, which reminded Paul that Roger Moore was frightened of guns so "all the bangs were put in afterwards".