#dwsr - Llantristant

Jeremiah, Jenny and Clara

Wow! Today was amazing. For all the set reporting I do I've only ever seen one monster before, and that was the rough outline of an Ood's head in a darkened upstairs window. Fun, and made Church Road far more interesting than it usually manages, but it didn't really feel like I'd seen a monster. Today, however, things changed!

Jeremiah knocks on Vastra's door

As we arrived we watched a scene where Jeremiah (the other character played by Brendan Patricks) knocks on a door asking for Madame Vastra, saying he's travelled all the way from London. Then who answers the door but Commander Strax (Dan Starkey) in a butler's suit!

Hiss!

And later Neve McIntosh showed up in full silurian regalia! And an awesome dress, I might add. In fact the cast in general looks pretty gorgeous in their period costume - certainly one to coo over! TWO REALLY COOL RECURRING CHARACTER ALIENS. (Sorry if that sounds a little excited, I'm still pretty ecstatic writing about it now.)

Madame Vastra, Commander Strax, Jeremiah and Rachael Stirling arrive on set:


Madame Vastra tries on hats:

Matt Smith

What other scenes were filmed? To be honest at times it was hard to tell because they were filming in a little alley way set between two houses (apparently there are more houses set further back into it) so we could see very little. From what we could hear they filmed both the arrival and departing scenes of the Tardis. There was fog and period-dressed supporting artists at the end of the alley way (closest to us.) Jeremiah also appeared to be in that scene. According to some lovely people we chatted to whilst we were there, they had dressed the alley and street in front of those houses with clothes on washing lines.

Vastra and Strax look out on the Tardis

Dialogue heard (thanks @ryanfarrr for tweeting it, my memory and hearing are atrocious!):

Arrival scene:
THE DOCTOR: So not London. Yorkshire, 1890!
CLARA: You're making a habit of this, Doctor.

The Doctor seems to cry out after this, although I'm not certain it's in the same scene:

Jeremiah and Strax

Departing scene:
THE DOCTOR: Thanks as ever, you three.

They also filmed Brendan Patricks doing a fall on to the cobbles (well, crash mat, but presumably that's what it will be edited to look like.) This appeared to be the alternative camera direction to the scene where Commander Strax opens the door.

Set dressing

It also seemed like they intended to use a rather steep, cobbled path going up a hill as it was dressed with fake lamp posts, a wooden cart and various bits and pieces (buckets, sacking etc) However we were nearly slipping walking down it before it rained, and it then bucketed it down, so I'm not sure if it would have been safe for them to use it. We didn't see them film there anyway.

We had assumed they'd be using Llantristant church (which is beautiful, old and offers amazing views out to the valleys) as exteriors for the filming they did at Trinity Church in Barry, but they didn't seem to be set up there at all.

Characters present:

Matt Smith

Vastra and Jenny

The Doctor (Matt Smith), 
Clara (Jenna Louise Coleman), 
Commander Strax (Dan Starkey), 
Madame Vastra (Neve McIntosh), 
Jenny (Catrin Stewart), 
Rachael Stirling, 
Jeremiah (Brendan Patricks),
various extras.


It was a really fun day to watch, especially the first few hours where everything felt slightly higgeldy-piddeldy: Matt was fluffing lines, the Tardis' door (and handle!) fell off, the crew were cheering, Brendan Patricks fell over on the steps (but seemed okay bless him)! It really was an incredible day. Thank you to the crew and cast for being awesome enough to allow us to watch and snap away; it makes watching Doctor Who on TV all the more enjoyable for me!

Commander Strax!

Strax

Clara in her
first outfit
of the day

Butler Strax answers the door

Clara

Clara

Vastra

Vastra

Vastra and Jenny

Rachael Stirling

A mysterious bell jar was filled with
 crimson liquid

Vastra and Jenny

Clara's second outfit
of the day

Back of
Vastra's dress

Strax wears a top hat!

Matt drinks a hot drink in the rain

Other photos of the day can be seen here:
Ryan's photos
Ryan's videos
Lee's photos
Rhys' timeline (I especially like this one of the reoccurring posters that are featuring in this episode: picture)