Showing posts with label Robert Stone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Stone. Show all posts

Sunday, 4 April 2021

Articles Welcome to Issue 90 - Happy 50th David Tennant

 


Contents Guide

 Articles

Robert Stone Lockdown Special

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/articles-lockdown-special-with-robert.html

 Beyond the Hub

The Irregulars

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/beyond-hub-irregulars-review-by-dj.html

Behind Her Eyes

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/beyond-hub-behind-her-eyes-by-dj-forrest.html

 Big Finish Reviews+

Plight of the Pimpernel

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/big-finish-reviews-plight-of-pimpernel.html

 Profiles

The Tenth Doctor

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/profiles-tenth-doctor.html

 The Mothership

Ronald Pickup

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-mothership-ronald-pickup.html

Happy Birthday David Tennant

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-mothership-happy-50th-birthday.html

 Torchwood Reviews

Lease of Life

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/reviews-torchwood-lease-of-life-review.html

Coffee

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/reviews-torchwood-coffee-by-tony-j-fyler.html

Drive

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/reviews-torchwood-drive-by-tony-j-fyler.html

By Tony J Fyler

 Who Reviews

The Pandorica Opens & The Big Bang

https://projecttorchwood.blogspot.com/2021/04/who-reviews-pandorica-opens-and-big.html

By SF Cambridge

  

Editor’s Note 

Got my first Covid jag and feel a little comforted that I can go out of doors and not wind-up dead by disease – although Number 38’s hurtling around the corner suddenly, can still cause heart failure. Ahem! Especially when the Weevil is the reason you shot out into the road in the first place. 

Ahh! So how has your month been? 

As first posted – I’ve had my first jag, and look forward to the day I’m fully able to hug my parents and be in their company properly rather than out in the front garden in the pissing wet rain!

This month we’re celebrating another Birthday – this time David Tennant’s who reaches the big 5-0 this year. I am absolutely shocked to be fair. But as people who reach that age say that 50 is the new 40, I feel a little better. 

We look back on the career of Ronald Pickup who began his acting career with a small role in Doctor Who back in 1964, and delve into the murky waters of Victorian London for a look at Netflix’s latest crime drama series The Irregulars. 

We caught up with one of the cast of the above series for a Lockdown Special, and look behind the eyes of a thriller that has had us woahing at the screen during that final episode. 

Tony and Sarah enthral us with awesome reviews of old and new Who and Torchwood audios and episodes, and do check out our Profile of the 10th Doctor. We also welcome new writer Florence Diggle who brings us a Profile of the 10th Doctor. Worth a check. 

As always, a special thanks to my brilliant team for their awesome articles, and for Tiziana’s wonderful front cover and Birthday poster. 

Welcome to Issue 90 – Happy Birthday David Tennant 

Djak

Articles Lockdown Special with Robert Stone

 


In Victorian London, a group of five young people battle monsters and solve the puzzles that seem to elude Sherlock and Doctor Watson – but in life, everything happens for a reason. Bea and her sister Jess, discover just what really did happen to their mother, and what lies in store for all of them, if the Rip in time opens fully. 

The series is utterly brilliant, and it has a strong cast, many to root for, and some that pass in the blink of an eye, but, it’s great to see them in that moment. One of these people, is Robert Stone, who appears in the first episode, as Tam Bibby, street fighter about to knock Billy’s block off, 

I caught up with Robert this week for a chat about The Irregulars and what he’s been doing during his time in Lockdown. The first part of the chat was prior to having seen his episode. Save any confusion. 

Hi Robert, I see you’re in the new Netflix series The Irregulars – are you a recognisable character or are you in disguise? 

Robert: You'll see me as long as I don't end up on the cutting room floor. Don't know which episode though, I know it starts tonight - 26th March 2021. I filmed my bit January-ish 2020, then they had to stop filming because of you know what and they resumed I think September, it was supposed to be out last Halloween. 

After the episode had aired, I caught up with Robert again.  

You were definitely not on the cutting room floor. It’s a great series. Watched four back to back episodes. It’s very addictive viewing. Are you in any other dramas I can look out for? 

Robert: Thankfully, I suppose I was integral to the scene. I'm going to try and watch it over the next week or so. 

I've only got a BBC Doctors episode coming up in a few weeks. I'll post it when it airs. 

Auditions and jobs have been scarce, as you can imagine. I did get an offer of a job on a film in the Czech Republic as a Russian Gangster but turned it down, I wasn't prepared to go back and forth on a plane with Covid carriers and all the travel that came with it, especially in Europe where it's not under control. 

I quite agree. I wouldn’t want to put myself in that situation either. I hear you also have a YouTube project, can you tell us more about that? 

Robert: Well, in the first lockdown, I sat there twiddling my thumbs, no work, no life and I had an idea. To be honest I had it a few years ago about a Doctor talking to patients about their ailments, I actually robbed it from the series Behind Closed Doors the Doctor Surgery Program. I used to sit there every time making jokes about the patient and their ailment, I know it was wrong, I just didn’t know how to format it; I didn’t want to set up a surgery situation but as Skype and Zoom became popular I had that light bulb moment. 

So, I got my tablet computer and did my first one, people raved about it so that spurred me on to do more and getting a better camera and equipment, I’m into my sixth one now. I play all the characters and write, produce, direct, perform and edit everything. They were a bit rough at the beginning, you can see the evolution here

http://artechniques.com/behind_closed_doors.html   

I just put them on Facebook at first to see the reaction, it was positive so I then pushed them over to YouTube. Some of the subjects, characters, language and situations are a bit dodgy, to be fair most of them are, I didn’t think YouTube would publish them but they did and off I went, can’t stop me now. 

I call it a comedy melodrama.


Thanks for the catch up, Robert.

 

Beyond The Hub The Irregulars Review by DJ Forrest

 


Netflix's new supernatural crime drama is set in Victorian London and headed up by a group of teenage misfits, all living below ground in their cellar home, starring McKell David, Thaddea Graham, Jojo Macari, Darci Shaw and Harrison Osterfield. 

When a Rip in time between worlds is opened up, (remind you of anything) all manner of evil enters, and while young Jess is trying to make sense of her nightmares, The Linen Man played by Clarke Peters, offers her help as an Ipsissimus - rubbing a butterfly onto her arm, allowing her access to other people's minds, just by touching their arm. Through this ability, Jess is able to help catch some of the worst of people imaginable - and believe me, there are a lot of those in this series. 

There is a link between Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr Watson, and Sherlock's lost love Alice, played by Eileen O'Higgins, and two members of the young detective group living beneath the world in their cellar. - again, remind you of anything? 

Aside from it feeling like an early take on Torchwood, let's not forget that rips in time have been used in more than the Whoniverse, let's not forget Primeval here. The Irregulars are a group of 5 young people from two different walks of life. Leo, who we see from the off is a Prince of the Realm, whereas his counterparts in the story, including young Bea, who he forms a relationship with, are street urchins, just trying to get by, and not afraid to go out on a limb and get it. It gives a little different take on how you expect every street urchin to behave, considering the last thing you watched was the musical Oliver... 

Now put aside your Sherlock Holmes fantasies for now because this one is not a likeable character. He's weak and pathetic and very hard to engage with. Dr Watson seems quite the bastard (s'cuse my French), and even I wanted to see him bumped off mid way through the season, but you know he can't, for obvious reasons. Although the characters are played exactly like the books and films you remember, this explores their lives AFTER the fame and glory of cracking so many cases. Sherlock's addiction has reached a point where he's given up on sleuthing, because his one true love has stepped between worlds, never to be seen of again and he's pining for her, and love, as we all know, hurts like crazy, and Sherlock can only find comfort in opium. 

Dr. Watson however, keeps 221b Bakers Street alive, and recruits Bea and her friends to find out information about each and every case they work on, which ignites interest and passion in Bea, who you can tell enjoys the investigations, and it helps her and her sister Jess, understand about their mother, and why they were put in the care of the church, and later the workhouse, by events that are caused by the Linen Man. 

It's a really enjoyable, entertaining series and I truly hope a second one is in the making. Naturally, there were a few faces from Who and Torchwood, which warrant this review. Robert Stone (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang bouncer) appears in the first episode as a street fighter, which Billy is completely outmatched by. Clarke Peters I've already mentioned, Emma Cuniffe (Doctor Who - Night Terrors), Simon Ludders (Doctor Who - New Earth/Thin Ice) are to name but a few. 

Written and created by Tom Bidwell who also plays a character in the series and directed by Joss Agnew, Johnny Allan and Weronika Tofilska, if you haven't seen it yet, save it to your List and enjoy it when you can. I loved each and every episode and it did feel Torchwoodesque but on a smaller, younger scale, and I really hope we haven't seen the last of these wonderful characters.

 

Sunday, 31 January 2016

The Whoniverse Round-Up February 2016


February 2016

Welcome 2016, full of snow and floods and hurricane storms with ridiculous names, but no matter, there’s been a fair bit of activity over January to keep us amused.

Whovians Series 2



If you’ve enjoyed the first series of Whovians, which you can still view over on the Whovianstv website and on Youtube then you’ll be pleased to know that there is a second series coming out this year (2016).

Speaking with Rhys Jones, creator and writer of Whovians TV, this week, we learnt that the new series will have the main cast in each episode, rather than individual character stories as seen in the first series. There are also plans for further stories over the next few years.
We all have our favourite episodes from the first series, and so we can’t wait for the new series to begin. Rhys tells us that he will be setting up crowd funding for the new series, which seems the way forward for a lot of online shows, and why not indeed. So look out for these posts over the next few months, as we’ll be keeping in touch with Rhys and the team.

The Whovians website also has a ‘Behind the Scenes’ show from last year’s episodes. There are plenty of Pages to view on their site, check them out. http://www.thewhovians.tv/
You can follow the Whovians team on their Facebook and Twitter pages. Copy and paste or click on the links to find and LIKE or Follow them - https://www.facebook.com/whovianstv https://twitter.com/whovians_tv


Constable Keystone I-SATT Teaching Safety



Constable Keystone is a character created by Robert Stone.

'Roberts belief and desire is to educate young children about safety in a fun and none frightening manner, embedding scenarios that may arise, giving a young mind the tools to be mentally equipped to handle any situation, there is nothing worse than a child not possessing the knowledge to steer them away from danger.'

You can find out more on the website here - http://www.constablekeystone.com/


Or Follow them here - https://twitter.com/PCKeystone


A Day in the Life of Gareth David-Lloyd



On the 7th May 2016, at 11am, you can meet Gareth David-Lloyd at the Gates Arts Centre – find out more details click or copy and paste the link above.

   ‘This is a one-day Doctor Who themed charity event, with all proceeds being donated to the Gate Arts Centre. There’ll be an interview, question and answer with the audience, a charity raffle and autographs, as this is our eleventh event we also have a number of special surprises planned to add to the fun, including Doctor Who/Torchwood writer and Producer James Goss who will be doing a reading and question and answer panel in which he will discuss the newly released Big Finish Torchwood Audio Adventures.’

Early bird tickets are on sale now £8.00 adults and £5 or children/concession.

This informal event will be relaxed and limited to a maximum of 75 people, there are no charges for autographs on your own items (limited to 3 items per person), no charges for selfies and your own photos, so get your tickets quickly, before time and economic reality catches up with us.

I’m unsure at this point if all the tickets have sold out, or if there are some still available, so it’s worth checking at the box office first to find out. 

To book please call the box office on (029) 2048 3344

If you are going, we’d love to hear all about your day there, and share your pics on our Expo & Cons page.


Simon Fisher-Becker



If you’re a fan of Doctor Who & Harry Potter, you may be interested to know that Simon Fisher-Becker will be at the February Strikes Back Comic Con event on February 7th from 10am – 5pm, at Oasis Academy Wintringham, Weelsby Avenue, Grimsby.
You can click on the link to read more on the article.


This just in. 21st February at 3pm at Lost Theatre, for My Dalek Has a Puncture tour. For more details, click or copy and paste link.


Saturday, 2 November 2013

Interviews Robert Stone by DJ Forrest



Although Robert Stone only featured for a few fleeting seconds on Torchwood, upon researching I discovered he’d featured in quite a few programmes and films that I’d seen. 

Looking through your website and list of skills and credits you’ve mostly taken on roles of the heavy mob and bouncer, along with the singing miner in a Pot Noodle advert.  Have you played any other roles other than the tough guy?

Robert: Although I look like a big ‘Googlee Mooglee’ some of my other roles have included a short film where I play Adolf Hitler, an Ugly Step Sister in a Sainsburys Christmas Commercial and Brenda on the CBBC show ‘The Slammer’, apparently I can play a drag queen quite well!



When you got the part for the bouncer in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and the Goth in the Everything Changes did you ever expect to land another role within the series, in a separate role? 

Robert: I played a Goth Bouncer in the Everything Changes episode, I’ve never seen it so I don’t know the result. I was used as and when for Torchwood, I remember turning a few episodes down as I was working on other productions at the time.

                                               (Robert in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)

Obviously to look the part of the heavy, the bouncer, the tough guy, you must obviously work out, how do you keep yourself fit for the roles that you play?

Robert: The requirement for my character would need me to be big and menacing so I visit the gym and work out with weights four or five times a week, work permitting.

What got you into acting, who were your influences?

Robert: My first on screen experience was as background artist in a production called Resnick in 1992, starring Tom Wilkinson, I enjoyed the experience that much it was the trigger that led me to enrolling in drama school.



                                              (Robert in RocknRolla)

I’ve worked with Tom Wilkinson a number of times since, as an actor, one being Guy Ritchies’ RocknRolla and the other, John Landis’ Burke and Hare. I‘m also a great admirer of Johnny Depp and to meet and work with him on Pirates of the Caribbean (On Stranger Tides) was a humbling experience.

What vehicle would you like to own?

Robert: For a new sports car it would be the Lamborghini Veneno, for a classic car would be the 70s Corvette Stingray  but for a little run-a-round would be the Hummer! All paintwork in Red and Black.

Another tough guy in Torchwood, Ross O’Hennessy also appeared as the singing miner in Pot Noodle, are you a fan of Pot Noodle?

Robert: I used to eat Pot Noodle but not anymore as I need to keep my boyish figure! Now I eat Chicken, Fish, Boiled Potatoes and Salads.

Have your acting roles taken you all over the country, what’s the furthest role you’ve taken?

Robert: I’ve filmed here in the UK mostly, I’ve also filmed a movie in Southern Spain which I haven’t seen, although it’s been winning awards at festivals all over the globe, it hasn’t been released as of yet, it’s called ‘The Honey Killer. I went to Los Angeles for the role of the Gaoler in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides’
                                     (Robert as gaoler in Pirates of the Caribbean - On Stranger Tides)

When you’re not acting how do you relax?

Robert: Go to the gym, push weights and do some cage fighting, read books, factual and autobiographical, I’m currently reading the late Norman Wisdoms Autobiography called ‘My Turn who I consider the most talented performer of our time, I also write screenplays and draw. As I’m a graphic artist by trade I also relax by working on my children’s safety project called ConstableKeystone.com which is a series of animations to teach kids ages 4-7 about important safety issues, I also want to take the cartoon/puppet characters into schools for the same reason. I also design board games, one being the Beat the Recession Board Game you can see this at Kamytoons.com. So my down time is not so relaxing sometimes.


What was the last movie you saw at the cinema?

Robert: I only go to the cinema when I’m in a movie, I get a thrill watching myself on the big screen, the last one was ‘Best Laid Plans’ starring Stephen Graham and David O’Hara where I play Doyle, a cage fighter.
The one before that was Pirates of the Caribbean where I actually went to Disney, Florida to see. The next one will be Molly Moon - The Incredible Hypnotist where I play Molly’s Bodyguard which will be showing late 2013.

What project are you currently working on and can you share any details with us?

Robert: Not long finished working on a TV series called By Any Means which is now showing on the BBC, I play a character called ‘Cauli, not to give too much away, I end up going to my own funeral, which was very strange as you never get to see your own send off.
I’ve also written a story and screenplay and currently trying to raise finances to make the feature film, it’s called ‘Drags, Blags and Punchbags.

Brief synopsis: ‘Alex Rokinski, an ex-martial arts champion works as a drag artiste in the evening and then races across the city to work as a bouncer at night. His broken family unit, the persecution by his peers and revenge for a friend leads to an unprecedented showdown’.
Trying to raise finances for this movie in this current economic climate I’m finding very hard.

You’ve worked with Eve Myles before, in the series ‘Belonging’ what was your character then and were you involved with Eve’s character at all?  How many episodes were you involved in?

Robert: I played a Polish Bodyguard for the final special episode, although Eve and I were in some of the same scenes there was no direct dialogue with her, I did have time to chat with her between takes and she comes over as a wonderful and intelligent lady.

                                               (Robert in Belonging - Reunion Special)

If you want to find out more about Robert and the films and programmes he’s been involved in and believe me there’s a few, you can find him on:

Thank you for an awesome interview Robert.

Photo source: