'Who' tour is sequel to classic story

The director of the forthcoming Doctor Who live tour has revealed that the stage show is inspired by a classic story from the programme's past.

Will Brenton told SFX that much of the tour's storyline is based on 'Carnival of Monsters', a 1973 episode starring Jon Pertwee as the third Doctor.

"When I first came aboard this project, it was... very akin to the Prom offering," he explained. "I thought what we needed to do was bring this space alive a lot more, by making it a narrative that takes place in real time."

He added that showrunner Steven Moffat had suggested using the old story as a basis for the tour's plot.

"All of its genealogy grows out of that episode," he said. "And the fans who spotted that reference will enjoy how it happens. It's taken what happened in that episode and moved it on, and updated it and had som fun with it as well."

In the original episode, the Doctor encounters Vorg, a travelling showman who traps monsters in his high-tech viewing device. Nigel Planer will play the similarly-named Vorgenson throughout the nationwide tour.

The Doctor Who live tour kicks off at Wembley Arena on October 8.