Review: Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular, Vector Arena

The Daleks made their appearance at the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular.

A Sunday afternoon audience at Vector Arena were transported through time and space to the end of the universe - and beyond - when the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular materialised in town today.

The show - which features a full orchestra, live choir and hideous monsters in awesome costumes roaming the aisles - highlighted music from the long-running BBC science fiction series.

For a large part of its history, Doctor Who's soundtrack was a notably cheap affair, with some decent music zapped into oblivion by tinkling synthesisers. But it's now been 10 years since its 21st century return, and composer Murray Gold has built up a large library of epic and bombastic music.

The lack of subtlety isn't just in the music - it's part of Doctor Who's broad appeal - and when combined with unashamed sentimentality, Gold's music totally tugs at the heart-strings, with rousing themes purely designed to get a joyous fist punching in the air as the world is saved all over again.

With the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra giving that music its full effect, superbly backed up by Westlake high schools choir group Choralation, The Symphonic Spectacular was full of these big epic moments. With three large screens showing a never-ending montage of the Doctor's greatest moments, music from big season-enders and Christmas Specials boomed around the arena. If any TV show can fill a space like that, it's Doctor Who.

Host Peter Davison, who played a younger, cricket-obsessed Doctor in the early eighties, received a warm welcome in Auckland, especially when he lamented about the state of England's World Cup chances, and, with dapper conductor Ben Foster, he made sure the show kept a light-hearted tone through its emotional roller-coaster.

Fifth Doctor Peter Davison hosted the show.

Because Doctor Who can get heavy, even with all its silliness, and Murray Gold has been selling that heaviness for 10 years now. His work on the programme has been so solid, the concert could even save its iconic theme song - arguably the most iconic TV theme song of all time - for the very end.

Doctor Who is 52 years old this year, but this Sunday afternoon, its music gave it a whole new regeneration cycle.