Matt Smith in New York

I’m working on my “The Beast Below” blogging as we speak. While you wait, please enjoy this missive from my pal Cahir O’Doherty, the arts editor at New York’s Irish Voice/IrishCentral.com, which came in via email earlier tonight:

I was with a friend going to see a show on Broadway this afternoon and we were talking about “The Beast Below.” I was impressed by Matt Smith’s performance (I loved his little flourish when he put the glass of water on the ground the first time). It’s the most Doctory gesture I’ve seen him make so far and I was telling my friend I was really really enjoying Smith’s performance in the new series.

My friend said ‘Well why don’t you tell him, he’s standing right behind you in a pork pie hat.’

I said stop it.

He said, ‘He is, he’s standing right behind you in a pork pie hat.’

I just met the Doctor on 45th Street. He could not have been kinder, really. He’s funny and smart and a little bit strange and in person you can see why he’s just perfect for the role. Here’s the picture he posed for. I thought you might enjoy this. (He was seeing Red with Alfred Molina).

Cahir’s photo:

Cahir followed up his email with this:

He was genuinely surprised that we’d already seen “The Eleventh Hour” and “The Beast Below” and I told him almost every true Who fan in America already has. He said: “Well there’s some terrific stuff to come, just wait…”

Then I took a shot and he darted in to see Red on Broadway. It was a matinee crowd from the suburbs mostly all in their 70’s so he could dart about unrecognized (we have some pride so we didn’t make him stand and pose for group shots). He’s a very nice lad, very approachable and slightly wired. Looks like he’d be a good laugh to knock around with. I’m glad he’s the Doctor, Moffat made a brilliant choice.