So, it’s the night after the night before and a bunch of very tired comedians and scientists have gathered under a hung parliament to put on one of Robin Ince’s periodical celebrations of cleverness. I would imagine that this date was arranged before the election was called and that many of those involved regretted the timing, but the general feeling of disappointment, uncertainty and foreboding turned into a strangely uplifting and very special evening.
Robin Ince opened the show with the disclaimer that he hadn’t slept at all, but was still his usual lovely and funny self, also treating us to a spot-on John Peel impression. The bill contained the usual eclectic mix of performers – too many to mention – including Marcus Brigstocke, who was equally tired but equally funny. You would have expected the notoriously angry Brigstocke to be apoplectic at the election result but he seemed almost too tired to summon the necessary energy and instead spoke on a number of his favourite subjects and ended with a fairly upbeat message, saying that what is to come might not be as bad as we all think.
The number of hits on this blog went through the roof earlier this year when Wonders of the Solar System was on BBC1 and the picture of Professor Brian Cox in my review of Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People became suddenly popular (a few people found it by searching for “Brain Cox”, which made me chuckle). He is now a phenomenon and received a reception on the night worthy of a rock star (as well as a poem in his honour from Gavin Osborn, which I hope he sets to music). He really is preposterously handsome, and the passion with which he speaks about the issues close to his heart, from science funding to quantum physics, is irresistible.
One of the truly rubbish outcomes of the election was that Dr Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrat MP who has done so much to champion science and secularism lost his seat to a member of the Conservative Christian Fellowship (where do I join?) following some horrible campaigns against him in his constituency and nasty attacks in the right-wing press. He was in the audience and received commiserations and tributes throughout the night, including a quasi-eulogy delivered by Simon Singh and Ben Goldacre which ended with a standing ovation. Everyone seemed pretty confident that he would be back, and I sincerely hope that this is the case because he seems like a good egg and exactly the sort of person we need in parliament.
The evening was rounded off with a special appearance from an eyeliner-free, bespectacled Tim Minchin, who delivered a low-key but brilliant set which included the first ever live rendition of his “Pope Song” (look it up on YouTube if you’re not easily offended by swearing, or a Catholic) and a brief Elton John moment.
I really love these gigs: you feel like you’re spending the evening with a bunch of your funniest and most intelligent friends, the variety on offer is something you just don’t get anywhere else and the atmosphere is fantastic. It’s a great feeling to be in a room full of like-minded individuals, both on the stage and in the audience, who all seem to think the same way that you do. In fact, that’s probably what it feels like to go to church…
Tags: Ben Goldacre, Dr Evan Harris, Gavin Osborn, Marcus Brigstocke, Professor Brian Cox, Robin Ince, Simon Singh, Tim Minchin
