Mirth-making researchers set for Fringe debut

Published On Mon 24 Aug 2015 by Grant Hill

A group of wise-cracking academics will make the jump from lecture theatre to stage this week when they perform in front of a sell-out crowd at the world’s largest comedy festival.

Six researchers will be performing at the ‘Bright Club at the Fringe’ event at BBC Potterow tent from 7pm on Wednesday, 26th August. Representing five institutions, they will be attempting to dispel the stereotype of the stuffy academic with fresh and inventive stand-up that both entertains and enlightens.

Bright Club is the freshest thing in stand-up, an academic comedy cocktail synthesised for the audiences entertainment and enlightenment, blending comedy and research to create the rarest jokes. The movement runs in cities all over the UK and Australia and sees academics attempt to convey the humour in their work as a way of helping the public better understand research.

One of the performers is Alex Raeside, a PhD student in Plant Sciences at the University of Dundee. His research focuses on how barley responds to cold temperatures and he will be attempting to prove why this is a hilarious subject at the Fringe.

“Taking part in Bright Club has helped remind me of all the things I found interesting about my science in my first place,” he said. “It’s also been great fun and I can’t quite believe that it’s led to me going on stage at the Fringe.”

The other participants are:

  • Professor Divya Jindal-Snape, Chair of Education, Inclusion and Life Transitions at the University of Dundee.
  • Kyle Marian Viterbo, MSc Student in Science Communication and Public Engagement at the University of Edinburgh.
  • Maneesh Kuruvilla, PhD student in Psychology and neuroscience at the University of St Andrews.
  • Dr Matt Winning, Research Associate in Environmental Economics at University College London.
  • Dr Sarita Robinson, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Central Lancashire.

MC for the event will be renowned comedienne Susan Morrison, who has hosted Bright Club gigs across Scotland.

 

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