Tell us about your show. The Onion of Knowledge is all about the quirky and surprising stories from science. Like the time the Greek philosopher Hippasus proved a mathematical argument. His opponent graciously acknowledged the truth and pushed Hippasus into a lake and watched him drown. Did I mention it’s a family show?
What does your show teach the audience? Like an onion, learning science is all about learning in layers. As my grandmother used to say: “You can’t do Quantum Physics without first putting a cat in a box – just don’t let them catch you doing that, boy. Now, get me a prune juice.” Bless her enlarged heart.
What’s a fun fact about the show? A fun fact about the show is that it is a show all about facts. Yes, that is the sort of meta-head-spin you can expect from The Onion of Knowledge. Facts all the way down. Also, the audience gets to contribute their very own fact. (Veracity of facts not guaranteed.)
Who are your biggest influences? For the way they tell a story, I’m a big fan of Ben Elton, Eddie Izzard, and Neal Brennan.
Can you describe the journey of creating a show? This show came about because I was burnt out after a job I had organising a science festival. I didn’t want to write, talk, or look at science again. It has been slow work pulling my creative mind back into the passion I used to feel for talking science, and this show is the result.
