Australia and New Zealand Tour 2017
“A high brow, variety thrill”
NZ Herald
“A compelling evening of fun and fascination”
Stuff NZ
The Tour
In March and April of 2017, The Cosmic Shambles Network went on the road to Australia and New Zealand for six very special shows. For over a decade, Robin Ince’s groundbreaking variety nights mashing up science, comedy and music have delighted audiences in the UK and this marked the first time shows like these had ever ventured internationally.
“Fun and Facts to the Power of Five”
The Australian
“An amalgamation of hilarity & cause of thought”
Art Murmurs
The Cities
Cosmic Shambles LIVE played six nights, across six major cities. In Australia we headed to the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, the Convention Centre in Melbourne and the Octagon Theatre in Perth. In New Zealand we took the stage at the Aotea Centre in Auckland, the Opera House in Wellington and the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch.
In early 2016 promoters Cerebral Events in New Zealand and the Atheist Foundation of Australia got in touch with Cosmic Shambles producers Trunkman Productions about the possibility of bringing a show down under. A variety show just like had become an institution in the UK, but with a mixture of UK and local talent.
And so after a year of planning, our UK talent doing multiple interviews to explain why science, comedy and music wasn’t actually as bizarre a mix as they thought it might be, Robin Ince took to the stage in Sydney to tell a curious crowd we’d all really just arrived to try an escape Brexit.
As with the big Xmas variety shows in the UK, part proceeds from the tour would be donated to Doctors Without Borders.
Tour Podcast
Each night we received far more audience questions than we had time to deal with on stage as part of the show. So we took the time to record a number of podcasts back stage, going through the rest of them, with the UK cast and a few special guests.
You can listen to them all here or subscribe via RSS or Soundcloud.
Scientists
Comedians
Musicians
Puppets
The Shows
Get a rundown of each show, what happened and who was on the bill.
You’ll also find a gallery of exclusive performance and behind the scenes photos from each show.
Gallery Highlights
Take a look at some of our favourite pictures from the tour. You’ll find full galleries for each gig on the respective show page.
Robin Ince
And another thing
Josie Long & Robin Ince
Watties this time round
Helen Czerski & Lucie Green
Matt Parker
Stop the clocks!
Lucie Green
Sun facts
Auckland QnA Panel
Robin Ince, Dr Helen Czerski, Dr Michelle Dickinson, Prof Lucie Green & Josie Long
UK Cast & Crew
The full touring party. Josie Long, Robin Ince, Helen Czerski, Producers Trent & Melinda Burton, Matt Parker & Lucie Green
Jon Toogood
Jon closes the Wellington show
Don Walker
Don and band close the show, and the tour, in Perth.
Simone & Girlfunkle
Folk in Perth
Wellington QnA Panel
Robin Ince, Dr Siouxsie Wiles, Matt Parker & Prof Lucie Green
Lawrence Arabia
Lawrence closes the show in Auckland
Michelle Dickinson
Liquid nitrogen ahoy
Puppet Tim Minchin & Robin Ince
The intro film of the show
James Nokise
Helen Czerski
Penguin impersonations
Diesel
Full flight during soundcheck
Robin, Dr Karl, Helen and Lucie
QnA Sydney
Matt Stellingwerf
Nasa 111
Matt Parker
Matt on stage in Wellington
Radio, TV and Interviews
Ahead of the tour the cast were on the PR trail chatting about the show and their favourite science. Here’s a selection.
“Bubbles are the unsung heroes”
Helen Czerski in the SMH
“Solar Flares That Break the Bank”
Lucie Green in Cosmos magazine
“The opposite of a cynical show”
Josie Long chats with Spinoff
“This Much I Know”
Robin Ince in the NZ Herald
“The Conversation Hour”
Helen Czerski on ABC Radio Melbourne
“The delight of discovery”
Lucie Green & Robin Ince on ABC’s The Drawing Room
“My favourite comedy skits”
Josie Long on NZ’s The Laugh Track
“Robin Ince meets Michelle Dickinson”
NZ Herald interview
“Eating pies at UWA”
Matt Parker on Nova FM
If you fancy checking out more, including lots of long form podcast appearances from the cast check out the AFA’s media page here.
Tour trailers
There’s more Cosmic Shambles LIVE shows on the horizon in the UK later in 2017, so keep your eyes peeled on the site.
New Zealand Performance Images used with permission and © Alexander Hallag * Promotional Photography by Timothy Ginn * All other images are © Trunkman Productions * Michelle Dickinson appeared via arrangement with Johnson and Laird Management * Josie Long appeared in Australia via co-operation with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival * The New Zealand leg of the tour was co-presented by The Royal Society of New Zealand
