July 2013 Public Engagement Round-up

Here’s our monthly round-up of activity from our Engaging Science grantholders to give you some inspiration for the summer days ahead. Fingers crossed that the sun will make an appearance too! 

Theatre

Sparkle and Dark’s Killing Roger

“Could you kill someone? I mean really, could you? What if they asked you to?” In Killing Roger, the latest play from puppet masters Sparkle and Dark, teenager Billy strikes up a friendship with chain-smoking octogenarian Roger. As their relationship develops, Billy must consider the complex issues around ageing, dignity and the right to die. Killing Roger will be touring the UK during July with performances at Mimetic Festival, Enfield, 21 July; Bedford Fringe Festival 26-27 July; and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 1-25 August.

Responsible Other continues to play at Hampstead Downstairs. Running until 20 July, the play follows 16-year-old Daisy and her family as she comes to terms with being diagnosed with lupus. Produced by Made by Brick in consultation with staff and patients at the Lupus Unit at St Thomas’ Hospital the play provides an insight into life with this life-threatening illness.

Music

Ever the spent the evening at a party where there are conversations all around you but you couldn’t hear a word? The Clerks music ensemble along with scientists from the University of Cambridge explore the ‘cocktail party phenomena’ in their latest piece, Cocktail Party Polyphony. It is part of the Cheltenham Music Festival, which opened yesterday and the festival runs until 14 July. Other events to look out for are the World of Surgery series: in the second of these three events, The Solo performer, Professors Roger Kneebone and Aaron Williamon will compare how professional musicians and surgeons cope with the stresses of life in the front line.

On 12 July at 7pm, artist Ariel Guzik will present The Language of Cetaceans at the Arts Catalyst, London. Guzik has spent the last ten years searching for ways to communicate with dolphins and whales, including the development of a musical instrument. He will be joined by environmental scientist Mark Simmonds who will discuss the importance of sound in cetacean society and the impact of increasing noise pollution in the world’s oceans.

Radio

Let Richard Tyrone Jones fill your Sunday night airwaves with an adaption of his award winning spoken word show, Big Heart. Combining poetry, comedy and medicine, this three-part Radio 4 mini-series will take you through Richard’s journey after his unexpected 30^th birthday present: heart failure. The show will be broadcast Sunday 14, 21 and 28 July at 7.15pm.

Wellcome Engagement Fellow Dr Richard Barnett recently featured in a Resonance FM series dedicated to sin. From Freud to zombies, Wrath explores the fear of what it means to be human while Sloth examines energy, the way we understand our bodies and how we structure our everyday lives. Both episodes are available to listen to online.

Art

Jordan Baseman’s Deadness exhibition continues at Matt’s Gallery in London until 21 July (open Wednesday to Sunday, 12-6pm). An exhibition in three parts, Deadness features multiple 35mm slide projections with sound, a film called ‘The Last Walk’ and a series of new photographic works. The exhibits explore the historical, cultural and sociological relationship between embalming and photographic portraiture.

Online

The latest issue of Guru Magazine is now available for download. Mixing the ‘entertainment of lifestyle writing with the authoritativeness of a science periodical’ highlights of the June/July issue including a sceptical look at the practice of ear candling and six reasons to kiss a frog.

If you are inspired to go along to any of the events above, please come back to leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

Thanks to our Engaging Science colleague Lois Browne for the info.