By Conor Merrigan-Turner
Picture your high school science teacher or university professor. Think about their dry sense of humor, human disconnection and how alienated you felt when they went on one of their complicated science tangents, well don’t worry. Dr Chris’s Theory of Everything was almost opposite; the only archetypal things about him were his homage to the Doctor Who attire and his youthful passion for scientific knowledge.
Dr Chris is the voice of science on 3CR 885AM. He presents latest research and interviews guests about how science impacts our day to day lives. His Festival show begins with his journey towards being a Doctor of Physics, from his childhood dreams to his career aspirations. Although Melbourne Fringe Festival isn’t exactly MIT, he is an advocate for the scientific world, spreading the words of the scientific minds that have come before him, that, in truth have set us towards inevitable doom and communicated this to audiences who presumably had no knowledge of this prior. I say presumably because once Dr Chris had informed us about the crucial role quantitative physicists had in the majority of global recessions, it was met with a gasps. Do not be put off by this, the show is so well structured and balanced it does not feel heavy handed or overly incomprehensible.
Chris’s sensitivity to the complexity of the universe that he discusses was very entertaining. Dr Chris and his trusty whiteboard captivated even the younger audiences with relevant pop cultural cues, and mixed theoretical discussion, with a side of Kate Winslet references.
Science was put on display in an honest cynical light which is hard to ignore, but also with a whole lot of humanity. Making us laugh with universal self-pity and joy that we are ALL blind in this mouse trap (some less than others). It was truly comforting knowing even an esteemed Physicist had a lot to learn as well. Seeing a physicist having an audience cackling with laughter when talking about such dense and serious topics is impressive. It seemed certain that not only did you walk out with a sense of fulfillment from seeing a comedy show which delivered comedy, but also one that made you feel a little wiser. There is a saying “As your area of knowledge grows, so too does your perimeter of ignorance” and we certainly walked out questioning a lot more. I would like to think this is the direction comedy is going, stepping onward into intellectual discussions as well as lighthearted humour.
This performance was substance rich and equally comically satisfying. If you are looking for a night out with colleagues, family or friends join the discussion with Dr Lassig.
Dr Chris’s Theory of Everything is on at Arts House – Parlour Room until September 22
https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/dr-chriss-theory-of-everything/