Getting Triggy With It | Birmingham Rep

Science communicator, youtuber, podcast host, author, perfectly adequate python coder and general maths enthusiast Matt Parker is taking his latest stand up comedy tour across the UK, offering an evening of intellectually stimulating humour even for those who are happy avoiding maths on a day-to-day basis.

After creating a reputation through exploring mathematical concepts and topics on Youtube and through his best-selling novels about the same topic, Parker continues his journey to spark people’s interest in maths on another stand up tour.

There is no need to be discouraged by the subject matter of the show if it is not something that interests you, as with sharp comic timing and a keen awareness of the divide in his audience, Parker has practically mastered the art of working two opposite groups resulting in a large appeal for both those who are very familiar with his work and involve complex mathematics in their daily life, and anyone less inclined to engage with the subject.

With carefully crafted long-running jokes and witty punchlines, there is a perfect balance providing something for everyone and Parker revels in this, taking the occasional opportunity to delve deep into a topic that may leave some heads spinning, before reeling us back in with an easy punchline and explanation.

Of course what STEM themed show would feel complete without some interactive elements, which is a fine-tuned element of the set that provides a delightful set-up for laughs all throughout the show. From an introductory Q&A for the audience to create one collective audience based on averages, to a robot DJ and even custom Generative AI bot that looks and speaks like Parker, the audience involvement is simple and engaging - a testimony to Parker as a teacher and someone whose aim is to get people more interested in maths.

Many moments from the show stick with us long after it’s over, often the ones that made it a unique experience for the audience watching that night by handing us some of the reins. In the masterful way that only someone with as much expertise and experience in his field as Parker, his passion for maths feels utterly contagious throughout the whole show.

Providing relatable experiences and topics to make the subject matter fit with ease into anything, even reluctant audience members quickly begin to mirror his absolute joy, making Parker an undeniable success with this show at encouraging more people to enjoy it.

Overall, Matt Parker has proven again that humour can unite people over any subject, even one as universally contested as maths. Along the way there are countless laughs, spontaneous diversions and brilliantly stimulating moments for the audience and occasionally for Parker himself as he embraces audience participation and engagement.

A perfect example of what a brilliant person can do when given a stage and a microphone to talk about their favourite thing for an evening, it would be impossible to stop the flow of this show and frankly, why would anyone want to?

Getting Triggy With It continues its UK tour until April 26th, visiting venues up and down the country.

★★★★★ (5*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review