WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE: Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith

WHEN: 10/12, also 11/12

Bored of the Royal Variety Performance? Feel the true message of Christmas is somehow lost in the tinsel, religion and Kylie of the season?

Failed D:Ream keyboardist Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince of Radio 4’s Monkey Cage have been staging their rational antidote to all things Yule at this venue in the name of charity for the last three years. Last year Al Murray and The Cure were amongst the surprise guests.

The geeks in our party were a little disappointed that this year’s bill didn’t quite match the Carolyn Porco scoop of last year but we were more than happy with Alison Moyet plus string quartet bettering Yazoo’s Don’t Go (clip above). We would love to have seen more of her.

Who wouldn’t share a tear with Ince as he recalls a lost parent and the wish to remain in contact with her?

We’re still a little proud that we were part of the human chain that circled this venue to enable Snap!’s We Got The Power to burst out of the boombox in a conductivity experiment.

Lewisham’s up and coming comic Sara Pascoe shared her bus and polycystic ovary syndrome tales of woe with us (see below in Tron pose).

The line-up also included Charlotte Church and Dara O’Briain as well as a host of science’s best and brightest.

It certainly makes for a novelty and value for money night out – and is so free from Christmas cheer, it might just be worth a punt.

• Tickets for the 11/12 Brian & Robin Christmas Compendium of Reason are available here.
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