BrightClub

I mentioned a while back that I took part one of the regular public engagement dos that the UCL Engagement Unit organise. In particular – BrightClub, which is a comedy night at a real club, half-way between Kings Cross and Farringdon.

It was scary. Very, very scary! Still, once you’ve made eighty people who have paid good money to see you, actually laugh (at archaeometallurgy and everything!) then I figure a bunch of old sods in worn-out suits sitting in a conference really won’t be half as daunting as it might seem. Well, that’s the idea.

Interestingly I was the least important person there – everyone else speaking there was at the very least a writing-up post-grad, and at the best a professor! Illustrious company indeed.

In eight minutes I covered the history of man and metal, going right from the Varna cemetery through to World War Two guns, all with a feminist twist. All fun and games, though I’m not quite sure how I feel about being the woman who “compared a man with a golden penis sheath to Hitler”!

But I guess that’s my pay-back for going for rather low jokes. I have to admit that although it was terrifying, and took a long time to prepare and practice, it was an amazing experience. I know I got a lot from it – I just hope the audience really enjoyed it as much and maybe one day I’ll get to do it again!