Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People
Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People is a Christmas stage show celebrating a view of science. It was first run in 2008 at the Bloomsbury Theatre and re-run as The Return of Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People in 2009, then televised on BBC Four as Nerdstock: 9 Lessons and Carols for Godless People.
It is organised by the Rationalist Association and the journal New Humanist.
It was described by the host, Robin Ince: "If the Royal Variety Show was put in a matter transportation machine with the Royal Institution Christmas lectures, this is what you'd get".[1]
The Return of...
The 2009 show was performed at the Bloomsbury Theatre from the 15 to 19 December 2009, and at the Hammersmith Apollo on 20 December 2009. The Apollo show was also broadcast in part on BBC Four, produced by Kaye Godleman. Part of proceeds go to Mustard Seed secular school in Uganda.
The live music was provided by the Mystery Fax Machine Orchestra.
Line-up of BBC broadcast
The presenter was Robin Ince.
The participants were:
- Brian Cox
- Mark Steel
- Shappi Khorsandi
- Richard Dawkins
- Jim Bob
- Simon Singh
- Baba Brinkman
- Ben Goldacre
- Robyn Hitchcock
- Richard Herring
- Barry Cryer and Ronnie Golden
Ten Lessons and Carols for Godless People
The show returned for a third year in 2010 at the Bloomsbury Theatre. An audio recording of the show was produced by Go Faster Stripe during the 15 December 2010 show.[2]
Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People 2011
The show returned in 2011 and ran at London's Bloomsbury Theatre for six nights from 18–23 December.[3]
The line up included Robin Ince (host) with Josie Long, Martin White, Helen Arney, Richard Herring and Matt Parker. They were joined by the following additional acts:[4]
18th Darren Hayman, Alex Bellos, Aleks Krotoski, Neil Hannon
19th Helen Keen, Mark Thomas, Darren Hayman, Alexei Sayle
20th Isy Suttie, Mark Thomas
21st Isy Suttie, Jim Bob
22nd Mark Miodownik, Jim Bob
23rd Stewart Lee, Tim Harford
Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People 2012
Robin Ince announced on Twitter in June 2012 that the show will return to London's Bloomsbury Theatre from 16–22 December 2012, with an additional show at the Hammersmith Apollo on 23 December.[5]
16th: Richard Herring, Stewart Lee, Darren Hayman, Nick Doody, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, Jonny & The Baptists
17th: Richard Herring, Isy Suttie, Tony Law, Darren Hayman, Frisky and Mannish, Kate Tempest, Nick Doody, Phil Hammond, Helen Arney
18th: Richard Herring, Isy Suttie, Chris Addison, Tony Law, Jim Bob,
19th: Richard Herring, Isy Suttie, Chris Addison, Jim Bob, Alan Moore,
20th: Richard Herring, Nick Doody, Alan Moore
22nd: Ian Stone, Phill Jupitus, Ben Goldacre, Mark Steel, Steve Jones, David McAlmont, Helen Keen, Jonny & The Baptists
23rd: Tony Law, Ian Stone, Phill Jupitus, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, Steve Jones, Helen Keen, Jonny & The Baptists
[6]
References
- ↑ Merritt, Stephanie (6 December 2009). "Guardian article". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
- ↑ "Ten Lessons and Carols for Godless People". Go Faster Stripe. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
- ↑ "Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People 2011 on sale now". New Humanist. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
- ↑ "Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People". Retrieved 15 July 2012.
- ↑ "Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People 2012". Retrieved 15 July 2012.
- ↑ "Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People 2012".
External links
- Nerdstock: 9 Lessons and Carols for Godless People BBC programme page
- Nerdstock: Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People at The Internet Movie Database
- Guardian article
- New Scientist article