Royal Albert Hall, June 15 2018

I love science. I love variety shows. It should come as no surprise then that I had an absolute blast at Space Shambles last week. Presented by Cosmic Shambles, a group of comedians, scientists and astronauts led by Robin Ince and Commander Chris Hadfield, the show was equal parts Muppets Show and Tomorrow’s World and shot through with joy and hope from start to finish.

The show ran three hours on paper and close to three and a half in person. Despite that it was a sprint from start to finish, compared ably by Ince. Ince is a quietly extraordinary comedian, effortlessly articulate, immensely funny and deeply selfless. He never once presented as trying to hold the stage himself but rather as a slightly breathless host desperate to introduce you to the next amazing person. Ably assisted by Hadfield, surely the calmest man for a hundred miles in every direction, he was a delight to watch.

As were every single one of his guests. To review all of them would take more words than I have but the standouts were truly standouts. Professor Monica Grady told us behind the scenes stories of the historic comet rendezvous mission from a couple of years ago, leading up to an iconic punchline that is surely beloved of scientists everywhere. Doctor Helen Czerski talked about the joys of celestial navigation and introduced Elder Kimokeo Kapehulehua who taught the entire audience a navigation chant. She Makes War and Grace Petrie sung precise, beautiful songs that referred back to the works of Carl Sagan and the joys, and perils of stargazing. Festival of the Spoken Nerd calculated pi using actual pie. And honestly, the biggest cheer of the night going to a pie swinging from the ceiling of the Royal Albert Hall would have been perfect.

But it turns out that cheer went to Rusty Schweickart and Seb Lee-Delisle. Schwieickart, the Lunar Lander pilot for Apollo 9 looks for all the world like an aged Captain America. Witty, enthused and massively spiritual in the way almost all the Apollo astronauts are. A point of stillness next to Lee-Delisle’s magnificently frantic presence, the two men were part of the weirdest moment I’ve had this year. And remember, I saw the Radiophonic Workshop play live.

Seb is a laserist, actual job. Seb is also a massive fan of classic arcade game Lunar Lander. Seb developed a version that could be played, using lasers rather than cathode rays, on a massive scale at the Royal Albert Hall.

And Rusty landed it.

The sight of a man who got so close to the Moon but didn’t get to land, just flat out nailing this ridiculously difficult arcade game on the first try was amazing. The sight of the audience completely biffing it when Seb switched to a model powered by applause was hilarious. The entire thing was weird, memorable and oddly triumphant.

And oddly triumphant sums the night up perfectly. Yes it over ran. Yes poor Public Service Broadcasting did a blistering set as audience members began to leave to head for their cars. Yes Stewart Lee’s profanity laden grump schtick didn’t land too well with the younger members of the audience or their parents.

None of that matters. What matters is that Ince, Hadfield and friends took to one of London’s finest stages with science in one hand and joy in the other and spend three glorious hours throwing it at us, and I was lucky enough to be there. An amazing, profoundly weird night. I hope the next one is soon. 9/10

Alasdair Stuart