Dundee Fringe Review: 400 Second Nerd Talks

By Lucas McCall

All the way from Cambodia, the most efficient PowerPoint night you have ever witnessed took the Keiller Centre by storm on Monday night. Never before will you have learnt so much from a comedy show.

400 Second Nerd Talks packed my brain with an abundance of goofy facts, historical quips, and inspiring life stories. Four comedians took to the stage to present their nerdy passions, through a twenty-slide long PowerPoint. However, each slide moves automatically after 20 seconds, so they are put to a quick-fire test to impress the crowd.

Andy Bullick kicked off the evening with the inspiring story of ‘The Greatest Spy You’ve Never Heard Of,’ Noor Inayat Khan. She was the first woman to serve in the Special Operations Executive (SOE), and the only Muslim woman to serve. Andy shares the dangers of her life as a Radio Operator in Paris during the Second World War. The room did not need much convincing from Andy that Khans story is, “far more interesting than any Bond film”.

The next talk of the night, ‘The Wonder of Tapirs’, shone through Scott Redmond. These “living fossils” have barely evolved over the past few million years, and Scott’s passion for the whimsical creatures radiated around the room as he tells us of their appearance in many myths and legends throughout East and Southeast Asia.

Hannah Hamilton brings us up to speed on ‘Mary Shelly and Other Romantics’. They showcased their love for Shelly’s work and her devotion to her loved ones, as well as presenting a lengthy list of John ‘Fukboi’ Keat’s red flags, and plenty of fun facts about other, less romantic, romantics.

The audience were delighted with an extra nerd talk, ‘Harvey Milk, Politician, Homosexual, Hero’, from the evenings host, David Beniam. Throughout the story of the first openly gay politician elected into office, a switch is flicked in our pun-loving presenter. This heartfelt talk spoke for itself as the audience could see, like through glass, how Milk’s story has empowered David throughout his life.

The show wraps up in hilarity as our speakers band together to present a final nerd talk, with slides they have never seen before! With some pre-written prompts from the audience, they improvise an elaborate tale of Jonathan Chair, the inventor of chairs.

400 Second Nerd Talks truly was a fantastic show. These four comics opened their hearts to a room full of strangers, their passion for their chosen subjects bursting

through the walls of the Keiller Centre. To be so raw and open with their audience, whilst upkeeping their witty personas was truly an impressive feat and a privilege to watch.

Catch these four whilst you can throughout plenty of shows during this year’s Dundee Fringe here.