it is rocket science!

About me:

It Is Rocket Science! was Helen Keen's first solo show and 2008 Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut. It has just been made into a four-part BBC Radio 4 comedy series starring Susy Kane, Helen Keen and Peter Serafinowicz (first episode to be broadcast on 9th March 2011 at 11pm). Click here to be taken to the show's BBC webpage.

The show is a low budget, highly subjective look at the history and future of space travel...

"It is Rocket Science! embodies all the best things about intellectual comedy. Smart without being elitist, and with just the right amounts of sincerity and sarcasm from its host, this should hopefully be the first of many delightful fringe offerings from the talented Keen"
(Spoonfed)

"A jolly hour of geeky fun, part way between the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, QI, Blue Peter and some dodgy Sixties Czechoslovakian children's animation... it is, aptly enough, a blast."
(chortle.co.uk)

Winner: Best Comedy Performance (Helen Keen) - Buxton Fringe Festival 2008
Nominee: Best Show - Buxton Fringe Festival 2008


Shows for 2010
For details of all upcoming performances (including other shows, stand-up and recording dates for the radio series as soon as I have them!) please see www.helenkeen.com/gigs

Wednesday 17th November 2010, 7.30pm
Otley Science Festival
Ticket info tbc

Saturday 23rd October 2010
Fortean Times UnConvention
Full details tbc

Wednesday 16th October 2010, 7.30pm
Techfest
SNAFU
1 Union Street
Aberdeen

Edinburgh Fringe 2010
I was at the Gilded Balloon again at 1.15 lunchtime from August 6th to 30th performing a brand new version of It Is Rocket Science! And prior to that the show was previewed at the Henley Fringe (7.00pm on 22nd, 23rd and 24th July at the Hot Gossip Cafe) and the Camden Fringe (9.00pm on 3rd and 4th August at the Etcetera Theatre).

I also performed a Free Fringe show - Keen & Khan: Starstruck! on the 9th, 10th and 11th August at the Voodoo Rooms, with real life rocket scientist Dr Sophia Khan. Click here for more details.



Friday 9th and Saturday 10th April 2010, 4.30pm
Adam House Theatre (Edinburgh Science Festival)
Chambers Street
Edinburgh EH1 1HR
Tickets: £5.50
Box office: 0131 553 0322 to book - or go to www.sciencefestival.co.uk


8.00pm Wednesday 17 March 2010
The Hyena Comedy Club (Newcastle Science Festival)
Leazes Lane
Newcastle
Tickets: £9 (0191 2326030 or see www.thehyena.com)


Thursday 5th November 2009, 8.00pm
(along with Rob Deb's "Army of Dorkness")
The Exhibit
Balham
London SW12 9SG


Wednesday 28th October 2009, 7.00pm
Islington Mill
James Street
Manchester M3 5HW


Wednesday 23rd September 2009
Helen will be performing a short section of the show at
The Amaz!ng Meeting
Mermaid Theatre
Blackfriars
London EC4V 3DB


Wednesday 26th August 2009, 12.00 lunchtime
Helen will be performing a short section of the show at
We Love Science (hosted by Robin Ince)
The Canon's Gait
232 Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DQ


Sunday 23rd August 2009, 12.00 lunchtime
Helen will be performing a short section of the show at
We Love Science (hosted by Robin Ince)
The Canon's Gait
232 Canongate
Edinburgh EH8 8DQ


Saturday 1st August 2009, 4pm
Standon Calling Festival
Ware
Hertfordshire


Wednesday 29th July 2009, evening
Science Museum Lates
Space Gallery
Science Museum
London SW7 9DH


Monday 29 June 2009, 7.30pm
Night of 400 Billion Stars
Bloomsbury Theatre
15 Gordon Street
London WC1H 0AH
(I'll be doing a very short spot at this night hosted by Robin Ince. See http://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/1322 - there are a lot of really wonderful people on!)

Sunday 26th July 2009, 12.30 lunchtime
The Secret Garden Party
Abbots Ripton
Huntington
Cambridgeshire, PE28 2PH


Sunday 19th July 2009, 8.30pm
Latitude Festival
Southwold, Suffolk


Monday 30 March 2009, 7.30pm
The Science Museum's Dana Centre (members & corporate sponsors event)
Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate,
London SW7 5HD

Monday 16 March 2009, 7:30pm
Cambridge University Centre, Granta Place, Mill Lane,
Cambridge CB2 1RU

Thursday 12 March 2009, 6.30pm
The Centre for Life Theatre, Centre for Life, Times Square,
Newcastle NE1 4EP

Friday 6 March 2009, 7.30pm
York Science Festival Launch
Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum Gardens,
York YO1 7FR

Thursday 26 February 2009, 7.15pm
Brighton Science Festival
Brighton University - Sallis Benney Theatre, Grand Parade,
Brighton BN2 OJY

Friday 13 February 2009, 7pm
Leicester Comedy Festival
The National Space Centre
Exploration Drive (possibly best Drive name ever?),
Leicester LE4 5NS

* * * * * “It's a spellbinding hour. Her passion for the subject is genuine and she has an uncanny ability to turn obscure details into hilarious anecdotes." THE SKINNY

* * * * ½ “I completely loved this studious show” FRINGEGURU

* * * * "Keen’s stand-up is flawless, and her endearing naivety of presence means the shards of adult humour interspersed in the show stab us between the eyes. That’s a good thing! As is Helen’s audience interaction, which from the beginning has the audience enthralled." SCOTSGAY

"It's not often you leave a stand-up comedy show and hear members of the audience discussing Newton, Kruschev and the distance of the Earth from Alpha Centauri… sparky, intelligent and endearing... her enraptured audience proved that space has lost none of its magic." ROBBIE CARNEGIE, BUXTON FRINGE

* * * * "refreshingly different… tons of fun props prove Keen's skilful knowledge of visual humour." FESTMAG.CO.UK

* * * * "Packed with gags, silliness and science... a fun, fast-paced, gag-filled show" BROADWAY BABY

* * * * "Wonderful imagination... it's charming, interesting, funny and one of the most original shows on the Fringe." THREE WEEKS


"....one of the overlooked gems of last year's Edinburgh Fringe...startlingly fine entertainment throughout." THE GUARDIAN

www.helenkeen.com

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