BS: The science theatre . . . can you tell me about the range of techniques that you use in the show?
JC: I would start off by trying to bring the audience with me so trying to get them involved right from the very beginning from when you say "good morning" and if they're sort of like "oh good morning" you try and bring them with you so they're already focusing on you "I think this is going to be a bit more fun." And then - certainly the schools show you're trying to hit the balance between keeping that fun level and not having them climbing up the walls.
I probably have a more teacher based style just - from my background. Um - I would try and do it without raising my voice. I'm trying to make eye contact with as many people as possible. If I've got different group - even if it's within the same school but certainly if I've got different - school groups but if you're taking volunteers you'll try - or just taking questions you'll try and have some way of getting all of them involved. Even if it's the same age group - if it's the same school and you've got 100 in from one school I would try and take questions from the 3rd then 2nd - I don't know whether it's obvious to an audience or not but for me it's a way of trying to make sure I go down, sort of make a V shape or something that shows I'm trying to include everybody. And also making sure I talk - right out to the edges of the audience because the eyesight - you you your line of sight actually cuts out part of your audience if the shows are full. So it's actually trying to talk round to them. Trying to make eye contact with people in every row and trying to aim it and trying to include people from everywhere rather than just talking to the 10 or so who are directly in front of you in the middle. And also trying to talk to the ones who perhaps look like they're going off the boil a bit, rather than the ones who're just really keen. Trying not to ask the same person the same - trying to ask the same person questions over and over again just because theirs is the first hand. ]Trying to encourage people perhaps that wouldn't do it. And also sometimes if you're getting volunteers trying to pick - trying to pick people that - it depends on the reason, it might be that they're a child that looks like they're really keen but really shy. Or it might be that they're looking as if they're starting to switch off so bringing them down might be a good way of bringing them back in. That's probably it off the top of my head.