Little Mathletics - Simon Pampena

Here's a review from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival

*****

It’s time Australia was known as more than a great Olympic competitor. Crank up ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and enter Simon Pampena in his dressing gown, singlet and sweatband. He is out to prove that maths is a gruelling sport and with just a little work Australia can succeed at the next Mathematical Olympiad.

Simon’s routine packs a punch – both metaphorically and literally – as he demonstrates that the methods used to achieve sporting success can equally be applied to training young mathematicians.

His rationalisation for labelling Australia as the greatest Olympic nation at the 2004 games, together with his calculation of everyone’s Warnie number provides constant laughs. But that’s nothing compared to his on-going wrestle with that magical mathematical number Pi.

Simon’s energetic delivery is interrupted constantly by a need to manually control a slideshow from a computer located at the side of the stage. The slideshow is integral to Simon’s show, so the interruptions can be forgiven. Any audience member should be prepared for impromptu quizzes on sports and mathematics in order to fully experience the show.

Forget being the lucky country, with Simon’s demanding training schedule, Australia is about to become the mathematical country.