So, my darling of a fiance took me to the Opera House last night to see the Mikado by Opera Australia (it's an operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan if you didn't know...). It was amazing! I love theatre, I love musicals, so this was brilliant. And, Anthony Warlow was Koko, one of the main characters. So of course it was spectacular! ;)

Now, what does this have to do with science communication? I hear you ask. Is she just blogging about her life, and this site isn't going to all relate to science communication? No - I promise I shall only blog about my life if it has relevance to science communication (however tenuous). Ah, relevance! Now we come to the point...

I have been examining relevance quite a bit lately, and so the topic seems relevant to me. ;) Haha, relevant - get it?

Ahem. Sorry.

So, there is a song in the Mikado that Koko sings about people who he can execute (he's the Lord High Executioner) who won't be missed by society. Such as those with flabby arms, and irritating laughs. It is rather humorous but the comedy is heightened by a tradition to compose extra verses with relevant lyrics. For example last night, Anthony Warlow sung about Kevin 07, Goodwin Gretch, and yuppies who drive around in 4WDs, plus many more references that have currently slipped my mind. But the point was, the audience found it so funny because they related to the song. They understood it. They knew the context. Other versions i have found on You-Tube are full of references appropriate for their audience (One lists Dr Phil...). This is one of the best ones I found for funny references:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJJzGoyKH4c&feature=related

This one is also good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A45xqLHccRo&feature=related

Now, returning to Anthony Warlow for a minute: he did a similar thing in 2007 when he performed a Jack Sparrow version of the Pirate King in the Pirates of Penzance.

You can see him here: (although sorry he's not the main feature in this song)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Y2WZAq8CQ

Again, the audience loved it because it was relevant - they understood it.

Now for the take home message of the day:
Make your message relevant. Make your production relevant. Make the humor relevant. It doesn't matter if you are putting on a Shakespeare play or performing a science show - if you want the audience to connect with you, you need to include something of relevance to them. John Bell, of the Bell Shakespeare Company, strongly believes in relevance. He believes it is the most important thing for allowing the audience to receive the message you are giving them. This is why he sets most of his Shakespeare productions and other plays in modern day - so the audience can relate.

If the audience does not understand, if there is no connection, there is no point. You will not be heard.

Make it relevant.