FROM SEPTEMBER 2020 ... after 2,500 events over 20 years I'm now cutting back on live events. However if you have an interesting festival, prize giving or fun maths day, please get in touch using this email:

List of confirmed dates

I'm happy to do family events, fun maths shows or author talks. The full details of what I can offer are all further down this very long page.

If a live event isn't possible, you can arrange a VIDEO EVENT.

"A stand-up maths routine has children and teachers in fits of laughter... maths has never been so much fun." See the write up from The TIMES EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT "Wellfield have never laughed and learnt so much at the same time ... a fantastic afternoon had by all!" Hayley McElderry, Wellfield Middle School, Whitley Bay. "I couldn't stop laughing. I must have told my mum about 70 times. She told me to shut up after 60." Gabrielle, yr 7, St Hilda's CE High School, Liverpool.

"Today's talk ranks as the most entertaining event we have ever had!" Victoria Nemeth, maths leader, Highgate Junior School

• MURDEROUS MATHS

  Appearing live on CBBC's "XChange" 12/1/05

  A volunteer joins me in front of 400 kids at the Hay-On-Wye book festival May 2011

  Showing how Dragon Curves are generated at Longcroft School, Beverley, May 2012

  I perform a variety of features from my Murderous Maths books including flexagons, magic squares, strange number facts, knots, tricks, amazing number predictions and so on. I tend to adjust the complexity and content of what I do to suit the ability of the audience I'm in front of. These are the sessions I've been doing constantly for the last 20 years, which involve lots of general participation and bringing volunteers on stage.

  I use a pen and flip chart to do number tricks, and I mix those in with some big colourful features on powerpoint. The content changes but generally it includes some of the following:

  * a pile of pennies that goes past the sun * light years / the speed of light * calculator tricks * flexagons * the importance of zero (place values) * magic squares * dragon curves (fractals!) * the Fibonacci series * how to cut something in half and keep it one piece (Mobius strips) * nets * monster stars and the size of space * massive numbers * the magic dodecahedron

  REQUIREMENTS:
  * a projector and screen for my laptop
  * a flip chart with paper, or non-electronic white board

• MATHS SESSIONS (40 - 75 minutes as required)
  Suitable for schools/events that need sessions to different audiences.

• MATHS QUIZ (30- 90 minutes)
  Suitable for top primary classes (ages 9-11). Kids solve multiple choice questions and puzzles on powerpoint, and see some practical demos. I can run it as a competition for lots of small teams sitting at tables (up to 90 mins with a break), or it can be informal with kids running round a hall (30 mins). Perfect end to a maths day!

  

• MATHS SHOW (45 minutes + 45 minutes)
  I can do two different sessions which you could present as a "show" with an interval. Longer shows with an interval are only suitable for selected school audiences (e.g. mathematically Gifted and Talented kids), or family functions such as library openings or festivals. Obviously I'd be delighted to sign books during the interval or afterwards.

• TWO MATHS SHOWS I can do two separate 60 minute shows on different themes: Murderous Maths Magic and Murderous Maths Numbers

• TEACHERS MATHS SESSION (After-school sesssions 30-60 minutes, or conference sessions up to 100 minutes.)
  I do a full selection of everything I know including tricks (and how I do them!), trivia and powerpoint features including Fibonacci to give ideas for classroom activities and lessons. You can find accompanying notes, resources and follow-up ideas here: Murderous Maths Teacher Resources .

  * A fully captioned version of my powerpoint presentation for the Fibonacci Series plus a few other tricks is available as a teacher resource. If you bring a memory stick to the session, I'll be glad to put it on for you.

  MURDEROUS MATHS: These are some of the animated powerpoint images I use.

SCHOOLS: you'll find suggestions for what I can best do for you when you go to Booking Enquiries.

• MAYHEM WITH MATHS AND MUSIC! (60 minutes)
  

  	This talk was originally devised for and presented at The Cheltenham Music Festival on 2nd July 2011 * How do numbers make sound into music? * How did Pythagoras invent the guitar? * Why do musical notes depend on multiplying fractions? * Why do some notes sound nice together but others don't? * How do different instruments make their notes? * How many different tunes can you play on a piano? * Why can a keyboard never be exactly in tune?
  Suitable for ages 10-12, or G&T groups or family audiences. Please note: this talk is quite specialised, it is not a musical workshop! REQUIREMENTS: * a projector and screen for my laptop * a sound system to plug my laptop through (I may be able to bring something suitable.) * a reasonable piano, if available!

  MATHS of MUSIC TALK: These are some of the animated powerpoint images I use.

• THE SPACE TALK (30 - 60 minutes depending on time available)
  

  * What's the difference between moons, planets, stars, comets and meteors? * How far away are the other planets and the stars? * Why does the moon seem to change shape, and when does it turn orange? * What are lunar and solar eclipses? * What would it be like to visit all the different planets? * How can we stop an asteroid wiping us all out? * How big are supergiant and red giant stars?

  
  Lots of questions for the audience to think about, suitable for ages 8-12. (The same audience could see this talk and a maths session in a day.)

  REQUIREMENTS: space talks require a projector and screen for my laptop.

  SPACE TALKS: These are some of the animated powerpoint images I use.

• ISAAC NEWTON and his FALLING APPLE (30-60 minutes)

  NEWTON TALK: These are some of the animated powerpoint images I use.

  	This talk was originally devised for and presented at The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge on 24th March 2012 It tells how Newton came up with... * Gravity * The dreaded Calculus! * The Reflecting Telescope * Colour * The Laws of Motion ... and why did he try to poke his own eye out?
  Suitable for ages 10-12, or G&T groups or family audiences. The standard talk is quite light-hearted and does not go too deeply into the maths. However I'm happy to go into more detail of what calculus is if you think your audience would like it! REQUIREMENTS: * a projector and screen for my laptop * flip chart and paper if I'm doing the maths stuff

Making too much noise in the library at Walthamstow School for Girls!

"Thank you so much for all your hard work yesterday. It was fantastic to have a question master who could do such a good job of making the event go well, you were extremely entertaining and efficient. We felt we couldn't have chosen a better person than you and loads of people have commented on how good you were!" Kirstine Roth, Librarian, St Aidan's School, Harrogate

• AUTHOR Q&A (20-60 mins depending on how well-prepared the kids are)
  I do an introduction talking generally about how I got started writing books (both fiction and non-fiction), plays, tv scripts (and comics!) and then it works best if I continue by answering questions. Therefore the kids should have suitable questions prepared beforehand!
  I can talk about the unexpected bonuses and pitfalls of the job, and give advice on getting started and a few guidelines on how to write. Please note that like most authors, my academic training had little to do with writing (I was an engineer) so everything I talk about is purely from my own experience. Although I don't put a maximum audience on any of my events, author talks are better suited to more intimate groups (e.g. max 50 kids).
  The Runaway Pea I can do a picture book story session for little people!
• SPEECHES (for award evenings, prize givings or other functions):
  I'm happy to bring out a few visual tricks including flexagons or predictor cards and do a speech to open your library or start your festival!
• QUIZMASTER/COMPARE I've hosted hundreds of events ranging from quiz nights to variety shows, from prize givings to auctions - so don't be scared to ask. (I spent many years as a pub entertainer, and as a consultant on BBC game shows.)
• A MIXTURE I'm quite happy to do a couple of maths sessions and maybe an informal author library session over lunch, or perhaps a school session then an after-school teacher session, or any other selection that suits you. My only stipultation is that I'm not supposed to push my voice for more than about 3 hours in the day.

BOOKING ENQUIRIES