Just being in the same room as Robin Ince raises your IQ by about 20 points. He talks of Wittgenstein and evolution and makes passing gags about Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, but in a way that includes and embraces rather than snots about your lack of knowledge. Because this year, Ince's theme is judging and being judged, and how much better life would be if we all had the same carefree attitude as a small child.
Not that Ince himself is free from judgmental thoughts. If you've ever seen him before you'll know large chunks of his show are comprised of explosive rants against people who, every morning, abandon the sense they were born with at their front gate. This show has an oxymoronically joyously furious pop at modern art, iPad queuers and - always a staple Ince subject - Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips. And floats the idea that the scariest horror ride in existence should be based around the films of Ingmar Bergman.
Robin Ince has just come back from Edinburgh where he did 71 shows - that's 71 shows - in 13 days - that's 13 days. He claims to be knackered, but with his rapidfire delivery and brain making connections so quickly that he can't even find time to sip his beer, we fear that to see Ince on a 'good' day would be to fear him having an aneurysm. He'll doubtless tell you this show was dreadful, but don't believe him - he judges himself too harshly. But we could maybe all do with being a bit more like that, ever striving onwards to do and be better. Now, where can we get a book on Wittgenstein?
Robin Ince is on at the Camden Head, 100 Camden High Street, tonight, Thursday and Friday, 8.45pm. All tickets £7.50. The Camden Fringe runs until 29th August. Read the rest of our Camden Fringe coverage.
