Live long and prosper

Star Trek

Now this... WAS brilliant. Pure, black-hole busting entertainment as delivered by author Marcus Berkmann, and much to my surprise, his talk on 50 years of Star Trek attracted a largely female audience. Sadly, no-one turned up in costume but I think there were a few Yeoman Janice Rands sitting frustrated in the Weston Lecture Theatre (I know because I sat there a frustrated Kirk). Berkmann instantly switched on his audience with anecdote after hilarious anecdote and I wonder if he shouldn't in fact organise classes for more serious writers on how to present their work. Of course, the subject matter was, and is, a goldmine but with every clinical thrust of his spade, Berkmann dug out stories of pure diamond quality. And his audience just sat there, immersed in an after-glow of a 60-minute Trekkie love-in. Truth be told, I'm still buzzing, and feel a certain sympathy for all those speakers I'll be listening to later today. Science Officer Berkmann has set the bar very high!