Robin Ince & Joanna Neary

About

Stories, poetry, comedy from two firm friends Joanna Neary and Robin Ince- Robin is best known as presenter of The Infinite Monkey Cage for over 200 episodes as well as author of many books most recently his book Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal about neurodivergence and his first collection of poetry Ice Cream for a Broken Tooth. Joanna loves drawing and maths and is best known as a character comedian on stage, radio and screen.

Robin Ince- Comedian, Writer, Broadcaster

Robin Ince is many things. A multi award winning comedian, author, broadcaster, bibliomaniac and a populariser of scientific ideas. He is perhaps best known as the co-host and co-creator of the Sony Gold Award winning BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage with Professor Brian Cox.

As a stand up Robin has toured the world and as an author he has written four acclaimed books, including Bibliomaniac, earned him the prestigious Booksellers Association Author of the Year award. His fifth, Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal is published in May 2025.

He co-created the Cosmic Shambles Network and created the ground breaking science variety night Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People which has been adapted worldwide. He has received an Honorary Fellowship of UCL, an honorary doctorate from Royal Holloway College (University of London), and is a fellow of the British Science Association.

‘When someone writes a history of modern comedy, they should make room for Robin Ince’ - Time Out ‘An alchemic mix of enthusiasm, knowledge and observation’. - The Scotsman‘

'Robin is like a piece of a Jenga puzzle - pull him out and a lot of things would collapse. Without Robin, comedy would be a very different shape and a generation is grateful’. Stewart Lee

'Robin has genuinely changed the conversation internationally, not just nationally, about science' Natalie Haynes

Jo Neary - Comedian, Illustrator, Writer

Joanna Neary is an award-winning writer and comedian, who has acted in TV series such as How Are You - It’s Alan Partridge, Ideal, Time Trumpet, That Mitchell And Webb Look, Man Down, So Awkward and more.

Radio writing and performing credits include Inbox: The Art Of Now, Wosson Cornwall, Out To Lunch and Library Lady for BBC Radio 4 and Radio 2.

Joanna writes for Aquila magazine, specialising in articles for children about art and maths, and has made illustrations for The Great British Colouring Book (Professional Cartoonists Organisation), The XTC Bumper Book For Boys and Girls, A Series of Unfortunate Stereotypes by Lucy Nichol (Trigger Press), as well as Draw The Line, which won Broken Frontier’s Award for Best Webcomic (Street Noise Books).

Proudly working with Robin Ince since 2004 in shows such as Book Club and Nine Lessons, Jo’s pen and ink self-portrait appears in Robin’s book ‘Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal’. Jo is currently touring a new work in progress show and hosting her podcast of the same name ‘Two Strings and Paint Tins’ which is about making things and finding a way. You can also hear character comedy ‘Wife On Earth’ on all pod platforms.

'Truly inventive and way beyond most bog standard stand-up. A genuinely original talent, who builds bonfires with the tired preconceptions of female stand-ups.' Johnny Vegas

‘All the characters are given a slightly crazed delivery and invested with an other-worldliness that sets her above your common-or-garden character comic. Quite brilliant’ Chortle

‘Neary is a character actress par excellence, not only are her characters well observed and immaculately performed, but they are well written and, most importantly, funny... A Joyce Grenfell of our age.’ The Guardian