Events: April Fools Weekend Lecture with Dr Bramwell

Dr David Bramwell explains to Victoria Nangle the allure and ingeuity of the mischief-making prankster

Hello. First off, can you describe the show?
“It’s a lecture about the Trickster who is a watchful character who embodies people – oh that sounds really pretentious doesn’t it? It’s about mischief and it’s about the characters behind why people feel compelled to to prank other people. And whether this is something which is an irritation to society or whether actually this is stuff that society needs to keep itself kind of ticking over and keep culture alive.”

So I’m looking at Trickster characters from mixed American culture, and of course all around the world, and looking at real life tricksters – looking at how the trickster sort of comes to people. You know, people just sort of sit around and are overcome by the urge to to pull a fast one or to prank somebody.”

Do you have a favourite prank that you’ve witnessed?
“That I have witnessed? I need to think about that… Well I got properly stitched up two years ago and made such a tit of myself, and it was on April Fools Day. It was hugely embarrassing but it’s in the show so I’ll kind of give it away if I was to say it. Favourite prank… There’s a thing in America called ‘No Pants Day’ which I show a slide of and I love the fact that we kind of now live in an age where social netorking allows for mass pranking to take place.

I think I really like the big pranks. I really like the ones where you get on the tube and then you notice twenty-five people on the tube are not wearing their trousers.

When I say ‘pants’ I mean ‘trousers’, so there’s 25 people on the tube not wearing trousers but no-one seems to be talking about it. I mean, I love that thing where you are going out into the public and messing with people’s perception of reality.”

Do you think you have to be very clever to be a good trickster?
“Yes, it’s a type of cleverness. It’s a particular type of cleverness which is having your wits about you and ultimately being creative.”

Are you worried about the show being pranked at all?
“Am I concerned about being pranked at the show? Yes probably. I thought if I was a genuine prankster I’d look at that show and think: ‘Right. I’m going to… you know…’”

The April Fools Weekend Lecture with Dr Bramwell – Pranks and Mischief, Brighton Town Hall, Saturday 30 March, 7.30pm, £7. It can also be seen in the Brighton Fringe on Saturday 25 May. brightonfringe.org