IT WAS the strangest of performances, an event that had me floundering, trying to get a foothold.

Sara Pascoe, a comedienne with a growing profile thanks to her appearances on Have I Got News For You, Live at The Apollo, Mock the Week, QI and 8 out of 10 Cats, was actually in Hexham to talk about her book Animal: The Autobiography of a Female Body .

Interesting – nay, fascinating – her quickfire delivery of a battery of scientific facts, evolving theories and personal, cultural observations demanded the full attention of the audience. Keep up!

Boobs, breeding and the often aberrant behaviour of sperm racing towards its goal were all grist to the mill as the hour slot turned into an hour-and-half.

“Oops! We’ve overrun,” she giggled. And there it was, the thread that had run throughout the evening to disconcerting effect. The girly-voiced interjections that punctuated the otherwise learned discourse, twirling her hair or taking hold of the hem of her skirt and swinging it as she did so.

Occasionally she was funny. Mostly she was serious. It was presented like a university lecture by an adolescent. Most odd.