Change »
Edinburgh Fringe 2000 (60)
Edinburgh Fringe 2001 (316)
Edinburgh Fringe 2002 (354)
Edinburgh Fringe 2003 (376)
Edinburgh Fringe 2004 (422)
Edinburgh Fringe 2005 (415)
Edinburgh Fringe 2006 (548)
Edinburgh Fringe 2007 (668)
Edinburgh Fringe 2008 (734)Edinburgh Fringe 2009 (774)
Edinburgh Fringe 2010 (929)
Edinburgh Fringe 2011 (966)
Melbourne 2005 (26)
Melbourne 2006 (29)
Melbourne 2007 (31)
Melbourne 2008 (36)
Melbourne 2009 (36)
Melbourne 2010 (55)
Melbourne 2011 (39)
Misc live shows (186)
Montreal 2004 (6)
Montreal 2006 (10)
Montreal 2007 (15)
Montreal 2008 (17)
Montreal 2009 (17)
Theatre (27)
Tour (209)
West End run (14)
See Less »
Sally-Anne Hayward: Cyril
Sammy J In The Forest Of Dreams
Sarah Millican's Not Nice
School Of Comedy
Scott Capurro Goes Deeper
Sean Choolburra: Live And Deadly
Sean Grant and Tiernan Douieb
Sean Lock & Friends At The Fringe
The Secret Fantasies of Alice Pobbs, Aged 35 1/4
Secret Midnight Gig
Seven Quid Comedy Cabaret
Seven Sins
Seymour Mace: Testamental
Shaggers
Shaker (Re-stirred)
Shambles
Shazia Mirza: A Portrait Of Shazia Mirza
Sheality
Shelley Cooper: Britishness
Ship of Fools Adrift
Shitty Deal Puppet Theatre Company's Complete Guide To The Arts
Shitty Deal Puppet Theatre Company's Complete History Of Oppressed People Everywhere!
Shrimps Improv: Catch Of The Day!
Shrimps Improv: Workshop Of The Day
SideShow: The Weirdest Show On Earth
Silly Billy Bum Breath Strikes Back
Simon Brodkin is Lee Nelson
Simon Munnery: Annual General Meeting 2008
Simon, Helen, Nick & Pete Call A Conclave And Elect The New Pope
Simply Fancy: Pig Island
Sing-along-a-the-joy-of-sex
Singing Sous Chefs Alive Again
Sir Barrington Ganch: My Life is Art
Sixty-Six A Church Road: A Lament, Made Of Memories And Kept In Suitcases, By Daniel Kitson
Sketchatron
Sketchy Beast
Slap, Tickle and Squeak
Slutty Livin'
So You Think You're Funny 21st Birthday Comedy Gala
So You Think You're Funny [2008]
Sound & Fury's 'Cyranose!'
South By South Wales
Sowerby And Luff : Sex Tips For Pandas
Spank [2008]
Spare Tyres And A Tier
Special Reserve Comedy Gala 2008
Stan Stanley: Vintage Andrew
Stand Up For Freedom [2008]
Stand-Up Stories
Stand-Up Virgins
Stephen Grant: Second
Stephen K Amos: Find The Funny
Stephen K Amos: Weekend Chat Show
Steve Awesome Comedy Show
Steve Day: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
Steve Hall: Vice Captain Loser
Steve Williams: The Ultimate Worrier
Steven Young: Midnight Hour
Stewart Lee: Scrambled Egg
Storytellers' Club
Straight Man
Stu And Garry: Free And Easy
Stuart Black: Pale And Confused
Supper Club
Surviving Spike
Susan Calman: Maybe It Is Your Fault
|
|
|
|
Sixty-Six A Church Road: A Lament, Made Of Memories And Kept In Suitcases, By Daniel Kitson
Astonishing images emerge from weather-beaten suitcases. Telling a funny, sad and nostalgic story of a forsaken flat. A broken heart. And the ache for home
|
Original Review:
This Daniel Kitson’s poetic lament to a lost love; the love he had for a building, the one place he was ever happy to call home. For him, a home is not just something to dwell in, but something to dwell on. He loved how 66a Church Road in Crystal Palace, South London, provided him every comfort he ever wanted – even if that was mainly computer football, convenient fast food and DVD rental and a nearby park with plastic dinosaurs. But he also loved how it was the sum of everything that ever happened there before him, and he loved its every imperfection. The parallels with a human lover are obvious, and fleeting references suggest it is not just memories of bricks and mortar Kitson is dredging up. He wonders aloud how we can ever capture our true emotions using the woefully inadequate tool of language, but he gives it a bloody good go. Every word is just perfect in a script littered with romantically archaic turns of phrase and wittily flamboyant flourishes. With his gentle delivery, it hypnotises the audience until we, too, have an emotional investment in the property. Not everyone in the wistful story shares that feeling, however. Kitson has to deal with philistine estate agents who reduce complex sentiments about personal needs to a string of artless measurements. Worse is his grasping, soulless landlord, too blinded by returns on his investment to see the beauty of what he possesses. These people are anathema to the quixotic Kitson, and provide the perfect illustrations for his long-held dismay that society no longer values the aesthetic. His articulate, measured anger against greed and selfishness provides the passion that drives the fluid monologue. As usual for a Kitson show, it occupies the Venn diagram overlap between theatre and storytelling stand-up. It starts as witty monologue, and gradually builds to something more emotive, so subtly you don’t notice the jokes slide away. But still droll lines punctuate the thoughtful musings on the relationship between man and his home. His own personality quirks comes into play, too. His inability to haggle, awkwardness with workmen and easy irritability provide some of the lighter moments. The 90-minute piece is beautifully staged. Kitson speaks from an old chair, surrounded by battered vintage suitcases, that hold not just his memories, but so much more. His story is told in episodes, his own voiceover bookending each with another thoughtful nugget on which to mull. In the end, Kitson begrudgingly accepts the truth in the maxim: ‘If you love something, let it go’ and moves out. But like any human relationship, the memories can still haunt him, as he wonders what might have been. No wonder this lament is so tender. Reviewed by: Steve Bennett |
|
I, too, saw this at the Royal Exchange just before it moved to Edinburgh. Excellent! I concur with the suggestion that the monologues should be published. I understand - maybe incorrectly - that Daniel Kitson is concerned about producing filmed material so, as I've not seen some of his earlier work, a written version would be great - and completely under his control. It certainly worked for the late Ken Campbell whose work remains in print - and all of which I've purchased! Ben, June 2010 |
|
Sorry for the hyperbole, but Kitson truly is one of this country's creative powerhouses - this year alone I've seen his stunning and thought provoking Impotent Fury of the Privileged, a show that he dumped after the Aussie tour, a mere four months of existence, how many comedians would do that? Then, at the final performance of Impotent Fury in Regents Park he produced a one off story telling piece, with help from his friend and troubador, Gavin Osborn - he did the same at Regents Park last year and again produced something wonderful, and unique (quite literally). So, to 66a Church Road, and has he bitten off more than he can chew? Of course not, his third new piece in six months serves only to cement his reputation as a master of the theatrical monologue - as with Impotent Fury, and most of his work, his frustration at the lack of sensitivity and feeling in society shines through, but is focussed mainly on one person, his lazy and greedy landlord - the trials and tribulations his nemesis makes him endure over what should have been a relatively simple process between vendor and buyer are wonderfully illustrated by Kitson's eye for the smallest details, and his, as always, sheer mastery of language. Funny, moving, packed with wit and pathos, this piece is a sheer joy. Daniel really should get his monologues published, I would certainly buy them. Andy Bean, August 2008 |
|
An incredibly beautiful and touching performance that stays with you long after you leave the theatre and the wonderfully intricate set behind. The most mature show I've seen from Daniel, who had moved my girlfriend to tears by the end of a show that contained so many genuine belly-laughs. If you didn't enjoy this show, get back in your personalised green mini and cock off. Alexis, August 2008 |
|
Extraordinary. The density and complexity of the prose, the pitch of the performance, the finely judged structure of the show are all perfect. Just when you think he can't get any better, he does. Some years ago he wrote that even before he returned for yet another festival, Edinburgh would keep him awake - not because of the pressures of money, PRs, awards and all the other paraphernalia that goes with the Fringe, but because he wanted, more than anything, for his show to be amazing. This show is. It is a wonderful wonderful achievement, so hopefully he's getting some sleep. Sally, August 2008 |
|
Had the privilege of seeing this show in Manchester prior to its Edinburgh run and what a work of genius it is. DK continues to set standards of storytelling other comedians can only dream about and I urge everybody who reads this to do everything possible to see this show Mugsy, August 2008 |
Stories For The Wobbly-Hearted by Daniel Kitson
Daniel Kitson: Lover, Thinker, Artist and Prophet
Daniel Kitson: The Impotent Fury Of The Privileged
C-90
The Honourable Men Of Art
Daniel Kitson
Daniel Kitson: A Made Up Story
Stand Up For Freedom
Daniel Kitson: Something Perrier winner
Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit
The Stonewall Gala
Love Innocence And The Word Cock
Daniel Kitson: It's The Fireworks Talking
Daniel Kitson: Weltanschauung
Honourable Men Of Art 2008
Daniel Kitson: We Are Gathered Here
The Interminable Suicide Of Gregory Church, by Daniel Kitson
Daniel Kitson: It's Always Right Now, Until It's Later

