LIVERPOOL COMEDY FESTIVAL - Daniel Kitson: The Impotent Fury of the Privileged, Liverpool Playhouse

Jun 12 2008 by Vicky Anderson, Liverpool Daily Post

Comedian Daniel Kitson_160

IN RECENT years, Daniel Kitson’s talents have evolved admirably.

He has moved on steadily from being a welcome ubiquitous presence on the club circuit, to comfortably moving into small theatres with one-man plays, to eventually putting together something that somehow combines the two.

He has appeared on many a Liverpool stage, yet has never looked or felt more at home than last night at the Playhouse, which is not a place known for its accommodation of solo comedy acts.

It has been great to see Kitson ascend to bigger and bigger venues – and yet, perhaps because of his dislike of television appearances, he still remains little known outside his devoted fan base.

Last night’s show was based around an incident that happened to Kitson last year, on September 6 to be precise, and the indelible impression it made on him. Overrunning to nearly two hours without an interval made it a tough slog at times, only because his delivery is so frantic and the strands of his arguments so multi-faceted that he demands a great deal of attention.

His humour must be actively processed rather than allowed to wash over an audience.

But, in turn, he’s also one of the most consistently rewarding live acts you could see.

“I don’t have any firmly held beliefs,” he says at one point. “Nothing is more satisfying than mixed feelings.

“You won’t get someone blowing themselves up in the name of confusion.”

Huddersfield-born Kitson seemed to genuinely enjoy being on stage last night.

His beautifully written show tapped into rich philosophies about human compassion, and suffering, and how the world needs to change.

“We are gods, we are ants, we are everything and we are nothing,” he argued passionately.

It may be an overwhelming subject matter he’s trying to put in to words, and too much over-analysis is going to distract from the plain fact that Kitson is very, very funny. Sometimes subtly so, sometimes riotous. Sometimes he’s cute and sometimes fiercely intelligent. Once again, his skilful blend of styles keeping the ebb and flow of the set working excellently.

VICKY ANDERSON