Fuck Yeah Daniel Kitson!

Latitude Likes To Laugh...

Sat, 11 May 2013 03:00:56 -0400

A lot. So, we’re pretty chuffed, that on our last count we’d already notched up over SIXTY names on the comedy bill. Crikey. And as you know, we don’t do anything by halves; we’ve got comic legends, bright new stars, offbeat sketch shows, must-see word smiths, the weird, the wonderful and a whole lot more in between. Can we watch it all please?!

With so many acts across the bill, just some of the highlights include Sean Lock and his unmissable brand of sharp, surreal observational comedy; the ever-brilliant Dylan Moran; storytelling genius, Daniel Kitson, in his Latitude debut; the comedic and literary talents of the extraordinary, Tim Key; the irrepressible Lee Nelson and the quick wit of Brighton’s finest, Seann Walsh.

Here’s a little clip of Seann to help July come along just that bit quicker…

Daniel Kitson: After the Beginning . Before the End, Collection of Reviews

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:46:01 -0400

Daniel Kitson: After the Beginning . Before the End, Collection of Reviews:

mildlybitter:

Daniel Kitson’s new show “After the Beginning . Before the End” has begun to tour. As I have done in the past with other shows (Where Once Was Wonder, As of 1.52pm GMT) I will try to keep track of reviews here and will indicate “spoilers” where necessary.

Daniel Kitson: After the beginning. Before the end

Fri, 10 May 2013 09:01:25 -0400

adamzed:

Production photo: After the beginning. Before the End.

Stopping the action mid-way through his latest show, Daniel Kitson announces to the front of house staff at the City Varieties, Leeds, ”There’s an alarm going off … I can’t tell if it’s inside or outside of the building … It seems a shame if we all die here because someone failed to point it out … It’s probably nothing, guys … we’ll carry on”. If you’ve seen the man before you’ll know what I mean when I say: it’s tiny things like this that make him exceptional.

The first Daniel Kitson show I saw (I was a late bloomer) was ‘It’s always right now, until it’s later’ at the Edinburgh Fringe 2010. I sat with two friends at 10am in the Traverse Theatre and watched in the relative darkness, a few lightbulbs on stage lighting the be-bearded raconteur’s progress. By the end I was a wreck. Trying my best to hold back blubs whilst keeping face with my two buddies, ready to blame it on the time of the morning, a hangover, whatever. Turns out, they were exactly the same.

Every Kitson show I’ve ever seen has been an incredible experience. There’s a sort of poetic nonchalance in his delivery which makes it seem off the cuff and spontaneous; as if these beautiful eruptions of words and stories and moments are just happening, now. You almost feel privileged to have witnessed it.

This new piece, ‘Before the beginning. After the end.’, is a strange surprise. Genre-wise, it’s incredibly slippery. Was it a stand-up show? (Kitson sat down throughout and he’s far too smart for this not to have been a point to be made) Was it a piece of storytelling? (There wasn’t really a narrative). What actually happens is that Daniel Kitson thinks at us for two hours. It was dense with language; a barrage of his West Yorkshire mirth and wisdom, cracking like a hundred whips, rumbling on like a hungry gut.

The show is riddled with whimsical philosophy. Like all great thinkers, Kitson manages to smuggled an awful lot into our brains while distracting us with cleverly assembled aphorisms and anecdotes. I found myself nodding along at his observations, as if I were at a lecture by Žižek

It’s possible for a show like this to tip into navel-gazing and self-absorption. And, with a lesser performer, this would have quickly becoming nasty and irritating. But Kitson is incredibly aware of himself; of his reputation and godlike status amongst comedy fans. And he knows how to handle this awareness. Even when addressing the strangeness of his impact on the lives of his admirers, head-on, it seems like he’s merely brushing-off his shoulders off after a rain shower.

Interspersed with wibbly sound effects and a lilting, airy soundtrack, Kitson procedes to just talk to us. About moments of his life, about second-hand memories and, mostly, about thoughts he’s had. A strange, weaving series of background noises keeps up with him, giving the memoir-esque fragments a dreamy quality.

There were rare moments when I wasn’t laughing and, in those moments, I caught myself just beaming in the darkness of the City Varieties. Just being in Kitson’s company (in a manner of speaking) is a huge pleasure. You feel like you’re in a Merrie England cafe with a very clever chatterbox. It’s, somehow, homey.

If ‘It’s always right now, until it’s later’ was a novella, this show is a collection of meandering, delightful, loosely-connected short stories. Connections are forged, yes. But there’s something more simple about this show which, if you were looking for grand and universal meaning, might leave you feeling disappointed. It’s a show about moments, enjoying those moments, and trying to untangle yourself from an obsession about how each moment might end.

I saw ‘Before the beginning. After the end’ at City Varieties, Leeds, on Thursday 9th May 2013.

Daniel Kitson and Lawrence Mooney at the Mirabel...

Fri, 10 May 2013 02:00:40 -0400

Daniel Kitson and Lawrence Mooney at the Mirabel Foundation’s Music, Mirth and Mayhem 15. Hit up the link for more information about the show and the charity it supports.

Photo credit: James M. Rowe.

Free Daniel Kitson ticket at the Hob up for grabs

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:37:51 -0400

There is an extra ticket available to Kitson’s 7:30 show at the Hob tomorrow, May 7. Email westardwick@hotmail.com if you’re interested.

Extra Daniel Kitson show at the Seymour Centre

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:12:00 -0400

Extra Daniel Kitson show at the Seymour Centre:

FYI, Sydney followers - DK has added shows in Sydney before he moves on to Perth, and tickets are available right now at the link.

More Daniel Kitson previews in London

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:23:06 -0400

Tickets for a new set of shows at the Hob when DK gets back from Australia will go on sale tomorrow, Friday, April 26th, at noon. The shows will be at 7pm and 9:30pm on May 6 and 7, and tickets will be available at this link.

Good luck!

Daniel Kitson ticket reminder - Belfast program(me) launches today!

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:00:42 -0400

Tickets for DK’s show at the Belfast MAC on May 12 go on sale today!
This show is part of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival; I recommend following @TheMACBelfast and @cqaf.

Please take note of the venue’s return/exchange policy, and only buy tickets that you can actually use as these things always sell out and some fans are left out in the cold. Some theatres will have tickets available over the phone as well as their websites, but check with them ahead of time to be sure.

Good luck!

Daniel Kitson ticket reminder - priority booking for Bristol starts today!

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:00:34 -0400

Priority booking for TFT Fans and Business Club members as well as DK mailing list members for DK’s show at the Tobacco Factory in Bristol on May 20 goes on sale today! This can be done on the phone or in person only.

Please take note of the venue’s return/exchange policy, and only buy tickets that you can actually use as these things always sell out and some fans are left out in the cold. Some theatres will have tickets available over the phone as well as their websites, but check with them ahead of time to be sure.

Good luck!

Comedy Festival Night 1

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 05:00:34 -0400

murraydarlingisdebasin:

This is Siberian Husky were excellent. I’ll be reviewing them for Farrago, but the core point is - get out an see them. 6:00pm at the Forum.

Jon Bennett’s Fire in the Meth Lab is about his brother. Said brother is, as Jon puts it (and not in jest), a psycho. Bennett’s a great story teller, and the absurdities of growing up with a “fucked” sibling are underscored by how difficult that must have been.

And then Daniel Kitson’s Work in Progress show. He started half an hour late and went until 1:00am. There’s a vulnerability in his performance at the moment… because he’s not shitting about when he says this is a work in progress. He was also jetlagged and ill. There were still great moments, but what was fascinating was seeing the way someone so renowned builds his shows. It’s one thing to see him do a fully constructed play or stand-up show. The uncertainties in this were something else. The note I wrote on my hand was “have an alright night and a lovely tomorrow”.

"Remarkably, taking something out of a life that feels empty, doesn’t make it feel more full."

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 02:00:32 -0400

“Remarkably, taking something out of a life that feels empty, doesn’t make it feel more full.”

- Daniel Kitson, Dancing 2004 (via mildlybitter)

Daniel Kitson Tour Dates - Master Post

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:21:00 -0400

Another update post for all the announced gigs Mr. Kitson is doing this spring and summer. I’ll update as more information comes in. I really do recommend that all Kitson fans get on his mailing list, which can be done here. The delivery of his emails can be a bit erratic, but it’s often the only place some information is ever posted so it’s the best option you have.

Sold-out dates are crossed out and those that still have tickets or are not yet on sale are bolded. Where applicable, information about where and when tickets will be available is listed. It’s always a good idea to call a venue with a sold out show to see if they’re doing returns, and I will retweet any extra tickets (at cost only) that I see become available on Twitter before a show.

March
~~30, 31 - Tuxedo Cat, Melbourne, Australia~~

April
1, 8, 15 - Provincial Hotel, Fitzroy, Australia: A Somewhat Secret Stand-Up Show, hosted by DK. Email info@upstartproductions.com.au for info/tickets.
~~1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 - Tuxedo Cat, Melbourne, Australia~~
~~22, 23, 24, 25 - Seymour Centre, Sydney, Australia~~

May
2 - Astor Theatre, Perth, Australia: tickets still available!
~~8 - Liverpool Playhouse~~
~~9 – Leeds City Varieties~~
~~11 – Brighton Theatre Royal~~
~~12 – Belfast MAC~~
~~13 – Lancaster, Dukes Playhouse~~
~~14 – Manchester Royal Exchange~~
~~18 – Aldershot, West End Centre~~
~~19 – Nottingham Playhouse~~ (There may be tickets in person; contact the Box Office at 0115 941 9419 to check.)
~~20 – Bristol, Tobacco Factory~~ (Call the box office at 0117 902 0344 for the returns list.)
~~22 – Durham, Gala~~
~~23 – Scarborough, Stephen Joseph Theatre~~ (Call the box office to be on the returns list.)
~~25 – Edinburgh, Lyceum~~
~~26 – Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre~~ (For the returns waiting list, contact the box office at 024 7652 4524.)
~~27 – Norwich, Arts Centre~~ (Contact the box office at 01603 660352 for the returns list.)
28 – Newbury, Corn Exchange: ~90 tickets still available!
~~30th – Harrogate Theatre~~
~~31 – Sheffield Lyceum~~
June
~~2 – Cambridge Junction~~
~~3 - Cardiff, Sherman Theatre~~
5 - Lincoln Performing Arts Centre: tickets still available!
8 – Oslo, Park Theatre tickets still available!
~~9 – Oxford Playhouse~~
~~11 – Leicester~~
~~12 – Birmingham, MAC~~
~~14 – Hull Truck Theatre~~
~~17 – Glasgow, The Arches~~
~~18 – Exeter Phoenix~~
~~19 – Colchester Arts Centre~~
20 – Margate Theatre Royal: tickets still available!
24 – Amsterdam, Toomler: Email for reservations.
~~26 – Hebden Bridge Picture House~~
~~27 – Galway, Roisin Dubh~~

July
18-21 - Latitude Festival, Henham Park, Southwold: There will be two performances of After the Beginning, Before the End, a preview performance of a new theatre show, a performance of Lucinda Ding and the Monstrous Thing with Gavin Osborn, and a screening of It’s Always Right Now, Until It’s Laterwith a Q&A with Mr. Kitson and Ewan Jones Morris. Tickets to the festival are available here.
TBA - London
TBA - New York

Pay attention, Melbourne: the word is that there will be a...

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:02:01 -0400

Pay attention, Melbourne: the word is that there will be a series of “secret” gigs at the Provincial Hotel on the next three Monday nights, hosted by our own Mr. Daniel Kitson. I understand Celia Pacquola will be taking part in at least one of them as well, per her twitter feed.

As the picture says, email info@upstartproductions.com.au for tickets and more details.

Daniel Kitson ticket reminder - Sheffield on sale today!

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:00:48 -0400

Daniel Kitson’s May 31st gig at the Sheffield Lyceum goes on sale to the public today at 10am GMT!

Please take note of the venue’s return/exchange policy, and only buy tickets that you can actually use as these things tend to sell out and some fans are left out in the cold. Some theatres will have tickets available over the phone as well as their websites, but check with them ahead of time to be sure.

Good luck!

Daniel Kitson at the Latitude Festival

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:24:00 -0400

The official Latitude website appears to be crashing pretty hard after their line-up announcement, but here’s what I understand about Mr. Kitson’s participation:

· Two performances of his new stand-up show After the Beginning, Before the End in the Theatre Arena.

· A preview performance of the new theatre show he has been working on, also in the Theatre Arena.

· A performance of Lucinda Ding and the Monstrous Thing with Gavin Osborn in the Poetry Arena.

· A public screening in the Film & Music Arena of It’s Always Right Now, Until It’s Later, which was recorded at the Royal Exchange in Manchester last year (supposedly also to come out on DVD at some point). This will be followed here by a Q&A with Kitson and Ewan Jones Morris.

Information about tickets can be found at the Latitude website here. Please only buy from authorized sellers.

Daniel Kitson ticket reminder - Melbourne and Sydney

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:01:00 -0400

Reminder - tickets for DK’s dates in Melbourne and Sydney in March and April go on sale at noon on March 19. I leave it to you, gentle folks of the internet down under, to know precisely when noon is at the correct local time, because quite frankly Congress here in the States is doing its best to ensure that I never know precisely what time it is anywhere else in the world right now.

The Melbourne ticket link is here.

The Sydney ticket link is here.

Daniel Kitson ticket reminder - Sheffield Lyceum tickets on sale for mailing list members today!

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 03:00:47 -0400

Daniel Kitson’s May 31st gig at the Sheffield Lyceum goes on sale today at 10am GMT for DK’s mailing list members. You can get them over the phone or in person ONLY. Public sales start on the 23rd.

Daniel Kitson in Australia - update

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:33:50 -0400

Some new information has been made available about the dates Mr. Kitson will be playing in Australia in the upcoming months. This is apparently it, so if you’re not in Melbourne, Sydney, or Perth you may have to consider traveling if you want to try to catch him this year.

Melbourne
He’ll be doing work-in-progress shows for a small audience at the Tuxedo Cat. Tickets will cost $15 and be on the following dates and times:

11pm - March 27, 28, 31; April 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9,10,14,15,16, 17
11am - March 30; April 6, 13, 20

Tickets will go on sale on March 19 at noon (I would assume that means noon local time in Australia, but to be honest he doesn’t specify). The link, which won’t be active until that time, is here.

Sydney
Shows will be part of the Sydney Comedy Festival at the Reginald Theatre and tickets are $20. The shows will also be work-in-progress, though theoretically closer to the finished product than in Melboune. The dates are April 22, 23, and 24 at 9pm, and the ticket link is here. As with the Melbourne shows, tickets will be on sale at noon on March 19.

(Note - the website lists a show on the 25th as well, but it wasn’t included in Mr. Kitson’s email so I’m not sure if it’s an error.)

Perth
As I had previously posted, tickets are already on sale for a show in Perth on May 2 at the Astor Theatre. Go here for tickets, which are $25.

Chris Addison's top ten stand-up comedians

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 04:00:59 -0400

Chris Addison's top ten stand-up comedians:

Mr. Addison has put Mr. Kitson at #2 on his list of 10 favorite comedians! Take a look at the whole list; there are clips of all 10 comics included.

Daniel Kitson ticket reminder - Sheffield Lyceum tickets on sale for members today!

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 03:00:58 -0400

Daniel Kitson’s May 31st gig at the Sheffield Lyceum goes on sale today at 10am GMT for members. They will be available for DK’s mailing list members on the 18th, and for the public they’ll be available on the 23rd.