Some kind of bliss
DANIEL KITSON has lost his innocence and rebuked horny women. Now he’s got Something on his mind. Words: Maureen Ellis
I should come as no surprise that Daniel Kitson and Austin Powers haven‘t been seen in the same room
together. As the most naturally gifted comedian of
his generation. Daniel Kitson would never be seen dead in Mike Myers‘ filmic equivalent of piles. And it‘s not that they look similar at all. but they do share a few characteristics: strange fashion sense. a curious phallic fascination. poor eyesight and. most importantly. undeniable sexual magnetism.
It was at the Stand in Edinburgh earlier this year that I witnessed irrefutable evidence of Kitson‘s allure: a stalker. Resplendent in sequins. the lovely lady seemed blissfully oblivious to the berating dished out by Kitson. Instead. she mistook the attention as a come on. ‘She snuck backstage at the fucking gig.’ says Kitson. ‘She just came backstage. walked in and went: "Hello." I was like: “Hello. What the fuck are you doing?" She said: “I‘ve brought you a present." I went: “OK.”
By Kitson‘s own admission. he‘s unattractive (tell that to the lovely Lorraine). but it’s on his own terms. His debut solo show at last year‘s festival. the winsomely charming Love. litnor‘em‘e and the Word Cork. stole the hearts and minds of audiences. enchanted by this intimate childhood confessional. Stories of stuttering. playground games and his first kiss were offered up with tenderness and swearing: a distinctive combination that rocketed the show into the realms of Fringe legend.
Following up that first solo success. and the subsequent Perrier nomination. isn't as intimidating as might be expected. ‘l‘m not feeling any external pressure this year at all. really.‘ states the 25-year-old. ‘l'm just really looking forward to doing the gig.‘
‘It’s not at all funny. It’s a two hour lecture; I’ve got flowcharts and the like’
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22 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 148 Aug 2002
To look at his publicin material. you wouldn‘t be convinced. ‘Self-indulgent whimsy'. ‘2()()l Perrier loser‘: why. it‘s almost anti-self-promotion. Isn‘t that dangerous? ‘My poster last year was far less accessible.’ he says. ‘and my blurb said come if you want to. I don‘t want people to come because they‘ve seen a poster. I want people to come because they‘ve heard something about the show and like the sound of it.‘
Which brings us to the cryptic conundrum of
Kitson‘s show title. What is .S'rmzctlting‘.’ ‘lt‘s about the stuff in human interaction which is hard to verbalise. It‘s the stuff that makes you fall in love with someone. or the stuff that makes you like someone or dislike someone. and the stuff that makes you love a song and really adore certain pieces of work. It's about that unspoken. intangible quality which I can't really put into words. which is why I‘ve called it .8'rmzvthing.‘
That all sounds very serious. 'Yes it‘s very seriousf laughs Kitson. ‘lt's not at all funny. It's a two hour lecture: I‘ve got flowcharts and the like.‘
The second series of Phoenix Nights. in which Kitson plays the feckless Spencer. finally airs this month. but it's unlikely Kitson will have time to sit at home and watch his televisual efforts: he’s also booked to compere Lure ‘n'ljw 4 nights a week. So is be looking fonvard to the slog involved in another festival? 'l like Edinburgh. I‘ll play football and I'll go watch some films and I‘ll play on my PlayStation and I‘ll do gigs and it'll be lovely.‘ (iroovy. even.
Pleasance, 556 6550, until 26 Aug (not 7, 20), 9.45pm, £54210.
Reformed shady lady
NATALIE HAYNES Femme fatale plumbs the depths of despair
I'd heard a lot about Natalie Haynes — sacked from her teaching job for sleeping with a pupil. banned from several venues for her provocative material. So the last thing I was prepared for was someone talking candidly abOut falling in love. facing up to Our fears and deciding what clothes to wear on stage.
But Natalie Haynes is nothing if not intriguing. Gradually working her way up through the comedy ranks over the last seven years. she's now honed her first professional solo show. 'lt‘s been arOund a bit. but in a good way.‘ says Haynes. describing the way Six Degrees of Deso/ation has developed over the last year. A tale of phobias. homelessness. heartbreak. stereotyping. (stage) death and underemployment i'l know that isn't a word. but it's when you've done well and deserve a good job and end up doing the kind of thing monkeys eculd do“). it's drawn largely from personal expenence.
It's these experiences that have got her into trouble in the past. She's been slammed for making jokes about cancer. yet that part of her act developed from when her mother had the disease. 'Surely it's healthier to take the piss out of the fact that something scares you.‘ she says. 'than to just sit and create a climate of fear where nobody says anything.’
Despite the tragic themes of her show. she's now a happy lady having fallen in love at last year's Fringe: ‘Everyone else took home whisky and shortbread. I took a boy.‘ Get happy. get Natalie. (Louise Presley)
I Pleasance, 556 6550. until 26 Aug (not (5, 20), 8.45pm, E543“).