Daniel Kitson

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is well into it's second week and I've not done badly this year in getting to see stuff despite the prohibitive ticket prices, largely aimed at rich American tourists. The highlight for me so far was comedian, Perrier award winner and genius Daniel Kitson's non-stand up show at The Traverse Theatre. Titled "Stories For The Wobbly Hearted", the ever charming and instantly lovable ball of hair and specs that is the man sauntered in to a full house and sat in a big comfy chair centre stage, surrounded by old lamps and record players, with a carpet complete with worn out patch where his feet go beneath him and a full wall projection behind him! A good start right there... He then proceeded at his own pace to beguile his audience with six very different tales of loneliness, unrequited love, rejection and shyness, with the underlying message that these things alone are not necessarily as tragic as we think they are - sometimes they are beautiful! And his writting, sparkling with wit, originality, simplicity and, above all, humanity demonstates this in such a way that it leaves you uplifted and full of optimism: you have been treated to an hour with a person whose view of the world is better than yours, and all you can do is applaud and say, Thanks, Dan... Punctuated by mini-films shown on the back wall projection and music from Punch Drunk Love by Jon Brion (perfect choice) all in all this has to be one of my favourite live shows of the last five years. So, it cost £15 to get a ticket, or 25p a minute, if you like, but you certainly get what you pay for, if, like me, you are indeed one of the wobbly hearted. Check out his site and try to see one of his shows - this is a performer destined to become a legend in his own teabreak. Kx