By Joanna Hawkins
Theatre, with its tradition of live storytelling spanning the centuries, has the power to inform, entertain and fulfil a social need for coming together - all this with little tubs of extortionately priced ice cream thrown in for good measure. “Sounds fantastic,” you say? Well you’d be right. However, there is a lot more to theatre than this heady mix of jamborees and chilled snacks, with comedians and actors merging their skills to create some truly wonderful and life-affirming performances.
The most noted of these performers is Daniel Kitson, known to comedy lovers worldwide for his quick wit and acidic put downs, coupled with a joyous whimsy and idyllic sentimentality, the latter of these performance styles on display in his most recent storytelling show 66a Church Road: A Lament, Made of Memories and Kept in Suitcases. The show is an ode to relationships, to love and loss, and, most importantly, to memories. But rather than an account of a past lover, Kitson here reminiscing of his old gaff in Crystal Palace. The house is the site where memories collide with love, real love, the kind of love you set aside for the best times you share with friends eating ice cream, running into the sea, or getting giddy on fizzy pop at the fair – or perhaps all three, if you’re particularly awesome. This is straight forward storytelling in all its glory, the only extraneous theatrical device being pre-recordings of Kitsons’ voice set to gentle guitar, cementing the soft, whimsical tone that provides the backdrop to all his storytelling shows. For all who love the art of storytelling see Kitson before its too late.
Yet storytelling is not the only example of performance in comedy theatre as proven by the large number of sketch groups producing small stories for live performance. The theatricality of groups such as We Are Klang, Pappy’s Fun Club, Four Sad Faces and The Penny Dreadfuls provide a real sense of fun and energy for performers and audience alike, a point noted by Pappy’s Fun Club recent full length show entitled Funergy. An atmosphere is evoked that is extremely difficult to transfer to television, as avid viewers of C4’S Comedy Lab can testify.
Clearly, the stage can still hold its own against the lure of the living room. Come to a live sketch performance and experience the sheer joy of group a sing-along with Pappy’s, be astounded at the true size of We Are Klang’s gargantuan Greg Davies and leave with joy in your heart and a stupid smile all over your happy face.
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