Comedy comperes are meant to be unobtrusive, there to heat up the crowd and hype up the talent, not upstage it. The rule book flies away though when Daniel Kitson is MC, as was the case at last night’s fundraiser for radio station Resonance FM.
Most guests were good but the award-winning Yorkshireman made the mightiest impact.
Opener Terry Saunders was so subdued that he was barely there.
His anecdote about temporarily retiring from comedy maybe explained why he seemed amiably rusty. Nathan Penlington’s tantalising tale of discovering a stranger’s diary full of references to bullying, skiving and unrequited love required a better pay-off. Tony Law’s enjoyable surrealism has always reminded me of Harry Hill and his impressive new beard does not quite change that.
Kitson’s improvised contributions, self-deprecating yet arrogant, underlined his verbal versatility. He effortlessly teased the audience, taunted fellow acts and boasted about his new pool table while bemoaning his existential loneliness.
Only Stewart Lee was a match. Lee was testing material for his new show so it would be unfair to review him now. Needless to say he looks like remaining in stand-up’s Premiership. Kitson, however, remains in a league of his own.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter