Daniel Kitson’s Analog.Ue – Location, Tickets, Reviews
Daniel Kitson is a British comedian and monologuist, and bonafide St. Ann’s Warehouse royalty but his most recent show there, Analog.Ue, has been controversial.
Kitson is well-known for telling non-linear, humorous, intricate, sometimes romantic stories that often end with a twist. In Analog.Ue the twist comes at the beginning: Kitson hardly speaks in the performance. Rather he pre-recorded the story on tape and reveals it in bits and pieces from more than 20 tape playing machines. Kitson methodically unloads the machines, speakers, and coils of wires from a back table, places them on the floor, attaches them to a centralized power source, and turns them on and off to unveil the story.
For ardent Kitson fans this is a disappointment because the personal performance and impromptu asides that are hallmarks of Kitson’s shows are missing. Occasionally he addresses the audience if something goes awry, which happened a lot during the early performances, but his execution has gotten tighter through the run.
The audience reaction is best described by Kitson himself in a recent email to fans. “The show seems to make some people rather cross, whilst others are a touch flummoxed and a good many are entirely delighted by it.” Critical reviews are equally dispersed, although notably it is a New York Times critics pick. We do not, however, suggest that you read the Times review because its description of the characters is flawed and (inaccurately) spoils the nature of their relationships. [UPDATE December 9, 2013: The New York Times revised their review, appending a correction, and making it less spoilery. It’s okay to read now.]
Our recommendation, to Kitson loyalists and first-timers alike, is to see this show but go with an understanding of what you will see and hear, revel in the complexity of the production, focus on the story, ponder the connection between the medium and the message, and consider the role of a live storyteller.
It takes guts to turn a tried and true recipe for success on its head. For that we applaud Kitson, but actually whether you love or hate the show, it’s a win-win for him. Love it and Kitson is an experimental genius, hate it and reinforce the value of Kitson’s irreplaceable role as storyteller.
LOCATION
St. Anne’s Warehouse
29 Jay Street
Brooklyn
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RUNNING TIME
One hour and fifteen minutes, no intermission
TICKETS
$25 (click for tickets)
DATES
Performances through December 21, 2013
REVIEWS
New York Times
A Life Recorded Is Worth Examining
TheaterMania
Daniel Kitson’s latest monologue is a Beckettian experiment with recorded audio
Mildly Bitter
Daniel Kitson’s Mix-Tape
CAST & CREW
(partial list)
Written and Performed by Daniel Kitson