The Interminable Ramblings of Daniel Kitson

Having seen the performance, The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church by Daniel Kitson, I am wondering why shows sell out to hear a across between David Bellamy (whom he also resembles) and Yosemite Sam giving a racing commentary.

The story of Gregory Church is ridiculous - a man who cancelled the milk to kill himself but took so long writing to everyone to explain that he never quite got round to it, made friends with a lonely bank clerk and pompous newspaper editor, gave marriage advice to a young friend (I lost how he came into the story, I was probably yawning whilst Kitson was wittering unintelligibly). 24 years on, Gregory Church is found dead, and the twist is that he didn't take his life - he was simply old and ill - and had never gotten round to taking the noose down.

I've seen far better solo shows and theatre pieces on suicide recently. They are better for their delivery, content, and lack of pretence. I recommend I, Elizabeth and Beachy Head for an example of each.

If you google Kitson and Gregory Church, you come across superlative comments from viewers and reviewers. One said that Kitson is such a wordsmith that it's unfair to expect a journalist to compete by writing an article on him. I wondered if we had seen the same show. It's an interminable demonstration of self indulgence, and says more about the journalist's confidence than Kitson's skill.