Review – Kitty Flanagan: Hello Kitty Flanagan

Having spent the last few years with a bag on my head, I was blissfully unaware of the existence of Kitty Flanagan. So I elbowed my way into my seat at her packed show not really knowing what to expect or why everyone else seemed so happy to be there. She cut a somewhat understated figure as she ambled onto on stage and eyed up the audience. Then she opened her mouth and launched into a passionate, song filled hatred of cabaret and burlesque before embarking on the important topic of a bag of apples she bought at the market.

She was mixture of neurosis and sarcasm, delivered with ease. Half of me wanted her to be my best friend and the other half was slightly unnerved by the lists and rules she used to manoeuvre through life. Even more unnerving was that by the time the hour was up, I was indoctrinated, a true believer and ready to live my life in the world according to Kitty.

Certainly not breaking any barriers in terms of content, most of Kitty’s tales were in the “it’s funny because it’s true” category. It was her personality and the myriad of characters that she brought with her that made her so watchable. By effortlessly adding a voice, a mannerism and even a backwards roll, the people and animals that she encountered became old friends and enemies and her memories became my stories.

Having found someone else at work today who also saw her, we spent the day telling Kitty-in-jokes and annoying everyone around us by periodically screeching “It’s crispy AND juicy”, before collapsing in smug fits of giggles.