Theatre in Review

Wednesday, 12 March 2008 01:00

Jamie Kilstein Kills ‘em

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Jamie KilsteinThere is a certain kind of poise I look for in a seasoned comic, the kind of relaxed rhythm that professional musicians also have that lets you know right from the start, this guy is going to be funny and this guy is going to control the audience with ease. Jamie Kilstein definitely has this rhythm and poise. It is a pleasure to watch as Jamie riffs...

Jamie KilsteinThere is a certain kind of poise I look for in a seasoned comic, the kind of relaxed rhythm that professional musicians also have that lets you know right from the start, this guy is going to be funny and this guy is going to control the audience with ease. Jamie Kilstein definitely has this rhythm and poise. It is a pleasure to watch as Jamie riffs and rips unselfconsciously into every type of difficult social and political topic from the war on drugs to gay rights. Sometimes I wait, inwardly cringing, while watching a good comedian for that misogynistic jab against women in some way, but thankfully with Jamie, a well-informed and impassioned intellect, that moment never comes.

I’m not the first person to observe the promise of this up and comer, Jamie has fans from New York Times best-selling authors to Grammy award-winning producer Brian Eno, The UFC’S Eddie Bravo and music sensation Regina Specter. Jamie plays an important role during a comedic renaissance. He has opened for comedy giants such as: Dave Chapelle, Lewis Black, Marc Maron, Doug Stanhope, SNL’s Darrell Hammond, and Dave Attell. Jamie’s work can also be read on 236.com alongside other commentators such as Bill Maher and Christopher Guest.

One of Jamie’s bits that had the crowd in stitches dealt with Senator John McCain, as in, “Wasn’t John McCain a P.O.W.? That means he was caught. That means he was a shitty soldier. Wouldn’t that mean he’d be a shitty president? But if Wolf Blitzer said ‘We need a president who can sit really still for, like, four years in a bamboo cage while being guarded by the Vietnamese’, I’d say – f**kin’ McCain’s our man!”

After his last show Jamie sat down with Buzz and gave me one of the most interesting interviews on his work and the state of politics right now. So be sure to check out his very entertaining and informative Buzz video “Postcard from the Road” on our websites at www.buzznews.net.

With a razor sharp mind for heavy social issues and how to dissect them while keeping them funny, Jamie Kilstein is an important talent to watch. He packed the house his six nights at the Lakeshore theatre and will definitely be back again so watch his Myspace page at www.myspace.com/jamiekilstein for future dates. Treat yourself and friends to an evening of solidly intelligent and funny comedy with a decidedly left wing twist!

Last modified on Thursday, 23 October 2008 16:13

 

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