Following his two previous critically-acclaimed hit solo Edinburgh shows - the most recent of which quite creepily "foretold" the Credit Crunch - DAN ATKINSON has called his new show Death by a Thousand Pricks, and is now hoping that it was mere coincidence that his title last year came true.

DAN returns to the Fringe with a stand-up show that is about passion. Not passion in the crass 'ten-red roses and a walk on the bloody beach' way, but passion for the things that matter. It’s about not getting bogged down in daily trivia.

It’s easy to be glum, to be critical, to be frustrated. It’s easy to not open your heart and instead just sit on the sidelines taking the piss. The hard thing to do is to approach things with a big heart and an open mind. In fact it’s too hard, so this show errs on the side of the school of frustrated impotent railing. Death by a Thousand Pricks runs the gamut of a British life; from the lies you are fed at primary school like why the bad boys always get the girls, all the way through to how to survive when you’re invited for dinner with people you hate.

Death by a Thousand Pricks is a show that provides in equal measures a deconstruction of emotional repression, a eulogy to nudists and a fool-proof method for becoming more sexy. Not to mention actual actual audio of people from radio phone ins (who go to make up the thousand pricks).

Death by a Thousand Pricks follows The Credit Crunch and Other Biscuits, which played to sold out houses in 2008, and his hit 2007 solo debut, Dan Atkinson Knows That He Knows Nothing. A key member of the writing and performing team for the pilot of RUSSELL HOWARD’s new topical show, which is currently in development for BBC THREE, DAN made his Edinburgh debut in 2006 as part of the prestigious Comedy Zone showcase, and last year performed alongside ISY SUTTIE, JOE WILKINSON and GLENN WOOL, in the renowned Edinburgh & Beyond national tour.

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"A fine comic mind...a brilliant eye for a gag and imagination to burn."
Kit MacDonald, Metro

"Dan Atkinson, whose shambolic appearance belies his sharp mind. Atkinson embellishes his jokes with so many levels that some of his most subtle lines were lost on an audience who were still laughing at the previous gag. This is not to say that his material is over-intellectualised, but that it is written with such care as to squeeze every ounce of humour from each topic he touches on, from free-range bees to Torquay nightclubs. Each line just takes you to another level of silly, creating a joyful start to the day."
Corry Shaw, Chortle

LISTINGS INFORMATION
Venue: The Pleasance - Pleasance Baby Grand
Date: 5th - 31st August 2009
Time: 21:30
Box Office: 0131 556 6550

For more information and press tickets, please contact: Jo Cross, Ben Nolan, Jenny Stewart or Dan Lloyd. Tel: 020 7598 7222 [London office]. Email: joc@avalonuk.com, benn@avalonuk.com, jenny.stewart@avalonuk.com or danl@avalonuk.com

WHAT THE PRESS HAS SAID ABOUT THE CREDIT CRUNCH AND OTHER BISCUITS:

"He's a sort of Daniel Kitson-on-amphetamines character: brutally self-deprecating but infectiously confident. He invests his sixty minutes with a robust energy that maintains his infamously shabby aesthetic and keeps the audience attentive and occasionally breathless… He's a talented comedian who will no doubt reach greater heights, and quite possibly acclaim, as the festival rolls on."
Oliver Farrimond, Fest

"A visit to this attic dweller at the Pleasance Courtyard won't let you down."
Ian Phillips, The National Student

"Pace and confidence… flashes of wonderful writing."
Ashley Davies, The Scotsman

"With Credit Crunch and Other Biscuits, he still claims the unofficial Best Stand-Up Title of the Year."
Brian Donaldson, The List

"He may look like a nutter from the gutter but there’s a fierce intellect behind Dan Atkinson’s wild beard."
Metro

"The title is indicative of what’s on offer from Atkinson: a skilful blend of topical and daft, delivered with charm and an unhinged grin."
Mickey Noonan, Metro

MORE PRAISE FOR DAN ATKINSON:

"Under the deliberately goofy face staring out at you from what is one of the more attractive posters on the fringe this year, Dan Atkinson conceals a rather fine brain. Not only that, he also has rather sophisticated tastes. Add to that a trademark gruff laconic delivery, and you have an individual who is perfectly qualified to pass acid comment on our dumbed-down green and pleasant land... Atkinson would be quite a social commentator really if it wasn’t for the fact that he sidetracks himself with what you suspect is his real love, words and crosswords. His riff on cryptic clues is as fascinating as it is funny - well, to those who care about such things probably (which would endear you forever to the man). His rapport with the crowd is instant and you believe his self-effacing claims that it’s all bollocks - just so long as it’s funny, obviously, which he does an excellent job of guaranteeing."
Nick Awde, The Stage

"Let's deconstruct that title. 'Dan Atkinson': true. The man onstage is definitely Atkinson, a popular circuit comic and excellent compere, whose strangely mobile mop of hair almost steals the limelight from well-crafted gags. 'Knows That He Knows Nothing': this is when the lies start. Though Atkinson doesn't let his ego take over the show and delivers his material with an endearing innocence, it's clear that he knows what he's talking about, and isn't just throwing out a clutch of fart jokes. This leads us finally to 'He Knows Nothing.' Utter codswallop. Atkinson couches his intelligence in daftness, but he's not going to fool anyone that he's simple. You don't do an hour-long gig that centres on philosophy, ancient civilisation and cheeky Vimto cocktails without having a fair bit of brainpower. Atkinson has a natural wit and a wonderful way with a crowd that makes him well worth a look."
Mickey Noonan, Metro

"Atkinson’s seemingly aimless collection of observations hangs together well enough, resulting in a relatively hitch-free performance… this isn’t ‘current affairs comedy’ - nor does it pretend to be. As a result, it’s blissfully free of the Big Brother gags, flood jokes, and John Smeaton impressions, with which many Fringe comedians will surely litter the streets over the coming weeks."
Yasmin Sulaiman, Fest

"Sharing a county with Dan Atkinson has been one of the main reasons to be proud of living in Yorkshire for some time … the greatest compere this fair region ever saw."
Leeds Guide

"It's no exaggeration to say Dan single-handedly kept stand-up comedy in York alive over the last five years."
York Evening Press

AVALON PROMOTIONS

Avalon Promotions Limited is one of the leading promoters of live comedy in the UK. Productions include: NEWMAN & BADDIEL in the first comedy show ever to be staged at Wembley Arena; FRANK SKINNER’s record-breaking performance to an audience of 6,000 at the Battersea Power Station; Jerry Springer - The Opera at the National Theatre, at the Cambridge Theatre in London’s West End, on national tour and at New York’s Carnegie Hall; HARRY HILL at the Palace and Dominion Theatres in London; and Dave Gorman’s Googlewhack Adventure at the Sydney Opera House, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, on national tour and at the Village Theatre, New York (nominated for Drama Desk Award 2004).

The last 12 months has seen Avalon Promotions: present multi-award winning comics JENNY ECLAIR, RICHARD HERRING, RUSSELL HOWARD and FRANK SKINNER on sell-out runs; produce AL MURRAY, THE PUB LANDLORD live at the O2 and RUSSELL HOWARD at Wembley Arena; introduce some of the fastest-rising stars in comedy such as RUSSELL KANE, KRISTEN SCHAAL & KURT BRAUNOHLER and ISY SUTTIE; produce stage shows, such as Frank Skinner’s Credit Crunch Cabaret and Grumpy Old Women Live, which has toured the UK three times and performed a highly successful run in Australia; and present 23 acts at the Edinburgh Festival, where it has promoted a total of five Perrier Award winners and 17 Perrier Award/if.comedy Award nominees in just 20 years.