As 90s TV star Gail Porter walks onstage, she confidently addresses the fact that her mic isn't working, and, in doing so, somehow wins the audience over more than she may have done had she opened with her planned script. It's very apparent that we're in the presence of a truly genuine performer, who can't help but be unashamedly herself, without a hint of the subtly crafted stage persona or extension-of-themselves that most comedy acts evolve. And it's refreshing.
We're in the presence of a truly genuine performer, who can't help but be unashamedly herself
Gail is a decent comic and a real pro on stage - not all TV presenters can deftly exchange the cameras for a mic stand, but she is a natural. Over the course of the next hour, Gail takes us through her deeply personal journey - from her life before TV, journey through it, and the immense challenges she has faced during and beyond her decade in the limelight.
The show, by its nature, is an emotional rollercoaster, rather than a laugh-a-minute, and it could fit just as neatly into the Theatre or Spoken Word sections, though it passes effectively as a comedy show. Porter holds the audience in the palm of her hand throughout, and, despite feeling initially perturbed hearing someone I watched throughout my childhood suddenly dropping F-bombs, I quickly realised that if I could get over Jack Lemmon in Glengarry Glen Ross, then this was a doddle.
While Gail generates laughs, you're attending for the enthralling tale and the engaging, affectionately self-depricating way she delivers it. With more "I won't tell you his name: (aside) it's Bob" jokes than you can count on one hand, she still needs to hone her gag-writing skills before she's ready to pick up any award nominations (not that they could compete with the BAFTA). The title doesn't do the show any favours either. Her unapologetic tendency to 'Be Gail Porter' means she's infectiously giggling away at what's coming during anecdotes - a trait that could seem arrogant in the hands of a comic who orchestrates it, but seeing her genuinely enjoy herself on stage creates similar feelings in the audiene.
The wide-ranging nature of this autobiographical comedy show is enlightening and appealing, and, as with much of this hour, the sing-along finale might have felt unnecessarily crowbarred in by another comic, but feels completely appropriate here - a celebration of what she has overcome, and creates a really warm finale to the show. She even convinced me to join the group of uplifted audience members on stage, so she must be doing something right!
