Lucy Porter - Fool's Gold

Lucy Porter is a darling of the Fringe. She’s sold out every show she’s performed here for the last five years and is considered by some to be the best comedienne working today.Fool’s Gold follows her obsession and fascination with gold. Triggered by her grandmother leaving her a gold bangle, Porter expertly deconstructs the objectification of gold, its appropriation by those lacking self-confidence and its historical significance as a market commodity.This is definitely a fascinating discussion to be having, especially at a time when the kind of audience Porter draws in, will have the word ‘recession’ poised on their lips. Unfortunately, the show comes across as less of a stand up show with a point and more like an entertaining lecture with jokes written in. Porter is so bubbly, so cute, so sexy and so charismatic that she carries the audience’s interest with her personality. But she’s unable to pull off this schizophrenic set that owes a debt to the brand of comedy that Stewart Lee has made popular: the kind that doesn’t need jokes for several minutes because the comedian’s faith in their material and audience is building up to a tremendous punch-line.That’s not to say the jokes are weak. There are excellent lines in medieval alchemists, Puff Daddy’s lyrics and Year 9 Chemistry that she mines for humour that you had no idea could be found in these unlikeliest of places. And she has the only Michael Jackson joke that I’ve seen working on the Fringe. But her pace lets her down, as she dawdles over set ups which sometimes rob the punch-lines of their power.The other thing Porter does so successfully is make the audience love her. She comes out barefoot, on a simple stage littered with three pedestals, and instantly she’s the audience’s friend. She invites audience participation with the confidence of someone who is always in control of what’s going on. You’re definitely in safe hands with her; a master of her craft.It’s a shame that the subject matter doesn’t lend itself to her talents. For her fans, this is obviously a must-see. But if you’re undecided and are debating which headline Fringe comedian to see, there are funnier shows out there for a ticket this expensive.