Comedians can be a cynical bunch. After ten years at the Fringe, many are full of pet hates and grinding gears, the comedy game having become a job and no longer a passion. For Lucy Porter, Fringe veteran and well-rounded comic besides, this is not the case. It is simply wonderful to see someone having such a good time on-stage. Her show’s title, Me Time, comes out sparingly in reference to comedy itself and to the fact that this time on the Stand’s main stage is Porter’s favourite part of the day. And it shows.
The lunchtime crowd can be a hard one to warm up, but Porter’s reputation precedes her, as well as her love of her profession, and the effect is that of great beams of enthusiasm, drawing us all in.
For such a big name in British comedy, it is no surprise that there is standing room only in our bar-side venue. Porter’s comedy is sneaky and open, welcoming you in with a ‘What I Did On My Holidays’ story which seamlessly turns into erudite political commentary before segueing into a dick joke. The lunchtime crowd can be a hard one to warm up, but Porter’s reputation precedes her, as well as her love of her profession, and the effect is that of great beams of enthusiasm, drawing us all in.
Experience has given Porter an unshakeable confidence and ease on stage, as well as more than a few stories to tell, from Broadcasting House to St Petersburg and back again. Though she’ll tell you she would be better suited for a different period of time, she is perfectly comfortable with her audience and with her set, even using the near-hackneyed ‘What’s Your Name Where You From’ to excellent comedic effect.
While Porter makes use of a classic British self-deprecation, she also assures us that she has absolute faith in her abilities both as a comedian and as an intellectual. One particularly inspired story about a comeback to street harassment proves this, and her analysis of love-hate relationships and aversion to telling people how to vote in the upcoming Independence referendum is further evidence that this is not just a talented comedian but a thoughtful, warm-hearted human being.
