After a successful season at the Edinburgh festival last summer, Lucy Porter has taken her “People Person” show on tour across the UK. After a 2 year, double-childbirth induced hiatus, her show unsurprisingly but jovially tackles her qualms and observations on motherhood.
As she walks onto the stage, Porter instantly puts the audience at ease with her chirpy attitude and plastic, singing caterpillar toy. From discussing her time working as a support act for Puppetry of the Penis, to her recent necessity of “auditioning for new friends”, she freely chats about both her personal and professional life.
However, it is her personal life which is the main focus of the show, detailing her post-childbirth daily routine; watching daytime TV featuring Dom Littlewood who she describes as “cockney Gollum,” belittling benefit cheats, and spending her money on everything and anything from Argos. This leads Porter to talk about her obsession with online product reviews, which gives a bleak yet hilarious peak into the lives of others, reading out several of particular amusement to both the audience and unashamedly, Porter herself.
These little topics all seem to relate back to her new friend Sophie, whom is referred back to in many of the anecdotes and stories which are explored. It is Sophie though, and Lucy Porter’s first encounter with her in a Shoreditch coffee shop and the following events, which are the highlight and centre-point of the show. She beams with joy as she gossips about her “girl crush” and the amount that they had in common on that first meeting, but a short while later, the whole show’s roaringly shocking punchline is unveiled to great comic effect.
Typically appealing to an audience of those in their 30’s, 40’s and older, she also catered for the few younger audience members, giving the advice of “kill yourself now.” Porter has a whimsical charm which is warming and feel-good, making “People Person” a pleasure to see.
Tickets are still available to see Lucy Porter’s “People Person” which will be on tour until June. Her new show “Northern Soul” will be launched in Edinburgh in August.
