Wed 10 Apr
words: ELEANOR MCKEON
I had a soft spot for Porter’s the moment I saw their ad in February’s Buzz Magazine. The ad branded the venue as charming and cheeky with a self-effacing humour, so this is exactly what I anticipated when I attended their midweek Comedy Den.
Compare Charlie Smith very much met this expectation; he is very amiable with a brilliant attitude to interacting with the crowd, although it’s safe to say us Brits aren’t a fan of audience interaction early into the night or without a few drinks down our neck.
First up was Elvis impersonator-cum-comedian Mike Bubbins. Barry-born and bred, he is hilariously (and understandably) passionate about the infamous dodgems and ghost train. It’s always nice to watch a local comedian who tackles subjects that only those from the area would understand: Swansea ‘roid-heads, Barry Island and Porthcawl Elvis “superfans” to name but a few topics. He set the bar ridiculously high for the other acts, and as a consequence, those in-between him and the impressive headliner, Eric Lalor, were somewhat unmemorable and disappointing – particularly when Leroy Brito did a great job of making the whole room feel awkward and tense when telling a member of the audience to “shut the f*** up”. Whilst it’s undoubtedly infuriating to have people talk over you, I’m sure as a comedian you can learn to deal with these instances with humour and professionalism. Maybe he should take a leaf out of compere Charlie Smith’s book who dealt with this brilliantly.
Although it can only demonstrate how popular the venue is becoming, the issue with noise from punters is a factor that Porter’s need to tackle; they should perhaps consider making the Comedy Den as intimate as it sounds.
The Comedy Den, which takes place every second Wednesday of the month, has massive potential, particularly if they are booking fantastic acts like Mike Bubbins and Eric Lalor, and the venue is just beautiful; the mishmash between quaint and rustic makes Porters a fantastic venue in which to relax with friends and enjoy some great comedy. As Charlie Smith kept saying throughout the night “it’s free, it’s free, you can’t complain” – and he’s right: top quality comedians at no charge, in a beautiful venue… yes please.