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Camden Fringe 2024
An enjoyable coupe of unfortunate events, boasting a unique complexity, but perhaps not sufficiently full-bodied.Summary
Rating
Good
Mesdames, messieurs, and downright messes – all are welcome here at the Phoenix Arts Club, revealing their hidden truths in an evening with Marcel Lucont’s Whine List. Tonight the deadpan Frenchman invites us to participate in the performance by submitting our favourite ‘whines’. It’s described as “a kind of group therapy experience, but one where everybody will probably leave more depressed”. And that largely sums it up, allowing for some laughs along the way.
Each audience member is asked to write down their name and the place they are from, followed by answers to three questions. These are collected together and selected responses appear on a giant projector screen on the stage before the attributed guest is invited to expand upon their responses with Lucont. Question number one, for example, asks us to explain our worst day at work. The responses are various and entertaining stories (a few less funny than others), including an incident involving a work colleague detaching their hand, and a tale about echidna semen in someone’s hair. Next we are asked about the worst European experience, and finally it’s the worst amorous encounter.
This is a tricky format. Lucont himself is a charming host, with a quick wit as dry as a good Sancerre, and an enjoyably abstract mind. But the show is reliant on good material from the audience and tonight felt a little stilted. At times you could hear his brain ticking as he struggled to dig humour out of the participants’ less-than-extraordinary answers, whilst remaining endlessly welcoming and conversational. However, each section is punctuated with a list of vintage whines: tried and tested material that offers more punch compared to the evening’s slightly lacking contributions. It certainly gives things a boost.
There’s a pleasantly international feel to the relationship between audience and Lucont, based on the revelations of nationality. Although the jokes are often dependent on stereotypes, it’s in an ironic, good humoured way: Canadians are friendly and chilled, Australians a bit rough round the edges, while the Swiss are uptight. It’s mildly amusing to hear cracks about English cooking from French people, but clearly that’s nothing new, so not an outstanding part of the show. The absolute highlights of the evening are when Lucont reaches for his little black book and recites poetry. My particular favourite (prompted by an anecdote by a woman who got stuck in a revolving door for half an hour and needed to be released by an engineer) is an ode to idiots. I’ll be looking that one up and quoting from it regularly.
This is clearly a unique performance every time, and perhaps we’re a little unlucky with the audience contributions tonight. Neither were things helped by the show starting and ending quite late. A little more of the excellent set material and a shorter punchier running time would certainly give a lift. As it stands this is an amusing evening, great if you’re up for a bit of audience interaction along with a nice glass of red wine. Santé Monsieur Lucont!
Written by: Marcel Lucont
Marcel Lucont’s Whine List played at Phoenix Arts Club for Camden Fringe for one evening only. Further information can be found on the artist’s website here.
