Traffic chaos on Glasgow's High Street, with several surrounding roads closed, meant performing a U-turn and trying to find another way in. We eventually parked on Montrose Street, then walked down the steep hill to the City Halls.
When we arrived, lots of weirdos were smoking outside the venue. They had weird haircuts in weird colours and wore weird clothes. Surely they weren't here for Lucy? Was there some weird act next door at The Old Fruitmarket?
No, they were here for Lucy. She describes her typical demographic as polyamorous D&D players, which gives you some vague idea about those present.
Inside, we find our seats and swelter. Initially, I think I have a fever and dread the return of Covid, but then I overhear the ladies behind me complain about how hot it is. Elsewhere, people are using their tickets as fans.
 |
| Keekaboo |
I'm surprised to see Robert White as Lucy's Musical Accompaniment for the tour. I've witnessed him before. He's an odd fellow, but can be funny. His role is minor, though. Lucy is the star. She uses him to segue between sections of the show.
My second surprise is in discovering that this really isn't a magic show. It's so light on Magic, it should be called a crowd-work show. Thankfully, we are in row S, well away from Lucy's prying.
The sound in the room isn't great, so I'm grateful for the captions on the giant screen behind her. The AI producing the subtitles occasionally misunderstands what was said, making some doozy mistakes, mishearing 'sheath' for 'sheep' in relation to the adjective 'penile'.
Tonight, Lucy struck gold in selecting Mark in the front row as her main stooge. His banter and performance stole the show. From the vague job title he couldn't talk about to his golf habit, and his wife of thirty years not caring how much he flirted with Stephen, the stranger on his left, the laughs kept coming.
Jenny, her other stooge, was an unhappy radiographer whose most unusual object she discovered during an X-ray was a deodorant spray bottle. She also mentioned finding dominoes up someone, too.
Lucy asked whether she meant the Pizza or the game. When told 'the game', Lucy replied, "Did the rest tumble out after the first?" She is exceedingly quick-witted.
She got Mark and Jenny to act out a play for her, rewarding them with the first magic trick of the night, pouring each of them a different, randomly selected cocktail from a single cocktail shaker. That old chestnut.
Stephen, the camp gentleman on Mark's left side, was selected to pick up Lucy's handkerchief (catchphrase: "Oh, no"). He also got a kiss from Lucy's camp cameraman, much to Mark's fake outrage.
After the interval, those in the audience who could stand performed Lucy's dance, which was filmed for later posting on social media. I didn't participate. Lucy also answered the audience's questions, picking a few at random from a jar, before answering her three favourites. The girls behind me wanted to know how she would deal with an arsehole neighbour, but she didn't answer that one.
A trick with dice leading to selecting a particular animated star on the screen seemed weak, despite the overblown storytelling around it. Maybe I'm a little jaded when it comes to these outcome tricks.
Robert White did get to show off his schtick for improvising funny songs to summarise how the performance had gone, incorporating specific elements such as the penile sheath reference. I loved the bit when he appeared to be playing the piano and walked away, only for the music to continue.
Would I do it again? Yes, probably. As a comedy show, she is funny, but I would have preferred a little more magic.
Ticket Price (for two) : £95.00 & Facility Fee £3.00 & Service Charge £12.20 & Transaction Fee £2.50 = Total: £112.70 from AXS
