Derry comedian Michael Porter bringing hit Irish show back home

A Derry comedian whose show has proved a massive hit at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and sold out at venues across Europe is set to bring it all back home this week.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Feb 2018, 08:38 BST
Updated 5th Feb 2018, 09:43 BST
Michael Porter is bringing his show, 'The Good The Bad and The Irish back home to Derry next week. His brother karl has created the artwork for the show which has sold out at the Einburgh Festival and across many parts of Europe.Michael Porter is bringing his show, 'The Good The Bad and The Irish back home to Derry next week. His brother karl has created the artwork for the show which has sold out at the Einburgh Festival and across many parts of Europe.
Michael Porter is bringing his show, 'The Good The Bad and The Irish back home to Derry next week. His brother karl has created the artwork for the show which has sold out at the Einburgh Festival and across many parts of Europe.

Michael Porter (34) from Shantallow said he is looking forward to staging ‘The Good, The Bad, and the Irish’ at Sandinos in Derry on Wednesday, February 7.

Michael, who has lived in Scotland for the past three years, started off doing the Edinburgh Fringe Festival circuit himself and came up with the idea of a show that would grab people’s attention.

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As a result, ‘The Good, the Bad and the Irish’ was born, and each show features four different Irish comedians, with posters designed by his brother, acclaimed urban artist Karl Porter.

Speaking about the show’s success at the Edinburgh festival over the past seven years, Michael said: “People come every year seeking it out. You have people from England, America, all different places coming up and saying, ‘We found you again’. It started becoming its own brand.”

Following on from this success, Michael has taken the show on tour in Europe and it has proved a major hit in Holland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Romania as well as across Scotland.

So much so in fact that tickets for many of the European gigs have even sold out well in advance, including over the last few months, shows in Antwerp, Berlin and Frankfurt.

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There are also bookings over the coming months for Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria. And Michael said they were also currently looking at taking the show to America.

The issue of the different languages has proved to be no barrier to the show’s success. “The thing about central Europe is you have all these great English speaking clubs. Comedy travels, and you can make anything relevant to anyone,” he said.

Closer to home, ‘The Good, The Bad, and the Irish’ has already gathered something of a cult following among local people, and this will be the first opportunity to see the show at home.

“I thought I would love to bring this back. I haven’t done a gig in Derry for a couple of years, although I did do one two years ago for an engagement party. The guy wanted a comedian to go to his house to entertain his guests so I started doing comedy in this guy’s kitchen up against the counter, and there were kids running about and everything. It was quite an experience!”

Doors open on Wednesday at 8pm and entrance is £5.

Related topics:DerryEuropePeople