Marcel Lucont to auction off private shows for his Fringe run

Marcel Lucont is selling himself to the highest bidder at the Edinburgh Fringe.

The French alter-ego of stand-up Alexis Dubus is auctioning tickets for his show, Marcel Lucont À La Carte, online, with winning buyers able to select the time and venue of his performance.

They will also be able to choose from a 'menu' of established routines or new material, featuring 'poetry, songs and advice'.

Bids on his bespoke run of ten August dates begin on May 9, when the website goes live, with sales closing at midnight three days before each performance. Lucont plans to review his audiences and post short video clips of each show on a blog the following day.

The Frenchman sniffs that he is 'offering a work of art, the likes of which have never been seen before. The Mona Lisa I suppose, in that my eyes will follow you around the room.

'After four years of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, it is surely evident that I am on a different level to the majority of artists at the festival. It seems incongruous, therefore, for me not to operate on my own plateau. The masses will continue to shop on the high street, of course. Those seeking a more bespoke item, however, must join the auction and place a worthy bid for a superior Fringe experience.'

There is no limit on the bidding, nor the number of times a group or individual can make a purchase. 'A test of the dedication and monetary means of my followers' Lucont suggests. 'Or maybe one very committed follower. We shall see'

His few stipulations for his August 8 to 17 run are that 'I simply will not perform underwater. If the venue is large, I require adequate amplification. I am not prepared to raise my voice for anybody. All complaints will be ignored or derided.

'They must bring their own wine. I fully expect to be provided with wine. Though I will turn it down when it is not up to standard.'

Lucont, who appears in BBC Three's Live at the Electric when it returns in July, also hosts Cabaret Fantastique showcase on the Free Fringe this August, and as Dubus he will perform 45-minute, poetic adaptation of his 2012 show, Cars and Girls, in the spoken word section of the festival brochure.

Published: 22 Apr 2013