At the end of last year, Harley Breen locked himself away in a bathroom for over 24 hours to write and contemplate. The result of that ordeal fed into his new show, Personal Space.
With his hulking stature and larrikin attitude, you could be forgiven for expecting dick jokes and blokey humour, but Harley’s comedy is nothing of the sort. There’s some introductory material of city life vs country life and some drinking stories, but this show is much much more than that. After making the crowd comfortable, Harley uses his powerful presence on stage to take the audience deep into his personal world. This is a show about the longing of lost childhood and the yearning to rekindle a sense of wonder in the world around you.
In the hands of other comedians, there’d be accusations of over-sentimentality, but Harley is so down to earth and just so damn funny that such accusations have no place here. This show gave me some of the best belly-laughs I’ve had so far this festival. Harley is likeable and exciting and his energy keeps the show thundering along.
Aided by delightfully amateur marionette interludes, Harley shows that he’s still got a direct line into an impressive childlike imagination. His sense of excitement and wonder at the world around him is contagious and his skills on the stage are incredible. Harley is an incredible talent, and it’s great to see him once again in a vehicle that can showcase that talent.
For further details and bookings, visit the Comedy Festival Website