One of the things that makes Lawrence Leung an utter joy to watch is his smile. Throughout the course of The Escapist, the smile never seems to leave his face (except when afflicted with “resting sad face”) and by the end, it is impossible to walk out without a big smile on your own face.
Over the course of the show, Leung takes us on a trip down memory lane of growing up in a “good Chinese Catholic” family who wish him to become a doctor. An awkward and introverted child, his fascination with magic and Harry Houdini is interwoven into his stories and the audience not only get a look into Leung’s life but also an impromptu history lesson on Houdini’s visit to Melbourne in 1910.
Escaping from doonas, ordering straightjackets from Romanian fetish sites, horrific medical adventures on work placement, awkward moments with women and staring showdowns with babies on planes are just a few of the tales Leung regales us with, amongst hilarious impersonations and anecdotes about his family, witty attacks at Tony Abbott and the #notallmen movement, surprise corpses and, of course, some magic tricks.
In lesser hands, many of Leung’s jokes would have the potential to offend, however Leung’s cheeky and good-natured mode of storytelling and ability to poke fun at himself means that such worries quickly disappear. Dorky, goofy and affable, Leung is refreshingly charming and an utter joy to watch.
BY MYF CLARK
