Brisbane review - Taruna Jayawardhana’s A Classic Tale: truly funny, with wide appeal
- Jan 30
- 2 min read
By David Wilson
Written and performed by Liam Hartley
Based on the homework of Taruna Jayawardhana
Follow the show on Instagram @aclassictaleshow
29 January 2026
Good Chat Comedy Club
Following a successful run at the Toucan Club Festival, Brisbane-based stand-up comedian and actor Liam Hartley brought his debut one-man show back to the Good Chat Comedy Club on Caxton Street where his stand-up career began. For one night only, the audience was treated to a clever, unique and wonderfully original work that was simply outstanding from start to finish.
Thirteen years ago, in an eighth grade English class, a teenage boy was given a simple assignment: write an unconventional fairy tale. Little did he know he was crafting the greatest story ever written! That boy’s name was Taruna Jayawardhana, and that story was “A Classic Tale’. Now, years later, a classmate has recovered this fantastical saga of swords, dragons, love, betrayal, adventure and prescription medication, to finally share it with the world.
By any measure, this show is absolutely fantastic and the audience was justifiably rapturous in appreciation throughout. The show was not only cleverly conceived, but also brilliantly executed by the very talented Liam Hartley. The unique blend of stand-up, pantomime, audience participation and crowd work was wonderfully woven together by Hartley who has created something much more than a one-man show - this is a show with obvious heart and passion that is truly funny, with wide appeal.
If you get the chance to see this show, I encourage you to get tickets without delay. When it makes a return to Brisbane, I will certainly be seeing it again!
In great news for those in Melbourne, Hartley is taking the show on the road, performing at the prestigious Melbourne International Comedy Festival on 16 and 18 April 2026. Enjoy!
The article explores the unusual journey behind A Classic Tale, showing how a creative school assignment eventually developed into a one-man comedy performance years later. I found the idea of revisiting an old piece particularly interesting because it demonstrates how stories can evolve as their creators and audiences grow. The combination of fairy-tale elements, humor, adventure, and unexpected details seems to give the performance a distinctive character. It also highlights how ideas from the past can gain new meaning when presented in a different format. In a similar way, people often revisit old design ideas and adapt them to modern needs when searching for bespoke cabinets near me. Creativity can take many forms, but originality often begins with a simple…
This review clearly shows that A Classic Tale is not just a comedy show but a perfect blend of creative storytelling, interactive storytelling and audience participation. It’s a very unique idea to present a typical school assignment in this way years later and shows that even old ideas can be made memorable with a new presentation. BTW, while researching different subjects you might occasionally come across words like best essay writing services Dubai but here the main focus is on creativity and good storytelling. I especially liked that the emotional part was also kept along with the comedy.
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