Tom Gleeson steps away from the familiar Smiling Assassin persona in Out Of Touch, a storytelling driven performance at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival that leans heavily on personal anecdotes and larrikin observation.
by Paul Cashmere
At this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Tom Gleeson’s Out Of Touch offers audiences a noticeably different tone from the comedian best known to television viewers for his sharp and often ruthless satirical style. Performing at The Regent Theatre until 19 April 2026, Gleeson presents a looser, anecdote driven show that trades the tightly delivered takedowns of his television persona for stories drawn from his upbringing, his family life and the absurd situations he claims to regularly find himself in.
The shift matters because Gleeson has built a national profile on confrontation and satire. On television he is widely recognised as the “Smiling Assassin”, a performer whose comedy thrives on precision strikes against political figures and public personalities. Out Of Touch reframes that identity. Instead of structured attack lines, the show plays more like a conversation with the audience, built around exaggerated recollections of childhood mischief, awkward public encounters and the peculiar perspective of someone who now admits he may be a little disconnected from everyday life.
The evening begins with Gleeson in a relaxed mode, leaning on stories rather than punchline barrages. The material focuses heavily on his upbringing on a rural property with his brothers, a setting that provides the foundation for several stories about childhood risk taking and improvised stunts that, according to Gleeson, nearly ended badly.
Audience interaction remains a key part of the performance. Two late arrivals provided an early example. Entering after the show had already begun, they happened to be seated directly in the front row. Gleeson seized the opportunity, turning the moment into a short improvised exchange that drew laughter without derailing the rhythm of the show.
High profile figures also become occasional targets. Fellow comedian Dave Hughes is the subject in one routine that playfully mocks Hughes’ public vegan identity, while television host Karl Stefanovic is referenced in a more exaggerated story portraying the breakfast television figure as an overpaid celebrity with expensive drug habits. The jokes rely heavily on caricature, and the audience is clearly aware the humour sits firmly in the realm of exaggeration Well, at least that’s why Tom will tell Karl’s lawyers).
Gleeson’s storytelling extends to everyday encounters, including a confrontation with a wheelchair user over a parking space and various stories about navigating modern life as a middle aged father.
Tom Gleeson photo by Morgan Sette
Gleeson’s decision to pivot toward storytelling aligns with a broader pattern in stand up comedy where established performers periodically reshape their stage personas. Many comedians who built reputations on rapid fire punchlines eventually shift toward narrative driven shows that reflect personal experiences or explore broader themes about ageing, family and social observation.
In Gleeson’s case, the move also highlights the difference between television satire and live stand up. Television formats require tight timeframes and clearly structured segments. Festival performances allow comedians to stretch ideas, test timing and build longer stories that evolve throughout a tour.
The softer tone may surprise audiences who arrive expecting the same relentless attack style that made Gleeson a familiar television presence. Some viewers may miss the razor sharp political commentary associated with his broadcast work. Others will likely appreciate the more conversational delivery that gives the show the feel of an informal storytelling session rather than a tightly engineered satire set.
Gleeson even acknowledges the blurred line between truth and fiction in his material. At the conclusion of the performance he invites the audience to guess which parts of the show are real and which have been exaggerated or invented. He claims around twenty percent of the stories may be fabricated, a remark delivered with enough ambiguity to leave the audience debating the accuracy of what they just heard (and again, throwing Karl’s lawyers off the trail).
Ultimately Out Of Touch feels less like a structured comedy assault and more like a larrikin recounting tall stories to a room full of friends. Gleeson positions himself as both the hero and the punchline of his own anecdotes, a shift that gives the show a relaxed rhythm.
Tom Gleeson Out Of Touch continues at The Regent Theatre in Melbourne until 19 April 2026. Tickets at https://marrinergroup.com.au/regent-theatre
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