Last year, Miles Allen performed his show One Man Breaking Bad at the exclusive Kelvin Club during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Now, the show is coming our way – but in a different guise. “This year it’s a very different show,” Allen says. “It’s gotten better along the way. “I’m excited to be doing it; there’s a lot of new material. More impressions, more props. Jesse’s still narrating but it’s been broken up into seasons.”
Breaking Bad features some of the most morally compromised characters on television, especially the protagonist Walter White, a mild-mannered chemistry teacher turned meth manufacturer. So it’s curious that Allen is drawn to the series, given that he’s a Christian and all.
“The show’s synonymous with faith,” Allen says. “It’s the classic story of someone going down a slippery path when they could have made other choices. We look at Walter while he’s still a meek, mild chemistry teacher; he loves his family and he’s diagnosed with cancer. He faces a choice, which he believes is justified. That could be a path we all go down. There are so many times in the show where he could have made a different choice. There are ‘God moments’ where he would have been taken care of.”
It’s surprising to find a believer in the irreverent world of comedy, where religion is so often a target for humour. “People are surprised,” says Allen. “People ask me questions. But I don’t really expect any sort of persecution. I’m just your generic comedian.”
As fans of Breaking Bad will know, one of the charismatic characters from the series now has his own spin-off program. Is Allen planning a show about Better Call Saul? “It’s a possibility,” he says. “It depends how well this show goes. It’s been very well received by UK audiences. It’s foreseeable that I could do one down the track.”
In particular, Allen is looking forward to performing at the Roxy in Los Angeles in June, as he’s heard the audience will include Bob Odenkirk himself, the actor who plays Saul Goodman. ”I’ve heard he’s very interested in seeing the show. That’s a dream come true! Saul works in mysterious ways.”
The comedian explains that one challenge he faces is keeping his voice healthy. “It’s a big challenge keeping my voice from going out. I can start losing my voice very quickly onstage. But I had a brilliant voice coach just before the UK tour and that helped immensely. It’s holding up a lot and is stronger than ever.”
Although he originally intended to become a professional baseball player, Allen found his comedic skills when he changed high schools as a very young teenager. In reinventing himself, he discovered a gift for mimicry and accents that he’s been developing ever since. “It started with SpongeBob,” he recalls. “When I finished school and was thinking about finding a normal job, I quickly realised that performing was something I truly love. And I’m not really good at anything else. My parents quickly conceded that this is the best path for me. They’ve been very supportive ever since.”
Constantly surrounded by comic talent on festivals like the Sydney Comedy Festival, Allen says it’s important to avoid becoming envious of others’ success. “It’s an active process to be grateful for what you have. Living in LA, you’re constantly being a business card, showing what you do. I’m guilty of it too. You see your friends getting TV roles sooner than you do. It’s an active process to try not to be jealous. There are standards of excellence you can aspire to, people you can strive to emulate and you can work towards that.”
One Man Breaking Bad: The Unauthorised Parody is on at Seymour Centre Tuesday April 21 – Saturday April 25.
