Good Boy

Breathtaking and completely of the moment. James holds the audience in the palm of his hand, and moves seamlessly from character to character, from humour to horror. A soccer punch of a show with a very important message. SEE IT!

A beautiful written and acted show. Wonderfully balances comedy and seriousness. James is an amazing actor and writer.

Phenomenal. A serious topic adressed with heart and very skillful use of humour, performed beautifully. See it while you can (after having read the trigger warnings)!

This was easily the best thing I wanted at Fringe this year. I laughed, I cried, and I have not stopped thinking about this show since leaving the theatre. The raw storytelling and incredible performing skills had me hooked from the minute I sat down to the minute I got up. Do yourself and favor and see Good Boy!

A stunning show! To share a raw personal story w. such honesty & awareness (& great chairography) is incredible. James unpacks the boundaries of attraction where preference becomes predatory.

“The Good Boy”
Written as part of his doctoral dissertation by James Farley, “The Good Boy” — solo performed by its author — tells his true story as a young gay man with a first-love and sexual partnership in which a happenstance discovery ends it all and sends him into a tornado of ever-abusive relationships. That his first same-sex encounter comes with strict boundaries that he agrees to accept in order to be loved by another (he must be bottom, submissive, and always with butt shaved), the ensuing Grindr hook-ups post breakup lead him ever deeper into that locked set of self-definition. This is a difficult-to-watch but extremely important play about deep trauma and one young boy/man’s journey to claw his way to self-acceptance and self-love where true love of and by another is finally possible.
Rating: 4.5 E

GOOD BOY is such an accomplishment for how it navigates its singular, challenging subject matter with steady, clear eyes and a surprising sense of humor. Best of all, it's anchored by James' dextrous and open-hearted performance; what a rare treat to meet a creative who holds their discomfort—and therefore any we may feel—with the matters at hand close and with such care in their work.

James' writing and performance is energised and powerful - a show that really packs a punch

What a piece of theatre. You must see GOOD BOY - a phenomenal solo show that's an honest, funny and extremely moving story of first love and relationships, brilliantly written and performed by James Farley and superbly directed by Sophia Vi. Go!

I met this fabulous performer at the Adelaide Fringe Late night party at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and connected with them, swapping flyers. I let them know I would come and see the show and boy am I glad I did!!

This one person show was absolutely brilliant!! So much humour being able to be had even through difficult experiences that could have been completely in sadness but like Reuben Kaye said it best at his show, paraphrasing, if you laugh at the things you fear, then they no longer hold any power over you or at least that gives more power back to you rather than the fear. This is exactly what James Farley does in this enlightened account of his life experiences. This whole story, needs to be told and shared and told again and I really find such comfort in knowing that it can be told with such humour and compassion and be able to share the important messages whilst telling the story. I really think this should be a mainstream tail, so that people can see it relates to a lot of people, it can relate to women too as well as other men and I feel it should be shared in the mainstream. A must see show!

I saw Good Boy at the first preview in London, and was completely bowled over by this incredibly brave, tender, and heart-wrenching solo play.
Then I saw it again at its first performance here at the Fringe... and it had, somehow, grown even more. This is an important play, with tremendous depth, subtlety, and unexpected huge laughs in the midst of darkness.

Keep an eye out for James Farley, who wrote this autobiographical piece, and performs it with great panache and clarity - he's most definitely going places.

Staggering work. Through engaging storytelling, really exquisite movement choices and a sweet and compelling character, James and his brilliant production team have brought forth a shocking yet all too familiar tale of the dangers that accompany trying to find connection when you fit a certain physical archetype in a world in which men's most insidious desires are centred, prioritised, and excused. Not a play to miss.

Performed with such confidence, self assurance and featuring the sharpest multi-roling I've seen in a solo show this year. James demonstrates a whole lot of talent in 50 minutes, deftly navigating some particularly unnerving scenes with humour and charm. Each 'chapter' of the play is presented with stark honesty, weaving a thematic web which becomes increasingly clear as the narrative progresses, exposing commentary on the objectification, commodification and, most disturbingly, infantilisation of queer bodies. Good Boy balances these incredibly dark themes by finding ways to crack the audience up into laughter every other minute, and that, to me, really is quite the achievement.

Performed and written with passion and heart

I knew this show was going to be good but it exceeded what were already high expectations. It is beautifully written & James delivers some pretty heavy stuff while at the same time creating great comic moments. It's fair to say that there were times when it was difficult to hold back from getting up on stage & giving him a big reassuring hug! This is a must see.

Must-see new queer theatre; incredibly candid and covers some truly shocking subject matter, yet in James' capable hands it becomes deeply funny, hugely watchable, controlled and considered, with a beautifully affirming spirit.

I was very impressed by this show. Very well acted. Lots of laughs but also triggered a few somewhat uncomfortable memories from my youth...some being a rite of passage and some a lot more unpleasant. Honestly one of the best, most professional shows I have seen on the Fringe. Highly recommended

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