In today’s non-simplistic, demanding theatrical environment, it’s difficult for playwrights to be able to pen comedies without being laughed off the stage themselves. It’s even more difficult, then, to write a piece that is full of hearty laughs – not just polite giggles – and has its audience all but rolling around the isles in fits of glee.

Stephen Carleton doesn’t believe comedy is dead and his play The Narcissist perhaps proves he is 100 per cent right.

In an age in which new comedies seem frowned upon or too predictable and boring, The Narcissist is a breath of fresh air and is pure gold in its comedic feel, delivering a fun, passionate and enjoyable night in the theatre.

The piece focuses around self-obsessed, overly gay Xavier (Sandro Colarelli) – a political campaign manager – and his long-time pal Bronwyn (Andrea Moor), who both agree it’s time to settle down and find a man for good. Each bets the other that they will find a man by New Year’s Eve, and that’s where the drama and fun begins.

Thrown into the mix is Xavier’s straight but feminine room-mate Satchel (Jonathan Brand), his former lover Jesse (James Stewart) and Jesse’s fiancé Y’landah (Judy Hainsworth).

The piece is simple in its approach – throw in an elaborate scheme where nobody knows anything and wait for it to all unravel – but it is Carleton’s perfectly placed one-liners, slight twists to the obvious and completely out-of-nowhere moments that make The Narcissist so wonderful.

It’s the first time a comedy has seriously dared to completely take on the new generation. Sure, plays have mentioned Facebook and reality television before, but never so brazenly. The frequent references to “Facebook friends” and the sub-plot revolving around Big Brother make this play easily acceptable to a younger, more contemporary theatrical audience.

The play threatens to go off the rails at times but always manages to get itself back on track. For example, Y’landah’s aversion to the colour brown and her gagging action whenever anal sex is mentioned is a little far-fetched, but the script surrounding this is humorous enough and it keeps the action flowing. Like all good comedies, the action is fast-paced so anything that doesn’t work is gone as quickly as it arrives.

There’s also a slight feeling of disappointment when the scene in which Y’landah unravels the lies at the crux of the story isn’t as funny as the rest of the play. There seems to be a lack of spark and energy here, though it is certainly found in the surprisingly amusing and out-of-nowhere final few minutes.

In the lead role, Sandro Colarelli puts in a knockout performance. He’s on stage for almost the entire play, and the energy and stamina required is enormous. His over-the-top, lovable, egotistical Xavier is excellent, and he delivers the one-liners that give this play its extra grunt to perfection.

Jonathan Brand is a highlight as Satchel, taking the character to a level beyond the simplistic, feminine scene-filler that the script often portrays him as, while Andrea Moor is entertaining and likeable as Bronwyn. Both James Stewart and Judy Hainsworth are great, Hainsworth in particular finding her inner bitch to be that annoying character every comedy needs.

Greg Clarke’s perfect design shows us the egotistical and self-absorbed Xavier, from his “ME” coffee table through to the photographs of himself that adorn his clearly upper-class apartment.

The Narcissist is what the Sydney Theatre Company and theatre itself has been lacking in recent years – a hearty, fresh comedy that gets it right. This is a laugh-a-minute, fun and vibrant production that deserves a big audience during its Drama Theatre run.