Damien Power: Utopia: Now In 3D! (MICF)

Still waters run deep, so the saying goes, and that's certainly the case where Damian Power is concerned - beneath the unassuming surface tension of his laid-back comedy is a veritable Mariana Trench of profound ideas.

Like all big thinkers, Power's outlook tends to raise more questions than it answers, but that's not to say it isn't also damn funny. In his latest show, Utopia: Now In 3D!, the comedian grapples with a cavalcade of epic conundrums, from the absurdity of religion to the affectation of masculinity to the disconnect between our flippant aspirations and the realities of attaining those dreams.

There's enough gravitas in these topics to crush a stand-up show pancake-flat, and yet this taut, expertly judged hour of comedy manages to package these grand philosophies in an easy, accessibly bullshit-free delivery, granting an audience permission to laugh while simultaneously getting their neurones firing.

There's also a disarming infusion of character comedy as Power inhabits an evangelical preacher or a bogan indy racer wannabe, and his wry, quirky anecdotes about romantic misfires, getting to grips with fatherhood or coping with his ex-wife's choice of boyfriend draw his audience close with endearing familiarity. Of course, this gentle clowning and affable storytelling is in the service of a much grander scheme, but in the moment, they exist as perfect comic vignettes, with all the pith and zing of classic stand-up.

It's this savvy balance between the immediate payoff of a great punchline and the intellectual longevity of an incisive observation that makes Power's comedy so rewarding. Finding the pivot point between big ideas and big laughs takes veteran skill, and the robustness of this equilibrium in Power's shtick reveals what a world class comedian he is - which three Barry Award nominations can also attest.

But perhaps the most impressive attribute of this show is not the calibre of its construction, but rather the confidence of the material. Power does not try to bludgeon the audience with his thoughts, until they're forced to submit. He merely plants the seed of an idea and allows it to take root. This is comedy that keeps resonating in the mind long after the mic falls silent.

Damien Power presents Utopia: Now In 3D! till 23 Apr at ACMI, part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.