By Daniel Herborn
Comedian Blake Freeman recalls a regional gig that almost went very wrong.
As soon as he walked out onto the stage, the audience started yelling “No!” and “Stop!”
Freeman says: “In my head, I was like: ‘Oh my God, this is brutal’.”
Blake Freeman is one of the comedians heading out on a NSW regional tour this month.Credit: Junkyard
He was in far north Queensland with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow in 2022.
“It turned out that the venue tech had accidentally shone a crazy bright light into the faces of everyone in the back row,” he says. “I mean, that’s brutal for them, but thank God it wasn’t just me walking out that had that effect.”
The experience hasn’t stopped Freeman from wanting to take part in future MICF Roadshows, a unique opportunity to bring festival-quality comedians to regional towns.
He’s heading out this month with his fellow comedians Chris Ryan, Prue Blake, Matt Ford, Jennifer Wong and Brett Blake (as MC) for a string of dates from Penrith to Coffs Harbour.
Ryan, who won Best Newcomer at the Sydney Comedy Festival in 2019, first set off with the MICF Roadshow in 2021. She describes regional tours as a joy.
“The gigs are always extraordinary,” she says. “Everyone’s up for them because they’re in places where you don’t tend to get headline comedy galas.”
Freeman, who won Best Newcomer at MICF in the same year, agrees.
“They’re so much fun; people are just so keen to be there,” he says. “It’s so different to playing in cities like Melbourne or Sydney. The venues in these towns are often more old-school and really quite beautiful.”
One of the most rewarding aspects of regional tours for Freeman has been meeting local punters, some of whom have never had a chance to see big-name comedians before.
Freeman, who grew up in Melbourne’s western suburbs, can relate. He recalls the first time he saw a major comedian, when his mum took him to a gig in the city headlined by Mikey Robins.
“I was like 15, and I remember leaving and feeling like: ‘What was that?’” he says. “I couldn’t even articulate what it was, but I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. I remember they were swearing, and I was like: ‘Ooh, this is so bad! They’re just saying swear words in front of me!’”
Freeman remembers how exciting it was to see live comedy for the first time in Melbourne when he was 15.Credit: Jim Lee
Ryan says the Roadshow’s format, where each comedian does about 20 minutes of material, gives the shows a different flavour to galas or club nights, where even prominent comedians only get five to 10 minutes of stage time.
“The unusual thing about Roadshow is the whole show is headliners,” she says. “Because of the nature of travel, we each get to do a big chunky set. It’s a good way for the crowd to get to know each performer.”
The comedian only started performing stand-up 12 years ago, at the age of 38, after having worked in communications for 20 years.
Chris Ryan enjoys the camaraderie that comes from going on tour with other comedians.Credit: Nick Robertson
She enjoys life on the road and is looking forward to raiding some country town op-shops while on tour this month.
“Can a person have too many clothes, even when they’re ethical?” she laughs. “But I’ll get everything from a nice hand-knitted scarf to a sheet to a strange little bowl that I know I don’t need.”
Most of all, it’s the camaraderie of the tour that warms her heart; she describes it as a “school camp for people that are supposed to be adults” and an antidote to the sometimes isolating nature of life as a travelling comic.
“You get to have all your meals together, so you’re connecting; you’re not just drifting along on your own,” she explains. “Because you’re in this weird school-type environment, you tend to goof off like teenagers and make snickering jokes in the van. It’s great.”
Both Freeman and Ryan have been approached by aspiring comedians when they’ve visited smaller towns, and agree it’s trickier to get started in comedy there.
While musicians or visual artists can hone their craft in bedrooms and garages, comedians are locked in a feedback loop with their audience. They need stage time to figure out what gets laughs, and it’s an uphill battle to get your 10,000 hours without the comedy infrastructure of a major city, where most working comedians can do multiple shows each week to thoroughly road test their jokes before festival season.
“I always tell people: ‘If you ever get a chance, head to either Sydney or Melbourne and just try to do shows,’” Freeman says. “In a smaller town, it could be trickier to start a gig. It would be kind of cool to put on your own shows. Who knows how it would go, but you could probably give it a crack.”
Freeman would like to do his own ‘greatest hits’ regional tour one day, and he values the chance to step outside the Sydney-Melbourne bubble. “I’m doing bits that I love, but it is kind of nerve-racking and exciting to see if they’re strong enough to play anywhere. You wonder if a bit is universal, or it needs to be in the context of Melbourne to work.”
Ryan’s Roadshow appearances might feature highlights from her witty, admirably candid festival show Busy, but she may also do some older gear or even freshly written jokes.
Ryan says she has a feel for what material will resonate with a particular audience.
“When I first did comedy … I used to prepare fastidiously for a month to do a five-minute open mic spot,” she says. “Now, I’ll look at the audience and think: ‘Ah, this is an older demographic, I’ll do my mum and dad stuff.’”
Ryan says that performing live for audiences is “the best job”.Credit: Jim Lee
Most of all, she’s looking forward to extending the festival season a little longer and connecting with some comedy-hungry audiences. “It’s the best job. You get to have fun while you’re doing it. I still can’t believe I get to do it at 50.”
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow is at Penrith, Tamworth, Dubbo, Orange, Cowra, Broken Hill, Taree, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour from June 20 to July 2.
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