Review

REVIEW: Blake Freeman: There’s Something There – 4½*

Radio Ha-Ha! talks Ha-Ha!

Written by Sarah Exton

Fresh-faced, Aussie comic, Blake Freeman, brings his debut hour ‘There’s Something There’ to the upstairs venue of Soho Theatre. Casually coming onto the stage in a plain white t-shirt and jeans, this lad is a star in the making.

Self-describing himself as “lazy” and “dumb”, throughout the hour Blake tells numerous anecdotes justifying these choice of adjectives in a playful manner. A lot of young comics seem to take on a more casual approach to their delivery, and Blake is no exception, however, his general demeanour also makes him incredibly likeable. 

The focus of the show is about Blake himself, with the inclusion of several funny anecdotes involving his family; from his Dad’s attempt at an insurance claim, his Mum’s post-it sense of humour or his step-Mum’s fight with a parking inspector. Even when the show takes a slight melancholy turn as he talks about a custody battle over his dog with his ex – the tone and flow of the show is incredibly consistent and enjoyable. Ending the show with probably one of my new favourite stories of when a comedy-bit with a friend accidentally goes too far.

Periodically perching on a bar stool to tell these tales, his overall presence is somewhat stereotypical of your laid back Australian, and this works well with the content of the show. Creating a personable atmosphere with his almost seemingly unprepared tangents normally foreworded with a variation of “Yeah, fuck it, I’ll tell this”, his storytelling style and ability is reminscent of Billy Connolly.
If there’s ever a chance to watch an international comic on the rise, then this is it.

Catch Blake whilst you still can on at the Soho Theatre, 8:45pm, until the 16th November. Book your tickets: https://sohotheatre.com/shows/blake-freeman/