Roadshow laughs roll into town

LAUGHTER will fill Her Majesty’s when the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow arrives in Ballarat next week.

Hot off the back of MICF, top stand-up comics Chris Ryan, Blake Freeman, Prue Blake, Jay Wymarra, and Takashi Wakasugi are set to perform next Thursday, 12 May.

As the winner of last year’s RAW Comedy national final, Blake is ready to step onto the historic theatre’s stage for the first time as part on the “on-form, fighting fit” line-up.

She’s just finished a month-long run of nightly Comedy Zone shows at Victorian Trades Hall as part of the Festival.

“I always joke about wanting to be the most famous person at least in my own family, so this is a good step in doing that,” Blake said.

“I’m so excited to get to perform to new audiences in new places. So much of what we do is trying to build an audience and get seen by people.

“For my day job, I work in community engagement and we do so many workshops in town halls and theatres across regional Australia, so my new goal between comedy and community engagement is to perform in every town hall and theatre that Australia has.”

As part of Roadshow, the bill of five headliners will each present their best 15 to 20 minutes of material, with Ryan hosting the evening of entertainment.

“Chris is from Canberra, she’s so funny, and absolutely amazing. You get five tight, hot, punchy sets and fun slices of life from us all,” Blake said.

“We’re all very different comics. If one style of comedy is not usually your thing, your eyes may be opened to it, or you may fall in love with someone new.”

Visit hermaj.com/events/comedy22 for tickets.