Starring Samuel Barnett | Written by Marcelo Dos Santos | Directed by Matthew Xia
Stand-up comedy isn’t a common feature at the Adelaide Festival, so it feels a bit strange to be seated in what looks like a typical stand-up set, complete with neon lights, red curtains, and a single microphone stand.
Samuel Barnett bounds onto the stage and, over the next 55 minutes, delivers what can only be described as a whirlwind of information, storytelling, and raw emotion.
His delivery is absolutely impeccable. Switching effortlessly between characters, accents, narratives, and stand-up comedy, Barnett is a captivating force of performance, relatability, and surprisingly unsettling comfort.
It’s slightly disconcerting to see such an outstanding performance of what is essentially a sweet and funny story. While the show is layered with existential dread, that’s become the norm these days, and the exploration of dating life might actually seem more relatable than outlandish, with the show’s central premise landing somewhere between the familiar and the unexpected.
From the producers of Baby Reindeer, Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen is a dark, grey comedy that delves into the love life of a stand-up comedian and the lengths they are willing to go for a laugh. When love seems too good to be true, building strong relationships involves finding and testing boundaries — and having the difficult conversations that come with them. The performance tells the story of meeting what could be “the one,” while humorously conveying the inner dialogue of our thoughts and feelings — those we often keep to ourselves but are too afraid to express when the moment arrives.
Barnett connects strongly with the audience, creating the feeling of a friend engaging with you and drawing you in. The amount of dialogue delivered without skipping a beat — despite all the twists and turns — is seriously impressive. The performance strikes a balance between the light and the dark, boldly stating the kinds of dark thoughts many people have but rarely share. The audience’s reactions — from bursts of laughter to moments of stunned silence — highlight just how deeply the performance resonates.
Barnett’s ability to explore the complexities of love, fear, and the search for connection in such an open and relatable way leaves a lasting impact. There’s something incredibly refreshing about a show that doesn’t shy away from the awkward, messy realities of relationships while still making you laugh out loud.
Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going to Happen is showing at the Adelaide Festival, with tickets available here:
https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/
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