A Fool in School
A Fool in School follows comedian Efthimios, on the eve of his keynote speech at UBC's Tedx talk. This inspiring and hilarious odyssey takes us on his path, from two time dropout to an Honours in Philosophy and what he learned over a generation of rejecting and reconciling values and traditions from his Greek immigrant heritage.
A talented standup performance, that's ultimately a bit too light on the jokes.
Often Fringe shows will be "storytelling" which is a lot like standup, but different. This show is straight standup. Holding a microphone, staring into the stage lights, leaning on the mic stand, bottle of water on a stool – everything is classic standup.
And unfortunately, formatting it as a full standup set, makes it all the more noticeable when digressions meander and then end without a punchline.
There are good bits to be sure. He does a very funny metaphorical bit about an "emotion wheel" and walls and labyrinths. And many lines are delivered impeccably, with humourous asides.
But for a standup set, I think it needs more time in the writers room to buff up the punchlines.
“Not who I was, but who I wasn’t.”
This stand-up show was such an enjoyable experience, and I’d definitely recommend coming to see it! So many of his jokes landed, and I found myself laughing out loud throughout the performance. His humour felt natural and genuinely funny, making the whole show really entertaining.
I also loved how conversational the performance was. It almost felt like I was having a back-and-forth conversation with him, which made the comedy feel really personal.
I also found his story genuinely inspiring. If you’re looking for a show that will make you laugh while also leaving you with something meaningful to think about, I’d definitely recommend checking it out!