Michael Gougis’ The Syllabus was the ultimate guide to surviving the next eight weeks in his class. It was hilarious, witty, and dark, and had the room erupt in laughter more times than we could count.

Underneath the jokes, the show was a sharp, dystopian social commentary on stereotypes, the patriarchy, and the bleak learning environment that’s faced by students in our modern world.

As a one-man show, the second the performance began, Gougis had an immediately powerful stage presence, enrapturing the audience. His nuanced acting and simple set and slideshow placed the crowd instantly in a school setting, where he used stark imagery to set the scene on the issues faced by today’s youth.

More physicality and movement around the stage would have made the show more engaging, as well as more precise comedic timing, particularly in the first half. Despite this, the performance confidently tore down the “same tired stereotypes we’re used to” and redefined them simply as a way to profit off of the marginalized groups.

By the end of the show, the audience felt the weight of the systemic barriers and could clearly picture the true societal issues. The performance felt humorous and entertaining, yet forced us to realize the impacts of these issues, and how they’ve become integrated into social norms. The Syllabus was truly a lesson in refusing acceptance and complacency in the face of destructive societal conventions, and how to go about reconciling them.