“Fear is a much worse decision-maker than failure.”
WHO: John Achkar
WHAT: “During the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, the Caves transform into a captivating labyrinth of creativity and performance unlike any other. Tucked away beneath the city’s bustling streets, these ancient underground chambers provide a uniquely atmospheric setting for an eclectic array of shows and events. Stepping into the Caves during the Fringe is like entering another world altogether. The dimly lit passageways and rugged stone walls create an otherworldly ambiance.”
WHERE: Just The Spare Room at Just The Tonic at The Caves (Venue 88)
WHEN: 15:40 (60 min)
MORE: Click Here!
Is this your first time to Edinburgh?
Not quite. I came to Edfringe last year as an audience member, so this is my first time performing at the Fringe. Experiencing it from the audience made me appreciate what makes it so special. For one month, the entire city seems to revolve around storytelling. You can walk into a room with no expectations and discover your new favourite comedian, or spend an hour watching something completely outside your comfort zone. There’s a real sense of curiosity that’s hard to find anywhere else.
Coming back as a performer feels very different. Last year I was watching people take risks on stage; this year I’m the one taking the risk. That’s exciting because the Fringe rewards originality and honesty. Nobody comes because they already know you, they come because they’re open to discovering something new. As someone performing his first full English-language show, I can’t think of a better place to test whether stories really can travel across languages and cultures.
What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?
The biggest lesson has probably been that fear is a much worse decision-maker than failure. This year I became a father, started writing stand-up in my third language, and realised I’d spent years convincing myself that my accent was the thing holding me back. It wasn’t. It was the fear of being judged, of starting over, of no longer being good at something I’d spent years building. I’m not sure I’ve fully absorbed the lesson yet because I still get nervous before every show.
But I have learned that confidence doesn’t usually come before you do something scary, it comes afterwards. Sometimes you have to act before you feel ready. Fatherhood reinforced that idea. You quickly realise there’s no perfect moment to take the next step. At some point, you just have to trust yourself and figure it out along the way. It turns out that’s true in comedy too.
Tell us about your show.
I wrote the show, but I’ve been super lucky to have an amazing team around me. It’s directed by my friend and performance Raffi Feghali, who has helped shape my Arabic tours over the past few years.
Producing the show are Salam & Holohan, who are behind some of the most exciting comedy shows at the Edinburgh Fringe. Having a team with that experience has made the whole process of bringing my first English-language show to the festival feel a lot less daunting.
The show has been developing over the past year through work-in-progress performances in different countries. It’s been an interesting process because I haven’t been translating an Arabic show into English—I’ve been rebuilding it from the ground up. Some stories survived almost unchanged, while others had to be completely be rewritten because what makes people laugh isn’t always the same as what makes them connect.
Edinburgh is the official premiere of the full show. After that, I’d love to keep performing it internationally. The whole project started with a simple question: can a story travel across languages without losing what makes it human? I hope Edinburgh is just the beginning of finding out.
What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?
One of the best things about the Fringe is accidentally discovering someone you’ll be talking about for years, so I’d encourage people to take a chance on someone they’ve never heard of. If you can, go and see Gianmarco Soresi, his writing is incredibly sharp and I’ve learned a lot from watching him. Alaa Shehadeh is another comedian I’m excited about because I love the way he tells stories, and if Janine Harouni or Daniel Sloss are performing while you’re there, they’re absolutely worth your time. More generally, I’d say this: leave a few empty slots in your schedule. Some of the best Fringe experiences happen when you wander into a tiny room knowing nothing about the act and walk out wondering why everyone isn’t talking about them already. That’s the magic of the festival.
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