REVIEW: The Fool, Jordan Raskopoulos – Melbourne International Comedy Festival

I know Jordan Raskopoulous from the internet (Twitter, mostly) and for the time she tried to rig the Logie Awards to win for her performance in The Julian Assange Story. This is the first time I’ve seen her do stand-up and it was a wild ride.

Jordan isn’t backward in coming forward, being open and honest about her mental health and her “transgender journey” – a phrase that’s continually thrown at her by the press when she’s trying to sell her shows.

But it’s not all serious subjects in The Fool, not at all. Sometimes is a heartfelt ballad to her local kebab seller. Or a Ted Talk about why the “paper” sucks in Paper, Scissors, Rock. Or a rundown of how Jordan would win in a fight with Big Bird.

Some of it’s rough or doesn’t land, but Jordan is so big-hearted and willing to make fun of herself, you’ll be giggling along, even when things go wrong.

The Fool drove me to the longest laughing-fit I’ve had this festival and it’s hard to even describe why or how I was howling so much. It was a totally normal “fan fiction” story that almost did me in; the story taking twists and turns no one could ever see coming and only Jordan Raskopoulous could craft. Totally normal, completely ridiculous, I laughed until I almost couldn’t stop.

- Keith Gow, Theatre First

Jordan Raskopoulos jumps up on stage and plays The Fool at the Greek Centre until April 16th.

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