His country is collapsing | EdFringe 26 | John Achkar | Episode 589

What happens when your country is collapsing, you’ve just become a father, and you decide this is the perfect moment to perform stand-up in English for the first time?In Episode 589 of The Martin Talk Show, Martin Colton meets Lebanese comedian John Achkar at the Edinburgh Fringe to discover the story behind his brilliantly titled show:“His country is collapsing. He’s having a baby. So obviously, this is the right year for a Lebanese comedian you’ve never heard of to try English stand-up for the first time.”Fresh from a sold-out Arabic tour across 85 cities, John steps outside his comfort zone to perform in his third language. They explore fatherhood, fear, identity, life in Lebanon and the power of finding laughter in uncertain times.It’s an honest and funny conversation about starting again, taking risks and discovering that, despite our different languages and backgrounds, we may all be carrying versions of the same stories.🎟️ Discover John’s Edinburgh Fringe show:https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/john-achkar-his-country-is-collapsing-he-s-having-a-baby-so-obviously-this-is-the-right-year-for-a-lebanese-comedian-you-ve-never-heard-of-to-try-english-stand-up-for-the-first-time▶️ Watch the complete Edinburgh Fringe 2026 playlist:https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGnZRd991NmoilhuluZwsGrdB1nBLoiyB🌍 Discover more from The Martin Talk Show:https://www.themartintalkshow.comSubscribe and join Martin’s Question Quest as he searches for the person behind the performer, the story behind the story and asks: “How would you make this a better world?”#JohnAchkar #EdFringe2026 #EdinburghFringe #TheMartinTalkShow #StandUpComedy