Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

The route from teacher to comedian is a well-trodden one –  Greg Davies, Frank Skinner, Romesh Ranganathan and Guz Khan are not doing half bad, are they? And now we are back in the classroom, with 2025 Sean Lock Award-winning maths teacher-turned-comedian Tom Towelling calling the shots. He’s here, in his own weird, ambling and wonderfully obscure way, to stitch connections between the two professions, and, in the process, his audience, too.

Although packed full of eccentricity, his debut show needs a little more lesson planning. Towelling bounces between songs, characters, autobiographical material and audience participation to present a show that proves his ability to keep even the most easily distracted students entertained. 

But he only sporadically returns to his central idea of teaching his audience how to knit. He rewards audience members who share personal anecdotes or answer his questions by drawing a thread of wool between them. 'It’s a metaphor,’T owelling announces. But it is one the show could give or take.

The real strength, then, is his expert crowd work. As his suit suggests, Towelling is in charge. Speaking to us with the air of a gentle, encouraging tutor, he creates an atmosphere where we feel safe – and even want to – join in. ‘I want to see you grow,’ he tells us, and, ever the fantasist, he encourages his crowd to share their dreams – tonight there were multiple wannabe astronauts in the room. 

At our own peril, we take part in his elaborate exercises – whether that be equations or schemes to ruin the show entirely. This interactive tone is set early with a karaoke session of Tiny Dancer, complete with gorgeous soaring high notes, as we take our seats.

He gives something of himself away too, of course. He talks us through his desire to give inspirational team talks – particularly to the England football team that lost to Italy in the Euro 2020 final – as well as another of his revealing career goals by the end. 

This might not be a perfectly honed show, but Towelling’s original, ever-confident voice is loud and clear. And, boy, is it more fun than being back at school.

Review date: 14 Aug 2026
Reviewed by: Anya Ryan
Reviewed at: Pleasance Courtyard