Can she make you Italian in 55 minutes?
“Trust me – I’m a doctor…”
Italy needs little introduction: its history, opera, art, culture and architecture have enriched the World for centuries, before we even talk about its celebrated and diverse cuisine and wine. Millions of Britons visit the country every year, and some even manage to make a life there, despite the complications of Brexit.
Stefania Licari is claiming to be able to make you Italian in just 55 minutes. This sounds ambitious - if only it were that easy. But Licari is not just any comedian; she is also a doctor.
Before stepping onto the comedy stage, Licari trained as a medical professional, specialising in intensive care treatment. She describes the gruelling working weeks, often more than 100 hours per week, with constant pressure and responsibility. And when COVID-19 hit, it truly was a battleground. She witnessed countless tragedies, especially harrowing when it involved young people. The arts were especially needed at that moment and a keen sense of humour preserved morale and kept people sane.
Stefania arrived in London to complete a post-graduate qualification, but she never went back. With her mix of Sicilian roots and Milanese upbringing, leaving Italy must have been quite a cultural and emotional wrench.
She studied at E15 acting school in 2014, followed by comedy training at the renowned Philippe Gaulier School near Paris. From doctor to comedian - on the face of it, that’s quite the career change. But Stefania had always had a desire to perform. She found that she had a natural ability to make her colleagues laugh, often in the most challenging of situations.
She holds that there are more similarities between the two professions than meet the eye. Both predominantly involve human stories. Both roles require high levels of empathy, sensitivity and humanity. Historically, both industries, sadly, have had glass ceilings, against which Stefania has repeatedly pushed. Above all, the move into comedy has given her a platform, a voice and a sense of agency.
Can she make you Italian in less than an hour? Her credentials suggest so. Ultimately, though, you’ll have to go along to her show to find out.
Trust her, she’s a comedian.
Following sold out seasons at Edinburgh, Adelaide and Brighton Fringes, Stefania Licari is performing at Underbelly, Bristo Square at Edinburgh Fringe, 5-31 August 2026 - https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/stefania-licari-i-can-make-you-italian-in-55-minutes
Can she make you Italian in 55 minutes?
“Trust me – I’m a doctor…”
Italy needs little introduction: its history, opera, art, culture and architecture have enriched the World for centuries, before we even talk about its celebrated and diverse cuisine and wine. Millions of Britons visit the country every year, and some even manage to make a life there, despite the complications of Brexit.
Stefania Licari is claiming to be able to make you Italian in just 55 minutes. This sounds ambitious - if only it were that easy. But Licari is not just any comedian; she is also a doctor.
Before stepping onto the comedy stage, Licari trained as a medical professional, specialising in intensive care treatment. She describes the gruelling working weeks, often more than 100 hours per week, with constant pressure and responsibility. And when COVID-19 hit, it truly was a battleground. She witnessed countless tragedies, especially harrowing when it involved young people. The arts were especially needed at that moment and a keen sense of humour preserved morale and kept people sane.
Stefania arrived in London to complete a post-graduate qualification, but she never went back. With her mix of Sicilian roots and Milanese upbringing, leaving Italy must have been quite a cultural and emotional wrench.
She studied at E15 acting school in 2014, followed by comedy training at the renowned Philippe Gaulier School near Paris. From doctor to comedian - on the face of it, that’s quite the career change. But Stefania had always had a desire to perform. She found that she had a natural ability to make her colleagues laugh, often in the most challenging of situations.
She holds that there are more similarities between the two professions than meet the eye. Both predominantly involve human stories. Both roles require high levels of empathy, sensitivity and humanity. Historically, both industries, sadly, have had glass ceilings, against which Stefania has repeatedly pushed. Above all, the move into comedy has given her a platform, a voice and a sense of agency.
Can she make you Italian in less than an hour? Her credentials suggest so. Ultimately, though, you’ll have to go along to her show to find out.
Trust her, she’s a comedian.
Following sold out seasons at Edinburgh, Adelaide and Brighton Fringes, Stefania Licari is performing at Underbelly, Bristo Square at Edinburgh Fringe, 5-31 August 2026 - https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/stefania-licari-i-can-make-you-italian-in-55-minutes
Can she make you Italian in 55 minutes?
“Trust me – I’m a doctor…”
Italy needs little introduction: its history, opera, art, culture and architecture have enriched the World for centuries, before we even talk about its celebrated and diverse cuisine and wine. Millions of Britons visit the country every year, and some even manage to make a life there, despite the complications of Brexit.
Stefania Licari is claiming to be able to make you Italian in just 55 minutes. This sounds ambitious - if only it were that easy. But Licari is not just any comedian; she is also a doctor.
Before stepping onto the comedy stage, Licari trained as a medical professional, specialising in intensive care treatment. She describes the gruelling working weeks, often more than 100 hours per week, with constant pressure and responsibility. And when COVID-19 hit, it truly was a battleground. She witnessed countless tragedies, especially harrowing when it involved young people. The arts were especially needed at that moment and a keen sense of humour preserved morale and kept people sane.
Stefania arrived in London to complete a post-graduate qualification, but she never went back. With her mix of Sicilian roots and Milanese upbringing, leaving Italy must have been quite a cultural and emotional wrench.
She studied at E15 acting school in 2014, followed by comedy training at the renowned Philippe Gaulier School near Paris. From doctor to comedian - on the face of it, that’s quite the career change. But Stefania had always had a desire to perform. She found that she had a natural ability to make her colleagues laugh, often in the most challenging of situations.
She holds that there are more similarities between the two professions than meet the eye. Both predominantly involve human stories. Both roles require high levels of empathy, sensitivity and humanity. Historically, both industries, sadly, have had glass ceilings, against which Stefania has repeatedly pushed. Above all, the move into comedy has given her a platform, a voice and a sense of agency.
Can she make you Italian in less than an hour? Her credentials suggest so. Ultimately, though, you’ll have to go along to her show to find out.
Trust her, she’s a comedian.
Following sold out seasons at Edinburgh, Adelaide and Brighton Fringes, Stefania Licari is performing at Underbelly, Bristo Square at Edinburgh Fringe, 5-31 August 2026 - https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/stefania-licari-i-can-make-you-italian-in-55-minutes