Neil Simon’s “Fools”

Neil Simon’s “Fools” is a boisterously lighthearted comic fable that has grown into a beloved staple of regional theater. Set in a fictional Ukrainian village cursed with chronic stupidity, this charming and whimsical family-friendly play provides a wonderful, fun afternoon or evening of theater.
An enthusiastic young schoolteacher, Leon Steponovich Tolchinsky, arrives in the isolated Ukrainian village of Kulyenchikov. He has been hired to educate Sophia Zubritsky, the 19-year-old daughter of the local doctor. Leon falls in love with Sophia the exact moment he meets her, despite her extreme lack of intelligence.
Leon quickly discovers that the entire village has been under a curse of “chronic stupidity” for 200 years. Because of the curse, Sophia is so intellectually challenged that she only recently learned how to sit down. Furthermore, Leon is told that if he cannot educate her within 24 hours, he will also become a victim of the curse and lose his own intelligence.
Despite Leon’s many dilemmas, the play has a kind of sweetness to it. We laugh at the townsfolk, but it’s clear that they want to be loved. The characters wind up gaining our affection and even reach out to the audience for it. The story suggests that love has the power to break even the most stubborn of psychological barriers.
But “Fools” is fun from start to finish, and it’s hopeful—everything we need right now. Come see Neil Simon’s mastery of wordplay and energetic dialogue shine at A.C.T. Studio Theatre weekends Sept. 4 – 20. For tickets and information, please visit actstudiotheatre.com or call (772) 932-8880. Tickets are $28; please call the box office for student and child discounts. A.C.T. Studio Theatre, a nonprofit theater, is located in the Cedar Pointe Plaza, 2399 SE Ocean Blvd., Stuart.