Ukrainian Comedians Bring Laughter to a War-Torn Nation
A rare event took place on October 14, 2023, in Kyiv’s Palace Ukraine. For the first time, stand-up comedian Anton Tymoshenko gave a solo performance at this prestigious venue.
Comedy has become more popular in Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion. Many Ukrainians turned away from Russian acts and started looking for Ukrainian culture instead.
Anton Tymoshenko said after his concert: “I grew up in a village with fewer people than Palace Ukraine can hold.” He added that many thought stand-up comedy wouldn’t reach this level, but it has now because of the war.
Key comedians say they make jokes to help the public deal with the harsh reality of war and raise funds for the army. Anton Tymoshenko said: “Stand-up comedy is a budget version of psychotherapy.”
Another popular performer, Nastya Zukhvala, said the full-scale invasion in February gave stand-up comedy in Ukraine a boost, albeit for darker reasons. She stated that comedy can make reality look less catastrophic and unite people.
Ukrainian comedians have turned their jokes into a way to cope with the danger. Hanna Kochehura said: “It looks even darker from abroad… You never know if this air raid is going to be your last.”
Their humor often focuses on making fun of the dangers they face. Anton Tymoshenko joked about not worrying about nuclear attacks because rich residents would die first.
Comedians like Hanna Kochehura and Nastya Zukhvala say their jokes help people process depressing information. They also perform charity shows to raise funds for the Ukrainian army.
Anton Tymoshenko has donated more than 30m hryvnyas (£580,000; $710,000) since February 2022. He said his main task is holding concerts to raise funds for the military.
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