Ukrainian comedians deal with war through humor

On October 14, 2023 an unusual event took place in the most prestigious venue in Ukraine, Palace Ukraine in Kyiv.

Anton Tymoshenko became the first Ukrainian stand-up comedian to give a solo performance there.

“I grew up in a village with fewer people than Palace Ukraine can hold,” he said after the concert. “So many people have said to me, ‘It’s not going to happen … stand-up comedy hasn’t reached that level.’

Now it has, largely because of the full-scale invasion launched by Russia.

The invasion turned many Ukrainians away from previously popular and heavily publicized Russian acts and sparked a renewed interest in Ukrainian culture.

Key Ukrainian comedians say they now make jokes to help the public cope with the grim reality of war and also help the army by raising funds.

“Stand-up comedy is a budget version of psychotherapy,” Anton Tymoshenko told the BBC.

“I like to relieve social tension with my jokes. When that happens, it’s the best thing.”

Another popular performer, Nastya Zukhvala, says Russia’s full-scale invasion in February gave a “boost” to stand-up comedy in Ukraine, albeit for darker reasons.

“Looking for comedy now seems completely natural to me because comedy is supportive and unifying.

“It can also make reality seem less catastrophic. It’s a tool that can help us process this flood of depressing information,” she tells me.

“To stay optimistic or even sane, we have no choice.”

So what are the jokes that make Ukrainians laugh?

This kind of humor is dark, says comedian Hana Kochehura, but making fun of the danger makes it easier to deal with.

“It looks even bleaker from abroad, and it’s clear why. Anyone who is in Ukraine knows that there are no safe places here,” she says.

“You never know if this airstrike will be your last. You don’t know if a Shahed drone will target your house or your family’s house.

“Naturally, all our subjects are related to the war. Because this is our life now. Stand-up comedy is a candid genre where comedians talk about their own experiences or thoughts,” says Ms Kochehura.

Here is an example – a joke from Anton Tymoshenko’s performance at the Ukraine Palace:

“I have never worried about a nuclear attack because I know it would mean death for the wealthy residents of Kiev. I live on the outskirts – but nukes will hit the central parts. Before the radiation reaches me, I’ll have to make two changes on the subway.

“More realistically, I’ll be killed by Iran’s Shahed drones. The sad thing is – have you heard the noise they make? They sound very demotivating, like the cheapest kind of death.”

“People can laugh at the news,” Anton tells me.

“If we’re not allowed to use (Western) missiles against targets in Russia — yes, that’s funny because it’s absurd. I build on this absurd fact and it becomes funny.

“Of course, Ukrainians find it funny.

Western allies were initially reluctant to allow Ukraine to use their missiles against targets in Russia for fear of escalation. But permission was granted after months of pleading by Kiev: the first shorter-range weapons May 2024then long-range missiles in November.

Joking about war is fraught with pitfalls.

Anton Tymoshenko says he tries not to “trigger” his audience or reinforce the trauma they may already be suffering from.

“Wartime stand-up comedy is the hardest kind. Joking without offending anyone is possible, but it would be like joking in a vacuum,” he says.

But it is usually possible to see where the line is according to Nastya Zukhvala:

“I feel what other Ukrainians feel. If I find something sad or tragic, I don’t see the need to turn it into stand-up comedy.”

There is also a very practical side to stand-up comedy in Ukraine – supporting its army.

“Almost all the comedians I know have helped the armed forces. We are all involved in fundraising (for the Ukrainian army). We do charity shows and many of them play in front of the military,” says Hana Kochehura.

Some, like Nastya Zukhvala’s husband Sergey Lipko, a comedian himself, are in the army.

“Culture, humor or psychology – all are fine, but all must be of practical use to the military. When so many missiles are about to hit you, you’re not so interested in talking about art alone,” says Mr Tymoshenko.

“My main task is to do concerts so that I can raise funds for them.

He says he has donated more than 30 million hryvnias (£580,000; $710,000) since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.