Ukrainian humorists face the war with humor

On October 14, 2023, an unusual event was held in the most prestigious residence of Ukraine, Palace Ukraine in Kiev.

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

“I grew up in a town with less people than the palace Ukraine can hold,” he said after the concert. “A lot of people told me: it’s not going to happen… stand-up comedy hasn’t reached that level.”

Now it has, in large part because of the all-out invasion launched by Russia.

The invasion alienated many Ukrainians from previously familiar and lavishly promoted Russian actions and sparked a renewed interest in Ukrainian culture.

Top Ukrainian comics say they are now making jokes to help the public cope with the harsh reality of war and also to help the army by raising money.

“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, that’s the best.”

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

“The demand for comedy seems completely natural to me now, because comedy is accepted and embraced.

“It can also make reality less catastrophic. It’s a tool that can help us process that stream of depressing information,” he told me.

“To be optimistic or even to stay healthy, we have no other choice.”

So what are the jokes that are making Ukrainians laugh?

This kind of humor is harsh, says comedian Hanna Kochehura, but if you make fun of the danger, it’s easier to deal with.

“It looks even darker from abroad, and it’s clear why. Anyone who’s been in Ukraine knows there’s no safe place here,” he says.

“You never know if this airstrike will be your last. You never know if a Shahed drone will target your home or your family’s home.

“Of course, all our issues are related to war. Because it is our life now. Stand-up comedy is a frank genre where comedians talk about their experiences or thoughts,” says Mrs. Kochehura.

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

“I never worried because I know that a nuclear attack would mean death for the rich residents of Kiev. I live on the outskirts, but the nukes will hit the central parts. Before the madman can reach me, he will have to make two changes in the subway. .

“More realistically, the Shahed drones in Iran will kill me. It’s sad: have you heard the noise they make? It’s very demotivating, like the cheapest kind of death.”

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

“If we’re not allowed to use (Western) missiles against Russian targets, well, it’s funny because it’s absurd. I’m basing it on this absurd scheme, and it becomes ridiculous.

“Of course, Ukrainians think it’s funny.”

Western allies were initially reluctant to allow Ukraine to use their missiles against Russian targets, fearing an escalation. But the permission was given by Kyiv after a month of pleading: the first shorter-range weapons were introduced May 2024then long-range missiles in November.

Joking about war is full of pitfalls.

Anton Tymoshenko says he’s trying not to “inflame” his viewers or add to the trauma they’re already suffering.

“In times of war, stand-up comedy is the most difficult kind. It’s possible to make jokes without offending anyone, but that would be like making jokes 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 been supporting the armed forces. We all participate in fundraising (for the Ukrainian army). We do charity shows and many of them perform in front of the military,” says Hanna Kochehura.

Some, Nastya Zukhvala’s husband Serhiy Lipko, himself a comedian, is in the army.

“Culture, humor or psychology – that’s all fine, but everything has to have a practical use for the military. When so many missiles are on their way to hit you, you’re not so interested in just talking about art,” he says. Mr. Timoshenko

“My main task is to do concerts to raise money for them.”

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