The most renowned location in Ukraine, Palace Ukraine in Kyiv, hosted an unexpected event on October 14, 2023.
The first Ukrainian stand-up comedian to perform there alone was Anton Tymoshenko.
He said, “I grew up in a village with fewer people than Palace Ukraine can hold,” following the performance. “So many people had told me: It’s not going to happen… stand-up comedy has not reached that level.”
The full-scale invasion that Russia undertook is mostly to blame now.
The invasion sparked a newfound interest in Ukrainian culture and moved many Ukrainians away from the once-popular and heavily publicized Russian acts.
Prominent comedians from Ukraine claim that they are now using humor to help the audience cope with the harsh reality.
