Recommendations from the Kyiv Independent: “I’m Kidding” by stand-up comedian Anton Tymoshenko (Patreon)

Dear readers,

This is Anya, social media manager at the Kyiv Independent. When I was asked to write a review for you all, there were many obvious-seeming options; Ukrainian books and movies about the war are being translated and subtitled in unprecedented numbers, giving me ample material to choose from.

However, I have a confession: Writing this from Kyiv in January, when the days are short, the headlines are grim, and the air raid siren goes off almost once a day, I crave media forms that make me laugh. Ukrainians have an amazing capacity for finding humor even in the darkest of times, with jokes often serving as both entertainment and a therapeutic outlet for the fear and frustration that are ever-present in our daily lives. So, to better understand Ukraine, its people, and the sometimes absurd realities of life during the full-scale invasion, I recommend comedian Anton Tymoshenko’s standup comedy routine “Жартую” (“I’m Kidding”).

Tymoshenko’s comedy explores a range of topics including anxiety over mobilization, how annoying voice messages can be, the slowness of foreign aid to Ukraine, and his mother’s nagging. It offers a glimpse into the morbid dualism of life in wartime Ukraine: We live under constant physical threat with no guarantees for the future, and yet we continue paying rent, going to work, bickering with our acquaintances, and engaging in the mundanities that make up human existence.

Through his often self-deprecating and irreverent jokes, Tymoshenko acknowledges the existential darkness of the invasion and the huge sacrifices made by Ukrainians while making the argument that laughter and happiness are more critical now than ever. In the final minutes of his routine, he states, “This is what the fight is for. To make us smile.”

“I’m Kidding” can be watched here with English subtitles.

Tymoshenko’s short English-language routines (including one performed in an air raid shelter) can be viewed here and here.