The Dark Art of Comedy in Ukraine
Jokes are about air-raid sirens, missile attacks—and dead Russians.
Last fall, when I visited the Comedy Room, Kyiv’s first venue devoted exclusively to stand-up, the mood was somber. The first act—Ivan Barbul, who founded the club— tried to warm up the crowd with a little dark humor.
"We all have a common dream: for Vladimir Putin to either die or be judged,” Barbul mused. “I don’t want him dead. I want him in court, so everyone can see him. But I’m really surprised by the location.”
The Hague, in the Netherlands, wasn’t where Barbul thought Putin should get justice. He’d prefer the trial to take place in
