Laughter Amidst War: How Odesa Celebrates April Fools' Day
On April 1st in Odesa, in celebration of April Fools' Day, actors from the «Masks» theater held a festive performance in the city garden.
This was reported by a correspondent from Ukrinform.
The performers entertained the audience with songs, dances, and poetry. There was also a humorous quiz where tickets for upcoming «Masks» theater shows were raffled off.
«We live in a world where laughter is essential... When there is a lot of negativity, the need for joy grows. We know how to make people happy. I see the faces of people before and after our performances – they are completely different. Audience members often approach me and say that because of us, they smiled for the first time in years. A people that hasn’t forgotten how to laugh cannot be defeated,» said Boris Barsky, the director of the «Masks» theater.
Theater actor Oleksandr Postolenko noted that the need for laughter among Odesites is always present, especially during wartime.
«Everyone needs a distraction. Of course, we must not forget that there is a war. We need to help. It is impossible to forbid love, to stop having children, and to laugh. Laughter is one of the sides of our life,» said the artist.
Since the 1970s, Odesa has traditionally celebrated Humorina on April 1st, founded by the creative team of the Odesa KVN group «Business People». The first Humorinas featured celebrations at the stadium, a carnival procession, a parade of vintage cars, screenings of comedy films, concerts by amateur groups and stars, and competitions for caricatures and humorous photographs. In 1976, the authorities banned the festival, but it was revived in the late 1980s.
In 2014, Humorina was canceled due to the difficult situation in the country. There was no grand parade, but the «Comedyada», a mini-festival organized by the «Masks» comedy troupe, took place through the city. However, in 2017, thousands of people marched through the central streets of the city wearing clown wigs and funny costumes. During the pandemic, in 2020-2021, Humorina was held online.
In 2022, despite the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Odesites held Humorina-Dzhavilina. The central event was a charity online marathon in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In 2023, on the 50th anniversary of Humorina, Odesites were greeted by actors from the «Masks» theater and the National Guard orchestra. In 2024, the «Masks» plan to hold an «economy-version» of Humorina in the city garden.
