- City – Kyiv (Ukraine)
- Language – Ukrainian
- Activity – stand-up comedian, blogger
Ivan Barbul is a Ukrainian stand-up comedian, also known as Gosha Prank. Over the years of his creative activity, the charismatic mustache man has become a true legend of the capital's humorous scene. Barbul, together with Yevhen Yevsyukov, founded the first independent stand-up club Comedy Room Kyiv in Kyiv. In addition, Ivan is the "godfather" of many famous comedians today and a producer of successful stand-up projects.
Career development in humor
Ivan was born and raised in Kyiv. Before fully immersing himself in stand-up, he worked in the advertising industry for a long time: he wrote scripts, thought out campaigns, organized filming and got a good feel for how the industry works. Today, Ivan is a comedian whose popularity is steadily growing. Each solo performance or any performance easily fills the halls. Hundreds of people come to events with the participation of Ivan Barbul, who monitor the poster, buy tickets in advance and know for sure that they will receive an evening of quality comedy, filled with witty observations and topical jokes.
Performance formats
The formats in which Ivan Barbul works are quite diverse. Each of them reveals him in his own way as a comedy artist. The most attention of the audience is paid to the solo stand-up of the talented Kyiv resident. Evenings where the comedian builds a coherent monologue, presenting new material or the best from his repertoire, help to qualitatively reboot and fill with positive life.
A separate place in the solo program is occupied by improvisation - live interaction with the audience without a script, where each joke is born here and now.
Barbul also acts as a host and moderator. In this capacity, the comedian sets the mood for stand-up concerts, keeping the pace and atmosphere of the event from beginning to end. The comedian also actively participates in comedy shows, participates in YouTube projects and podcasts, expanding the boundaries of modern Ukrainian comedy and stand-up culture.
Style of humor and joke topics
The basis of the comedian's material is situations familiar to everyone, but presented from an unexpected angle. Ivan Barbul easily transforms such topics as everyday life, relationships or his own failures into bright ironic stories in which the viewer recognizes himself. The comedian does not avoid acute social topics: he carefully but aptly ridicules the habits of society, adaptation to new realities and strange situations in which people find themselves.
His prank past also left its mark on Ivan's work. The experience of working on the GoshaPrank project taught him to see the funny in the behavior of others and to embody it in his texts. The artist himself explains that frankness is important to him, and swearing in stand-up is just a way to be real and honest. At the same time, the comedian clearly outlines the boundaries: he does not joke about the war or the Ukrainian military. Instead, he boldly explores other areas of life through comedy.
Ivan Barbul's authorial style can be characterized as a combination of self-irony, attention to detail, and the ability to notice the unusual and sometimes absurd in everyday life. In his performances, the comedian often jokes about his own appearance - in particular, his trademark mustache - or his internal state during anxiety and blackouts, which adds honesty and naturalness to his performances.
The atmosphere of live performances
The peculiarity of Ivan Barbul's performances is the feeling of closeness between him and the audience. His stand-up is not just a monologue from the stage, but a constant interaction where the viewer becomes a part of the comedy. The artist easily enters into a dialogue, responds to lines with wit, and improvises successfully. And that is why every evening is different from the previous one. Ivan's solo performances are characterized by a friendly vibe and intimacy, even when it comes to large venues.
The comedian presents his performances as a kind of mental relaxation - an opportunity to distract from the news, stress, and daily problems for a few hours. Ivan Barbul's stand-up is an event where humor becomes a tool of therapy, and the light atmosphere helps to get rid of emotional tension.
The most interesting numbers and projects:
Among Ivan Barbul's famous projects:
- "GoshaPrank", "Ivan NEDORN", "PRAVDAMEN" - the comedian's original developments, in which he implemented bright parody images;
- Comedy Room Kyiv is a stand-up club created together with Yevhen Yevsyukov. Today it is one of the key independent formations where the modern Ukrainian stand-up scene is being formed, performances are held, new monologues are tested and fresh formats are born;
- the running club "B'yutybig" is another non-standard project that Ivan Barbul started talking about in 2020. This is an online community with an ironic approach to running: participants shoot videos during runs, repeat the signature phrase and share it on social networks. The idea started as a joke and a parody of beauty bloggers and runners, but over time it grew into a full-fledged movement that united people from different cities - from Odessa to Lviv, from Bukovel to Kharkiv;
- charity stand-ups - individual concerts and tours aimed at supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
You can also see Ivan in popular entertainment shows: "Would You Be Surprised?", "Standup PОREVO”, “Who Knows the Show” and others.
The Comedian’s Audience
Ivan’s stand-ups are attended by viewers who appreciate honest humor and apt observations of life. They are mostly young, progressive residents of the capital and its guests, open to bold jokes and ready to laugh at themselves. They are attracted by live improvisation, intelligent irony and the opportunity to become part of an interactive stand-up evening.
Ivan Barbul’s performance schedule and concert tickets
The entire current schedule of events appears on Instagram – both on the Comedy Room Kyiv page and on Ivan’s personal profile. That’s where you can track the nearest tour and choose a convenient performance date. And it’s always convenient to buy tickets in time at an affordable price on the website of the country’s main ticket operator Concert.ua.
Why you should go to Ivan Barbul's stand-up
Ivan has been doing humor for many years and has a good sense of the audience. He knows how to keep attention from the first minute to the final joke. The secret of the comedian's popularity is a combination of experience in the advertising industry, clear monologue dramaturgy and bold, sometimes provocative humor.
The artist's performances create a unique vibe - lively and honest. That is why admirers of the author's talent try to use any opportunity to meet his idol and get a powerful charge of positivity and good mood.
