On April 1st, Odesa celebrated April Fool's Day, where the actors of the «Masks» theater put on an unforgettable show in the city garden.

This event is reported by a correspondent from Ukrinform.

The performers sang songs, danced, and recited poetry. Additionally, a humorous quiz was held, where tickets to the «Masks» theater performance were raffled off.

«We live in a world of contradictions... When there is a lot of negativity around, the need for positivity grows. We have the ability to make people happy. I see how faces change after our performances – they are completely different people. Audiences often come up to me and say they smiled for the first time in years thanks to us. A nation that remembers how to laugh can never be defeated,» said Boris Barsky, director of the «Masks» theater.

Theater actor Oleksandr Postolenko noted that the need for laughter is always present among Odesans, especially during wartime.

«Everyone needs to distract themselves. Of course, we must not forget that there is a war. We need to help. It's impossible to forbid love, having children, and laughing. Laughter is one of the facets of our life,» said the artist.

Since the 1970s, April 1st has traditionally been celebrated in Odesa as Humorina, founded by the author team of the Odesa KVN «Business People.» The first Humorinas included events at the stadium, a carnival parade, vintage car displays, concerts, and caricature contests. In 1976, the festival was banned but revived in the late 1980s.

In 2014, Humorina was canceled due to the difficult situation in the country. While there was no grand parade, a «Comedyada» mini-festival organized by the «Masks» comic troupe took place in the streets. By 2017, thousands of people were again celebrating, donning clown wigs and funny costumes. During the pandemic in 2020-2021, Humorina was held online.

In 2022, despite the onset of the full-scale invasion, Odesans held Humorina-Dzhavilina, with a charity online marathon to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In 2023, for the 50th anniversary of Humorina, the «Masks» theater actors and the National Guard orchestra greeted the Odesans. In 2024, the «Masks» organized a so-called «economy version» of Humorina in the city garden.