On April 1st, Odessa celebrated April Fools' Day with a joyful performance by the 'Masks' theater in the city garden.

This was reported by a correspondent from Ukrinform.

The actors sang songs, danced, and recited poetry. A humorous quiz also took place, offering tickets to the 'Masks' theater performance as prizes.

«We live in a world filled with negativity... However, the need for positivity is equally important. We know how to make people happy. I see how the faces of the audience change before and after our performances – they are completely different people. People have approached me and said that thanks to us, they smiled for the first time in years. A people who remember 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 is always present among Odessans, 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, the birth of children, and laughter. Laughter is one aspect of our life,» said the artist.

Since the 1970s, Odessa has traditionally hosted the Humorina festival, founded by the creative team of the KVN team 'Business People'. Initially, the festival took place at a stadium, featuring a carnival parade, a classic car show, comedy films, concerts, and competitions. 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. While there wasn’t a grand parade, the city saw the «Comedyada», a mini-festival from the 'Masks' theater. By 2017, thousands of people marched through the city’s central streets wearing clown wigs and funny costumes. During the pandemic in 2020-2021, Humorina was held online.

In 2022, despite the onset of a full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation, the residents of Odessa held Humorina-Dzhavilina. The main event was a charity online marathon in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

In 2023, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Humorina, the residents of Odessa were greeted by the actors of the 'Masks' theater and the National Guard orchestra. In 2024, the 'Masks' plan to host an «economy version» of Humorina in the city garden.