Comedy Clubs in Russia

Moscow is home to one of Russia's top comedy clubs.

Much has changed since Russian comedian Yakoff Smirnoff emigrated from Odessa to the U.S. in 1977 and rose to fame here in the mid-1980s with his famous catchphrase "What a country!" While Smirnoff still uses that punch line to brand himself on Twitter (@Yakoff_Smirnoff) and in the halls of his Branson, Missouri, theater, stand-up comedy in his native country is flourishing, most notably at Moscow's Comedy Club.

Comedy Club

Launched in September 2003, the Comedy Club is Moscow's preeminent stand-up comedy club, despite the somewhat staggering top entry fee of $50. Co-founder and performer Artashes "Tash" Sarkisyan was inspired to open the club after watching comedians perform at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. In the space of just a few short years, the Comedy Club has become the launching pad for a number of so-called New Armenian stars and has had a namesake TV show spun off in the style of "Saturday Night Live." Other Comedy Club branches can be found in St. Petersburg, Saratov, Ijevsk, Krasnodar and Rostov. The Comedy Club's website includes an e-commerce section where merchandise can be viewed and purchased, and the TV show has its own Facebook page.

Comedy Club
101000, Москва, Милютинский
Moscow, Russia
[phone]
comedyclub.ru/

City Bar

A building once used by Vladimir Lenin as a hideout has replaced Marxism with mirth. Thanks to the bubbly personality of Irish-American co-owner Aileen Exeter, the recently revived City Bar in St. Petersburg is a favorite of expatriates, who relish the opportunity to enjoy such Western staples as the occasional stand-up comedy showcase. Located across the street from the U.S. Consulate, the bar must deal with a new reality of post-U.S.S.R. Russia: Many of the best stand-up comics now call the U.K. or the U.S. home.

City Bar
20 Furshtatskaya
St. Petersburg, Russia
[phone]

Moscow Theater of Clown Art

Housed in a resplendent, 1,000-seat auditorium, this permanent 1998 outgrowth of an earlier annual Moscow Clown Festival presents family-friendly comedy performances under the tutelage of Artistic Director Theresa Durova. The performances also connect thematically to one of Russia's most legendary comedy performers, Slava Polunin, dubbed "the best clown in the world." Under Soviet rule, stand-up comedy performances--even ones skirting overt political satire--were strictly prohibited. But nimble performers such as the now 59-year-old Polunin were able to get their message across under the guise of kiddie entertainment.

Moscow Theater of Clown Art
113093, Pavlovskaya St., 6
Moscow, Russia
[phone]
durova.org/eng/

Studio 69

Located in Riga's Royal Hotel and Casino Spa Resort, the nightclub Studio 69 is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Inserted occasionally into the mix are stand-up comedy performances by members of a troupe from the aforementioned Comedy Club, such as Gavr and Oleg. Getting nightclub patrons to stop what they're doing and pay attention to an interlude of improv-driven comedy is a tough task in any culture, but spaces such as Studio 69 remain an important part of the worldwide stand-up comedy circuit, providing venues in cities and towns that lack clubs dedicated to the art form. Another similar venue is the Moscow gay disco Three Monkeys, which sometimes features stand-up comedy entertainment.

Studio 69
Terbatas Street 73, Riga
LV-1001, Latvia
[phone]
info.studio69.lv/en/home/index.html

References

• 168 Hours: Comedy Club
• Moscow Comedy Club
• Studio 69
• Moscow Theater of Clown Art
• PetersburgCity.com: City Bar Is Back!