August 8, 2024 The Scotsman
Dima Watermelon brings debut show Ukrainian dream to Edinburgh Fringe
The best comedy comes from tragedy. For Dima Watermelon, being from Ukraine was already tragic enough… and then the war started.In his debut Edinburgh Fringe comedy hour Ukrainian Dream, Dima makes fun of Putin, Berlin techno clubs, interracial relationships, shark attacks, nuclear war, and other funny subjects. It's wild, hilarious, and he doesn't hold back!Dima is a Ukrainian stand-up comedian currently living in Germany, but don’t worry - he hasn’t lived there long enough to lose his sense of humour.He also has a dream. And it's not just the destruction of Russia.The show brings Dima’s unique and hysterically honest Ukrainian perspective - so often overlooked in current political discussions - to Edinburgh Fringe audiences.Dima’s comic style was described as ‘deadpan absurdity’ by Stewart Lee when he watched Dima’s split show From Ukraine With Laughs with Pavlo Voytovych in 2022.Ukrainian Dream is on every day at Laughing Horse, The Raging Bull, throughout August. Advance tickets (PWYC starting at £5) are available.Dima Watermelon is a 33-year-old Ukrainian residing in Berlin. And yes, Watermelon really is his real surname, simply translated into English.Being naturally funny, Dima discovered his comedic appeal when pranking friends after he moved to study Computer Science in Finland in 2013.After spending two winters in Finland Dima started feeling a bit homesick, but not homesick enough to go all the way back to Ukraine. Berlin seemed like the perfect compromise, particularly East Berlin, which Dima has called home since 2015.Within a few years, Dima established himself as a regular comedian in the Berlin stand-up scene. Over the course of his career, Dima has performed in more than 20 countries, including renowned locations like the Gotham Comedy Club in New York, the Comedy Store London, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.Living in three different countries, and visiting over 40, Dima is no longer simply Ukrainian, but not quite European either. Stuck in this absurd cultural limbo, he finds laughter to be his best coping mechanism.Dima produces regular hit comedy shows in Berlin and tours around Europe. Click Here For Article