Sasha Nezlobin answers our questions ahead of Sasha Nezlobin: I’m Fine heading to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Sasha Nezlobin: I’m Fine is full of stories about emigration, identity, fatherhood and rebuilding a life and career entirely from scratch in the West. After fleeing Moscow in 2022 following his public opposition to the invasion of Ukraine, Sasha Nezlobin - one of Russia’s most famous arena comedians – now delivers his first full hour performed entirely in English. Whenever anyone asks Sasha how he's doing, he answers the same way: 'I'm fine.' In this show he works out if he is. We chat to Sasha about starting over in America, performing in a new language and what success looks like.

Wow, Sasha, what a journey! The title of your show I’m Fine carries a kind of emotional irony. What does that phrase mean to you in the context of this show?

The title I’m Fine comes from one of the biggest differences I’ve noticed between cultures. If you ask a Russian, “How are you?”, you might get a two-hour answer. In most of the world, people simply say, “I’m fine.” For me, those words became a mask. My country is trying to conquer its neighbor, my family is divided between Russia and Ukraine, and “I’m fine” isn’t really true. On stage, I try to make sense of that through comedy. But don’t worry - this isn’t just a show about war. It’s also about family, relationships, moving to America, and discovering that Britain does a lot of things better than America. So I think you’ll like it :)

You were already an established arena-playing comedian before leaving Russia. How did it feel to go from professional certainty to starting again from scratch? Was there a moment in America when the reality of starting over truly hit you?

Starting over in America has been one of the biggest challenges of my life - but also one of the funniest. One night I’m sitting in a tiny basement waiting to see if my name gets called at an open mic; the next I’m remembering starring in a hit TV show and directing productions that shut down streets in Moscow. It feels like a sitcom. I miss the certainty I once had, but I don’t regret the decision. I can no longer perform safely in my home country, so I guess I’ll just have to become an international comedian. Hopefully, Scotland is next. I’m especially excited because I see Britain as the birthplace of stand-up comedy.

You have family connections in both Russia and Ukraine. How has that personal reality affected the way you understand the conflict?

I don’t really discuss the war with my family in Russia. We usually call it “the situation,” partly because I’m not sure our phone calls are truly private. On the Ukrainian side of my family, I stay in touch with one of my nieces. I was terrified to call her after the invasion began - didn’t know whether she’d still hear my voice as family or as someone from the country attacking hers. I also keep thinking about her grandmother. She survived World War II as a child, and now, at 94, she’s living through another major war in Europe. Just imagine what it must feel like to live through something like that for the second time.

Stand-up depends so much on instinct and rhythm. What have you discovered when rebuilding those instincts in English?

At first, my delivery was really slow. But there was something charming about it. The audience would lean in, curious to hear what I was going to say next, and I actually liked that feeling. Now my delivery feels much more like me. But performing in a new language has also given me a new sense of timing. Sometimes my pauses are longer, sometimes I search for a word, and that creates a different rhythm. Instead of thinking, “My English isn’t good enough,” I’m trying to use those moments on purpose. What used to feel like a weakness has become another comedy tool. My English still isn’t perfect. Sometimes I doesn’t notice my mistakes. Like now ;-)

What do you miss most about the life you left behind and what don't you miss at all?

…Money? Ha-ha. What I really miss are the simple things: walking my favorite streets and spending time with friends. But the Moscow I miss doesn’t exist anymore. From what I hear, many people have left, others have returned from the war carrying trauma, and military recruitment ads are everywhere. I get angry with Putin because he didn’t just take away my country - he took away the city I loved. For the first couple of years, I’d sometimes find myself wanting to go back, but every few months I’d hear another story reminding me why I couldn’t. I recently learned a new English word: “unfortunately.” Unfortunately, I don’t miss today’s Moscow. I miss the city I left behind.

When audiences leave I’m Fine, what do you hope they understand - about you, the war, about migration, or about the role of comedy itself?

First of all, I hope people leave thinking, “That was a great comedy show.” That’s always my biggest goal. I used to want to be first - the first stand-up comedian on TV, the first with a streaming special. Now I just want to become better at my art. I do open mics almost every day, and when I’m not performing, I’m writing or watching my sets to improve them. I hope people connect with my comedy, learn a little about Russians, a little about themselves, and realize that people from very different countries often struggle with the same things. If they’re still thinking about the show a few days later, we’ve done something right. It’s like alcohol - but with an intellectual hangover.

What would a successful Edinburgh Fringe run look like for you?

I hope I’ll still be doing comedy after it. And hopefully I’ll still have some energy left. I hope I’ll make new friends, collect great memories, get good reviews, build a stronger hour, write new jokes, and leave Edinburgh as a better comedian than when I arrived. Financially… if I manage to make back even 50% of what I’ve spent, I’ll call that a huge success. So please come to my show and help reduce my financial trauma. Help make “I’m Fine” a little more true.

Sasha Nezlobin: I’m Fine will be performed at 9:30pm at Pleasance Dome from 5th – 31st August. Booking link: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/sasha-nezlobin-im-fine