First FunniEST in Toronto

January 30, 2020

In January we had the first ever Estonian Comedy Festival, funniEST, in Toronto. The festival was co-organized by the Filiae Patriae Sorority (C!FP) in cooperation with VEMU, Museum of Estonians Abroad. On Friday, January 24 the Improteater Impeerium from Estonia presented a fun Improv night with improvised sketches involving also the audience. The same actors also held a free improv workshop on January 23 where everyone could experience and try out improvised acting. The main event of the festival was the stand-up night on January 25. The headliner for the evening was Andy Valvur, an experienced stand-up comedian with Estonian roots. Andy was born in New York, grew up in Japan, went to boarding school in Switzerland and university in California and therefore, he says, stand-up comedy was the only logical career path. Andy has worked in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. These days he mostly spends his time in Europe performing in theatres and at comedy festivals. Andy was joined by local stand-up comedians Paul Lillakas, Tanya Henley, Liia Kajak and Helle Wichman. They all created a night full of laughter and fun! See: estoniancomedyfestival.com for more info about the festival.