Osan Yaran

"Shall we begin?" In German.

The moment just before it begins: everything is ready, the lighting is set, and it’s about to start. “Shall we begin?” isn’t a title for Osan Yaran—it’s a starting signal, a glance at the audience, a brief grin, and then there’s no turning back. It’s his fourth solo performance and his most personal one yet.

It deals with growing older—precisely those moments one would rather repress. The first time. The prostate exam. The situation on the train where you’re suddenly mistaken for a doctor and realize that adulthood is mostly just well-played improvisation. Add to that the role of a father, marriage, his career, and the daily madness that results from all three. All topics where someone in the audience knows exactly what he’s talking about—and laughs precisely because of it.

Yaran constantly shifts between different time periods: memories of family, early insecurities, and formative encounters collide with artificial intelligence, social media, and the overwhelming pressure on a man who wants to do everything right but breaks a sweat just trying. His take on it is sharp and self-deprecating at the same time, though the self-deprecation clearly takes the upper hand, and no one leaves the theater without having recognized themselves in at least one moment.

His performance features full physical engagement, precise timing, and a directness that pulls no punches. It’s a craft that explains why the Berlin native has been in high demand for years wherever a high density of punchlines counts: From 2017 to 2020, he hosted “Hot Shots” at the Quatsch Comedy Club; he’s a welcome regular on “Nightwash,” and WDR regularly brings him on camera for shows. Most recently, he won the audience award at the Stuttgart Besen.