This was Ulises Toirac's reunion with the Cuban audience live after years away from the stage

The renowned Cuban comedian Ulises Toirac has returned to the stage after a prolonged five-year hiatus, marking his comeback with a show at the cultural center "El Cabildo" that exceeded audience expectations this Sunday afternoon and demonstrated that his voice remains necessary and relevant in contemporary Cuba.

"It’s intimidating to stand in front of an audience again after five years for an hour and a bit…”, the comedian confessed this Monday on his social media, where he mentioned that the performance took place at 4:00 p.m. on 4th Street and 7th Avenue, in Miramar, near the iron bridge.

"I advise you to make reservations through 50813470", warned the comedian, who hopes to have a regular spot at that location on Sundays.

The reunion was more than just an artistic act; it was a gesture of resistance, a declaration of principles, and an exercise in collective memory in times of censorship.

Although the stage experience may seem like a skill that doesn’t fade away, the comedian warned that it’s not simply like riding a bike: "The bike doesn’t change in a year like the audience, the sense of humor, the expectations... or the country does."

In his text, the humorist provided a critical overview of the events that have profoundly transformed the Cuban context since his last performance.

"Nothing had occurred that transformed the country to the limits we see today... neither COVID, nor the reordering, nor the more violent emigration, nor Murillo, nor Gil, nor the national postgraduate program in energy, nor 11/J, nor the university strike, nor the police assaults on Fernández Era... I'm in another universe", he noted.

"The profession of a humorist is bold, it is challenging, it is inherently dissident [...] Humor is a desacralizer, a smiley sapper. A person who makes others laugh about what might not sit well with the audience. Because that is their mission: to have laughter strip away society's falsehoods," he added.

The live comeback was not improvised. For days, Toirac prepared meticulously.

"I'm like a crazy person, rehearsing alone and paying attention to every detail so that, on stage, I can enjoy watching others have fun," he concluded.

“This was absolutely amazing. One of the most beautiful and enjoyable afternoons of my career. Thank you, thank you, thank you... As they say over there: SOLD OUT!!!!!”, celebrated the artist in another post in which he shared several photos from the show.

In one of them, he was seen alongside the pianist Frank Fernández.

In a video published on Facebook this Monday, the comedian appeared happy and grateful for his return to the stage.

The writer Jorge Fernández Era also commented on the event.

“What a phenomenal late afternoon and evening yesterday at El Cabildo with our brothers Ulises Toirac (he will repeat his show every Sunday), Ulises Aquino (owner of the venue and director of Ópera de la Calle), and the humorous writer and professor Pedro Lorenzo,” he wrote on social media.

Systematic censorship against Ulises Toirac: Recent background

Ulises Toirac has not been absent from the stage due to a lack of artistic will, but rather because of a sustained campaign of censorship that has marked his career in recent years, a consequence of his incisive criticisms of the government.

The cultural authorities of the Cuban regime have repeatedly blocked his performances, relegating him to professional silence and imposing economic and symbolic punishment for his critical stances.

In September 2023, the comedian publicly denounced that the Ministry of Culture demanded the organizers of two shows to change the cast, which in practice meant his exclusion.

“When was I put on the list?”, he questioned then on social media, while demanding the right to earn a living from his art.

The supportive reaction was immediate: colleagues, followers, and citizens expressed their solidarity in response to what they deemed a repressive act of arbitrary authority.

That same year, Toirac had spoken out against the elitism of events like the Cayo Santa María Festival, criticizing its disconnect from the needs of the people.

He also questioned the scarcity of basic products like fish and denounced the violent repression during popular protests in Caimanera.

In 2024, censorship remained. In June of last year, it reported the cancellation of a presentation in Cienfuegos.

"The power makes it clear that it is impossible to speak freely," she expressed bitterly.

Weeks earlier, in May, a "temporary" cancellation of one of his performances at the Club Biky in Havana occurred, without a public explanation. In April, he reported another ban at the Café Teatro Bertolt Brecht, where he had been invited to a comedy event.

As the restrictions tightened, Toirac sought refuge in the digital realm and looked for other ways to make a living.

In August 2024, he requested financial assistance to sustain his independent program “El Rapidín Matutino”, which is broadcast for free on his social media.

Despite the obstacles, Toirac has not abandoned his commitment to using humor as a critical tool.

Their presence on social media and now their return to the stage demonstrate a strong desire to continue making people laugh and think, from a Cuba where censorship remains a barrier, but not a definitive obstacle.

Frequently asked questions about the return of Ulises Toirac and the situation in Cuba