Okan Seese • “Tomatoes on the Ears”

The evening blends live art, stand-up, and comedy, using humor, energy, and self-deprecating wit to explore the everyday life of a deaf, gay man—from misunderstandings and dating to doctor’s visits and absurd encounters. Better tomatoes on the ears than a block of wood on the head: Okan Seese can’t hear. But that means he has all the more to tell—or rather, to sign! From his life straddling two cultures as a deaf, gay man, to funny dates, the challenges of a doctor’s visit without an interpreter—and what happens when the Jehovah’s Witnesses show up at his door. In his new solo show, Okan Seese takes the audience on a humorous journey through his everyday life, with plenty of self-deprecating humor. Hearing audience members are amazed when they get to know the world from a deaf person’s perspective—or when they realize what curious questions they themselves keep asking. Okan is Germany’s only deaf comedian and has established himself impressively quickly on the stand-up scene in recent years. He has already appeared on nearly every major comedy show, is a welcome guest at the Quatsch Comedy Club, and tours throughout Germany! In “Tomatoes on the Ears,” he blends personal stories, a knack for pop culture, and queer self-assurance with a humor that never comes across as forced. The audience experiences an evening that doesn’t just discuss barriers, but subverts them on stage—directly, playfully, and with an open-minded view of what is often taken for granted in society.