Cristian Sorea and the backstage of Romanian stand-up

Discover the story of Cristian Sorea, artist manager and co-founder of Comics Club, a landmark in Romanian stand-up.

Cristian Sorea, father of a 6-year-old girl, husband, artist manager, Owner Punchline Agency, Co-Owner Comics Club, Co-Owner Comedy Box.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in a way that makes those who don’t know you curious?
Cristian Sorea: From Vaslui, graduated in Iași as an Environmental Engineer, but I never got the chance to practice in this wonderful field. Currently manager and friend of comedians and more.

C&B: If we were to look at the narrative thread of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Cristian Sorea: The first joke I told to Vio, then the fact that I was serious and followed all the advice I received from Sorin, Vio, Toma, Cristi Popesco, and Sergiu, the first comedians with whom I started this wonderful journey.

C&B: What were the biggest challenges at the beginning of your path in such a dynamic field as stand-up?
Cristian Sorea: At first, the hardest thing was to convince club owners that these comedians were the best (from my point of view, of course).

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Cristian Sorea: More of a saying: “Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Everything happens for a reason.” My dream is that my daughter will always look at me with admiring eyes.

C&B: How did you look at the beginning of your journey and how do you feel you have transformed since then?
Cristian Sorea: With 18 kg less, first of all.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Cristian Sorea: That sometimes he’s late to meetings, but you can count on him.

C&B: What is the most important decision you made that changed your trajectory?
Cristian Sorea: Exactly one week after the first show I organized, I received a job offer from an environmental company, they wanted to hire me as an engineer, and I refused, having this dream to be part of the stand-up world.

C&B: How do you manage to support artists at the beginning of their careers and, at the same time, attract established names to the club’s stage?
Cristian Sorea: First of all, we have an amateur night, then we try to give them as many minutes on stage as possible alongside already established comedians. Regarding established names, it’s not very hard to have them on stage at Comics Club, it depends more on their time and if they are available that evening.

C&B: What differentiates Comics Club from other entertainment venues in Romania?
Cristian Sorea: I can’t say that we have something special, but surely it is a club specially built according to the standards of a stand-up comedy show, such as a low ceiling, stage positioned correctly in front of all spectators, etc. Everything was designed from the beginning to create a perfect environment for the comedian on stage.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments of the day bring you the most satisfaction?
Cristian Sorea: No day is typical, beautiful things to solve always appear, but also less pleasant ones. The important thing is that at the end of the day you have something to talk about. I don’t want to sound cliché, but I always get satisfaction from my family.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do and how do you apply them day by day?
Cristian Sorea: “If you don’t get out of bed, you can’t trip” – so small mistakes are part of the process.

C&B: How did you decide to launch Comics Club and what was the inspiration behind this project?
Cristian Sorea: It was more the decision of Toma, Sorin, Cristi, and Sergiu. I had only been working with them for one year and automatically joined the Comics Club team. It wasn’t necessarily inspired from anywhere, but more like a thought: “it’s about time we had our own place.”

C&B: What are the development plans for Comics Club in the coming years? Are you considering expanding to other cities?
Cristian Sorea: For now, we are not considering expanding to other cities. But there is always room for development for the current location, there is always room for better.

Cristian Sorea remains a true example of perseverance and vision in the Romanian stand-up scene, continuing to build spaces where humor and community thrive together.