A Parisian Night in Istanbul: Olivier Giraud Brings His Hit English-Language Comedy to Ataşehir
French comedian Olivier Giraud performs How to Become a Parisian in One Hour? — fully in English at DasDas Sahne on Saturday, October 24.
Nate
12 October 2026 · 👁 22 views
Ever been glared at by a waiter, scolded at a shop counter, or left wondering whether you broke an unwritten rule? Then you're halfway to becoming a Parisian. Olivier Giraud will happily teach you the rest.
On Saturday, October 24, 2026, the French comedian brings his long-running hit How to Become a Parisian in One Hour? to DasDas Sahne in Ataşehir. The show is performed entirely in English, with no subtitles or translation. That makes it an easy night out for expats, international students and English-speaking locals.
Meet the comedian
Olivier Giraud grew up in Bordeaux and first came to Paris to train as a chef. He then worked in the hotel business, including a stint living abroad. That time away made him notice how differently Americans and the French go about everyday life, and those observations became his material.
He was told an all-English comedy show could never work in Paris. He launched it anyway in 2009, through a production company he cheekily named French Arrogance Prod. More than fifteen years later, the show is still running at the 600-seat Théâtre des Nouveautés in Paris. It has also toured to cities including London and Brussels. According to the show, more than 800,000 people have now seen it.
Parisian life, with a comic twist
The show is a series of "lessons" in behaving like a true Parisian. You'll learn how to act in restaurants, shops, taxis and the metro, and above all how to master the famous Parisian attitude. Giraud plays it all for laughs: the impatience, the raised eyebrows, the pursed lips and the legendary arrogance.
The show is interactive, so the audience becomes part of it. You don't need to speak French, know Paris or understand its unwritten rules to enjoy it.
Why it lands for expats
Anyone who has moved to a new country knows the feeling of learning a culture's rules as they go, usually by getting them wrong first. Giraud's humour comes from exactly that culture clash. For an international crowd in Istanbul, it should feel very familiar.
Make an evening of it: invite a friend, meet for dinner beforehand and let Giraud handle the introduction to Parisian manners.
Save 300 TL with PARIS2026
With the Smileys discount, tickets are 1,200 TL instead of 1,500 TL with promo code PARIS2026. Enter the code when booking, and check that the discount appears before you complete payment.
The details
Show: How to Become a Parisian in One Hour?
Performer: Olivier Giraud
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 20:30
Venue: DasDas Sahne, Ataşehir, Istanbul
Language: 100% English, with no subtitles or translation
Duration: About 70 minutes, no interval
Age: 16+
Promo code: PARIS2026 (Smileys discount: 1,200 TL instead of 1,500 TL)
Tickets: Online through TuzBiber. Tickets are also sold at the door, by contactless card only.
Good to know
Arrive early. Nobody is let in once the show begins.
Tickets can't be cancelled, refunded or exchanged.
Student tickets: you may be asked to show a student ID at the entrance.
No recording is allowed during the show.
Sound like your kind of Istanbul?
Smileys is where people here meet in real life — dinners, walks, clubs. Small, curated, no feed to scroll.