Beijing showcase shines the limelight on humor

Beijing’s Comedy Week will present original Chinese theater from Sept 13 to 24.

It’ll feature 60 performances of 17 productions at such venues as the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center, Century Theater and Beijing People’s Art Theater.

The Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles initiated the event to showcase the country’s comedic talent.

“Chinese comedies were once popular,” Beijing Theater Association secretary-general Yang Qianwu recalls.

“But audiences switched to visually stunning and creative works as more Western theater productions were staged.”

However, Chinese comedy has been staging a comeback over the past five years.

“We have lots of independent comedy-theater production companies that make great works, such as musicals, plays and physical theater,” Yang says.

“The Comedy Week is a chance for them to display their works.”

Mahua FunAge Production Co Ltd will present The Count of Wulong Mountain, which set sales records when it debuted in Beijing in 2010. It was staged nearly 800 times nationwide in the following six years.

The Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center will present its adaptation of English playwright Michael Frayn’s 1982 play-within-aplay, Noises Off, about an ambitious director and his troupe’s actors. The Chinese production premiered in Shanghai in 2005.

Beijing-based Star Theater will stage its comedy production San Cha Kou (The Crossroads), which mixes Peking Opera and contemporary theatrical genres.

Audiences can interact with artists during the week’s forums and workshops.