Just for laughs

In the fall of 2012, Nishida Satoshi, a Japanese exchange student from Kyoto, was captivated by a double act comedy show at Beijing Language and Culture University.

Nishida found the performance electrifying yet familiar, reminiscent of manzai, a comedic style from Japan's Kansai region.

It set him on a journey to learn more about the Chinese-style crosstalk, or xiangsheng, one of the most popular forms of comedy in China.

"If I can use Mandarin to elicit laughter from local people, that would be an extraordinary achievement," Nishida says.

For Yegor Shyshov from Ukraine, a similar revelation occurred at a Mandarin-speaking competition in 2010. He marveled at a group of internationals who spoke Mandarin fluently and made the audience laugh heartily.

"I couldn't grasp half of their jokes at the time," he says. "But I was astonished that foreigners could deliver such emotionally compelling Chinese."

Driven by their shared ambition to learn the Chinese language through humor, the two foreigners from across the world embarked on a similar path, training with the renowned xiangsheng artist Ding Guangquan, who began accepting foreign apprentices in 1989. Ding passed away in 2018.

For comedian Tina Huang, who is of Chinese and Russian descent, Chinese cross-talk helped put her in the limelight. Together with Chinese xiangsheng artist Yan Jiabao, Huang gained recognition at a 2016 show at the Beijing Radio and Television Station with their performance, Love, To Be In or To Be Out.

Huang's authentic Beijing accent and engaging stage presence made a lasting impression, marking her foray into the xiangsheng scene.

Through cross-talk lovers Nishida, Shyshov, Huang and many others, a groundbreaking show, Xiangsheng Encounters Foreigners Cross-cultural Crosstalk, emerged. The program debuted in 2019 in Beijing's vibrant 798 Art Zone, a hub for contemporary art in Chaoyang district. It offered a platform for Chinese xiangsheng actors to work with foreign comedians passionate about Chinese culture.

The unique mix showcased a novel cultural dimension of the traditional art form, combining xiangsheng with various international influences and languages.

Yan, who founded the program's team, says that its early days were modest, consisting of just seven or eight members.

"At times, we had to invite xiangsheng performers from outside our group to complete a show," he says.

Over the years, the troupe has expanded significantly. It now counts nearly 50 members, covering Asia, Europe, Africa, North America and Oceania. They currently perform at the GG2077 Space Station theater in Beijing's China World Mall.