The 10th Shanghai International Comedy Festival recently commenced at the Lyceum Theatre in Shanghai's Huangpu district, promising a season of laughter and joy that will run through Jan 30, 2025.

The festival, which has become a staple in Shanghai's cultural calendar, aims to celebrate the New Year with a diverse array of comedic performances.

The opening ceremony set the tone for the festival with a spectacular showcase of eight comedy acts spanning various genres. Audiences were treated to Shanghainese stand-up comedy, mime performances, and Manzai — a Japanese comic style featuring rapid-fire exchanges between two comedians.

Throughout the festival, comedy enthusiasts can look forward to 42 unique comedy works presented in 337 shows across multiple venues in Shanghai. Notable performances include The Blue Man Show, The Amusement Show from Japan, and a drama adaptation of The Deer and the Cauldron based on the novel by the late Chinese martial arts author Jin Yong.

A highlight of the festival will be the Chinese debut of the British comedy Private Lives at the Jasmine Theater. Written by a British playwright in Shanghai in 1930, the play first premiered at the Phoenix Theater in London. Its inclusion in the festival underscores the historic and cultural ties between Shanghai and the global comedy scene.

In addition to stage performances, the festival features collaborations with popular online comedy programs and local business brands. These partnerships aim to bring the humor and joy of comedy to more and broader audiences in the city and beyond.

Over its past nine editions, the Shanghai International Comedy Festival has hosted over 2,000 performances of more than 280 works from 27 countries and regions, including approximately 300 charity performances. This year's festival builds on that legacy, with an expanded lineup and new initiatives.

Looking ahead, the festival plans to foster broader collaborations with institutions such as the Shanghai Mental Health Center and prominent global comedians like Marko Stojanovic, president of the World Mime Organisation.

Source: Shanghai Observer