Shanghai stand-up comedy

Shanghai style stand-up comedy
The representative of Shanghai style stand-up comedy is “Shanghai Qing Kou” which is created by Zhou Libo - a most famous stand-up comedian in China nowadays. In terms of “Shanghai Qing Kou”, it originated from different forms of stand-up comedy in the local Shanghai, Beijing and Hongkong. It is a style of comedy where the performer speaks directly to the audience with the topics associated with the social hot spots. In the performances, the performer will include his/her personal experience and try to promote the pursuit of happy lifestyle.
Zhou Libo
Zhou Libo(born on Apr. 22, 1967) is the founder of “Shanghai Qing Kou” as well as a representative of Shanghai style stand-up comedy. After his shows came out in 2008, he became an overnight sensation. Not only were all the tickets sold out very quickly in every his show but also thousands of people talked about Zhou Libo in that he has already become a public figure in Shanghai. Zhou Libo has his own style to make audience laugh with parted hair, appropriate suit, Shanghai dialect. His solo monologue could be either traditional or fashionable. His shows include comic talk show and a way of performing with talent and art. Zhou Libo’s television works include “Mr. Zhou's Live Show” and “China's Got Talent”.
Here are Zhou Libo's shows:
1. Reincarnation
2. A laughable talk in big Shanghai

3. A laughable talk on the past 30 years
4. I’m crazy about money
Other styles of Chinese comedy
Chinese skit
Chinese skit is a form of performance which is related to small things in our daily lives. Generally, one sketch formulate just one topic, but with a lot of funny action, lively languages. Through promotion of Spring Festival Gala Evening in 20 years, Chinese skit becomes a very popular artistic form in China. The first skit in China was “eating noodle” (in 1984), it was performed by Chen Peisi.
Zhao Benshan
Today, the most popular Chinese skit is Zhao Benshan(born on Oct. 2, 1957). He is a master of Chinese skit. About 1.4 billion people look forward to his performance in every year. The following are the performances of Zhao Benshan:
1. Blind date
2. Selling crutch.As time passed, new development has been applied to this traditional art in order to keep pace with the times. Cross talk is a most up-to-date performance. Comedians place emphasis on creating new works and injecting new elements into this traditional works making it more relevant the current affairs.
Guo Degang
It stands as an undisputed fact that Guo Degang(born on Jan. 13, 1973) is the most popular crosstalk performing artist. Guo’s success is by no means from luck. Nor did he achieve the fame overnight. Previously, he had been performing in Dazhanian in Beijing more than 10 years. Therefore he is a veteran in terms of making people laugh. Nowadays, we have a so-called “Guo Degang phenomenon”
which is signified by his unique performing style with his rich cultural backgrounds especially of Tianjin and his wide variety skills of playing different instruments and singing different operas such as Peking Opera and Pingju Opera. As his name has become a household name of China, more and more young people begin to enjoy his comic shows.
His master pieces are listed below:
1. I want to study
2. You have to marry me <ref name = "E" />
3. Hello! New Beijing <ref name = "E" />
Common features
The purpose of them is to make audience laugh.
Their content reflects social conditions.
Humor and satire are compatible.
Difference between three styles
Cross talk is performed by one or few people just use funny word to expatiate topic. Chinese skit is a form of performance and contains lots of action, expression, and stage properties. Generally, one skit formulates just one topic. But Shanghai style stand-up comedy have both feature of Cross talk and Chinese skit, it contains just one man, lots of action and lively language.

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