The first Qingdao Comedy Festival would be held in Shangjieli from September 20 till September 29. Under the theme of “good plays across the street”, the 10-day-long event of comedies will be put on in Qingdao’s century-old building complex in a pro-people and immersive manner.

Once launched, the Qingdao Comedy Festival, in which the most appealing performing form would be introduced to Qingdao, has made a stir among the youth. Huang Bo and Huang Xiaoming, two co-sponsors, will take advantage of their role as a host to invite star artists, comedians, comedy enthusiasts to Shangjieli, where historically and culturally famous Liyuan buildings with Qingdao’s characteristics are located, to unleash Qingdao’s “genes responsible for happiness”.

Composed of new comedy performances, carnivals and music parties, the Qingdao Comedy Festival has invited famous comedy producers, comedy troupes with local characteristics to put up performances ranging from traditional plays included among intangible cultural heritage, local comedies and new comedies. Themed activities of many kinds including music parties and outdoor comedy film projection have filled the distinctive block up with “senses of humor”.

The main venue of performances and activities in the comedy festival is on Huangdao Road, a century-old street in Qingdao, dotted with Ping Kang Wu Li on No. 17, Huangdao Road where many comedy performances have been staged, Ji Shan Li, a site famous for immersive performances and No. 39, Huangdao Road where numerous art exhibitions have been held. Distinct from comedy performances in theaters, the event has combined comedy performances with well featured Liyuan buildings, enabling citizens and tourists to come across comedy performances with Chinese characteristics at a street corner, enjoy cross talk and Pingshu performances in a courtyard, watch a sketch comedy on a stage or stand high to see a talk show. Comedies will become an utterly new part of the century-old building cluster.

(Mi Jingyu)

When night falls, the Liyuan building cluster in Qingdao is ablaze with lights. Liang Chao