With the closing performance of the musical "Matilda" coming to an end, the 9th Shanghai International Comedy Festival 2023 came to a successful conclusion tonight. This year, the stage of the Shanghai International Comedy Festival not only welcomed the strong return of international works, but also witnessed the "myth" created by the power of local comedy, demonstrating the creative expression of comedy in a multicultural context. Since its opening,
has performed 40 plays and more than 300 performances in the past 90 days, attracting 160,000 audiences into the theater and urban comedy space, setting off a "comedy boom" in Shanghai at the end of the year. It is reported that compared with previous years, the number of plays in this comedy festival has increased by 20%, and the number of audiences has increased by nearly 40%.
The musical "Matilda" is known as the "British National Treasure Musical" and was re-introduced by Life in Seven Acts after four years. The work has achieved great success since its premiere in London's West End in 2011. It has toured in more than 90 cities around the world, attracting tens of millions of viewers and winning 101 international awards. The
musical not only retains the wonderful content of the original novel, but also makes Matilda’s beloved teacher Honey more three-dimensional and fuller, becoming a main line in the play.
In addition to popular comedy classics like "Matilda", the number of Shanghai premieres at this Shanghai International Comedy Festival exceeded 15 for the first time, and all of them achieved impressive box office results. The opening performance of the musical "The Myth of Love" can be said to have continued the box office "myth" of the movie version, with six consecutive performances at the Shanghai Cultural Plaza attracting nearly 10,000 viewers.
On the occasion of its 111th anniversary, Japanese comedy company Yoshimoto Kogyo returned to the Shanghai International Comedy Festival. The "Yoshimoto Kogyo Comedy Week" specially planned by the organizing committee performed seven consecutive performances at the Lingang Performing Arts Center and the Lyceum Theater. Including comedy skits, variety shows, comics, etc., 80% of the performances were sold out in just two weeks, and the personal performance of popular artist Tomonori Jinnai was sold out very quickly.
What is gratifying is that traditional Peking Opera has also begun to be welcomed by more and more young audiences. "The Clown", starring the famous clown master Yan Qinggu, features classic excerpts of literary and martial arts clowns in turn. The old version of "Sanchakou", which has been missing from the stage for more than half a century, has also reappeared, showing off its comedy skills. and thrilling stunts. The 90-day performance period of
breaks the previous one and becomes the longest-lasting "electricity endurance". It also builds a bridge connecting comedy masters for the new generation of comedians and professional audiences. This year, the International Mime Exchange Week, as the focus of this Shanghai International Comedy Festival, held a total of 12 workshops, 3 lectures, as well as various public welfare activities such as performances and award ceremonies. The Comedy Festival Summit Forum invites front-line creators in the industry to talk about the potential of cross-border integration of comedy and diverse creative expressions.
On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the establishment of Performing Arts World, the Shanghai International Comedy Festival, as one of its three major festivals, uses the "excellent empowerment" of brand festivals to drive a "high concentration" of high-quality performing arts resources.
In October 2023, the Shanghai International Comedy Festival also joined the "Silk Road International Arts Festival Alliance". In the future, it will actively promote multilateral exchanges and resource sharing among member countries through a more powerful network system, and jointly build a diverse comedy ecology.
Author: Wang Xiaoli
Text: Wang Xiaoli Picture: Photo provided by the organizer Editor: Xu Yang Editor: Xing Xiaofang
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