China Youth Daily Client News (China Youth Daily·China Youth Daily reporter Lin Jie) On February 29, the 2024 Guangfu Temple Fair Youth Comedy Festival was staged on Beijing Road, Guangzhou. The humorous street comedy performance breaks the traditional theater format, allowing citizens and tourists to experience the blend of traditional atmosphere and modern style while visiting the historical and cultural district.
On the same day, Jim Haochen (Rui Wen) and "Jim Sir", known as the "Father of Stage Comedy in Hong Kong, China", appeared at the Guangfu Temple Fair Youth Comedy Festival, watched comedy performances, gave live introductions, and communicated with young comedians.
Zhan Ruiwen (first from right) interacts with young comedians. Reporter Lin Jie of China Youth Daily and China Youth Daily/Photo by
In the Chenghuang Temple Square, the musical "Apolonia" performed on the stage of the Youth Comedy Festival received an enthusiastic response. Three popular musical actors who are stationed in the "bistro" in this environmental musical perform live melodies of different genres, presenting each character's "famous scenes" in the play in the form of music + drama.
Zhan Ruiwen watched and experienced many intangible cultural heritage items such as Lingnan Guqin, Lingnan Flying Acupuncture Therapy, and Tongcao Painting at the "Chaolong Chuxu" market, interacted with intangible cultural heritage inheritors, and gained an in-depth understanding of Guangfu culture. He also encountered a pop-up performance by the sage "Mrs.
Zhan Ruiwen experiences the intangible cultural heritage project. Hu Qiangming/Photo by
Performing in the Intangible Cultural Heritage District is a clown and puppet interactive game called "The Circle of Time" performed by the "80s Theater Troupe". The "white-faced clown" uses magical circles to interact with the audience. The people in the circles will remain motionless, and the magical magic wand directs the fixed "puppet" to make various interesting and fun actions. The interesting interaction and humorous performance make the audience happy. The audience laughed constantly.
The leader of the group, Mak Wing-ho, is a native of Hong Kong. He came to Guangzhou in 2002 to study in the Chinese Department of Jinan University and began to try experimental creations. He has shuttled between large and small stage spaces for more than ten years. As the saying goes, "There is no drama without ugliness." The clown is a representative symbol in theater performances. Zhan Ruiwen expressed his approval after listening to Mai Ronghao's experience of taking root in Guangzhou and promoting independent theater culture. He also encouraged all theater youths to maintain their creative enthusiasm and adhere to their theater ideals. .
Intangible cultural heritage inheritor (first from left) explains "olive carving" to Zhan Ruiwen (middle). China Youth Daily·China Youth Daily reporter Lin Jie/Photo by
This year’s Guangfu Temple Fair Youth Comedy Festival collects works from many outstanding comedy performance teams in the Greater Bay Area, selects representative works with different styles, and gets close to the audience on the streets. Communicating at a distance, the actors relied on improvisation and quick reaction skills to continuously output dense laughter, showing their unique comedy performance charm.
The paper-cutting skills attracted the attention of the public. Hu Qiangming/Photo by
As a stage comedy performing artist, Jim Ruiwen has created more than 90 stage works with a Hong Kong flavor over the years, participated in more than 8,000 stage performances of different forms, and attracted more than 1.58 million audiences. His works have also been invited to be performed around the world, driving the rise of the comedy market.
Zhan Ruiwen said that he hopes to use the Youth Comedy Festival as a platform to communicate with young drama talents, promote drama culture and trendy culture, and take advantage of the geographical proximity, cultural affinity and human connections of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to inject into the development of drama culture in Guangzhou More motivation.
Source: China Youth Daily client
