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Small theatres promote stage arts
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Performers presented three back-to-back shows at the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing over the weekend. These low-budget productions are proving to be a big draw with the local audience.
The three shows have presented the arts of cross-talk, Chinese operas, and the Er'rentai folk singing of Northwest China.
Though lesser known to the capital audience, the actors are all award winners in their provinces and cities.
Small theatres have been popping up all over Beijing in recent years. With its number now reaching 30, these small theatres make up a large portion of the stage performances in the city, and maintain a large following.
Cross talk clubs have been established in Xi'an, Nanjing and Wuxi to the enthusiastic response from local residents.
Jiang Kun, cross talk performer, said, "Small theatres are doing a brisk business these days. They are more lively, and the format is endearing to the audience. The young actors often come up with various ideas, which I sometimes can't keep up with."
A show at a small theatre is often priced much lower than at state-of-the-art theatres. The low threshold opens various possibilities for the development of the stage arts.
The Hip Hop Crosstalk Society, which made headlines in major newspapers in 2009, is one amateur group dedicated to keeping the art of cross talk alive. Their average age is 24, and the young comedians have loaded their routines with hot buzzwords and pungent online terms, obviously targeting and successfully attracting a large following from the younger generation.
In less than two years, the group has made a name for themselves in Beijing, and their performance schedule now extends to more locations including Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong.
Gao Xiaopan, actor, said, "The group is run like a company. We have a complete set of rules and regulations. And we did a lot of market research to attract the audience. Our next big goal is to have the group listed in the market. "
The lack of creative productions and performers has often plagued the live performance market. Now, it seems that the small theatres have filled this gap.
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