how to learn and understand 相声

[zozzen]

When I speak putonghua with my friends, it's quite embarrassing when they try to make a joke.

They may make a good and intellectual joke, but i don't understand it all the time. Even if I understand it, I often don't get the gag and I have to pretend to "haha".

In my impression, I think many sources and styles of jokes are quite like 相声. Did anyone study it before? Do you know any program that explains this form of performance?

[echo_zkl]

you are ambitious to attempt 相声, haha

But as a matter of fact, Chinese people don't watch or listen to 相声 much nowadays. The sources and styles of jokes derive from the Internet and BBS mostly, I believe.

However, as a reference for you to experience the world of Chinese comedy, 相声and小品，I'd suggest you check out these two popular comedian stars, 郭德纲 and 赵本山。

Have fun！

[studentyoung]

Do you know any program that explains this form of performance?

相声 is quite like stand up comedy to some degree. I’m sure you won’t feel strange to 黄子华. However, there are many northern dialects, especially slang words, in相声, which is one of the factors that might hinders you from enjoying 相声. If possible, you could ask your friends to explain the subtleties in a 相声.

It might take time for you to feel a kind of culture, for some local culture is not usually on books. Can you direct non-Cantonese people to a book or a program to explain 黄子华's "越大镬越快乐", 黄毓敏's "食蕉" & "poor guy"?

Cheers!

[zozzen]

Hmm, I'm not really sure if 相聲 is outdated yet. I think one of similar form 雙人轉 is popular and 小沈陽 is overwhelmingly hot in the north now, although he didn't reach my G-point yet. I just can't understand.

至於北方人是否不能理解廣東話笑話, 我就懷疑了. 周星馳就算靠配音進軍內地, 但他的笑話是很港式的. 有時街頭巷尾, 忽然會聽一個北方漢在電話中大笑: "頂你個肺!" (受<<瘋狂的石頭>>的影響) , 似乎地域界限不是那麼明顯.

[roddy]

Nobody actually talks 相声 though, do they? I've always thought the Chinese sense of humor is not that far off the British - lots of banter and sarcasm. Although there may well be some selection bias there, nobody else will put up with me.

[zozzen]

A few years ago when I heard the name 趙半山, my friend was shivered to the fact that I didn't hear this name before. I'm not quite sure the popularity of 相聲 in modern china today, but his shocking response seemed to suggest that 相聲 is still heard by many.

Is its destiny like traditional Chinese opera? We still appreciate the performers but we don't want it. (Maybe I'm wrong on this because I met a 30-year-old woman who were so addicted to this, and she could attend these performance during the 孟蘭大會 overnight for 3 days long. )

[echo_zkl]

People still love 相声。And when I say people, I mean me, my husband, my father and lots of my friends.

相声was a kind of performance that shown in teahouse daily or 天桥下(I don't know what kind of place it is because I've never been there. It's in Beijing. I guess it was like market) And nowadays people could watch new 相声段子 only in春节联欢晚会 annually. How can a kind of art performance live like that? Without new materials, new jokes or new包袱, people get bored in相声.

郭德纲 is performing相声in one teahouse in Beijing. And I was told that people would travel hours to enjoy his performance. That's another reason that I believe people still love相声. Also 相声 is more flourishing these days in Taiwan, like 赖声川's triology, 那一夜我们说相声，又一夜他们说相声and这一夜谁来说相声, as well as another great performing team相声瓦舍.

Chinese opera is another story. Few young people would enjoy that, only two of my friends are obsessed to Chinese opera. No audience, no life.