Xi Ha Bao Fu Pu

Xiangsheng - Chinese crosstalk - is the Beijing answer to stand-up, and Xi Ha Bao Fu Pu is the young company that made it cool again. Two-person teams trade lightning-fast banter, comic opera, and absurd storytelling from a stage inside the historic Guangdelou Theater on Dashilan.

Most shows are in Chinese, but the physical comedy, musical numbers, and prop humor travel surprisingly well, and the troupe is used to foreign guests. Check the schedule for their occasional English-subbed specials. Tickets run 100-300 yuan and sell out most weekends - book ahead and arrive early for a seat with a table.