Breaking barriers

Despite its rich history, xiangsheng faces challenges such as a creative slump, shortage of talented performers and dwindling artistic standards, and revitalizing the art form requires a collective effort and willingness to adapt, Yan said.

"For cross-talk to win the affection of audiences, it needs to keep up with the times in both content and format," he said.

Many fans say the Xiangsheng Encounters Foreigners show pioneers a new format that transcends the traditional art form, presenting a comedy variety show that blends stand-up, sketch comedy and original cross-talk.

But the path to the creative breakthrough was not always smooth — Yan recalled early performances at the 798 Art District, where the performers struggled to draw audiences.

"Sometimes only a few people would buy tickets and, with our friends included, there were barely a dozen people in the audience," he said.

Still, those trying times fueled the comedians' determination. "Accepting something new always takes time," Yan said.

Adaptability is essential in the field, especially given the team's diverse cultural backgrounds, and unlike traditional xiangsheng in which the partners of a performance are fixed, their team constantly reconfigured their lineup, requiring members to adjust and collaborate effectively, he said.

Huang also emphasized the importance of "cultural conflict" in their work. "All our performances are built on cultural differences and there wouldn't be any creative friction without them," she said. "It's this friction that fuels our inspiration."