Zhang WeiMichelle Courtois

Oct 9, 2024 | worldcrunch.com | Zhang Wei |Emma Albright |Anne-Sophie Goninet |Zhang WeiMichelle Courtois

BEIJING — It was May of last year, backstage at the Laughing Fruit Culture Factory, stand-up comedian Chen Chu* and his cohorts shared beers and laughter before the 10:30 pm. Unlike at other venues outside of Beijing, where they could fully relax, the conversation frequently shifted to what material they would perform and how the audience might react. They were tense, knowing that each show required not only excellent jokes, but careful navigation of increasingly restrictive boundaries.