Crosstalk
Xiangsheng, sometimes translated as crosstalk, is a traditional Chinese comedic performance in the form of a dialogue between two performers or more, even a solo monologue.
The language, rich in puns and allusions, is delivered in a rapid, bantering style. Xiangsheng is one of China's foremost performing arts, and is typically performed in the Beijing dialect.
History
Xiangsheng rose as a performing act during the Ming Dynasty. From the Qing Dynasty to the 1920s, Xiangsheng gradually developed to become a style of comedic monologue. Later Xiangsheng came to be performed as a dialogue andsometimes even in groups of three or more.Stars The earliest Xiangsheng comedian known by name is Zhang Sanlu, who performed in the mid nineteenth century.