CAN (Chinese Arts Now) is bringing together four of the UK’s best Chinese heritage comedians for a special one-off show in a celebration of Chinese culture. They are award-winning Phil Wang, Evelyn Mok, Winner of Amused Moose’s Laugh Off in 2016 Nigel Ng and winner of Dave’s Funniest Joke of The Fringe 2017 Ken Cheng.
An-Ting Chang, Director of Chinese Arts Now says 'Hardworking, ambitious, serious, diligent, but also funny? Surely not!'. After over a decade of living in the UK, I've often come across this kind of stereotype of Chinese people living or brought up here. Chinese Arts Now is all about challenging these kinds of stereotypes, so I'm very proud to be announcing our first Chinese Comedy Night to present some of the very best Chinese comedians working in the UK - Phil Wang, Evelyn Mok, Kenneth Cheng and Nigel Ng. Not only are they natural born comedians, you'll find that their experiences of life as people with Chinese heritage provide fertile ground for a raft of hilarious anecdotes'.
Beyond the UK, Chinese heritage comedians are making waves, particularly in the US where Ali Wong and Joe Wong have toured hit shows, while the former's Netflix specials are breaking new ground. In China, and in Shanghai in particular, which hosts the China International Comedy Festival, comedy clubs are a new trend. The Shanghai festival, which launched in 2015, brings 80 comedians from China and all over the world together for a week of cutting edge comedy in sold-out venues.
Chinese Arts Now (CAN) is the first National Portfolio Organisation supported by the Arts Council England representing British Chinese artists. CAN was founded in 2005 as a not-for-profit arts organisation (formerly Chinese/Chinatown Arts Space). They produce and curate an imaginative, diverse and accessible programme of performance art which reflects Chinese stories and elements in contemporary and innovative ways. In 2019 CAN will host the UK’s first arts festival dedicated to British-Chinese performance, visual arts and culture.
The British Chinese Comedy Night is on September 28 at the 99 Club, WC2. Tickets: £15.40, 17.60 or £37.40 (with a two course meal). Buy tickets here.
