The secret life of a shadow in the spotlight

An accountant who twice a week sheds her own persona and becomes someone else

Quiet, introverted and timid in front of strangers, twice a week she decides to hop out of her cozy cocoon, and the person who emerges, commanding center stage, is a performer named Xiao Wu, a rare woman in the tough world of Beijing stand-up comedy.

"I don't force people to understand this part-time job," Xiao says. "I just want to do what I like and keep it low key."