Traditional Chinese operas take comedy route to woo audiences

For fans of traditional Chinese operas, when the lights are dimmed and the curtain goes up, they are immersed in the actors' techniques of singing, martial arts and the exquisite costumes as well as the band playing the gongs and the drums on the side of the stage.

The stories are usually adapted from traditional Chinese folklore about heroes, life and death, and justice.

However, at the ongoing Beijing International Comedy Festival, audiences can enjoy three comedies done in three different traditional Chinese opera styles.