I watched a live Improv showdown in Beijing last night and soaked up every moment-I think I was the loudest laugher in the whole room! 7 improv teams from around Asia (Tokyo, Korea, Shanghai, Beijing) came together for a weekend Improv showcase and I got to watch the round robin event. I thought it was so awesome because many of the teams were mixed nationalities, the whole thing was in English except for the occasional Chinese phrase thrown in there for giggles, and it was just really cool to see Asian performers jump the second language barrier time and time again in something as high intensity as improv. Outrageous!
The theatre was in this hard-to-get-to-as-a-white-person kind of place, so Jess and I were really lost, but when the show let out we decided to find some good on sticks for dinner, and wandered through the area. The area was called Nanluguxian, and it is hands-down my new favourite spot in Beijing. It's all cute little stores and boutiques, cafes, pubs, and clubs all set inside these teeny tiny Chinese Hutongs (which are very very small traditional Chinese houses with cool looking thatched roofs).The streets are cobbled and sometimes you catch the strong whiff of toilet outrage as you walk along the streets-but the place is rad! I can't wait to go back next weekend! I think I might even go there for my birthday in a few weeks! YeeYee! On another note, May is an fabulous month because next weekend I am going to an international/local music festival that features many great local bands as well as Avril Levigne (!!!), The Editors, Hot Hot Heat (!!!), and Ladytron. Actually, I am excited fro them all. It will be hilarious to see literally millions of Chinese teenagers rocking out to Avril-they abslutely LOVE her over here. They are OBSESSED with her. And in turn, I too have grown to appreciate the tattered and torn acoustic side of fair Avril. Go girl.
And this month of May also brings my 26th birthday, which officially means there are sections of H&M that I can no longer shop in, there are certain neons colours I should not wear unless I am crunk, it means I am a couger (yep-it does), and that my high school reunion is only two short years away. Yay 26. To celebrate, I have planned a day of rollercoasters at the Happy Valley themepark here in the city-it's like a smaller Disneyland and super cheap. Then, we are ordering pies from the pie shop to be delivered to a location and we are eating many kinda of pie for dinner. Pie for everyone. EVERYONE! PIE!
So I love what is to come in May. And I love Beijing Improv. And I need to work on my concluding summary-writing skills because I am setting a very poor example for my students: "To conclude, improv I like and pie very delicious. Go roller-coaster! You too?" Yep. I've got some work to do.
PS. Today I am going to a tailor to have some clothing made!!!
PPS. Tonight I am seeing a great band, The Radio Dept. from Sweden, in a teeny tiny club in Beijing. Stoked. STOKED!
Mich
xox
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