Never Mind Trick or Treat, Here's Dare or Die with the Beijing Broads

Dear reader, sing with me — this is Halloween, this is Halloween! Did the date creep up on you as well? Fear not! If that’s the case, because you can still have a terrific time this week in Beijing. Need a costume? Got you covered. Need a plan? Ditto. This Friday, the Beijing Broads will flock to JinShang for their Dare or Die Playback & Improv Halloween Special…but the evening won’t be complete without you.

Everyone and their dog know and love the Beijing Broads: plenty of laughs, all-female cast, all for a good cause. Honestly, you might as well scroll down to the end of this post to grab your tickets! But, we love us a good amuse-bouche here at The Beijinger, so stay where you are and read my interview with Summer Zhang from the Beijing Broads. It’s a juicy one!

Hi Summer! I am absolutely going to your show on the 28th. Like, I got my ticket. There’s no shortage of plans in town for Halloween this year, so tell me — why is Dare or Die *the* one? What can your usual audience expect that will set the show apart from your regular schedule?
Great question! Well, for starters, remember that we Beijing Broads are always getting our crowd involved in the show. So, for this special night, you'd better dress up in your best Halloween attire, because we for sure will come in costume! Also, Dare or Die will honor its title by having lots of sketches and games where you, indeed, will have to either dare…or die…but no worries, it’s all in good fun. It’s going to be a really interactive show!

I knew I was signing up for the best plan. Speaking of you ladies, it’s now been a few months since the Beijing Broads returned to the stage after your prolonged hiatus. How does it feel to be back? Do you feel something has changed in your dynamic in this new chapter?
We’ve had three shows already, and jumped from just two members to seven. We’re hoping to add more soon, but in the meantime, our team is already amazing, We just vibe together really well, it’s all about the love and connection between each of us girls. We take our weekly rehearsals seriously and so we’ve gained a ton of confidence. We hope you’ll notice in our shows! The one thing that has not changed at all is that we still donate all income from our shows to a cause worth supporting — Educating Girls of Rural China (EGCR).

Over the last few months, we’ve noticed that JinShang has become a stage for local theatre in Beijing. Do you have any particular feelings about your hosting venue?
Oh, absolutely. JinShang has given us a steady venue, not only for our shows but also for our rehearsals. We’re really thankful for their generous support, though I must say our gratitude extends to so many others. We would like to thank fellow members of the theatre scene such as Laurel Burns, Greg and Elena for offering us an exclusive improv workshop. Us theatre people are a big family, really. We support each other and thrive together.

On a more personal note now…what does it feel like being a female comedian in Beijing? What’s in the future for the Beijing Broads?
Oh, I’m so glad you’re asking me this. You see, for about five years in my life, I was busy with pregnancy, breastfeeding and overall just motherhood, not only once but twice. I felt so tired; I honestly felt my identity had shrunk down to that of a mother. I didn’t feel like myself anymore. But then, three years ago I went back to comedy.

And that proved to be the antidote against my woes! I have regained my past zest and energy. Comedy is a very special thing for me; it’s my happy place, my energy boost. It’s also brought tons of amazing people to my life, friends who support me and make it so that I never feel alone onstage.

As for the Broads’ future, well, we have survived every challenge. Through thick and thin, through changes to our cast; always reinventing ourselves and growing together. We want to add more wonderful women to our troupe, keep putting amazing shows together and add new elements to our routines. Who knows? Once it’s possible we would love to join some international improv festival.

Beijing Broads Dare or Die: Playback & Improv Halloween Special will take place on Friday, Oct 28 from 8pm at JinShang. Early bird tickets are RMB 60, regular tickets at the door are RMB 80, both with one free drink included. Scan the QR code in the poster above to get your ticket.

Looking for more Halloween happenings? Look no further than our events page for 70+ events!

Images: Ana Padilla Fornieles, courtesy of the Beijing Broads