New opportunities

What makes the reality show win the hearts of the audience is that it is open to lesser-known comedians who bring surprises. Some of them are veteran actors, who have been performing in TV dramas, movies and musicals for years, but still haven't achieved fame, while some are newcomers.

"There are many great comedians in China and we want to offer those who may not have been seen by the audience before, a platform," Ma Dong says.

The art of mime is usually considered a niche compared to other theatrical art forms. Wu, however, sees it as a relaxing break from the fast-paced life, which is loud and chaotic.

As the father of a 3-year-old, he wants to create more shows for both children and adults, especially the latter who need a moment to have fun and laugh.

When Wu started to perform as a mime artist, his first show was seen by fewer than 10 people, all of whom were invited to the show for free.

"In the beginning, I struggled to make people laugh. It took me a long time to learn, to practice, to see what keeps an audience laughing and what makes them disinterested," says Wu.

"It feels great to make people laugh. The theater gives people imagination, where they can dream with me."

Ten years ago, Wu and his childhood friend Wang Zi, also a mime artist, founded a club in Beijing, hoping to popularize the genre. They named the club Na Da Ding, or "handstand".

"When you need a good idea for a show, it helps to do a handstand for a few seconds, and let the blood flow to your brain," Wu says.

Now, with around 10 members, the club tours nationally. Last year, Wang performed about 130 shows at small live house venues in China.

"For me, mime is very cool because it is totally dependent on the self-expression of the artists," says Wang, 31, who also showcased his act in the reality show, incorporating dance, hand gestures and a clown performance in his works.