Comedic drama "Cuihua" restaged in Beijing

The comedic drama "Cuihua" kicked off its second run at Beijing's PLA Opera House on Tuesday. Billed as the first comedic drama in China, "Cuihua" originally premiered eight years ago. For this production, actors Deng Chao, Quying, and Dai Lele spent nearly two months in rehearsal.

Ticket sales have already reached 1.7-million yuan, or 240-thousand US Dollars. Some of that enthusiasm is caused by Deng Chao who starred in the debut performance eight years ago. He plays a female and a man's role in the drama, and shows off his comedic talents, which are rarely seen in his TV and film productions.

Popular actor Deng Chao is absolute gold at the box office. And he's really dedicated to the drama... even taking on extra jobs.

Deng Chao said, "I helped make posters, take pictures and design the stage. I feel home with this play, and I'm happy to see new actors join the show."

Eight years ago, "Cui Hua" initiated a number of commercial stage dramas in China. For its second run, the cast and crew have added new comedic bits and are poking fun at some red hot topics, hoping to give the audience something new from a funny old friend.