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This week in Shanghaiist
We attended the Chicago Improv All-Stars show at Henry's last night ... and we enjoyed ourselves. It kind of had the feel of a theme party at a friend's house (assuming that friend was very popular, brewed their own beer, had a very large living room with poorly placed pillars, was bad at training their staff and charged guests RMB 280 at the door). If you have ever seen an episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, then you have a pretty good idea of how the Chicago Improv All-Stars is organized — a series of improv skits or games, with lots of audience interaction (the embedded video is an example from last night).
Updating our previous post about the show, here's a little more info about the four-person troupe performing in Shanghai again tonight (and then three times in Beijing). The improv actors are:
Joshua Funk
Nyima Funk
Niki Lindgren
Al Samuels
The first two are married and the second two appear in a relatively new NBC show called Sports Action Team (official site). Perhaps the writers strike has given them some time off for an Asian excursion. Local pianist Steve Sweeting, who is not as blurry in person as he is in the above video, provided the music for the show.
As we said, it was a fun night. Our only real gripes about the evening are related to the venue. Honestly, after our initial enthusiasm, we're surprised Henry's is still open. The brewery's brewmaster (the one still pictured in the menu) left the place quite a while ago, we believe. And the staff just didn't seem up to the task last night — understandable, we suppose, since they aren't used to having a crowd in the place. It was hard to get the attention of the waitstaff, they got orders wrong, prices were all over the map, etc., etc. And the space itself isn't very conducive to watching something on a stage — there are four huge pillars that always seem to get in the way. We were kind of confused about the meal situation, as well. We had read that food wasn't included, but it seemed people had vouchers for free meals. It was a moot point for us anyway, because around 20 minutes to showtime (when we arrived) there were no seats left at tables (that weren't behind a pillar). So we didn't eat and sat near the front, which ended up being a good move. (If you plan on going tonight and eating — get there early, or make a reservation).
And yes, RMB 280 may be a little steep (if a meal is not included), but it's the only game in town. And we all need a little laughter in our lives. Let's hope the Chopschticks guys find a better venue for future shows — anyone got any suggestions?
Chicago Improv All-Stars, presented by Baby Wants Candy, Friday, December 7 at Henry's Brewery and Grill, 33 Sichuan Zhong Lu 1/F, near Yan'an Dong Lu (上海市外滩四川中路33号1楼北厅 创业大厦内). Show at 8 pm. Tickets RMB 280 at the door.
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Blocked warships had paid first visit to Vietnam since ties with U.S. restored
in 1995
East-Asia-Intel.com, December 5, 2007
Lt. Col. Steve DeMoss, left, commanding officer of the U.S. Navy
ship USS Guardian, and Lt. Col. Thomas Shultz, commanding officer of the
U.S.Navy ship USS Patriot, walk in Haiphong, on Nov. 14. Reuters/Kham
Two U.S. Navy warships at the center of a U.S.-China dispute over port
visits to Hong Kong had been in Vietnam days before Beijing turned them away.
The minesweepers, USS Guardian and USS Patriot, made a port call in Hai
Phong City on Nov. 14 and stayed four days.
The visit was covered by local communist-run media. It was the first time
U.S. Navy ships traveled to northern Vietnam since normalization of relations
in 1995.
Officials speculate that China's denial of a request for safe harbor in
Hong Kong was turned down as a way of showing displeasure at Vietnam for
allowing the ships to visit.
Vietnam and China traded diplomatic protests over Chinese naval exercises
at the Paracels Islands, which is claimed by both Vietnam and China.
GertzFile.com GeoStrategy-Direct.com WorldTribune.Com
Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Beijing makes it official: 'Almost all enemies' of U.S. 'are China's friends'
East-Asia-Intel.com, December 5, 2007
An official of the Chinese government last week confirmed that Beijing is
supporting U.S. enemies around the world.
Yuan Peng, director of the Institute of American Studies, part of the
China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that "in the
world, almost all enemies of the United States are China's friends."
The rare admission confirms the view of some critics who say China's arms
sales to rogue states like Iran, Syria and North Korea are based on a
deliberate strategy of indirectly confronting the United States.
Peng's institute, the CICIR, is an entity of the Ministry of State
Security, China's main intelligence service. His remarks were included in a
state-run media report.
Peng said long-term strategic stability between the U.S. and China "still
remain[s] doubtful."
He accused the United States of attempting to "hold up the pace and scope
of China's rise by economic, social and diplomatic means."
"Since the U.S. attempt to curb China's rise in the political and military
fields has failed, it has now applied three major means to hold up the pace and
scope of China's rise," Peng stated.
The methods include pressure on China to open financial markets,
supporting grassroots protesters in China and attempting to "contain outward
expansion of China's mode" by "urging China to cut off its relations with
'rogue nations' in an attempt to subject China to internal and external
blames," he said.