Third Macao Intl Comedy Festival reveals star-studded first lineup

The organizers of the third Macao International Comedy Festival announced the first wave of performers on March 20, with comedians Shen Teng and Ma Li returning to headline the event.

Shen Teng and Ma Li appear in promotional posters for the third Macao International Comedy Festival. [Image courtesy of the organizing committee of the third Macao International Comedy Festival]

The comedy extravaganza is set to take place from April 9 to 12 in the Macao Special Administrative Region and Hengqin, a district of the neighboring mainland city of Zhuhai. Shen and Ma serve as the festival's headline stars and initiators, with comedians Allen Ai and Chang Yuan taking on the roles of promotion ambassadors.

This marks the third consecutive year Shen and Ma have teamed up as the festival's initiators. The pair are among China's biggest comedy stars and have used the role to champion emerging talent and new work.

Both headliners arrive with box office momentum. Shen's "Pegasus 3," released during Spring Festival, has grossed more than 4.4 billion yuan ($639 million). Ma starred alongside Jackie Chan in "Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe," also a Chinese New Year release. The festival collaborated with the producers of both films on promotional videos using their clips.

As ambassadors, Ai and Chang will help guide audiences through the festival's offerings, highlighting recommended shows.

The first batch of comedians also includes Chang Cheng, Hendery Wong, Liu Tong, Song Tianshuo, Wang Jianhua, Zhang Cheng and Zhu Meiji.

The festival will continue its "one festival, two venues" format, with events split between Macao and Hengqin. The opening ceremony will feature a talent competition-style signing event, where Mahua FunAge will sign emerging comedy acts.

Other programming includes an immersive show at Anim'Arte Nam Van along the Nam Van Lakeside, where visitors can eat, play and take part in comedy-themed activities. An industry summit will explore how AI is shaping cross-cultural comedy, and a dedicated stand-up segment will round out the lineup.