曲艺在天津的品种很多,有相声、单弦、大鼓、时调、快板书、评书等10多种。因为曲艺演出条件要求不高,内容又丰富多彩、应谐兼备,深受广大市民的欢迎,清光绪年间,曲艺在天津兴起;到了民国初年,曲艺在天津开始盛行,使天津被誉为“曲艺之乡” 。

        

·1956年马三立与张庆森在一起温习功课

        相声。在曲艺的各个品种中,于天津出现最早。清光绪六年(1880),时年40岁的满族人王二福,由北京来到天津,在北开市场撂地演出一年后登上茶园。王二福擅演单口,师承沈春和,以中小笑话悦人。20世纪20年代后,经老听主的转述,幽默大师张寿臣对王二福的相声进行了继承发展。
        自成流派的相声艺术家常宝堃,艺名小蘑菇,满族,原籍北京,1922年4月生于张家口。4岁随父亲常连安“撂地” 卖艺,9岁拜天津著名相声演员张寿臣为师,13岁崭露头角,15岁与赵佩茹搭档,18岁组团演出相声和笑剧。博采众长,自成流派。演出相声300余段,其中《卖估衣》、《四省话》等20余段子录制成唱片。是个具有民族气节的相声艺术家,日伪时期,因演讽刺相声《牙粉袋》、《卖桥票》等,遭到逮捕、毒打。建国前夕,拒绝国民党威胁利诱,拒不演讽刺共产党的节目。1949年7月,出席全国第一次文代会,受到毛泽东、周恩来、朱德等领导人的接见。建国后,编演了大量歌颂社会主义的新相声,如《新灯谜》、《新酒令》等。当选天津市人大代表。1951年赴朝鲜慰问演出,4月23日光荣牺牲。天津市人民政府授予他人民艺术家、革命烈士的称号。
        20世纪30年代,又一个相声大家马三立,把相声推进到一个新天地。1914年,马三立出生于北京一个回族曲艺世家,祖父马诚方是著名的评书艺人;父亲马德禄是“相声八德”之一;母亲恩萃卿曾学唱京韵大鼓。马三立从小随父亲学艺,在天津汇文中学毕业后,因家境贫寒,辍学说相声;1929年拜周德山(周蛤蟆)为师,专攻相声,1930年登台演出;抗日战争时期参加兄弟剧团,兼演相声。解放后,致力相声创新,是活跃在相声舞台的大师。2003年2月11日,马三立辞世,被誉为相声泰斗。
        天津时调。是天津土生土长的曲调,用天津地方语言演唱,具有浓厚的地方色彩。清末,天津时调即已兴盛,出现了不少擅长时调的民间艺人。天津时调是天津人民接受了各种曲调的营养成分,经过不断的更新、改造后形成的一种地方曲调。天津时调出自民间,是车夫、鞋匠等下层劳动人民在业余时间的演唱,因不能登大雅之堂,最初没有专业演员。至20世纪20年代,才逐渐有了专业或半专业的女艺人。早期的时调演员有赵宝翠、高五姑、秦翠红等。
        独具特色的天津时调著名演员王毓宝,1926年出生在天津一个手工业者家庭,父亲是一位业余时调演员,王毓宝自幼受时调艺术的熏陶,13岁正式登上专业曲坛,便声誉鹊起。解放后对天津时调进行改革,排演了许多优秀新曲目,使这一曲种获得了新的生命。
        京韵大鼓。因著名曲艺家骆玉笙而蜚声中国曲坛。骆玉笙艺名小彩舞,1918年她4岁时,随养父在上海大世界游艺场卖艺,当时养父变戏法,以“巧变活人”把她变到舞台上,然后由她唱上一段二黄或京剧,后改唱二黄大鼓。1934年在南京拜刘宝全的弦师韩永禄为师,正式学唱京韵大鼓。
        1936年7月,骆玉笙来天津演出,先在中原游艺场,居中场;9月到小梨园演出,10月便跃居头牌,从此奠定了她在天津的大梁地位。从20世纪30年代末至40年代前期,在刘派基础上,逐渐形成了自己的“骆派”。解放后,骆玉笙继续活跃于天津曲艺舞台,是天津从艺时间最长的一位曲艺演员。
        京东大鼓。原是北京东部地区一种板腔体鼓曲,它是在固有的一些曲调如平谷调、落腔调和民歌庙门开等基础上发展形成的。20世纪20年代末,基本定型,一度称乐亭大鼓;20世纪30年代中期,正式定名为京东大鼓,成为天津曲坛的主要曲种之一。演唱京东大鼓的男女艺人很多,其中影响最大、演唱最富特色的艺人是刘文斌。刘是宝坻县人,有嗓爱唱,十八九岁来到天津,白天拉人力车、在码头装卸,晚上到街巷卖唱,自弹自唱平谷调,后来撂地演出。20世纪二三十年代,在天津无线广播电台及多家商业电台播唱,并在影剧院、杂耍场和书场登台演出,由此走红。
        评书。20世纪20年代出现在天津曲坛上。1920年,《益世报》主笔张谓臣开始在天津鼓楼北海锐茶园说《三国》。此后,又出现了吴芝子、张岗溪、西子云说《三国》,均盛极一时,时称“评书《三国》四奇” 。到30年代,“四奇”趋于冷落,杰出的评书艺人魏存发与姜存瑞,本着“四奇兼备,各领其长” 的宗旨,携手重编《三国》,并为《三国》中人物开脸谱、定穿着,重振了评书艺术。

        

·1963年,小彩舞(骆玉笙)演唱京韵大鼓《长征》

        单弦。也是20世纪30年代在天津形成的流派。艺术造诣最高的早期单弦女演员当数石慧儒。石是北京人,幼年随父母迁居天津,12岁从天津曲艺教师华连仲学唱单弦,仅8个月便登台演唱。13岁开始出名,并开单弦女演员在天津杂耍场“攒底”之先例。
        天津快板。是从时调中的“大数子”脱胎出来的。作为一种独立的曲种,出现较晚,诞生于解放后的1959年。

        

·常宝堃(左)与赵佩茹(右)、荷花女(中)

        There are more than 10 types of folk arts,such asXiangsheng (comic dialogue),Danxian,Dagu,Shidiao,Kuaibanshu and Pingshu (storytelling),in Tianjian.Started from the period of Emperor Guangxu in QingDynasty,folk arts have been very popular in the city,which was regarded later as the "hometown of folk arts"in the early year of the Republic of China.
        Among all the folk arts,Xiangsheng appearedthe earliest. At the age of 40,Wang Erfu,an ethnic ofManchu,came to Tianjin from Beijing in 1880. After oneyear`s performance on the street,he entered tea house totell jokes. In 1920s,Zhang Shouchen,who was regardedas a master of Xiangsheng,inherited Wang`s skills.
        Another Manchu artist Chang Baokun,whose stagename was Little Mushroom,mastered the performanceskills of Xiangsheng through self-learning. Changwas born in Zhangjiakou in April,1922. When he wasnine years old,Chang followed Zhang Shouchen tolearn Xiangsheng. He began to perform Xiangshengat the age of 13 with the partner of Zhao Peiru. Beinga patriotic performer,Chang was tortured by theJapanese invaders and their puppet army for performingcritical programmes. Before the liberation,he refusedto obey Kuomintang`s order to play programmes thatsatirized the Communist Party of China. In July 1949,he participated in the First Session of National LiteraryDelegates as well as was received by national leaderssuch as Mao Zedong,Zhou Enlai and Zhu De. Afterthe liberation,he created many new programmes topraise socialism. In 1951,he went to Korea to performXiangsheng for the Chinese People`s Volunteer Army. OnApril 23,he sacrificed himself in Korea. The municipalgovernment of Tianjin granted him as the People`s Artistand Revolutionary Martyr.
        In 1930s,another Xiangsheng master Ma Sanlipushed forward the art into new high. Ma was born intoan artist family in 1914. Because of poverty,Ma had tosuspend his study in Huiwen Middle School in Tianjin.In 1929,he formally acknowledged Zhou Deshan asteacher to perform Xiangsheng. He first went upon thestage in 1930. During the Anti-Japanese War,Ma joinedthe Brothers Troupe. After the liberation,Ma was activein the creation of Xiangsheng programmes. Ma died onFebruary 11,2003.
        Shidiao is a local folk art in Tianjin. At the end ofQing Dynasty,there appeared many actors who helpeddrawing lessons from other folk arts. At first,Shidiaowas popular among common people in Tianjin. Until1920s,famous actors or actresses of Shidiao includedZhao Baocui,Gao Wugu and Qin Cuihong.
        Wang Yubao,a famous actress of Shidiao,was bornin 1926 of a craftsman family.her father was an amateuractor. At the age of 13,Wang went upon the stage,winning great fame. After the liberation,Wang devotedherself to the reform of the art and performed manyexcellent programmes.
        Jingyun Dagu became popular in China,mainlythanks to Luo Yusheng,whose stage name wasXiaocaiwu. She went upon the stage at the age of fourwith her stepfather in Shanghai. In 1934,she formallyacknowledged Han Yonglu as her teacher in learningJingyun Dagu. In July 1937,Luo reached Tianjin andbecame very popular among the audience. During1930s-1940s,Luo created the "Luo School" based onthe performance of her teacher. After the liberation,shecontinued performance of Jingyun Dagu on the stage fora very long period.
        Jingdong Dagu,also called Laoting Dagu,originated in the eastern area of Beijing and becamemature by the end of 1920s. Among all the actors andactresses of Jingdong Dagu,Liu Wenbin was the mosttalented and popular one in Tianjin. A native of BaodiCounty,Liu was fond of singing. He reached Tianjinat the age of 18 or 19. To make a living,he pulled therichshaw and worked as a stevedore in the day whileperformed Jingdong Dagu at night. In 1920s-30s,Liubecame more popular thanks to the radio and theatreperformances.
        Pingshu,or storytelling,came into stage in1920s. In the year 1920,Editor Zhang Weichen ofYishibao newspaper began to tell the Romance ofThree Kingdoms at Beihairui Teahouse in Tianjin.Later,Wu Zhizi,Zhang Gangxi and Xi Ziyunfollowed the suits. In 1930s,the Pinshu art has lost itsattraction towards the audience. After that,two otherstorytellers Wei Cunfa and Jiang Cunrui drew lessonsfrom the above mentioned figures and re-compiledthe Romance of Three Kingdoms. The art of Pingshubecome flourished again.
        Danxian was another folk art taking shape inTianjin. Actress Shi Huiru was regarded as the mosttalented person in this field. A native of Beijing,Shimoved to Tianjin with her parents when she was a littlegirl. At the age of 12,she acknowledged Hua Lianzhongas her teacher to study Danxian. She went upon thestage after studying the art for eight months.
        Tianjin Kuaiban,as a kind of independent folk art,came into being in 1959.