曲藝在天津的品種很多，有相聲、單弦、大鼓、時(shí)調(diào)、快板書(shū)、評(píng)書(shū)等10多種。因?yàn)榍囇莩鰲l件要求不高，內(nèi)容又豐富多彩、應(yīng)諧兼?zhèn)洌钍軓V大市民的歡迎，清光緒年間，曲藝在天津興起；到了民國(guó)初年，曲藝在天津開(kāi)始盛行，使天津被譽(yù)為“曲藝之鄉(xiāng)” 。

·1956年馬三立與張慶森在一起溫習(xí)功課

相聲。在曲藝的各個(gè)品種中，于天津出現(xiàn)最早。清光緒六年(1880),時(shí)年40歲的滿族人王二福，由北京來(lái)到天津，在北開(kāi)市場(chǎng)撂地演出一年后登上茶園。王二福擅演單口，師承沈春和，以中小笑話悅?cè)恕?0世紀(jì)20年代后，經(jīng)老聽(tīng)主的轉(zhuǎn)述，幽默大師張壽臣對(duì)王二福的相聲進(jìn)行了繼承發(fā)展。
自成流派的相聲藝術(shù)家常寶堃，藝名小蘑菇，滿族，原籍北京，1922年4月生于張家口。4歲隨父親常連安“撂地” 賣藝，9歲拜天津著名相聲演員張壽臣為師，13歲嶄露頭角，15歲與趙佩茹搭檔，18歲組團(tuán)演出相聲和笑劇。博采眾長(zhǎng)，自成流派。演出相聲300余段，其中《賣估衣》、《四省話》等20余段子錄制成唱片。是個(gè)具有民族氣節(jié)的相聲藝術(shù)家，日偽時(shí)期，因演諷刺相聲《牙粉袋》、《賣橋票》等，遭到逮捕、毒打。建國(guó)前夕，拒絕國(guó)民黨威脅利誘，拒不演諷刺共產(chǎn)黨的節(jié)目。1949年7月，出席全國(guó)第一次文代會(huì)，受到毛澤東、周恩來(lái)、朱德等領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人的接見(jiàn)。建國(guó)后，編演了大量歌頌社會(huì)主義的新相聲，如《新燈謎》、《新酒令》等。當(dāng)選天津市人大代表。1951年赴朝鮮慰問(wèn)演出，4月23日光榮犧牲。天津市人民政府授予他人民藝術(shù)家、革命烈士的稱號(hào)。
20世紀(jì)30年代，又一個(gè)相聲大家馬三立，把相聲推進(jìn)到一個(gè)新天地。1914年，馬三立出生于北京一個(gè)回族曲藝世家，祖父馬誠(chéng)方是著名的評(píng)書(shū)藝人；父親馬德祿是“相聲八德”之一；母親恩萃卿曾學(xué)唱京韻大鼓。馬三立從小隨父親學(xué)藝，在天津匯文中學(xué)畢業(yè)后，因家境貧寒，輟學(xué)說(shuō)相聲；1929年拜周德山(周蛤蟆)為師，專攻相聲，1930年登臺(tái)演出；抗日戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)時(shí)期參加兄弟劇團(tuán)，兼演相聲。解放后，致力相聲創(chuàng)新，是活躍在相聲舞臺(tái)的大師。2003年2月11日，馬三立辭世，被譽(yù)為相聲泰斗。
天津時(shí)調(diào)。是天津土生土長(zhǎng)的曲調(diào)，用天津地方語(yǔ)言演唱，具有濃厚的地方色彩。清末，天津時(shí)調(diào)即已興盛，出現(xiàn)了不少擅長(zhǎng)時(shí)調(diào)的民間藝人。天津時(shí)調(diào)是天津人民接受了各種曲調(diào)的營(yíng)養(yǎng)成分，經(jīng)過(guò)不斷的更新、改造后形成的一種地方曲調(diào)。天津時(shí)調(diào)出自民間，是車夫、鞋匠等下層勞動(dòng)人民在業(yè)余時(shí)間的演唱，因不能登大雅之堂，最初沒(méi)有專業(yè)演員。至20世紀(jì)20年代，才逐漸有了專業(yè)或半專業(yè)的女藝人。早期的時(shí)調(diào)演員有趙寶翠、高五姑、秦翠紅等。
獨(dú)具特色的天津時(shí)調(diào)著名演員王毓寶，1926年出生在天津一個(gè)手工業(yè)者家庭，父親是一位業(yè)余時(shí)調(diào)演員，王毓寶自幼受時(shí)調(diào)藝術(shù)的熏陶，13歲正式登上專業(yè)曲壇，便聲譽(yù)鵲起。解放后對(duì)天津時(shí)調(diào)進(jìn)行改革，排演了許多優(yōu)秀新曲目，使這一曲種獲得了新的生命。
京韻大鼓。因著名曲藝家駱玉笙而蜚聲中國(guó)曲壇。駱玉笙藝名小彩舞，1918年她4歲時(shí)，隨養(yǎng)父在上海大世界游藝場(chǎng)賣藝，當(dāng)時(shí)養(yǎng)父變戲法，以“巧變活人”把她變到舞臺(tái)上，然后由她唱上一段二黃或京劇，后改唱二黃大鼓。1934年在南京拜劉寶全的弦?guī)燀n永祿為師，正式學(xué)唱京韻大鼓。
1936年7月，駱玉笙來(lái)天津演出，先在中原游藝場(chǎng)，居中場(chǎng)；9月到小梨園演出，10月便躍居頭牌，從此奠定了她在天津的大梁地位。從20世紀(jì)30年代末至40年代前期，在劉派基礎(chǔ)上，逐漸形成了自己的“駱派”。解放后，駱玉笙繼續(xù)活躍于天津曲藝舞臺(tái)，是天津從藝時(shí)間最長(zhǎng)的一位曲藝演員。
京東大鼓。原是北京東部地區(qū)一種板腔體鼓曲，它是在固有的一些曲調(diào)如平谷調(diào)、落腔調(diào)和民歌廟門(mén)開(kāi)等基礎(chǔ)上發(fā)展形成的。20世紀(jì)20年代末，基本定型，一度稱樂(lè)亭大鼓；20世紀(jì)30年代中期，正式定名為京東大鼓，成為天津曲壇的主要曲種之一。演唱京東大鼓的男女藝人很多，其中影響最大、演唱最富特色的藝人是劉文斌。劉是寶坻縣人，有嗓愛(ài)唱，十八九歲來(lái)到天津，白天拉人力車、在碼頭裝卸，晚上到街巷賣唱，自彈自唱平谷調(diào)，后來(lái)撂地演出。20世紀(jì)二三十年代，在天津無(wú)線廣播電臺(tái)及多家商業(yè)電臺(tái)播唱，并在影劇院、雜耍場(chǎng)和書(shū)場(chǎng)登臺(tái)演出，由此走紅。
評(píng)書(shū)。20世紀(jì)20年代出現(xiàn)在天津曲壇上。1920年，《益世報(bào)》主筆張謂臣開(kāi)始在天津鼓樓北海銳茶園說(shuō)《三國(guó)》。此后，又出現(xiàn)了吳芝子、張崗溪、西子云說(shuō)《三國(guó)》,均盛極一時(shí)，時(shí)稱“評(píng)書(shū)《三國(guó)》四奇” 。到30年代，“四奇”趨于冷落，杰出的評(píng)書(shū)藝人魏存發(fā)與姜存瑞，本著“四奇兼?zhèn)?，各領(lǐng)其長(zhǎng)” 的宗旨，攜手重編《三國(guó)》,并為《三國(guó)》中人物開(kāi)臉譜、定穿著，重振了評(píng)書(shū)藝術(shù)。

·1963年，小彩舞(駱玉笙)演唱京韻大鼓《長(zhǎng)征》

單弦。也是20世紀(jì)30年代在天津形成的流派。藝術(shù)造詣最高的早期單弦女演員當(dāng)數(shù)石慧儒。石是北京人，幼年隨父母遷居天津，12歲從天津曲藝教師華連仲學(xué)唱單弦，僅8個(gè)月便登臺(tái)演唱。13歲開(kāi)始出名，并開(kāi)單弦女演員在天津雜耍場(chǎng)“攢底”之先例。
天津快板。是從時(shí)調(diào)中的“大數(shù)子”脫胎出來(lái)的。作為一種獨(dú)立的曲種，出現(xiàn)較晚，誕生于解放后的1959年。

·常寶堃(左)與趙佩茹(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.