Burlesque
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| + | [[Image:Mona Lisa Smoking a Pipe.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Mona Lisa Smoking a Pipe]]'' by [[Eugène Bataille]]]] | ||
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| - | :''[[burlesque (genre)]], [[burlesque (literary)]], [[burla]]'' | + | :''[[burla]]'' |
| - | # a [[derisive]] art form that mocks by imitation; a [[parody]] | + | '''Burlesque''' is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of [[serious]] works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects. The word derives from the Italian ''burlesco'', which, in turn, is derived from the Italian ''[[burla]]'' – a [[joke]], [[ridicule]] or [[mockery]]. |
| - | # a variety [[adult entertainment]] show, usually including [[titillation]] such as [[striptease]], most common from the [[1880s]] to the [[1930s]]. | + | |
| - | ==Etymology and early history== | + | Burlesque overlaps in meaning with [[caricature]], [[parody]], [[grotesque|grotesquerie]] and [[travesty]], and, in its theatrical sense, with [[extravaganza]], as presented during the [[Victorian burlesque|Victorian era]]. "Burlesque" has been used in English in this literary and theatrical sense since the late 17th century. It has been applied retrospectively to works of [[Geoffrey Chaucer|Chaucer]] and [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] and to the Graeco-Roman classics. Contrasting examples of literary burlesque are [[Alexander Pope]]'s ''[[The Rape of the Lock]]'' and [[Samuel Butler (1612-1680)|Samuel Butler]]'s ''[[Hudibras]]''. An example of musical burlesque is [[Richard Strauss]]'s 1890 [[Burleske|Burleske for piano and orchestra]]. Examples of theatrical [[Victorian burlesque|burlesques]] include [[W. S. Gilbert]]'s ''[[Robert the Devil (Gilbert)|Robert the Devil]]'' and the [[A. C. Torr]] – [[Meyer Lutz]] shows, including ''[[Ruy Blas and the Blase Roue|Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué]]''. |
| - | The term burlesque may be traced to [[Ethnopoetics|folk poetry]] and theatre and apparently derived from the late [[Latin]] ''burra'' ('trifle’). | + | |
| - | The origin of the term 'burlesque' is contentious with most citing the Italian for 'joke' as its root. Its literal meaning is to 'send up'. In [[United Kingdom|Britain]] 'burlesque' in verse and prose was first popularised in the 14th century by [[Geoffrey Chaucer]]'s [[Satire|satirical]] ''[[The Canterbury Tales]]''. Later many [[Ireland|Irish]] and British satirical writers came to prominence with political and social burlesques in the 18th and 19th centuries such as [[William Makepeace Thackeray]]. | + | A later use of the term, particularly in the United States, refers to performances in a [[variety show]] format. These were popular from the 1860s to the 1940s, often in [[cabaret]]s and clubs, as well as theatres, and featured bawdy comedy and female [[striptease]]. Some Hollywood films attempted to recreate the spirit of these performances from the 1930s to the 1960s, or included burlesque-style scenes within dramatic films, such as 1972's ''[[Cabaret (1972 film)|Cabaret]]'' and 1979's ''[[All That Jazz (film)|All That Jazz]]'', among others. There has been a resurgence of interest in this format since the 1990s. |
| - | The first widespread use of the word was as a literary term in 17th century [[Italy]] and [[France]], was where it referred to a grotesque imitation of the dignified or pathetic. | + | ==Literary origins and development== |
| + | The word first appears in a title in [[Francesco Berni]]'s ''Opere burlesche'' of the early 16th century, works that had circulated widely in manuscript before they were printed. For a time burlesque verses were known as ''poesie bernesca'' in his honour. 'Burlesque' as a literary term became widespread in 17th century Italy and France, and subsequently England, where it referred to a [[grotesque]] imitation of the dignified or pathetic. | ||
| - | Beginning in the early 18th century, the term burlesque was used throughout [[Europe]] to describe musical works in which serious and comic elements were juxtaposed or combined to achieve a grotesque effect. Early theatrical burlesque was a form of [[Parody music|musical and theatrical parody]] in which a serious or romantic [[opera]] or piece of classical [[theatre]] was adapted in a broad, often risqué style that ridiculed stage conventions. In late 19th century [[England]], in particular, such dramatic productions became very popular, especially at particular theatres such as the [[Olympic Theatre|Olympic]] and the [[Gaiety Theatre, London|Gaiety]] in [[London]]. In Britain, burlesque was largely a [[middle class]] pursuit, where the jokes relied on the audiences' familiarity with known operas and artistic works. Its predilection for [[double entendre]] and casting female stars in the lead male roles (or 'breeches parts') gave burlesque its risqué popular appeal. Gradually burlesque performers started appearing in [[music hall]]s too, performing musical sketches for the [[working class]]es with political and social satire. This form remained popular well in to the 20th century and can still be found today on television sketch shows.To save confusion, the traditional British burlesque style is now known as 'classical burlesque' and is still active today with a handful of specialist writer/performers. | + | In 17th century Spain, playwright and poet [[Miguel de Cervantes]] ridiculed medieval romance in his many satirical works. Among Cervantes' works are ''[[Exemplary Novels]]'' and the ''[[Eight Comedies and Eight New Interludes]]'' published in 1615. The term burlesque has been applied retrospectively to works of [[Geoffrey Chaucer|Chaucer]] and [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]] and to the Graeco-Roman classics. |
| - | In 20th century America the word became associated with a variety show in which striptease is the chief attraction. Although the striptease originated at the [[Moulin Rouge]] in 1890s [[Paris]] and subsequently became a part of some burlesque across Europe, only in [[Culture of the United States|American culture]] is the term burlesque closely associated with the striptease. These shows were not considered 'theatre' and were regarded as 'low' by the vaudevillians, actors and showgirls of neighbouring theatreland. | + | Burlesque was intentionally ridiculous in that it imitated several styles and combined imitations of certain authors and artists with absurd descriptions. In this, the term was often used interchangeably with "[[pastiche]]", "[[parody]]", and the 17th and 18th century genre of the "[[mock-heroic]]". Burlesque depended on the reader's (or listener's) knowledge of the subject to make its intended effect, and a high degree of literacy was taken for granted. |
| - | ==Development of American burlesque== | + | 17th and 18th century burlesque was divided into two types: '''High burlesque''' refers to a burlesque imitation where a literary, elevated manner was applied to a commonplace or comically inappropriate subject matter as, for example, in the literary [[Parody#English term|parody]] and the [[mock-heroic]]. One of the most commonly cited examples of high burlesque is [[Alexander Pope]]'s "sly, knowing and courtly" ''[[The Rape of the Lock]]''. '''Low burlesque''' applied an irreverent, mocking style to a serious subject; an example is [[Samuel Butler (1612-1680)|Samuel Butler]]'s poem ''[[Hudibras]]'', which described the misadventures of a Puritan knight in satiric [[doggerel]] verse, using a colloquial idiom. Butler's addition to his comic poem of an ethical subtext made his caricatures into [[satire]]. |
| - | While the American form of burlesque has its origins in 19th century [[music hall]] entertainments and [[vaudeville]], in the early 20th century American burlesque re-emerged as a populist blend of satire, [[performance art]], and [[Sex industry|adult entertainment]] featuring striptease and broad comedy acts that derived their name from the [[low comedy]] aspects of the [[Burlesque (literary)|literary genre]] known as [[Burlesque (genre)|burlesque]]. Here the term "burlesque" was used loosely to describe these adult revue shows in which striptease acts would perform—often with themes, characters or gimmicks—but classic striptease and "[[Belly dance|hootchy kootchy]]" dance were already forms in themselves and not automatically "burlesque" by default. | + | |
| - | In burlesque, performers, usually female, often create elaborate sets with lush, colorful costumes, mood-appropriate music, and dramatic lighting, and may even include novelty acts, such as [[fire breathing]] or [[contortion]]ists, to enhance the impact of their performance. | + | In more recent times, burlesque true to its literary origins is still performed in [[revue]]s and [[Sketch comedy|sketches]]. [[Tom Stoppard]]'s 1974 play ''[[Travesties]]'' is an example of a full-length play drawing on the burlesque tradition. |
| - | Put simply, burlesque means "in an upside down style". Like its cousin, commedia dell'arte, burlesque turns social norms head over heels. Burlesque is a style of live entertainment that encompasses [[pastiche]], parody, and wit. The genre traditionally encompasses a variety of acts such as dancing girls, [[chanson]] singers, comedians, [[mime artist]]s, and striptease artistes, all satirical and with a saucy edge. The striptease element of burlesque became subject to extensive local legislation, leading to a theatrical form that titillated without falling foul of censors. | + | ==Burlesque in music== |
| + | :''[[Parody music]]'' | ||
| + | ===Classical music=== | ||
| + | Beginning in the early 18th century, the term burlesque was used throughout Europe to describe musical works in which serious and comic elements were juxtaposed or combined to achieve a grotesque effect. As derived from literature and theatre, "burlesque" was used, and is still used, in music to indicate a bright or high-spirited mood, sometimes in contrast to seriousness. | ||
| - | The American form also was highly influenced by 19th century English variety and music hall shows as developed in the 1840s, early in the [[Victorian era]], a time of culture clashes between the social rules of established [[Aristocracy (class)|aristocracy]] and a working class society. Originally, burlesque featured shows that included comic sketches, often [[Parody|lampooning]] the social attitudes of the [[upper class]]es and their music (particularly parodies of opera songs), alternating with dance routines. It developed alongside vaudeville and ran on competing circuits. In Britain, burlesque continued its established position in theatreland and enjoyed its own theatres (such as the Olympic Theatre in London) and was largely a middle class pursuit, where the jokes relied on the audiences' familiarity with known operas and artistic works. | + | In this sense of farce and exaggeration rather than parody, it appears frequently on the German-language stage between the middle of the 19th century and the 1920s. Burlesque operettas were written by [[Johann Strauss II]] (''Die lustigen Weiber von Wien'', 1868), [[Karl Michael Ziehrer|Ziehrer]] (''Mahomed's Paradies'',1866; ''Das Orakel zu Delfi'', 1872; ''Cleopatra, oder Durch drei Jahrtausende'', 1875; ''In fünfzig Jahren'', 1911) and [[Bruno Granichstaedten]] (''Casimirs Himmelfahrt'', 1911). French references to burlesque are less common than German, though [[André Grétry|Grétry]] composed for a "drame burlesque" (''Matroco'', 1777). [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky]] called his 1916 one-act chamber opera-ballet ''[[Renard (Stravinsky)|Renard]]'' (''The Fox'') a ''"Histoire burlesque chantée et jouée"'' (''burlesque tale sung and played''). A later example is the 1927 burlesque operetta by [[Ernst Krenek]] entitled ''[[Schwergewicht]]'' (''Heavyweight'') (1927). |
| - | In its heyday, American burlesque bore little resemblance to the earlier literary and musical burlesques of the UK (now known as "classical" or "traditional British" burlesque) which parodied widely known works of literature, theater, or music and did not feature striptease. Possibly due to historical [[Class conflict|social tensions]] between the upper classes and lower classes of society, much of the humor and entertainment of later American burlesque focused on [[Low culture|lowbrow]] and [[Ribaldry|ribald]] subjects. | + | Some orchestral and chamber works have also been designated as burlesques, of which two early examples are the Ouverture-Suite ''Burlesque de Quixotte'', TWV 55, by [[Georg Philipp Telemann|Telemann]] and the Sinfonia Burlesca by [[Leopold Mozart]] (1760). Another often-performed piece is [[Richard Strauss]]'s 1890 [[Burleske|Burleske for piano and orchestra]]. Other examples include the following: |
| + | *1901: Six Burlesques, Op. 58 for piano four hands by [[Max Reger]] | ||
| + | *1904: Scherzo Burlesque, Op. 2 for piano and orchestra by [[Béla Bartók]] | ||
| + | *1911: Three Burlesques, Op. 8c for piano by Bartók | ||
| + | *1920: Burlesque for Piano, by [[Arnold Bax]] | ||
| + | *1931: Ronde burlesque, Op. 78 for orchestra by [[Florent Schmitt]] | ||
| + | *1932: Fantaisie burlesque, for piano by [[Olivier Messiaen]] | ||
| + | *1956: Burlesque for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 13g by [[Bertold Hummel]] | ||
| + | *1982: Burlesque for Wind Quintet, Op. 76b by Hummel | ||
| - | The popular burlesque show of the 1870s through the 1920s referred to a raucous, somewhat bawdy style of variety theater inspired by [[Lydia Thompson]] and her troupe, the British Blondes, who first appeared in the United States in the 1860s, and also by early "leg" shows such as ''[[The Black Crook]]'' (1866). Its form, humor, and aesthetic traditions were largely derived from the [[minstrel show]]. One of the first burlesque troupes was the Rentz-Santley Novelty and Burlesque Company, created in 1870 by [[Michael B. Leavitt]], who had earlier feminized the minstrel show with his group [[Madame Rentz's Female Minstrels]]. | + | Burlesque can be used to describe particular movements of instrumental musical compositions, often involving dance rhythms. Examples are the Burlesca, in [[Partitas, BWV 825-830|Partita No. 3 for keyboard (BWV 827)]] by [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]], the "Rondo-Burleske" third movement of [[Symphony No. 9 (Mahler)|Symphony No. 9]] by [[Gustav Mahler|Mahler]], and the "Burlesque" fourth movement of [[Violin Concerto No. 1 (Shostakovich)|Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1]]. |
| - | Burlesque rapidly adapted the minstrel show's tripartite structure: part one was composed of songs and dances rendered by a female company, interspersed with low comedy from male comedians. Part two was an "olio" of short specialties in which the women did not appear. The show's finish was a grand finale. | + | ===Jazz=== |
| + | The use of burlesque has not been confined to classical music. Well known [[ragtime]] travesties include ''The Russian Rag'', by [[George L. Cobb]], which is based on [[Rachmaninoff]]'s [[Prelude in C-sharp minor]], and [[Harry L. Alford|Harry Alford]]'s ''Lucy's Sextette'' based on the [[sextet]], 'Chi mi frena in tal momento?', from ''[[Lucia di Lammermoor]]'' by [[Donizetti]]. | ||
| - | The genre often mocked established entertainment forms such as opera, [[William Shakespeare|Shakespearean]] drama, musicals, and [[ballet]]. The [[costume|costuming]] (or lack thereof) increasingly focused on forms of dress considered inappropriate for polite society. The British form, however, carried on much in the same musical-satirical style of the 19th century and is still so today. | + | ==Victorian theatrical burlesque== |
| + | :''[[Victorian burlesque]]'' | ||
| - | By the 1880s, the genre had created some rules for defining itself: | + | Victorian burlesque, sometimes known as "travesty" or "[[extravaganza]]", was popular in London theatres between the 1830s and the 1890s. It took the form of [[parody music|musical theatre parody]] in which a well-known opera, play or ballet was adapted into a broad comic play, usually a musical play, often risqué in style, mocking the theatrical and musical conventions and styles of the original work, and quoting or [[pastiche|pastiching]] text or music from the original work. The comedy often stemmed from the incongruity and absurdity of the classical subjects, with realistic historical dress and settings, being juxtaposed with the modern activities portrayed by the actors. [[Madame Vestris]] produced burlesques at the [[Olympic Theatre]] beginning in 1831 with ''Olympic Revels'' by [[J. R. Planché]]. Other authors of burlesques included [[H. J. Byron]], [[G. R. Sims]], [[F. C. Burnand]], [[W. S. Gilbert]] and [[Fred Leslie]]. |
| - | * Minimal costuming, often focusing on the female form. | + | |
| - | * Sexually suggestive dialogue, dance, plotlines and staging. | + | |
| - | * Quick-witted humor laced with puns, but lacking complexity. | + | |
| - | * Short routines or sketches with minimal plot cohesion across a show. | + | |
| - | [[Charlie Chaplin]] in his autobiography gives an interesting account of burlesque in [[Chicago]] in 1910: | + | Victorian burlesque related to and in part derived from traditional English [[pantomime]] "with the addition of gags and 'turns'." In the early burlesques, following the example of [[ballad opera]], the words of the songs were written to popular music; later burlesques mixed the music of [[opera]], [[operetta]], [[music hall]] and [[revue]], and some of the more ambitious shows had original music composed for them. This English style of burlesque was successfully introduced to New York in the 1840s. |
| - | :"Chicago... had a fierce pioneer gaiety that enlivened the senses, yet underlying it throbbed masculine loneliness. Counteracting this somatic ailment was a national distraction known as the burlesque show, consisting of a coterie of rough-and-tumble comedians supported by twenty or more chorus girls. Some were pretty, others shopworn. Some of the comedians were funny, most of the shows were smutty harem comedies—coarse and cynical affairs." | + | Some of the most frequent subjects for burlesque were the plays of Shakespeare and grand opera. The dialogue was generally written in rhyming couplets, liberally peppered with bad [[pun]]s. A typical example from a burlesque of ''[[Macbeth]]'': Macbeth and Banquo enter under an umbrella, and the witches greet them with "Hail! hail! hail!" Macbeth asks Banquo, "What mean these salutations, noble thane?" and is told, "These showers of 'Hail' anticipate your 'reign'". A staple of burlesque was the display of attractive women in [[Breeches role|travesty roles]], dressed in tights to show off their legs, but the plays themselves were seldom more than modestly risqué. |
| - | The popular burlesque show of this period eventually evolved into the striptease which became the dominant ingredient of burlesque by the 1930s. In the 1930s, a social crackdown on burlesque shows led to their gradual downfall. The shows had slowly changed from ensemble ribald variety performances, to simple performances focusing mostly on the striptease. The end of burlesque and the birth of striptease was later dramatized in the film ''[[The Night They Raided Minsky's]]''. | + | Burlesque became the speciality of certain London theatres, including the [[Gaiety Theatre, London|Gaiety]] and [[Royal Strand Theatre]] from the 1860s to the early 1890s. Until the 1870s, burlesques were often one-act pieces running less than an hour and using [[pastiche]]s and parodies of popular songs, opera [[aria]]s and other music that the audience would readily recognize. The house stars included [[Nellie Farren]], [[John D'Auban]], [[Edward O'Connor Terry|Edward Terry]] and [[Fred Leslie]]. From about 1880, Victorian burlesques grew longer, until they were a whole evening's entertainment rather than part of a double- or triple-bill. In the early 1890s, these burlesques went out of fashion in London, and the focus of the Gaiety and other burlesque theatres changed to the new more wholesome but less literary genre of [[Edwardian musical comedy]]. |
| - | ==Notable burlesque writers and stars== | + | ==American burlesque== |
| + | :''[[American burlesque]]'' | ||
| - | *[[Abbott and Costello]] | + | American burlesque shows were originally an offshoot of Victorian burlesque. The English genre had been successfully staged in New York from the 1840s, and it was popularised by a visiting British burlesque troupe, [[Lydia Thompson]] and the "British Blondes", beginning in 1868. New York burlesque shows soon incorporated elements and the structure of the popular [[minstrel shows]]. They consisted of three parts: first, songs and ribald comic sketches by low comedians; second, assorted [[Olio (musical number)|olios]] and male acts, such as acrobats, magicians and solo singers; and third, chorus numbers and sometimes a burlesque in the English style on politics or a current play. The entertainment was usually concluded by an exotic dancer or a wrestling or boxing match. |
| - | *[[Jack Albertson]] | + | |
| - | *[[Robert Alda]] | + | |
| - | *[[Josephine Baker]] | + | |
| - | *[[Milton Berle]] | + | |
| - | *[[Immodesty Blaize]] | + | |
| - | *[[Fanny Brice]] | + | |
| - | *[[Sherry Britton]] | + | |
| - | *[[Henry James Byron]] | + | |
| - | *[[Ann Corio]] | + | |
| - | *[[Catherine D'lish]] | + | |
| - | *[[Danny Dayton]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jami Deadly]] | + | |
| - | *[[Millie DeLeon]] | + | |
| - | *[[Phyllis Dixey]] | + | |
| - | *[[Marie Dressler]] | + | |
| - | *[[Leon Errol]] | + | |
| - | *[[Nellie Farren]] | + | |
| - | *[[W. C. Fields]] | + | |
| - | *[[W. S. Gilbert]] | + | |
| - | *[[Jackie Gleason]] | + | |
| - | *[[Gilda Gray]] | + | |
| - | *[[Bob Hope]] | + | |
| - | *[[Michelle L'amour]] | + | |
| - | *[[Bert Lahr]] | + | |
| - | *[[Pinky Lee]] | + | |
| - | *[[Gypsy Rose Lee]] | + | |
| - | *[[Lola the Vamp]] | + | |
| - | *[[Minsky Malone]] | + | |
| - | *[[Monty Python]] | + | |
| - | *[[Bettie Page]] | + | |
| - | *[[Tracy Phillips]] | + | |
| - | *[[Molly Picon]] | + | |
| - | *[[James Planché]] | + | |
| - | *[[Rags Ragland]] | + | |
| - | *[[Sally Rand]] | + | |
| - | *[[Satan's Angel]] | + | |
| - | *[[Tura Satana]] | + | |
| - | *[[Phil Silvers]] | + | |
| - | *[[Red Skelton]] | + | |
| - | *[[Lili St. Cyr]] | + | |
| - | *[[Blaze Starr]] | + | |
| - | *[[Tempest Storm]] | + | |
| - | *[[Arthur Sullivan]] | + | |
| - | *[[Dita Von Teese]] | + | |
| - | *[[William Makepeace Thackeray]] | + | |
| - | *[[Lydia Thompson]] | + | |
| - | *[[Lucia Elizabeth Vestris]] | + | |
| - | *[[Mae West]] | + | |
| - | ==The burlesque show on film== | + | While burlesque went out of fashion in England towards the end of the 19th century, to be replaced by [[Edwardian musical comedy]], the American style of burlesque flourished, but with increasing focus on female nudity. Exotic "cooch" dances were brought in, ostensibly Syrian in origin. The entertainments were given in clubs and cabarets, as well as music halls and theatres. By the early 20th century, there were two national circuits of burlesque shows competing with the [[vaudeville]] circuit, as well as resident companies in New York, such as [[Minsky's Burlesque|Minsky's]] at the Winter Garden. |
| - | The 1943 film ''[[Lady of Burlesque]]'', although a murder-mystery, spends much of its running time depicting the back-stage life of burlesque performers. | + | |
| - | The first motion-picture adaptation of an actual burlesque show was ''Hollywood Revels'' (1946), a theatrical feature film starring exotic dancer Allene Dupree. Much of the action was filmed in medium or long shots, because the production was staged in an actual theater and the camera photographed the stage from a distance. | + | The transition from burlesque on the old lines to striptease was gradual. At first [[soubrette]]s showed off their figures while singing and dancing; some were less active but compensated by appearing in elaborate stage costumes. The strippers gradually supplanted the singing and dancing soubrettes; by 1932 there were at least 150 strip principals in the US. Star strippers included [[Sally Rand]], [[Gypsy Rose Lee]], [[Tempest Storm]], [[Lili St. Cyr]], [[Blaze Starr]], [[Ann Corio]] and [[Margie Hart]], who was celebrated enough to be mentioned in song lyrics by [[Lorenz Hart]] and [[Cole Porter]]. By the late 1930s, burlesque shows would have up to six strippers supported by one or two comics and a master of ceremonies. Comics who appeared in burlesque early in their careers included [[Fanny Brice]], [[Mae West]], [[Eddie Cantor]], [[Abbott and Costello]], [[W. C. Fields]], [[Jackie Gleason]], [[Danny Thomas]], [[Al Jolson]], [[Bert Lahr]], [[Phil Silvers]], [[Sid Caesar]], [[Danny Kaye]], [[Red Skelton]] and [[Sophie Tucker]]. |
| - | In 1947, enterprising film producer W. Merle Connell reinvented the filmed burlesque show by restaging the action especially for movies, in a studio. The camerawork and lighting were better, the sound was better, and the new setup allowed for close-ups and a variety of photographic and editorial techniques. His 1951 production ''French Follies'' is a faithful depiction of a burlesque presentation, with stage curtains, singing emcee, dances by showgirls and strippers, frequent sketches with straightmen and comedians, and a finale featuring the star performer. The highlight is the famous burlesque routine "Crazy House", popularized earlier by [[Abbott and Costello]]. Another familiar chestnut, Joey Faye's "[[Slowly I Turned]]" (famous today as a [[The Three Stooges|Three Stooges]] routine), was filmed for Connell's 1953 feature ''A Night in Hollywood''. | + | The uninhibited atmosphere of burlesque establishments owed much to the free flow of alcoholic liquor, and the enforcement of [[Prohibition]] was a serious blow. In New York, Mayor [[Fiorello LaGuardia]] clamped down on burlesque, effectively putting it out of business by the early 1940s. It lingered on elsewhere in the U.S., increasingly neglected, and by the 1970s, with nudity commonplace in theatres, reached "its final shabby demise." Both during its declining years and afterwards there have been films that sought to capture American burlesque, including ''[[Lady of Burlesque]]'' (1943), ''[[Striporama]]'' (1953), and ''[[The Night They Raided Minsky's]]'' (1968). |
| - | Other producers entered the field, using color photography and even location work. ''Naughty New Orleans'' (1954) is an excellent example of burlesque entertainment on film, equally showcasing girls and gags, although it shifts the venue from a burlesque-house stage to a popular nightclub. Photographer [[Irving Klaw]] filmed a very profitable series of burlesque features, usually featuring star [[Pin-up girl|cheesecake model]] [[Bettie Page]] and various lowbrow comedians (including future TV star [[Joe E. Ross]]). Page's most famous features are ''[[Striporama]]'' (1953), ''Varietease'' (1954), and ''Teaserama'' (1955). | + | In recent decades, there has been a revival of burlesque, sometimes called [[neo-burlesque]], on both sides of the Atlantic. Neo-burlesque performers include [[Dita Von Teese]]. [[Agitprop]] groups like [[Cabaret Red Light]] incorporate political satire and performance art into their burlesque shows. |
| - | + | ||
| - | These movies, as their titles imply, were only teasing the viewer: the girls wore revealing costumes but there was never any nudity. In the late 1950s, however, other producers made more provocative films, sometimes using a "[[Nudist community|nudist colony]]" format, and the relatively tame burlesque-show movie died out. As early as 1954 burlesque was already considered a bygone form of entertainment; burlesque veteran [[Phil Silvers]] laments the passing of burlesque in the [[Musical theatre|musical]] ''[[Top Banana (musical)|Top Banana]]''. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==New Burlesque== | + | |
| - | A new generation nostalgic for the spectacle and perceived glamour of the old times determined to bring burlesque back. This revival was pioneered independently in the early 1990s by Billie Madley's "Cinema" and later with Ami Goodheart in "Dutch Weismann's Follies" revues in [[New York City|New York]], Michelle Carr's "[[The Velvet Hammer]]" troupe in [[Los Angeles]], and The Shim-Shamettes in [[New Orleans]]. In addition, and throughout the country, many individual performers were incorporating aspects of burlesque in their acts. These productions, inspired by the likes of [[Sally Rand]], [[Tempest Storm]], [[Gypsy Rose Lee]] and [[Lili St. Cyr]], have themselves gone on to inspire a new generation of performers. Furthermore, the contemporary [[roller derby]] revival features elements of burlesque. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | Today New Burlesque has taken many forms, but all have the common trait of honoring one or more of burlesque's previous incarnations, with acts including striptease, expensive costumes, bawdy humor, [[cabaret]] and more. There are modern burlesque performers and shows all over the world, and annual conventions such as the [[Vancouver International Burlesque Festival]] and the [[Miss Exotic World Pageant]] are held. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | The UK scene is definitely growing with the introduction of the London Burlesque Festival in 2007 and the community/ education oriented Ministry Of Burlesque gaining a seven-figure investment from a major mainstream media company in mid-2008 to also create an IP/TV channel and TV studios which are entirely dedicated to the artform. Club Noir is officially the world's biggest burlesque club according to [[Guinness World Records]], with up to 2,000 people at their events in [[Glasgow]], [[Edinburgh]] and London. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | Burlesque performers from around the world regularly gather at a myraid of festivals around the world. From Vancouver to Helsinki the art form is gaining popularity. Websites like www.ministryofburlesque.com and BurlesqueCommunity.com help bring performers and producers together to share ideas, tips and resources in an effort to help all advance their craft. | + | |
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
| - | *[[Burlesque Hall of Fame]] | + | *[[Burlesque writers and stars]] |
| - | *[[Guerrilla burlesque]] | + | *[[Development of American burlesque]] |
| - | *[[Tab show]] | + | |
| - | + | ||
| ==Synonyms== | ==Synonyms== | ||
| - | *[[lampoon]] | + | *[[Mock-heroic]] |
| - | *[[travesty]] | + | *[[Lampoon]] |
| + | *[[Travesty]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Revision as of 07:35, 12 September 2014
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Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects. The word derives from the Italian burlesco, which, in turn, is derived from the Italian burla – a joke, ridicule or mockery.
Burlesque overlaps in meaning with caricature, parody, grotesquerie and travesty, and, in its theatrical sense, with extravaganza, as presented during the Victorian era. "Burlesque" has been used in English in this literary and theatrical sense since the late 17th century. It has been applied retrospectively to works of Chaucer and Shakespeare and to the Graeco-Roman classics. Contrasting examples of literary burlesque are Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock and Samuel Butler's Hudibras. An example of musical burlesque is Richard Strauss's 1890 Burleske for piano and orchestra. Examples of theatrical burlesques include W. S. Gilbert's Robert the Devil and the A. C. Torr – Meyer Lutz shows, including Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué.
A later use of the term, particularly in the United States, refers to performances in a variety show format. These were popular from the 1860s to the 1940s, often in cabarets and clubs, as well as theatres, and featured bawdy comedy and female striptease. Some Hollywood films attempted to recreate the spirit of these performances from the 1930s to the 1960s, or included burlesque-style scenes within dramatic films, such as 1972's Cabaret and 1979's All That Jazz, among others. There has been a resurgence of interest in this format since the 1990s.
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Literary origins and development
The word first appears in a title in Francesco Berni's Opere burlesche of the early 16th century, works that had circulated widely in manuscript before they were printed. For a time burlesque verses were known as poesie bernesca in his honour. 'Burlesque' as a literary term became widespread in 17th century Italy and France, and subsequently England, where it referred to a grotesque imitation of the dignified or pathetic.
In 17th century Spain, playwright and poet Miguel de Cervantes ridiculed medieval romance in his many satirical works. Among Cervantes' works are Exemplary Novels and the Eight Comedies and Eight New Interludes published in 1615. The term burlesque has been applied retrospectively to works of Chaucer and Shakespeare and to the Graeco-Roman classics.
Burlesque was intentionally ridiculous in that it imitated several styles and combined imitations of certain authors and artists with absurd descriptions. In this, the term was often used interchangeably with "pastiche", "parody", and the 17th and 18th century genre of the "mock-heroic". Burlesque depended on the reader's (or listener's) knowledge of the subject to make its intended effect, and a high degree of literacy was taken for granted.
17th and 18th century burlesque was divided into two types: High burlesque refers to a burlesque imitation where a literary, elevated manner was applied to a commonplace or comically inappropriate subject matter as, for example, in the literary parody and the mock-heroic. One of the most commonly cited examples of high burlesque is Alexander Pope's "sly, knowing and courtly" The Rape of the Lock. Low burlesque applied an irreverent, mocking style to a serious subject; an example is Samuel Butler's poem Hudibras, which described the misadventures of a Puritan knight in satiric doggerel verse, using a colloquial idiom. Butler's addition to his comic poem of an ethical subtext made his caricatures into satire.
In more recent times, burlesque true to its literary origins is still performed in revues and sketches. Tom Stoppard's 1974 play Travesties is an example of a full-length play drawing on the burlesque tradition.
Burlesque in music
Classical music
Beginning in the early 18th century, the term burlesque was used throughout Europe to describe musical works in which serious and comic elements were juxtaposed or combined to achieve a grotesque effect. As derived from literature and theatre, "burlesque" was used, and is still used, in music to indicate a bright or high-spirited mood, sometimes in contrast to seriousness.
In this sense of farce and exaggeration rather than parody, it appears frequently on the German-language stage between the middle of the 19th century and the 1920s. Burlesque operettas were written by Johann Strauss II (Die lustigen Weiber von Wien, 1868), Ziehrer (Mahomed's Paradies,1866; Das Orakel zu Delfi, 1872; Cleopatra, oder Durch drei Jahrtausende, 1875; In fünfzig Jahren, 1911) and Bruno Granichstaedten (Casimirs Himmelfahrt, 1911). French references to burlesque are less common than German, though Grétry composed for a "drame burlesque" (Matroco, 1777). Stravinsky called his 1916 one-act chamber opera-ballet Renard (The Fox) a "Histoire burlesque chantée et jouée" (burlesque tale sung and played). A later example is the 1927 burlesque operetta by Ernst Krenek entitled Schwergewicht (Heavyweight) (1927).
Some orchestral and chamber works have also been designated as burlesques, of which two early examples are the Ouverture-Suite Burlesque de Quixotte, TWV 55, by Telemann and the Sinfonia Burlesca by Leopold Mozart (1760). Another often-performed piece is Richard Strauss's 1890 Burleske for piano and orchestra. Other examples include the following:
- 1901: Six Burlesques, Op. 58 for piano four hands by Max Reger
- 1904: Scherzo Burlesque, Op. 2 for piano and orchestra by Béla Bartók
- 1911: Three Burlesques, Op. 8c for piano by Bartók
- 1920: Burlesque for Piano, by Arnold Bax
- 1931: Ronde burlesque, Op. 78 for orchestra by Florent Schmitt
- 1932: Fantaisie burlesque, for piano by Olivier Messiaen
- 1956: Burlesque for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, Op. 13g by Bertold Hummel
- 1982: Burlesque for Wind Quintet, Op. 76b by Hummel
Burlesque can be used to describe particular movements of instrumental musical compositions, often involving dance rhythms. Examples are the Burlesca, in Partita No. 3 for keyboard (BWV 827) by Bach, the "Rondo-Burleske" third movement of Symphony No. 9 by Mahler, and the "Burlesque" fourth movement of Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1.
Jazz
The use of burlesque has not been confined to classical music. Well known ragtime travesties include The Russian Rag, by George L. Cobb, which is based on Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp minor, and Harry Alford's Lucy's Sextette based on the sextet, 'Chi mi frena in tal momento?', from Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti.
Victorian theatrical burlesque
Victorian burlesque, sometimes known as "travesty" or "extravaganza", was popular in London theatres between the 1830s and the 1890s. It took the form of musical theatre parody in which a well-known opera, play or ballet was adapted into a broad comic play, usually a musical play, often risqué in style, mocking the theatrical and musical conventions and styles of the original work, and quoting or pastiching text or music from the original work. The comedy often stemmed from the incongruity and absurdity of the classical subjects, with realistic historical dress and settings, being juxtaposed with the modern activities portrayed by the actors. Madame Vestris produced burlesques at the Olympic Theatre beginning in 1831 with Olympic Revels by J. R. Planché. Other authors of burlesques included H. J. Byron, G. R. Sims, F. C. Burnand, W. S. Gilbert and Fred Leslie.
Victorian burlesque related to and in part derived from traditional English pantomime "with the addition of gags and 'turns'." In the early burlesques, following the example of ballad opera, the words of the songs were written to popular music; later burlesques mixed the music of opera, operetta, music hall and revue, and some of the more ambitious shows had original music composed for them. This English style of burlesque was successfully introduced to New York in the 1840s.
Some of the most frequent subjects for burlesque were the plays of Shakespeare and grand opera. The dialogue was generally written in rhyming couplets, liberally peppered with bad puns. A typical example from a burlesque of Macbeth: Macbeth and Banquo enter under an umbrella, and the witches greet them with "Hail! hail! hail!" Macbeth asks Banquo, "What mean these salutations, noble thane?" and is told, "These showers of 'Hail' anticipate your 'reign'". A staple of burlesque was the display of attractive women in travesty roles, dressed in tights to show off their legs, but the plays themselves were seldom more than modestly risqué.
Burlesque became the speciality of certain London theatres, including the Gaiety and Royal Strand Theatre from the 1860s to the early 1890s. Until the 1870s, burlesques were often one-act pieces running less than an hour and using pastiches and parodies of popular songs, opera arias and other music that the audience would readily recognize. The house stars included Nellie Farren, John D'Auban, Edward Terry and Fred Leslie. From about 1880, Victorian burlesques grew longer, until they were a whole evening's entertainment rather than part of a double- or triple-bill. In the early 1890s, these burlesques went out of fashion in London, and the focus of the Gaiety and other burlesque theatres changed to the new more wholesome but less literary genre of Edwardian musical comedy.
American burlesque
American burlesque shows were originally an offshoot of Victorian burlesque. The English genre had been successfully staged in New York from the 1840s, and it was popularised by a visiting British burlesque troupe, Lydia Thompson and the "British Blondes", beginning in 1868. New York burlesque shows soon incorporated elements and the structure of the popular minstrel shows. They consisted of three parts: first, songs and ribald comic sketches by low comedians; second, assorted olios and male acts, such as acrobats, magicians and solo singers; and third, chorus numbers and sometimes a burlesque in the English style on politics or a current play. The entertainment was usually concluded by an exotic dancer or a wrestling or boxing match.
While burlesque went out of fashion in England towards the end of the 19th century, to be replaced by Edwardian musical comedy, the American style of burlesque flourished, but with increasing focus on female nudity. Exotic "cooch" dances were brought in, ostensibly Syrian in origin. The entertainments were given in clubs and cabarets, as well as music halls and theatres. By the early 20th century, there were two national circuits of burlesque shows competing with the vaudeville circuit, as well as resident companies in New York, such as Minsky's at the Winter Garden.
The transition from burlesque on the old lines to striptease was gradual. At first soubrettes showed off their figures while singing and dancing; some were less active but compensated by appearing in elaborate stage costumes. The strippers gradually supplanted the singing and dancing soubrettes; by 1932 there were at least 150 strip principals in the US. Star strippers included Sally Rand, Gypsy Rose Lee, Tempest Storm, Lili St. Cyr, Blaze Starr, Ann Corio and Margie Hart, who was celebrated enough to be mentioned in song lyrics by Lorenz Hart and Cole Porter. By the late 1930s, burlesque shows would have up to six strippers supported by one or two comics and a master of ceremonies. Comics who appeared in burlesque early in their careers included Fanny Brice, Mae West, Eddie Cantor, Abbott and Costello, W. C. Fields, Jackie Gleason, Danny Thomas, Al Jolson, Bert Lahr, Phil Silvers, Sid Caesar, Danny Kaye, Red Skelton and Sophie Tucker.
The uninhibited atmosphere of burlesque establishments owed much to the free flow of alcoholic liquor, and the enforcement of Prohibition was a serious blow. In New York, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia clamped down on burlesque, effectively putting it out of business by the early 1940s. It lingered on elsewhere in the U.S., increasingly neglected, and by the 1970s, with nudity commonplace in theatres, reached "its final shabby demise." Both during its declining years and afterwards there have been films that sought to capture American burlesque, including Lady of Burlesque (1943), Striporama (1953), and The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968).
In recent decades, there has been a revival of burlesque, sometimes called neo-burlesque, on both sides of the Atlantic. Neo-burlesque performers include Dita Von Teese. Agitprop groups like Cabaret Red Light incorporate political satire and performance art into their burlesque shows.
See also
Synonyms
