A 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."Burlesque"
''Oxford English Dictionary'',

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

, accessed 16 February 2011 The word is loaned from French and derives from the Italian ', which, in turn, is derived from the Italian ' – a joke, ridicule or mockery. Burlesque overlaps with

caricature A caricature is a rendered image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way through sketching, pencil strokes, or other artistic drawings (compare to: cartoon). Caricatures can be either insulting or complimentary, ...

parody A parody is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satire, satirical or irony, ironic imitation. Often its subject is an Originality, original work or some aspect of it (theme/content, author, style, e ...

and travesty, and, in its theatrical form, with extravaganza, as presented during the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

. The word "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 William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

and to the Graeco-Roman classics.Baldick, Chris
"Burlesque"
''The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms'', Oxford University Press, 2008. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press, accessed 16 February 2011 Contrasting examples of literary burlesque are

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early ...

'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 Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a comp� ...

format. These were popular from the 1860s to the 1940s, often in

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

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 Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

'' and 1979's '' All That Jazz'', among others. There has been a resurgence of interest in this format since the 1990s.

Literary origins and development

The word first appears in a title in

Francesco Berni Francesco Berni Francesco Berni (1497/98 – 26 May 1535) was an Italian poet. He is credited for beginning what is now known as " Bernesque poetry", a serio-comedic type of poetry with elements of satire. Biography Life Berni was born 1497 o ...

'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.Fredric Woodbridge Wilson: "Burlesque", ''Grove Music Online'' ed. L. Macy (Accessed December 04, 2008)
(subscription access)

's Pyramus and Thisbe scene in '' Midsummer Night's Dream'' and the general mocking of romance in Beaumont and Fletcher's '' The Knight of the Burning Pestle'' were early examples of such imitation.Stanton, p. 50 In 17th century Spain, playwright and poet

Miguel de Cervantes Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra ( ; ; 29 September 1547 (assumed) – 22 April 1616 Old Style and New Style dates, NS) was a Spanish writer widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-eminent novelist ...

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", "

", 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

and the mock-heroic. One of the most commonly cited examples of high burlesque is

'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 Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of exposin ...

. 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.

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. Kennedy, Michael (2006), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'', p. 134 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 Johann Baptist Strauss II (; ; 25 October 1825 – 3 June 1899), also known as Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger or the Son (), was an List of Austrian composers, Austrian composer of light music, particularly dance music and operettas as well ...

(''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'') and his 1911 ballet '' Petrushka'' a "burlesque in four scenes". 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 Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...

*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 Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that had its peak from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its Syncopation, syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers ...

travesties include '' 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 A sextet (or hexad) is a formation containing exactly six members. The former term is commonly associated with vocal ensembles (e.g. The King's Singers, Affabre Concinui) or musical instrument groups, but can be applied to any situation where six ...

, '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. Faustupto

Victorian burlesque related to and in part derived from traditional English pantomime "with the addition of gags and 'turns'." Schwandt, Erich et al
"Burlesque"
''Grove Music Online''. Oxford Music Online, accessed 3 February 2011 In the early burlesques, following the example of

ballad opera The ballad opera is a genre of England, English ''comic opera'' stage play that originated in the early 18th century, and continued to develop over the following century and later. Like the earlier ''comédie en vaudeville'' and the later ''Sings ...

, the words of the songs were written to popular music; later burlesques mixed the music of

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

, operetta,

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was most popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850, through the World War I, Great War. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as Varie ...

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.Marvin, Roberta Montemorra
"Verdian Opera Burlesqued: A Glimpse into Mid-Victorian Theatrical Culture"
''Cambridge Opera Journal'', Vol. 15, No. 1 (March 2003), pp. 33–66, Cambridge University Press, accessed 2 February 2011 Wells, Stanley
"Shakespearian Burlesques"
''Shakespeare Quarterly'', Vol. 16, No. 1 (Winter, 1965), pp. 49–61, Folger Shakespeare Library in association with George Washington University, accessed 2 February 2011 The dialogue was generally written in rhyming couplets, liberally peppered with bad puns. A typical example from a burlesque of ''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'': 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

aria In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...

s and other music that the audience would readily recognize. The house stars included Nellie Farren, John D'Auban, Edward Terry and Fred Leslie."Theatrical Humour in the Seventies", ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'', 20 February 1914, p. 9"Mr. D'Auban's 'Startrap' Jumps". ''The Times'', 17 April 1922, p. 17 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.Hoffos, Signe and Moulder, Bob.
"Desperately Seeking Lydia" and "Appreciating Lydia"
''The Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery Magazine'', Vol. 43, Autumn 2006, pp. 1–7 New York burlesque shows soon incorporated elements and the structure of the popular

minstrel show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of theater developed in the early 19th century. The shows were performed by mostly white actors wearing blackface makeup for the purpose of portraying racial stereotypes of Afr ...

s. 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."Burlesque show"
''Encyclopædia Britannica'', Online Library Edition, accessed 16 February 2011 Gypsy Rose Lee NYWTS 1

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 Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

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.Humez, Nick
"Burlesque".
''St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture'', ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast, Gale Virtual Reference Library, accessed 16 February 2011 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 Tempest Storm (born Annie Blanche Banks; February 29, 1928 – April 20, 2021), also dubbed "The Queen Of Exotic Dancers," was an American American burlesque, burlesque star and motion picture actress. Along with Lili St. Cyr, Sally Rand and Bla ...

, 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 Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became Standard (music), standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway the ...

. 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 Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedian, Illustrated Songs, illustrated song model, singer, and actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. Sh ...

Mae West Mary Jane "Mae" West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American actress, singer, comedian, screenwriter, and playwright whose career spanned more than seven decades. Recognized as a prominent sex symbol of her time, she was known ...

, 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. MichelleLAmourFanDance2641

The uninhibited atmosphere of burlesque establishments owed much to the free flow of alcoholic liquor, and the enforcement of

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...

was a serious blow. In New York, Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia clamped down on burlesque, effectively putting it out of business by the early 1940s. It lingered on elsewhere in the US, 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 ''Striporama'' (also known as ''Striporama of Burlesque'') is a 1953 American comedy film directed by Jerald Intrator and starring a number of burlesque comedy, dance and striptease acts popular during the early 1950s including Georgia Sothern, L ...

'' (1953), and '' The Night They Raided Minsky's'' (1968). Stage Door Johnnies

In recent decades, there has been a revival of burlesque, sometimes called Neo-Burlesque,Caldwell, Mark
"The Almost Naked City"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', 18 May 2008, accessed 19 September 2009 on both sides of the Atlantic.Newman, Martin
"Burlesque ventures out of the West End and into... Camden Town"
''The Mirror'', 18 February 2012 A new generation, nostalgic for the spectacle and perceived glamour of the classic American burlesque, developed a cult following for the art in the early 1990s at Billie Madley's "Cinema" and later at the "Dutch Weismann's Follies" revues in New York City, "The Velvet Hammer" troupe in Los Angeles and The Shim-Shamettes in New Orleans. Ivan Kane's Royal Jelly Burlesque Nightclub at Revel Atlantic City opened in 2012. Notable Neo-burlesque performers include Dita Von Teese, and Julie Atlas Muz and

Agitprop Agitprop (; from , portmanteau of ''agitatsiya'', "agitation" and ''propaganda'', "propaganda") refers to an intentional, vigorous promulgation of ideas. The term originated in the Soviet Union where it referred to popular media, such as literatu ...

groups like Cabaret Red Light incorporated political satire and performance art into their burlesque shows. Annual conventions such as the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and the

Miss Exotic World Pageant The Miss Exotic World Pageant (officially, the Miss Exotic World Pageant and Striptease Reunion) is an annual neo-burlesque pageant and convention, and is the annual showcase event (and fundraiser for) the Burlesque Hall of Fame (formerly the E ...

are held.Clodfelter, Tim
"This ain't your granddad's burlesque – but he sure wouldn't mind watching"
. ''Winston-Salem Journal'', 31 January 2008, accessed 24 February 2011

Notes

References

* Abrams, M. H. (1999) ''A Glossary of Literary Terms''. Seventh edition. Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace College Publishers *Adams, William Davenport (1904
''A dictionary of the drama''
London: Chatto & Windus *Allan, Kirsty L. 'A Guide to Classical Burlesque – Funny Ha Ha or Funny Peculiar?' *Allan, Kirsty L. and Charms, G. 'Diamonds From the Rough – The Darker Side of American Burlesque striptease' *Allen, Robert Clyde (1991). ''Horrible Prettiness: Burlesque and American Culture''. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. *Baldwin, Michelle. ''Burlesque and the New Bump-n-Grind'' *Briggeman, Jane (2009) ''Burlesque: A Living History''. BearManor Media, 2009. *DiNardo, Kelly. "Gilded Lili: Lili St. Cyr and the Striptease Mystique"; Archive of articles, video, pictures and interviews about neo-burlesque. * Frye, Northrop. (1957) ''Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays.'' Princeton: Princeton University Press *Hedin, Thomas F. (2001) ''The Petite Commande of 1664: Burlesque in the gardens of Versailles'', ''The Art Bulletin'' * Hollingshead, John. (1903) ''Good Old Gaiety: An Historiette & Remembrance'' London: Gaity Theatre Co * Kennedy, Michael (2006), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'', Oxford: Oxford University Press. *Kenrick, John
A History of The Musical Burlesque
*Sanders, Andrew (1994). ''The Short Oxford History of English Literature''. Oxford: Oxford University Press. *Stanton, Sarah and Banham, Martin (1996). ''Cambridge Paperback Guide to Theatre'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. *Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), ''The Oxford Dictionary of Opera'', Oxford: Oxford University Press. *Wilson, Frederic Woodbridge (1992), 'Burlesque' in ''The

New Grove Dictionary of Opera ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'' is an encyclopedia of opera. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volumes. The dictionary was first published in 1992 by Macmillan Reference, L ...

'', ed. Stanley Sadie (London) *Zeidman, Irving: ''The American Burlesque Show''. Hawthorn Books, Inc 1967, ,

External links

Ruckus! American Entertainments at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
From the collection of th
Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale UniversityClassic Burlesque: We Aim to Tease
– slideshow by '' Life magazine''
History of Burlesque
at Musicals101.com
The History of Burlesque
at TheFreaky.net {{Authority control Comedy genres Erotic dance Musical theatre Theatrical genres Variety shows History of theatre Entertainment Nudity in theatre and dance Satire