Burlesque
The word burlesque first appeared in a title within Francesco Berni's Opere burlesche during the early 16th century. These works circulated widely as manuscripts before they were ever printed for public consumption. For a time, such verses carried the name poesie bernesca to honor their creator. The term gained widespread use across Italy and France throughout the 17th century. It subsequently entered English literary language by the late 1600s. In this context, it described a grotesque imitation of dignified or pathetic subjects. Early examples include Shakespeare's Pyramus and Thisbe scene from Midsummer Night's Dream. Beaumont and Fletcher also mocked romance in The Knight of the Burning Pestle. Miguel de Cervantes ridiculed medieval romances through his satirical works published in 1615. Two distinct types emerged during the 17th and 18th centuries. High burlesque applied an elevated manner to commonplace subject matter like Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock. Low burlesque used irreverent styles on serious topics as seen in Samuel Butler's Hudibras.
Beginning in the early 18th century, European composers began using the term to describe musical works juxtaposing serious and comic elements. Johann Strauss II wrote Die lustigen Weiber von Wien in 1868 as part of this tradition. Carl Ziehrer created Mahomed's Paradies in 1866 and Cleopatra in 1875. Igor Stravinsky called his 1916 chamber opera-ballet Renard a burlesque tale sung and played. His earlier ballet Petrushka was described as a burlesque in four scenes. Richard Strauss composed a Burleske for piano and orchestra in 1890 that remains often performed today. Max Reger wrote Six Burlesques for piano four hands in 1901. Béla Bartók contributed Scherzo Burlesque in 1904 and Three Burlesques in 1911. Dmitri Shostakovich included a movement titled Burlesque in his Violin Concerto No. 1. Gustav Mahler featured a Rondo-Burleske as the third movement of Symphony No. 9. These orchestral pieces often involved dance rhythms or bright moods contrasting with seriousness. Ernst Krenek produced a burlesque operetta entitled Schwergewicht in 1927.
Madame Vestris began producing burlesques at the Olympic Theatre starting in 1831. Her production Olympic Revels by J. R. Planché set the stage for future works. The genre flourished in London theatres between the 1830s and the 1890s. It took the form of musical theatre parody adapting well-known operas or plays into broad comic versions. Writers like H. J. Byron, G. R. Sims, F. C. Burnand, W. S. Gilbert, and Fred Leslie created these shows. The comedy stemmed from incongruity where realistic historical dress met modern activities portrayed by actors. Dialogue generally used rhyming couplets peppered with bad puns. A typical example showed Macbeth and Banquo entering under an umbrella while witches greeted them with hail. Stars included Nellie Farren, John D'Auban, Edward Terry, and Fred Leslie. Until the 1870s, these pieces ran less than an hour as one-act entertainment. From about 1880 they grew longer to fill entire evenings. By the early 1890s, Victorian burlesques went out of fashion in London. The focus shifted to Edwardian musical comedy which was more wholesome but less literary.
American burlesque shows originated as an offshoot of Victorian burlesque traditions. Lydia Thompson and her British Blondes troupe popularized the genre in New York beginning in 1868. These shows incorporated elements from minstrel shows and consisted of three distinct parts. The first featured songs and ribald comic sketches by low comedians. The second part included assorted olios and male acts like acrobats or magicians. The third concluded with chorus numbers and sometimes a burlesque on politics or current plays. Entertainment often ended with an exotic dancer or wrestling match. By the early 20th century, two national circuits competed against vaudeville. Resident companies like Minsky's operated at the Winter Garden. At first soubrettes showed off figures while singing and dancing in elaborate costumes. Strippers gradually replaced singing soubrettes over time. By 1932 there were at least 150 strip principals across the United States. Star strippers included Sally Rand, Gypsy Rose Lee, Tempest Storm, Lili St. Cyr, Blaze Starr, Ann Corio, and Margie Hart. Comics who appeared 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. Enforcement of Prohibition dealt a serious blow to these venues. In New York City, Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia clamped down on burlesque operations. This effectively put the business out of existence by the early 1940s. It lingered elsewhere in the US but became increasingly neglected. By the 1970s, with nudity commonplace in theatres, it reached its final shabby demise. Films sought to capture American burlesque during its declining years including Lady of Burlesque released in 1943. Striporama followed in 1953 and The Night They Raided Minsky's arrived in 1968. Some Hollywood films attempted to recreate the spirit from the 1930s through the 1960s. Others included burlesque-style scenes within dramatic productions like Cabaret in 1972 or All That Jazz in 1979.
A new generation developed a cult following for classic American burlesque art in the early 1990s. Billie Madley hosted revues at her Cinema venue while Dutch Weismann ran Follies shows in New York City. The Velvet Hammer troupe operated in Los Angeles and The Shim-Shamettes performed in New Orleans. Ivan Kane opened Royal Jelly Burlesque Nightclub at Revel Atlantic City in 2012. Notable neo-burlesque performers include Dita Von Teese and Julie Atlas Muz. Agitprop groups like Cabaret Red Light incorporated political satire into their performances. Annual conventions such as the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival take place regularly. The Miss Exotic World Pageant is held each year to celebrate the craft. Interest has surged on both sides of the Atlantic since the 1990s. Contemporary performers blend spectacle with perceived glamour of the classic era.
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Common questions
When did the word burlesque first appear in a title?
The word burlesque first appeared in a title within Francesco Berni's Opere burlesche during the early 16th century. These works circulated widely as manuscripts before they were ever printed for public consumption.
What are the two distinct types of literary burlesque that emerged during the 17th and 18th centuries?
High burlesque applied an elevated manner to commonplace subject matter like Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock. Low burlesque used irreverent styles on serious topics as seen in Samuel Butler's Hudibras.
Who began producing burlesques at the Olympic Theatre starting in 1831?
Madame Vestris began producing burlesques at the Olympic Theatre starting in 1831. Her production Olympic Revels by J. R. Planché set the stage for future works.
Why did American burlesque establishments decline in New York City by the early 1940s?
Enforcement of Prohibition dealt a serious blow to these venues. In New York City, Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia clamped down on burlesque operations which effectively put the business out of existence by the early 1940s.
When did a new generation develop a cult following for classic American burlesque art?
A new generation developed a cult following for classic American burlesque art in the early 1990s. Billie Madley hosted revues at her Cinema venue while Dutch Weismann ran Follies shows in New York City during this period.