writing one

Burlesque is a form of live entertainment, which usually consists of skits and striptease. In Burlesque, performers are usually female with elaborate costumes, music and dramatic lighting; these performers usually do demonstrations to enhance the impact of their performance. Traditionally, it has a variety of acts such as dancers, singers, comedians, pantomime, and striptease characterized by satire. Burlesque originated in Britain the 1840s. The popular shows of the 1880s –1920s were a risqué form of variety theatre. These works entertained the lower and middle classes in Britain and the United States. In the show they watched, they made fun up the upper classes. By the 1860s British burlesque relied upon underdressed women to keep the audience into the show.
In the late 1800s, the goal of burlesque shows was to reveal as much of the feminine form as possible without breaking the law. Michael Lewitt was a big time producer in the 1800s. In 1870, he created a new burlesque format. In act one the cast would perform songs and gags dressed in formal clothing. In act two there would be several variety acts such as singers, dancers and skits. In the third and final act there would be a complete one act musical.
Burlesque comedy was formed around situations similar to lower and working class audiences, such as hit shows and popular topics of the time period. Places like Courtrooms, street corners, and schoolrooms were the most popular. Sexual innuendos were always there, but the main focus was to make fun of sex and what people were willing to do in pursuit of it. For example:
A buxom Girl drops her purse, and a Comic tries to return it.)
Comic: I beg your pardon.
Girl: What are you begging for? You're old enough to ask for it.
In time came a variety medley where singers, comics, jugglers and magicians were all apart of the show. The best thing that a show had to offer was its comedy. The lead comic in a show was referred to as the “top banana”, and the character’s sidekicks were known as second and third. The lowest number you were in the whole group the most likely you would suffer the worst of the physical humor. Even though most shows used basic routines they never played in the same way.
The dancing was a bit tantalizing. During the depression era of burlesque, Entertainers like Billy Beck and the Minsky brothers’ audiences with mix of comic storytelling and sentimental and sensual dance. Modern day dancers say that dancing offers them a way to escape from their everyday lives. Burlesque performers rehearse four to six times for weekend showings, unlike most performers. They like to think of performing as “personal expression”.
Burlesque eventually died out as the shows eventually turned into striptease. This element became subject to censors, and lead to the downfall of Burlesque. The shows went from witty variety performances to simple striptease shows. While this brought a lot of men into the theatre it gave burlesque a very inappropriate reputation. The strippers are careful, because going to far could land them in jail. The strippers avoided nudity with smart costuming.
“The golden age of burlesque” has long since gone, but its legacy is still alive. Every time you’re watching SNL or spoofs like Space balls and Austin Powers are carrying on the burlesque tradition.