American Burlesque Costume 1899

by Photo Researchers

Title

American Burlesque Costume 1899

Artist

Photo Researchers

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

Entitled "Woman wearing low cut green, blue, and yellow costume with feathers and roses in her hair" lithograph poster created by Courier Litho. Company, 1899. American burlesque is a variety show derived from elements of Victorian burlesque, music hall "leg shows"and minstrel shows. American burlesque adopted the minstrel show's three part structure part one was composed of songs and dances rendered by a female company, interspersed with low comedy from male comedians. Part two featured various short specialties and vaudeville acts in which the women did not appear. The show's finish was a grand finale. By the 1880s, the four distinguishing characteristics of American burlesque had evolved 1) minimal costuming, often focusing on the female form, 2) sexually suggestive dialogue, dance, plot lines and staging, 3) quick-witted humor laced with puns, but lacking complexity, and 4) short routines or sketches with minimal plot cohesion across a show. Much of the humor and entertainment of later American burlesque focused on lowbrow and ribald (lewd) subjects. The uninhibited atmosphere of burlesque establishments owed much to the free flow of alcohol.

Uploaded

September 24th, 2014

Colors

Embed

Share

Tags