'burlesque' is an adjective applicable in many contexts meaning to 'to parody' or 'make mockery' but it is also a noun, in that it names a genre of theatre. Burlesque Theatre therefore by definition means a kind of theatrical act which intends 'to parody'.

'Burlesque' as a theatrical genre is both eclectic and diverse and although almost anything could be described as 'parody' or pastiche in some way or other, the theatrical reference of 'burlesque' does imply a more specific style born out of the Music Hall era.

There is a difference in describing something as 'burlesque' and deliberately creating something to be burlesque.

i.e. "this trial was a burlesque of justice"
and "I went to the Burlesque show to see my favourite act"

However, the fundamental point of 'Burlesque Theatre' is to entertain and make statements, commentary and suggest ideas through pastiche.

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i LOVE this! I born to burlesque. much of my life has been a parody! ha ha I mean that in a good way. there is so much about life which is fake, we are encouraged to pretend to be something other than what we are. what a joke! So I decided to be REAL! thus the mockery! Every box or label I have been placed in I have parodied. even those I chose as labels for myself!

That aside, like all things burlesque is a living tradition and as such it is ever evolving (along with us humans though perhaps to a greater degree!). so what once was is no longer, though it may inform the moment.

I also wonder: what of the parody of the parody? What of doing something that started as a joke and doing it so well that folks take it seriously? What of the subtle undercurrent of a story that perhaps no one but the performer understands? And finally, aren't we all telling some kind of tale when we stand before a crowd and put on a show?

Yes, I love burlesque for all it's hues.
Thank you for this thread!

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Being interested in the history of live entertainment in general, I just wonder that as "burlesque" is going thru such a global revival at the moment - in 20 years time when someone is updating the history book on this kind of stuff . . . . how will "burlesque" be reported and related to?

We're writing history here folks, I know at the end of the day it's just about having fun, and I dont wanna get all "deep" on your ass, but should we be trying to ensure the scene doesn't get hijacked by the bandwagon jumpers who think it's just about taking your clothes off with some added tassles and a fan?

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Apparently that is happening here! Not necessarily on the performer's side, but on the 'city ordinance" side! A local club was recently asked to discontinue the amplified music and specifically to stop a burlesque troupe (who performs every other week) from doing their thing. They do far more than disrobe in fancy ways (have live music, many shenanigans, comedy, etc). some old ordinance on the city books brought to bear on 2006- totally irrelevant!
If you want to learn more about it check this out:

www.lecirquerouge.net
http://www.myspace.com/lecirquerouge

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Burlesque to me is about the freedom to
be all the characters i always admired and create my own little stories.
it is one of the only artforms that is not restricted or labeled too much. the more we set boundries the less the possibilities.

yes i strip, but i am funny/ or skilled and my acts do have a narative.

some of my acts involve circus skills
does this make them circus and not burlesque, i don't think so . i think my skills add to the already great art of burlesque to create shows that are unique to me.

yes i do fan dance - no its not funny or a parody !
does that make it not burlesque ?

i'm not quite sure what you want to gain out of putting up boundries.

i agree there are a lot of people on the bandwagon that think its all about the strip

but like TC says we blow them out the water
when performing along side them.

xx x x x
RedSarah

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Howdy Sarah x

I definitely don't wanna put boundaries on performances at all, totally not - the variety is what makes it all so special - but to me "burlesque" in the UK at the moment seems to be becoming "variety" in the old music hall sense, more than being a specific kind of thing.

All I'm saying is that what everyone is now referring to as a "burlesque show", is really more of a "variety show".

And I'm not gonna even get onto the difference between vaudeville and burlesque!

Mixing circus stuff into all this, is great too, so much so that I'm now getting some training in this area myself from the lovely Vicki and Edd from Frayed Knot.

I guess I'm just gettin anal and pernickety ain't I, but hey . . . . I'm a guy !

At least we created an interesting discussion!

xx

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hey warren

i think that you are right - many of the burlesque shows do have a variety of different genres performing and it's wicked.

like pete firman - magic man tufty from bbc programme monkey magik.

he is no a burlesque performer he is a comedic magician but he was at the candybox in birmingham and he will be at the golden lotus in newcastle. he was great and totaly in the right place.

the MOB often has at its events cabaret singers dusty limits, paul l martin and burlesque singers amber topaz and this is elvis

is it then perhaps a mistake to be calling the "shows" burlesque ?

perhaps the term cabaret or variety best describes these evenings of entertainment ?

whatever the true burlesque
be it the classic fan dance?
the comedy striptease?
the can can ?
Balloon popping?
nipple tasseling ?
pole dancin?
etc

it has to be more than just gorgeous,
or does it ?

gosh more thoughts ? getting myself confused !


back later
x x x
red

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Winner "Best Female Performer 2007" MOB Awards
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Veteran of Circus and British Burlesque
http://www.redsarah.com
http://www.myspace.com/cherrybombola

One of the differences in the writing of this history will be that there is such an enormous amount of writing and imagery about it available, unlike in years before the web. The multiplicity of interpretations and opinions will probably be prevalent in any description of what burlesque was like in the early 21st century.

If we get too nitpicky about what burlesque meant in the past, we end up with a chorus of satyrs in every show.

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I wish to add that the issue of 'high art' and 'low art' is always a tricky one. There seems to be a drive at the moment to define burlesque as high art when historically one of its functions was to parady 'high art'. Ive always found using hiererachical structuring when catagorising art forms problematic and always has the potential to be devisive.

There's a novel by Angela Carter called ' Wise Children that explore these issues within the context of the music hall, hollywood and classical shakespearean theatre.

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http://www.myspace.com/poppyvontarte
http://www.myspace.com/burlesquegorefest

Online encyclopedia Wikipedia has some good definitions of vaudeville, burlesque and neo-burlesque - i've read many other different definitions and interpretations of these styles in books and on websites too.

How about changing tack - why do you people think vaudeville, burlesque and music hall entertainment is making such a come back?

Is it cos many people are sick of just watching TV and doing the same old thing when they DO go out - now they want something different?

Is it cos people just like the excuse to "dress up" when they goto some of the UK shows? Do people get "dressed up" to goto the shows in America and Canada?

Is it cos people like the fact that the burlesque tease element leaves a lot to the imagination (as opposed to all of the hardcore stuff you can now see online or at some "traditional" strip shows.)

Is it just cos people are curious and wanna see what "burlesque" is all about?

Will the bubble eventually burst?

Do I over analyse things ?!?!

Shall I just shut up and dance. . . .

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