Burlesque

Burlesque is a multifaceted form of entertainment with a rich history. It originated in the 18th century as a response to popular crazes like opera and ballet. The word "burlesque" comes from the Italian word "burlesco," meaning "mockery" or "joke".

In the 18th century, Burlesque was a form of satirical comedy parodying a particular play or dramatic genre. For example, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera (1728) was a burlesque of 18th-century opera, and Richard Brinsley Sheridan's The Critic (1777) satirized the sentimentality in contemporary drama.

William Hogarth painting of a Beggar's Opera scene

Victorian burlesque, popular in London from the 1830s to 1890s, parodied well-known culture such as opera and Shakespeare.

American burlesque's origins are complex and confusing, though it owes most to American farces, minstrel show sketches, and saloon or honky-tonk entertainment. Historians most frequently date its beginnings to the 1860s and the performance in 1866 of a musical extravaganza called The Black Crook in New York City.

Early American burlesque shows were structured similarly to minstrel shows, featuring musical acts, sketches, and female performers.

During the 1920s striptease was introduced in order to counteract the growing popularity of the movies; Gypsy Rose Lee was the most famous stripper. Burlesque was frequently banned in the USA.

Burlesque had its own colorful lingo, with terms like "the wheel" (the circuit of towns shows traveled).

Many famous comedians started their careers in burlesque, including Fanny Brice, Mae West, and Abbott and Costello

Lady Gaga started performing as a burlesque dancer after dropping out of college. She originally made a name for herself playing gigs at downtown Manhattan club venues with a performance art show billed as Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue (co-featuring performance artist Lady Starlight), which was when music industry insiders initially to take note.

Source Hutchinson Encyclopedia