About Burlesque

Burlesque is an oft misunderstood thing. Not surprising really when you consider that there is much debate, even among the experts, as to what exactly defines Burlesque, or for that matter, burlesque. You see what I mean.

Small b burlesque refers to a parody or a mockery in general, whereas big B Burlesque refers to the theatrical genre that most people associate the term with. The Burlesque theater is characterized by broad ribald comedy, music and dancing.

A “Poor Man’s Follies”, the Burlesque theater originated in the late 1800s as a working class alternative to traditional theater. The exact beginnings of this genre are hard to trace, with roots reaching back to the 1940s and credit for its creation being attributed to a number of theater companies, performers and showmen including P.T. Barnum and Sol Bloom. What is clear is that burlesque became extremely popular and theaters began opening up across North America. Burlesque flourished through to the 1920’s, taking influences from vaudeville and the European cabarets. This golden era of burlesque was eventually brought to an end under the strain of prohibition and the Great Depression. Most of the theaters closed down, and the few that survived struggled to keep their doors open. Eventually Burlesque made a come back, inspired by the pin-up girls that became popular in the Second World War. This “Bump and Grind” style of Burlesque traded some of the parody of the earlier shows for more of the strip tease and the trend continued to the point where in the 1960’s Burlesque Theaters were almost completely replaced by the strip clubs that are still prominent today.

In recent years Burlesque has once again resurfaced. Troupes have been popping up all over in what is being called the Burlesque Revival. Taking influences from both the classic styles of Burlesque and more modern styles of dance, music and comedy, the new Burlesque is driven by a positive attitude towards sex. In an era where it has become socially acceptable to show gory violence on television, but where a glimpse of a female breast can spark massive controversy, the new Burlesque ridicules social taboos. This sex positive attitude permeates the new Burlesque community, with many of the performers describing this as a women’s liberation movement, showing that women can have a healthy attitude towards sex without being subjected to social judgments. This seems to have struck a note with many, as it seems that the biggest fans of Burlesque are of the female persuasion.

For more information on Burlesque past and present, check out our links section.