Vaudeville was a variety show which was extremely popular in America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Vaudeville was a form of light comedy and satirical songs, which was much more respectable than the burlesque show. It usually included 10 to 15 acts which featured dancers, singers, comedians, acrobats, magicians and trained animals. Humorous sketches were also performed by a variety of performers, and they were each on stage for around five minutes at one time.
Vaudeville became a very popular form of entertainment for families, and this was because it wasn't offensive to men, women and children. Acts who violated rules were dismissed.
Vaudeville's decline was caused due to the popularity of radio ad motion pictures, therefore many established performers moved into the new and improved media. However, shows such as Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live continue the traditions of vaudeville.
Revue began in the 1890s and was originally a collection of songs, dances, comic interludes, sketches and short plays. It was different to to variety as the acts were linked by a topical idea or theme.
In 1903, the latest dance craze was created due to the first black revue 'In Dahomey' being performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre, introducing 'The Cakewalk'. The revue 'Blackbird' starring Florence Mills also became a successful box office in 1926.
Some music halls then introduced revue as part of their regular programmes, and they featured very large casts and extreme sets. By 1912, revues were very common because they included the latest American ragtime songs like 'Everybody's Doing It' and 'Alexanders Ragtime Band'. The first big American-style spectacular revue show was 'Hullo Rag-Time' in 1912.
Revue then became the perfect entertainment for post-World War I (1914-18) audiences as they wanted topical, light, fast-moving and sophisticated entertainment. A more intimate revue then developed, and this showed wit and style rather than music and spectacle. The two biggest producers of intimate revue in the 1920s and 30s were C.B Cochran and Andre Charlot. Cochran produced 'Odds and Ends' in 1914 which starred the French actress Alice Delysia and ran for over 500 performances.
Andre Charlot introduced big-scale revue at the Empire Theatre before Chochran's intimiate revues. Andre was inspired by their success, and so he branched out on his own. He introduced young talent in Beatrice Lillie, Gertrude Lawrence, Jessie Matthews and Jack Buchanan. His writers included Noel Coward. Many Charlot revues then toured to America and therefore British revue stars enjoyed a high profile on both sides of the Atlantic.
Vaudeville's decline was caused due to the popularity of radio ad motion pictures, therefore many established performers moved into the new and improved media. However, shows such as Late Night with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live continue the traditions of vaudeville.
Revue began in the 1890s and was originally a collection of songs, dances, comic interludes, sketches and short plays. It was different to to variety as the acts were linked by a topical idea or theme.
In 1903, the latest dance craze was created due to the first black revue 'In Dahomey' being performed at the Shaftesbury Theatre, introducing 'The Cakewalk'. The revue 'Blackbird' starring Florence Mills also became a successful box office in 1926.
Some music halls then introduced revue as part of their regular programmes, and they featured very large casts and extreme sets. By 1912, revues were very common because they included the latest American ragtime songs like 'Everybody's Doing It' and 'Alexanders Ragtime Band'. The first big American-style spectacular revue show was 'Hullo Rag-Time' in 1912.
Revue then became the perfect entertainment for post-World War I (1914-18) audiences as they wanted topical, light, fast-moving and sophisticated entertainment. A more intimate revue then developed, and this showed wit and style rather than music and spectacle. The two biggest producers of intimate revue in the 1920s and 30s were C.B Cochran and Andre Charlot. Cochran produced 'Odds and Ends' in 1914 which starred the French actress Alice Delysia and ran for over 500 performances.
Andre Charlot introduced big-scale revue at the Empire Theatre before Chochran's intimiate revues. Andre was inspired by their success, and so he branched out on his own. He introduced young talent in Beatrice Lillie, Gertrude Lawrence, Jessie Matthews and Jack Buchanan. His writers included Noel Coward. Many Charlot revues then toured to America and therefore British revue stars enjoyed a high profile on both sides of the Atlantic.
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