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OverviewOf all the theatrical genres most prized by the Victorians, pantomime is the only one to have survived continuously into the twenty-first century. It remains as true today as it was in the 1830s, that a visit to the pantomime constitutes the first theatrical experience of most children and now, as then, a successful pantomime season is the key to the financial health of most theatres. Everyone went to the pantomime, from Queen Victoria and the royal family to the humblest of her subjects. It appealed equally to West End and East End, to London and the provinces, to both sexes and all ages. Many Victorian luminaries were devotees of the pantomime, notably among them John Ruskin, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll and W.E. Gladstone. In this vivid and evocative account of the Victorian pantomime, Jeffrey Richards examines the potent combination of slapstick, spectacle and subversion that ensured the enduring popularity of the form. The secret of its success, he argues, was its continual evolution. It acted as an accurate cultural barometer of its times, directly reflecting current attitudes, beliefs and preoccupations, and it kept up a flow of instantly recognisable topical allusions to political rows, fashion fads, technological triumphs, wars and revolutions, and society scandals. Richards assesses throughout the contribution of writers, producers, designers and stars to the success of the pantomime in its golden age. This book is a treat as rich and appetizing as turkey, mince pies and plum pudding. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Jeffrey Richards (Lancaster University, UK)Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Imprint: I.B. Tauris Dimensions: Width: 15.50cm , Height: 4.30cm , Length: 22.80cm Weight: 0.812kg ISBN: 9781780762937ISBN 10: 1780762933 Pages: 456 Publication Date: 23 October 2014 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: Manufactured on demand We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier. Table of ContentsIntroduction Illustrations 1 Transformations 2 Harlequinade 3 Fairyland 4 James Robinson Planche and the Classical Extravaganza 6 William Roxby Beverley and the Triumph of Scene-Painting 7 The Drury Lane Pantomime: the Creators 8 E.L. Blanchard and the Drury Lane Pantomimes: the Smith Management 9 E.L. Blanchard and the Drury Lane Pantomimes: the Chatterton Management 10 Sir Augustus Harris and the Battle for PantomimeReviews'I rejoice at Jeffrey Richards' achievement: the first thorough and gratifyingly detailed study of London's pantomimes from the 1820s through to ca. 1900 which quietly blends immaculate scholarship, close analysis, and archival work with entertaining readability. - David Mayer Author InformationJeffrey Richards is Professor of Cultural History, Lancaster University. His many publications on theatre history include Sir Henry Irving: A Victorian Actor and His World and John Ruskin and the Victorian Theatre. He is General Editor of Tauris' Cinema and Society Series. He lives in Lancaster, Lancashire. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |