A theatre historian introduces the English stage burlesque, sorting its many travesties into groups: mock tragedies, parodies of Shakespeare, of opera, of classical myth and of history. Extracts show the methods of individual writers, and details of casts and dates recall pieces such as Oliver Grumble, with Cromwell imitating Henry Irving and dancing the cancan.
A witty guide to a vanished Victorian entertainment for theatre lovers and students of parody. Download the free EPUB.