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Drury Lane Pantomime
Drury Lane pantomime is a long tradition at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, dating from the early 18th century. In every Christmas season, a pantomime is produced which has a leading place among the many other pantomimes of the capital. Other pantomimes are sometimes produced during the rest of the year. Pantomime Theatre is a family-friendly genre of stage performance that includes cross dressing actors performing songs, dances, skits, and slapstick comedy. History The origins of pantomime at Drury Lane can be traced back to sixteenth century commedia dell'arte’s stock character Arlecchino. Three Hundred years before the birth of Pantomime, this tricky servant was best known for his lighthearted nimbleness, zany personality, crude expression of sexuality, and physical agility. John Weaver, known as the Father of Modern Pantomime, premiered a version of Arlecchino’s act at Drury Lane Theatre in 1702. The first English pantomime was ''Tavern Bilkers'' performed at Drury Lane in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mr Beverly's Painting Room At The Theatre Royal Drury Lane
''Mister'', usually written in its contracted form ''Mr.'' or ''Mr'', is a commonly used English honorific for men without a higher honorific, or professional title, or any of various designations of office. The title 'Mr' derived from earlier forms of ''master'', as the equivalent female titles ''Mrs'', ''Miss'', and '' Ms'' all derived from earlier forms of ''mistress''. ''Master'' is sometimes still used as an honorific for boys and young men. The modern plural form is ''Misters'', although its usual formal abbreviation ''Messrs''(.) derives from use of the French title ' in the 18th century. ' is the plural of ' (originally ', "my lord"), formed by declining both of its constituent parts separately. Historical etiquette Historically, ''mister'' was applied only to those above one's own status if they had no higher title such as ''Sir'' or ''my lord'' in the English class system. That understanding is now obsolete, as it was gradually expanded as a mark of respect to those ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) and backs onto Drury Lane. The building is the most recent in a line of four theatres which were built at the same location, the earliest of which dated back to 1663, making it the oldest theatre site in London still in use. According to the author Peter Thomson, for its first two centuries, Drury Lane could "reasonably have claimed to be London's leading theatre". For most of that time, it was one of a handful of patent theatres, granted monopoly rights to the production of "legitimate" drama in London (meaning spoken plays, rather than opera, dance, concerts, or plays with music). The first theatre on the site was built at the behest of Thomas Killigrew in the early 1660s, when theatres were allowed to reopen during the English Restoration. Initially ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pantomime
Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking countries, especially during the Christmas and New Year season. Modern pantomime includes songs, gags, slapstick comedy and dancing. It employs gender-crossing actors and combines topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or folk tale.Reid-Walsh, Jacqueline. "Pantomime", ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature'', Jack Zipes (ed.), Oxford University Press (2006), Pantomime is a participatory form of theatre, in which the audience is encouraged and expected to sing along with certain parts of the music and shout out phrases to the performers. Pantomime has a long theatrical history in Western culture dating back to the era of classical theatre. It developed partly from the 16th century c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commedia Dell'arte
(; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Characterized by masked "types", was responsible for the rise of actresses such as Isabella Andreini and improvised performances based on sketches or scenarios. A , such as ''The Tooth Puller'', is both scripted and improvised. Characters' entrances and exits are scripted. A special characteristic of is the , a joke or "something foolish or witty", usually well known to the performers and to some extent a scripted routine. Another characteristic of is pantomime, which is mostly used by the character Arlecchino, now better known as Harlequin. The characters of the usually represent fixed social types and stock characters, such as foolish old men, devious servants, or military officers full of false bravado. The characters are exaggerated " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arlecchino
Harlequin (; it, Arlecchino ; lmo, Arlechin, Bergamasque pronunciation ) is the best-known of the ''zanni'' or comic servant characters from the Italian ''commedia dell'arte'', associated with the city of Bergamo. The role is traditionally believed to have been introduced by Zan Ganassa in the late 16th century, was definitively popularized by the Italian actor Tristano Martinelli in Paris in 1584–1585, and became a stock character after Martinelli's death in 1630. The Harlequin is characterized by his checkered costume. His role is that of a light-hearted, nimble, and astute servant, often acting to thwart the plans of his master, and pursuing his own love interest, Columbina, with wit and resourcefulness, often competing with the sterner and melancholic Pierrot. He later develops into a prototype of the romantic hero. Harlequin inherits his physical agility and his trickster qualities, as well as his name, from a mischievous "devil" character in medieval passion plays. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Weaver (dancer)
John Weaver (baptised 21 July 1673 – 24 September 1760) was an English dancer, dancing master and choreographer, and producer of a number of works on dancing. He is often regarded as the father of English ballet and of English pantomime. Early life Weaver was born in Shrewsbury where he was baptised on 21 July 1673 at the parish church of Holy Cross ie Shrewsbury Abbey Church, son of John Weaver, a dance teacher. He was educated at the local Free School.Article by William George Dimock Fletcher. His father suggested he go to London and become a ballet master. Weaver seems to have left Shrewsbury in 1696 or 1697, although his first recorded performance in London was not until the summer of 1700. Weaver soon became a specialist in comic roles and created the burlesque ''Tavern Bilkers'' (1702). By the early 1700s, Weaver was part of a circle of dancing masters who were eager to promote the new French system of dance notation. Weaver translated Feuillet’s ''Choregraphie'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tavern Bilkers
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that has a license to put up guests as lodgers. The word derives from the Latin ''taberna'' whose original meaning was a shed, workshop, stall, or pub. Over time, the words "tavern" and "inn" became interchangeable and synonymous. In England, inns started to be referred to as public houses or pubs and the term became standard for all drinking houses. Europe France From at least the 14th century, taverns, along with inns and later cabarets, were the main places to dine out. Typically, a tavern offered various roast meats, as well as simple foods like bread, cheese, herring and bacon. Some offered a richer variety of foods, though it would be cabarets and later ''traiteurs'' which offered the finest meals before the restaurant appeared in the 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edward Litt Laman Blanchard
Edward Litt Leman Blanchard, often referred to as E. L. Blanchard (11 December 1820 – 4 September 1889), was an English writer who is best known for his contributions to the Drury Lane pantomime. He began writing plays and other literature to support himself as a teenager after his father died. A succession of pantomimes supplied by him to one or other of the minor theatres, under the nom de plume of Francisco Frost, soon acquired for him a reputation as the contriver of these dramatic whimsicalities. He soon became a prolific creator of dramas and eventually gained critical acclaim for his works. He also served as a newspaper drama critic and mentored other writers. Early life Edward Blanchard was born at 28 Great Queen Street, London, the second son of Sarah the second wife of the actor William Blanchard. A half brother and three half sisters included the actress Elizabeth Blanchard An older brother William was born in 1811. He was educated at Brixton, Ealing and Lichfield, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taylor & Francis
Taylor & Francis Group is an international company originating in England that publishes books and academic journals. Its parts include Taylor & Francis, Routledge, F1000 (publisher), F1000 Research or Dovepress. It is a division of Informa, Informa plc, a United Kingdom–based publisher and conference company. Overview The company was founded in 1852 when William Francis (chemist), William Francis joined Richard Taylor (editor), Richard Taylor in his publishing business. Taylor had founded his company in 1798. Their subjects covered agriculture, chemistry, education, engineering, geography, law, mathematics, medicine, and social sciences. Francis's son, Richard Taunton Francis (1883–1930), was sole partner in the firm from 1917 to 1930. In 1965, Taylor & Francis launched Wykeham Publications and began book publishing. T&F acquired Hemisphere Publishing in 1988, and the company was renamed Taylor & Francis Group to reflect the growing number of Imprint (trade name), imp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Glover
James Mackey Glover (18 June 1861 – 8 September 1931), originally James Mackey, and known as Jimmy Glover, was an Irish composer, conductor, music critic, and journalist, most notable as Director of Music and conductor at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, from 1893 to 1923. Born in Dún Laoghaire, Kingstown, Dublin, he was the son of James Mackey, of Templemore, County Tipperary,Sir Francis Cowley Burnand, ''The Catholic Who's Who and Yearbook'', Volume 34 (Burns & Oates, 1924), p. 195 a commercial traveller, and of Mary Jane Glover, of Carlow,"Glover, James Mackey", in ''Who's Who (UK), Who's Who'' (London: A. & C. Black, 1919), p. 964 and a grandson of John William Glover (1815–1899), one of the editors of Thomas Moore's ''Irish Melodies''. Educated at the Catholic University School and Belvedere College, he was then apprenticed to a Dublin Pharmacist, druggist, Cornelius Mannin, but in 1879 Jimmy travelled to France with his grandfather, spent three months in a monastery at Cae ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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