Routledge Pantomime Reader

<p><em>The Routledge Pantomime Reader</em> is the first anthology to document this entertainment genre--one of the most distinctive and ubiquitous in nineteenth-century Britain. </p><p>Across ten different shows readers witness pantomime's development from a highly improvisational venue for clowning dance and musical parody to a complex amalgamation of physical and topical comedy stage wizardry scenic spectacle satire and magical mayhem. Combining well-known tales such as Cinderella Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk with the lesser-known plotlines of Peter Wilkins and The Prince of Happy Land the book demonstrates not only how popular narratives were adapted to the current moment but also how this blend of high and low entertainment addressed a whole range of social and cultural anxieties. Along with carefully annotated scripts readers will find detailed introductions to all of the collected pantomimes and supplementary materials such as reviews reminiscences and a host of visual materials that bring these neglected entertainments to life.</p><p>The plays collected here provide a remarkable perspective on the history of sexuality class and race during a period of vast imperial expansion and important social upheaval in Britain itself--essential reading for students and scholars of theatre history and popular performance.</p>