The Initial Revue - "Innocence'

Musical Theatre

The Revue

Revues are the vaudeville of the well-to-do;  The French spelling of

      'review', am amalgamation of several theatrical traditions within the

       corpus of single entertainment.

 

For the most part, musicals of all types follow that long-established formula: story, scoring, acting… to some measure of fame. The revue musical, however, is a breed apart. For one, there tends to be a deficit of story in favour of a varied performance consisting of singing, dancing and acting out sketches.

 

Historically, stage entertainmen't catered to all levels of society: the rich had opera and, for their lighter entertainment needs, the operetta, which tended toward the comical. At the very least, it was certainly more lighthearted than regular opera fare.

Meanwhile, the lower echelons of society enjoyed ribald burlesque and campy, risqué vaudeville shows which, themselves, were comparable to operetta for their light tones, with a touch of irreverence thrown in for extra measure.

While we in Great Britain pretty much maintained the revue musical’s format and traditions, when such fare arrived on American shores, it, like its Vaudevillian cousin, underwent substantial changes.

THE INITIAL REVUE - "INNOCENCE'

Musical Theatre

The Revue

The following are still famed names today, referred to with love, scandal and intrigue.

• Yvette Guilbert: a French revue performer. Actress of The Belle Époque.
• Maurice Chevalier: a French entertainer who found fame at London’s Palace Theatre.
• Florenz ‘Flo’ Ziegfield: producer of the Ziegfeld Follies – the top Broadway revue productions.
• Eddie Cantor, the Apostle of Pep: a multi-talented comedian, dancer and singer. From Follie fame.
• Anna Held: found her fame through Ziegfeld’s Follies. Florenz Ziegfeld, her common-law husband.
• W. C. Fields: rose to prominence as a juggler in a revue.
• The Marx Brothers: before they found fame on the silver screen, they were wildly successful Vaudevillians.

Being a revue artist demanded more than just one skill; comedic timing and a visual talent – in W. C. Field’s case, juggling were also necessary because, more than anything, a revue was a visual treat.

​In the purest sense, the shows were disjointed: a short monologue or comedy sketch followed maybe by dancing girls; their number segued into song and the whole cycle repeated.

If they did have an overarching theme, it was satire, with public persons or current events often the target of the shows’ derision.
 

THE INITIAL REVUE - "INNOCENCE'

Musical Theatre

The Revue

It takes twenty years to become an overnight success.

Eddie Cantor (New York, January 11, 1892 - Beverly Hills, California October 10, 1964) was one of the most popular, enduring entertainers of the 20th century who was famous for vaudeville, Broadway, records, movies and television. He is the only entertainer to have been so successful in all of these media over such a substantial period of time.

As a comedian he didn't really do stand-up, as a dancer he was more of a hoofer and as a singer he had an average voice but what he did have was personality to burn and a remarkable ability to distinguish good comedy writing. He also grew famous developing a persona which came to be known as "The Kid", a seeming innocent who finds himself drawn into various predicaments by his own innocence or stupidity and who was known for his overlarge "banjo" eyes.

 

Take Note: All stylistic traits, that still hold today - What does and doesn't work and why is that exactly?

CONTENT WARNING - BLACKFACE

Musical Theatre

The Revue

Musical Theatre

The Revue

The Ziegfeld Follies - "Loveland'

Musical Theatre

The Revue

Impresario extraordinaire: Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. [Business Card]

1900s-1930s

Forever transforming the Broadway musical.  When the show was first

mounted in 1907, no one could have possibly imagined its impact.

 

Ziegfeld was simply trying to mount a light, inexpensive entertainment for the summer season. But the result, Follies of 1907, was such a smash hit that Ziegfeld soon attached his own name to it and began mounting it annually as the main event of the Broadway season

 

Over the years, Follies became an opulent spectacle, the likes of which had never been seen on the stage, a newsworthy event that was covered in gossip columns from coast to coast.

But what really made the Ziegfeld Follies an event was its showgirls, a collection of eager dancers and chorus-line singers advertised as "the most beautiful women in the world." a progenitor to the concept of the 'sex symbol'.

theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934 and 1936. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air.

 

Ziegfeld, Vox Pop: https://allthatsinteresting.com/ziegfeld-follies

 

The Ziegfeld Girls, Fashion Archive: https://fromthebygone.wordpress.com/tag/ziegfeld-follies/

Musical Theatre

The Revue

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The Revue

Musical Theatre

The Revue

Musical Theatre

The Revue

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The Revue

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The Revue

Modern Revue - "Opening Doors"

Musical Theatre

The Revue

Towards the end of the 20th century, a subgenre of revue largely dispensed with the sketches, founding narrative structure within a song cycle in which the material is chosen from varied works.

This type of revue may or may not have identifiable characters and a rudimentary storyline but, even when it does, the songs remain the focus of the show [Closer Than Ever].

This type of revue usually showcases songs written by a particular composer or songs made famous by a particular performer.

Examples of the former are Side By Side By

Sondheim, Eubie!, Tom Foolery, and

Five Guys Named Moe.  

 

Note: Variety in it's modern terms, is

a re-imagining of the revue.

Modern Revue - "Opening Doors"

Musical Theatre

The Revue

 Plenary:

 

Define the characteristics of a revue.

• What is a revue?  What does it try to achieve? What would you put in your own revue?

 

Let's identify some modern productions of a revue:

• Theme  [Songs from a New World]
• Artist  [Thriller Live]
• Compilation  [Side by Side by Sondheim)]
• Genre  [Five Guys Named Moe]
• Concert  [A Night at the Musicals]

 

Let's watch a bunch, note take your favourite ideas.

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The Revue

Musical Theatre

The Revue

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The Revue

Musical Theatre

The Revue