Variety Video and Picture and Facts

     Unlike Noh, a tradition that is only for the high class and very slow, Variety theatre is very unexpected, loud, and exciting. They hold the audiences attention by performing things that seem unimaginable to the mind as shown in the video below. Variety is made up of many acts as well as many musical performances. It also includes juggling, animal acts, and acrobatics according to Hussey. The variety theatre came from the Victorian era. It then moved to radio then television. Its most popular days were in the 1970s to the 1980s, but it still has some popularity now. Variety theatre is also very lively, the "audience joined in with their favourite songs and performers"(Hussey). This was often the sight in Britian. 

This video shows several variety theatre shows. As seen in the video, anything can happen in variety theatre. It is very unexpected.  In the Max Miller bit, you can see that the audience is very interactive with the performer, and that they are having fun. In the beginning of the video, you can see that variety theatre also takes amazing physical strength and dexterity.

This is on the stage of the Branson Variety Theatre. They have multiple shows and nothing can be expected. 

These two images are from the same show. This is the Wing Project at Relix Variety Theatre in Knoxvillle. It has transformed into an art gallery, circus, and concert venue according to knoxnews. Although its centered on aerial performance, it has also incorporated live music and dance. There are belly dancers, drum players, and even various string instruments. 

Random Facts
- If you wanted a good seat to see Scotland's first Royal Variety Show at the Alhambra Theatre in 1958, it would cost up to fifty pounds.
- A business is a piece of unscripted action meant to be comic and used to establish a character.
- Accordion virtuoso Will Starr was the Scottish Amateur accordion champion at the age of ten, after this he went on to great renown in concerts home and abroad, variety theatre and television.

Work Cited

Felner, Mira, and Claudia Orenstein. The World of Theatre : Tradition and Innovation. Boston: Pearson,  
2006. Print

Hussey, Paul. History of English Music Hall and Variety Theatre. N.p., 7 Mar. 2011. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <http://thegreatarticles.com/history-of-english-music-hall-and-variety-theatre/>.

Interesting facts from the Scottish Music Hall and Variety Theatre. Scottish Music Hall and Variety Theatre Society, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <http://scottishmusichallsociety.webs.com/didyouknow.htm>.

Newbell, Trillia. knoxnews.com. KnoxNews, 20 Aug. 2011. Web. 12 Oct. 2011. <http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/aug/20/wing-project-takes-flight-at-relix-theater/>


Images from Google.com