Horrible Prettiness: Burlesque and American Culture

Cultural Studies of the United States

by Robert C. Allen, Alan Trachtenberg (Foreword by)

Burlesque was a cultural threat, Allen argues, because it inverted the "normal" world of middle-class social relations and transgressed norms of "proper" feminine behavior and appearance. Initially playing to respectable middle-class audiences, burlesque was quickly relegated to the shadow-world of working-class male leisure. In this process the burlesque performer "lost" her voice, as burlesque increasingly revolved around the display of her body.
Locating burlesque within the context of both the social transformation of American theater and its patterns of gender representation, Allen concludes that burlesque represents a fascinating example of the potential transgressiveness of popular entertainment forms, as well as the strategies by which they have been contained and their threats defused.

Genres: History, American History, Nonfiction, 19th Century, Microhistory, Gender, American

370 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1982

Reviews

[eliza]

i'm writing a paper about stripping.

[Kaylee LeAnne]

This one is a difficult read, but getting through it, I finally found my love of reading. Sometimes it just takes the right subject matter to make you fall in love.

[Stevi Costa]

This book is an excellent cultural history of burlesque that utilizes a cultural/reception studies critical stance to examine the changes in burlesque theatre from it's American debut in 1869 through the turn of the century.

If Allen's work can be said to be lacking anything, it would be a lack of analysis of how burlesque evolved in the 20th century. His final chapter takes this up briefly, but with enough detail to explain why burlesque from the 1920s-40s has become our "cultural imaginary of burlesque" (ie just striptease). The end of the book just seems to fall away from analysis, which actually makes a nice rhetorical metaphor for the disbanding of the burlesque wheel circuits.

Also, this book is one long mockery of William Dean Howells, and I found that hilarious.

[Dexter]

I highly recommend to anyone interested in burlesque or women in stage and performance.

A very indepth look at the history and evolution of burlesque and how we got from parodies to striptease, and how it eventually died out. This book was published before neo-burlesque returned in the 90s, so keep that in mind.

Allen covers a lot of territory, including not just description of what was happening but how it was affected and did affect American culture, society, economics, gender politics, and sexuality. Throughout he emphasizes how burlesque, no matter what decade it took place in, highlighted social and class hierarchies and the conflict between the bourgeois and the lower and working class.

[Bruce]

What is considered art for the elite becomes sinful when performed for the masses. This book shows how one's position in society determines ones' views of entertainment. Burlesque started out with predominately women performers. As in Elizabethan theater all parts were played by a single gender, only in burlesques women took on male roles as well as female. Fun was verbally and physically poked at various political and cultural figures by the women. As time passed men began taking over and women lost their voices to become only exhibitors of their physical attributes. Then burlesque died.

[Christine]

You might ask when I might stop reading about the burlesque. And apparently the burlesque theory. And just get onstage and let the boobies out.

And I ask myself the same thing.

[Devorah]

Very interesting and well-researched book that expertly tackles the cloudy and not well documented early history of burlesque. I especially enjoyed the exploration of the complex relationship with social and cultural factors. My one complaint is that some of the statements in later parts of the book seem to be made from a traditionally heteronormative perspective that discredit the value of modern strip-tease based burlesque as empowerment for performers and audience, presenting any benefit gained as merely that of twisting a patriarchal context for some semblance of power or control on the part of the objectified performer while ultimately perpetuating oppressive systems. Overall a very informative read and would definitely recommend.

[Lisa Thomas]

For anyone interested in Burlesque this is a must read. A thorough history of its beginnings and roots and a exhaustively researched documentation of every aspect. I LOVED this book!!

[Bumble Bee]

it does exactly what it says it’s gonna do and it is the best book on this specific area of history. which is unfortunate because it is such a boring read and burlesque is supposed to be FUN!

[Rachel]

All right, so I read this for my dissertation, which means it doesn't really count. BUT it was pretty good, although I wish he would've talked more about what they actually did onstage (you know, the boobies), along with all the interesting socio-cultural crap.

[Jeanne T.]

Wanna read heady theory about the history of and theories about burlesque (with none of the fun?). This book is it. The grandpappy of heady theories about burlesque, this book is a must-read for would-be theorists. And that's about it.

[Blissom Booblé]

A comprehensive look at the history of burlesque. Required for any burlesquer.