TY - BOOK ID - 91525223 TI - Victorian epic burlesques : a critical anthology of nineteenth-century theatrical entertainments after Homer PY - 2020 SN - 9781350027176 9781350160057 1350160059 PB - London: Bloomsbury, DB - UniCat KW - Dibdin, Thomas, KW - Planché, J. R. KW - Brough, Robert B. KW - Burnand, F. C. KW - Burlesques KW - English drama - 19th century - History and criticism KW - Burlesque (Theater) - Great Britain - History - 19th century KW - Trojan War - Literature and the war KW - Troy (Extinct city) - Literature KW - Carthage (Extinct city) - Literature KW - English literature - Classical influences UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:91525223 AB - This anthology presents annotated scripts of four major burlesques by key playwrights: Melodrama Mad! or, the Siege of Troy by Thomas John Dibdin (1819); Telemachus; or, the Island of Calypso by J.R. Planché (1834); The Iliad; or, the Siege of Troy by Robert Brough (1858) and Ulysses; or the Ironclad Warriors and the Little Tug of War by F.C. Burnand (1865).Beloved legend, archaeological riddle and educational staple: Homer's epic tales of the Trojan War and its aftermath were vividly reimagined in nineteenth-century Britain. Classical burlesques-exceptionally successful theatrical entertainments-continually mined the Iliad and Odyssey to lucrative comic effect. Burlesques combined song, dance and slapstick comedy with an eclectic kaleidoscope of topical allusions. From namedropping boxing legends to recasting Shakespearean combats, epic adaptations overflow with satirical commentary on politics, cultural highlights and everyday current affairs.In uncovering Homer's irreverently playful afterlife, this selection showcases burlesque's development and wide appeal. The critical introduction analyses how these plays contested the accessibility of classical antiquity and dramatic performance. Textual and literary annotations, with contemporary illustrations, illuminate the juxtaposed sources to establish these repackaged epics as indispensable tools for unlocking nineteenth-century social, cultural and political history. ER -