Lydia Thompson: Queen of Burlesque / Edition 1

by Kurt Ganzl

Overview

This inaugural volume in the Forgotten Stars of the Musical Theatre series sets Lydia Thompson, queen of burlesque, under the spotlight. The series will attempt to resurrect theatre performers and writers who were famous in their era, yet who have since inexplicably faded from popular memory. Outlandish tales of Lydia's touring burlesque company, the British Blondes, and such lurid episodes as her horsewhipping of a Chicago editor, a romance with a Russian Grand Duke and a lesbian attacker have left her with a reputation as a bawdy burlesquer, but Kurt Gänzl argues she was nothing of the kind. Through this biography, the reader will learn the whole and hitherto untold story of this fascinating, multi-dimensional musical-theatre star.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415937665
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/03/2002
Series:	Forgotten Stars of the Musical Theatre , #1
Pages:	250
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction Lydia Thompson: Queen of Burlesque; Chapter 1 The Family Album; Chapter 2 Airy Fairy Lydia; Chapter 3 The Big Time; Chapter 4 Back to Britain; Chapter 5 Provinces and Plays; Chapter 6 Oh! That Devilish Man; Chapter 7 Over the Seas to Superstardom; Chapter 8 Niblo’s Nights; Chapter 9 On the Road; Chapter 10 Schemes and Schisms; Chapter 11 All Over Again; Chapter 12 How Do You Follow That…?; Chapter 13 Exit a Husband; Chapter 14 Final Flutterings;

Editorial Reviews

"This is a thorough biography, chronicling the life of an important though somewhat neglected figure and rich in data. It introduces valuable information about Thompson as well as a wealth of primary source material." — Elizabeth Reitz Mullenix, Theatre Journal
"The strength of this book is its detailed performance history, a history that makes clear that Thompson—far less "blonde" then [sic] she appears in legend—was no minor actress either before she crossed the Atlantic or after her American success." — Elizabeth Reitz Mullenix, Theatre Journal
"Thompson's story is told most completely here and might certainly compel the undergraduate student and theatre aficionado." — Elizabeth Reitz Mullenix, Theatre Journal
"An atmosphere of empathy and admiration penetrates Ganzl's depiction of this actress's career, from her boomtown days in a touring burlesque company ("British Blondes") to her last performance as Duchess of Albuquerque in Ruy Blas's A Queen's Romance." — American Theater

From the Publisher