History of Victorian Melodrama

Within every society there is some form of public entertainment. From the medieval days of public beheadings, to the contemporary enjoyment of watching someone get their heart broken on television, public entertainment has played a key role in all eras. Victorian England is no exception to the rule. Within the realm of public entertainment theatre played a key role. Upon deeper investigation one will see that melodrama was a central concentration in Victorian theatre. Melodrama has evolved throughout the ages and has come full circle today. Without the evolutionary process that took place during the Victorian age this would not have been possible.

Before beginning the detailed account of the evolution of the melodrama, one should have a brief knowledge of the history of theatre in Victorian England. Some of the greatest evolutionary developments happened during the Victorian age. Over the years the urban growth brought many changes to England, especially London and its surrounding areas. One of the most crucial changes was a direct effect of this population increase.

The obvious social consequence of the population increase in London and other cities was an increase in the potential audience for theatre, an increase especiall

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The audience was about to get what they wanted. This made play-going a real excitement for all those who took part.

Gothic melodrama dates back to as early as 1795 (Ward and Trent 195). Unlike present day theatre, spectators in full or partially reduced light viewed Victorian theatre. “From 1881 to 1891 the Census shows a national increase for actors of 61 percent and for actresses 64 percent; from 1891 to 1901 the increases are 67 percent and 63. “Such plays included Edward Fitzball’s The Red Rover, Jerrold’s Black Eyed Susan, and J. Apparently, people learned at an early period in time to offer what the audience wanted. “The Victorian ‘drama’ of some artistic presentations represented an evolution of the old poetic tragedy and a compromise with melodrama” (Booth 156).

The urbanization of England meant that more theatres needed to be built. This is true, however the sailor is not solely a sailor but also takes on the image of having a domestic existence. “The three shapes of main theatres were either rectangle, fan-shaped, or U-shaped” (Booth 61). Residents of the East and West End essentially attended their own theatres. This, however, is only a variation of the father and daughter schema. The sets, storylines, and sub-genres as a whole were always changing. There were, however, many exceptions in all three of these areas.

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