DOC Trench Art by Nicholas Saunders in Arts-Photography

Description

As one of the richest sources of diversion for the people of Britain between the end of the First World War and the 1960s; the variety theater emerged from the embers of music hall; a vulgar and rambunctious entertainment that had held the working classes in thrall since the 1840s. Music hall bosses decided they would do better business if a man going to theaters on his own could take his wife and children with him; knowing they would see or hear nothing that would scandalize them. So variety; a gentler; less red-blooded entertainment was gradually established.At the top of the profession were Gracie Fields; a peerless singer and comedienne; and Max Miller; a comic who was renowned for being risqueacute;; but who; in fact; never cracked a dirty joke. They were supported by acts that matched the word lsquo;varietyrsquo;: ventriloquists; drag artists; animal acts; acrobats; jugglers; magicians and many more. But the variety theater was constantly under threat; first from revue; then radio; the cinema; girlie shows; the birth of rock lsquo;nrsquo; roll and finally television. By the end of the 1950s; the variety business seemed to have given up; but the recent and extraordinary popularity of talent shows on television has proved the public appetite is still there. Variety could be about to start all over again.