Tag Archives: amusements

Regency Christmas Traditions: Christmas Pantomimes

Random Bits of Fascination Posted on by

Each year, Regency era British theaters prepared Christmas pantomimes (pantos) that would begin on Boxing Day and run as long as the audiences demanded them. These were not silent productions, but rather very verbal performances that included the audience as an extra character in plays bearing many similarities to modern burlesque. The Pantomime Tradition The tradition of pantomimes and the pantomime characters in England traces back to medieval theater. Broadbent (1901) notes: A sketch of … Continue reading →

Regency Traditions Video: Parlor Games

Random Bits of Fascination Posted on by

Parlor Games are a perfect resource for Christmas fun. It’s hard to resist some of these good, old-fashioned games. Play Your Your Own Parlor Games A couple more just for a little more Christmas fun.  Twirling the Trencher (or spinning the plate)  Find an unbreakable, rigid plate (plastic, wood ect. Paper will not work.) Seat the players in a circle with a large open space in the middle. The first player stands in the middle of the circle and … Continue reading →

Regency Christmas Traditions: Parlor Games pt 2

Random Bits of Fascination Posted on by

<p>&nbsp;</p> Christmas and Twelfth Night parties were times of particular fun and frivolity. Parlor games, like snapdragon and bullet pudding made up a large part of the fun. They were played by all classes of society and often involved overstepping the strict bound of propriety. These games often provided the opportunity for flirtation and communication between the sexes that otherwise would have been forbidden, thus their popularity. Losers often paid a forfeit, which could be an … Continue reading →

Regency Christmas Traditions: Parlor Games pt. 1

Random Bits of Fascination Posted on by

What better way to pass the long, dark evenings during Christmastide than with parlor games? Christmastide was a time for fun and frivolity. Parlor games made up a large part of the fun. They were played by all classes of society and often involved overstepping the strict bound of propriety. Losers often paid a forfeit, which could be an elaborate penalty or dare, but more often were a thinly disguised machination for getting a kiss. … Continue reading →

A look at Regency dancing, part 2

Random Bits of Fascination Posted on by

In addition to the country dance, reel, cotillion and quadrille, several other dances might be found at a Regency ball or assembly.  The minuet was a hold over from the prior century and required special dress and training. Old fashioned, formal balls would open with couples doing the minute, one at a time. This practice fell out of fashion in the early 1800’s.   Napoleonic Ball – Menuet During the 1700’s, English country dances spread … Continue reading →