Scandal Sheets and Gossip Columns
The more things change the more they stay the same. Celebrity gossip columns are nothing new.
Continue reading →Tag Archives: amusements
Parlor Games for Christmastide
Christmas Pantomimes
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 →
The Shocking Lyrics of Lavender’s Blue
Sometimes you run into some really interesting bits when you fall down the research rabbit hole. Not infrequently, the delicious little tidbits don’t fit the story you’re trying to write, but they deserve to be shared nonetheless. Here’s the latest offering. So, picture the scene: I was just minding my own business, looking for a song my character might sing during a particularly emotional scene. (Sorry guys, no more spoilers than that, but you’ll know … Continue reading →
Christmas fun: Old Fashioned Parlor Games
What to do with company that comes for Christmas? What about some old fashioned parlor games? I love the holiday season, especially because it means I can have friends and family over. Occasionally, boredom can strike though and I find myself scrambling for something fun to do. With long winter nights with only candlelight to see by and fireplaces for warmth, those who lived in the regency era confronted the boredom issue regularly. No wonder … Continue reading →