Satyr Plays: These short plays were performed between the acts of tragedies and made fun of the plight

of the tragedy's characters. The satyrs were mythical half-human, half-goat figures and actors in these

plays wore large phalluses for comic effect. Few examples of these plays survive. They are classified by

some authors as tragicomic, or comedy dramas.

Mime

Children use only facial expressions and body language to pass on a

message tcript to the rest of the class.

Satire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not to be confused with satyr.

"Satires" redirects here. For other uses, see Satires (disambiguation).

1867 edition of Punch, a ground-breaking British magazine of popular humour, including a great

deal of satire of the contemporary, social, and political scene.

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Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, follies,

abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals,

corporations, government or society itself, into improvement.[1] Although satire is usually meant

to be humorous, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit to draw

attention to both particular and wider issues in society.

A feature of satire is strong irony or sarcasm—"in satire, irony is militant"[2]—but parody,

burlesque, exaggeration,[3] juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are all

frequently used in satirical speech and writing. This "militant" irony or sarcasm often professes

to approve of (or at least accept as natural) the very things the satirist wishes to attack.

Vaudeville

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Vaudeville (disambiguation).

A promotional poster for the Sandow Trocadero Vaudevilles (1894), showing dancers, clowns,

trapeze artists and costumed dogs

Vaudeville is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment. It was especially popular in the United

States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. A typical vaudeville performance

is made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill. Types of

acts have included popular and classical musicians, singers, dancers, comedians, trained animals,

magicians, female and male impersonators, acrobats, illustrated songs, jugglers, one-act plays or

scenes from plays, athletes, lecturing celebrities, minstrels, and movies. A vaudeville performer

is often referred to as a "vaudevillian".

Vaudeville developed from many sources, including the concert saloon, minstrelsy, freak shows,

dime museums, and literary American burlesque. Called "the heart of American show business,"

vaudeville was one of the most popular types of entertainment in North America for several

decades.[1]

svaudeville

[vawd-vil, vohd-, vaw-duh-]

Examples

Word Origin

noun

1.

theatrical entertainment consisting of a number of individual performances, acts, or mixed

numbers, as by comedians, singers, dancers, acrobats, and magicians.

Compare variety (def 9).

2.

a theatrical piece of light or amusing character, interspersed with songs and dances.

3.

a satirical cabaret song.

vaudeville

Definitions

Media Studies

noun a type of entertainment popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries consisting of singing, dancing and comedy acts

noun a comic play with songs and dances

Theater

A US form of variety entertainment that was popularin the late 19th and early 20th century.

The name, which is French in origin, may be a corruption ofvaux-de-vire (songs of the

Vire), referring to a region ofNormandy famous for satirical songs in the 15th century.

An alternativederivation is from vaux des villes (songs of the city streets).In the late 17th

century the French critic Boileau applied the termto satirical ballads and to the dumb

shows (comédies envaudeville) presented in Paris's booth theaters. It later cameto be

applied to the popular musical dramas presented at the Opéra-Comiqueand other venues.

In the later 19th century, the term vaudeville came to beused of variety performances,

especially in America, where a traditionof beer-hall entertainment had developed in

parallel to the musichall in Britain. Other influences on early US vaudeville

includedminstrel shows, medicine shows, and 'dime museums'of freaks and trained

animals, such as P. T. Barnum's AmericanMuseum in New York. The first regular

vaudeville programmes were presentedat the Franklin Theatre, New York, in 1842. Like

US burlesque,vaudeville remained rather suspect until Tony Pastor created the

"straight,clean variety show" in the 1860s at New York's American Theatre.A typical bill

would include juggling, a musical act, trained animals,a dramatic skit, a comedy sketch,

an acrobatic act, and a magic performance.At the turn of the century, short films would

often be shown to clearthe house. By this time vaudeville was big business: the agency

ofB. F. Keith and Edward Franklin Albee booked acts for 400 theaterseast of Chicago,

while Martin Beck ran the Orpheum circuit of theaterswith houses from Chicago to

California. After the advent of talkingpictures in 1927, however, vaudeville performers

began to dwindleinto support acts for films. New York's Palace Theatre, thenation's top

vaudeville house, closed in 1932.

Vaudeville produced many of America's early film stars andradio performers, some of

whom survived into the television era. Theimpressive list includes Danny Kaye, Harry

Houdini, Al Jolson, SophieTucker, W. C. Fields, Will Rogers, Jimmy Durante, Burns and

Allen,the Marx Brothers, and the Three Stooges. Europeans introduced tothe US

audience through vaudeville included Harry Lauder and VestaVictoria.

Origin & History of “vaudeville” In 15th-century France there was a fashion for songs from the valley of the Vire, in the Calvados region

of Normandy (particularly popular, apparently, were the satirical songs composed by a local fuller,

Olivier Basselin). they were known as chansons du Vau de Vire ‘songs of the valley of the Vire’, which

became shortened to vaudevire, and this was later altered to vaudeville. It was originally used in English

for a ‘popular song’; the application to ‘light variety entertainment’ did not emerge until the early 19th

century.

Search for

Nearby Definitions of “vaudeville”

VAT VAT inspection vatrushki s tvorogom vats Vaud vaudeville Vaudeville Theatre vault vault cash Vauxhall Gardens vCalendar

Contexts for “vaudeville” 3 definitions in context

Media Studies Theater

Origin & History

mime

noun uk /maɪm/ us

› [U] the act of using movements of your hands and body, and expressions on your face, without speech,

to communicate emotions and actions or to tell a story: The first scene was performed in mime.› [C] a

short play without speech

mime verb [I or T] uk /maɪm/ us

› to act or tell a story in mime: The whole of the banquet scene is mimed.› to pretend to sing, play, or

say something without making any sound: Most of the bands that appear on the show just mime to a

recording of their songs. He was miming something at me across the room

satire

[sat-ahyuh r]

Synonyms

Examples

Word Origin

noun

1.

the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly,

etc.

2.

a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up to scorn,

derision, or ridicule.

3.

a literary genre comprising such compositions.

mime

[mahym, meem]

Examples

Word Origin

noun

1.

the art or technique of portraying a character, mood, idea, or narration by gestures and bodily

movements; pantomime.

2.

an actor who specializes in this art.

3.

an ancient Greek or Roman farce that depended for effect largely upon ludicrous actions and

gestures.

4.

a player in such a farce.

5.

mimic (def 4).

6.

a jester, clown, or comedian.

verb (used with object), mimed, miming.

7.

to mimic.

8.

to act in mime.

verb (used without object), mimed, miming.

9.

to play a part by mime or mimicry. satire Line breaks: sat¦ire

Pronunciation: /ˈsatʌɪə/

Definition of satire in English:

noun

[mass noun]

1The use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices,

particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues: the crude satire seems to be

directed at the fashionable protest singers of the time

More example sentences Synonyms

1.1 [count noun] A play, novel, film, or other work which uses satire: a stinging satire on American

politics

More example sentences Synonyms

1.2A genre of literature characterized by the use of satire: a number of articles on Elizabethan satire

More example sentences

1.3 [count noun] (In Latin literature) a literary miscellany, especially a poem ridiculing prevalent vices or

follies.

Example sentences

Origin

Early 16th century: from French, or from Latin satira, later form of satura 'poetic medley'.

More

Derivatives

satirist

1

Pronunciation: /ˈsatərɪst/

noun

Example sentences

Words that rhyme with satire

hairdryer • prophesier

Definition of satire in:

US English dictionary English synonyms US English synonyms

vaudevillian

Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

vaude·vil·lian (vôd-vĭl′yən, vōd-, vô′də-)

n.

One, especially a performer, who works in vaudeville.

vaude·vil′lian adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2011 by Houghton

Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All

rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun 1. vaudevillian - a performer who works in vaudeville

performer, performing artist - an entertainer who performs a dramatic or musical work for an

audience

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this

page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content.

vaudeville noun vaude·ville \ˈvod-vəl, ˈväd-, ˈvōd-, -ˌvil; ˈvo-də-, ˈvä-, ˈvō-\

: a type of entertainment that was popular in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and

that had many different performers doing songs, dances, and comic acts

Is It 'Attorney Generals' Or 'Attorneys General'? »

Full Definition of VAUDEVILLE 1

: a light often comic theatrical piece frequently combining pantomime, dialogue, dancing, and song

2

: stage entertainment consisting of various acts (as performing animals, comedians, or singers)

— vaude·vil·lian \ˌvod-ˈvil-yən, ˌväd-, ˌvōd-; ˌvo-də-, ˌvä-, ˌvō-\ noun or adjective

See vaudeville defined for English-language learners

See vaudeville defined for kids

Examples of VAUDEVILLE

1. She became a big star in vaudeville.

Origin of VAUDEVILLE French, from Middle French, popular satirical song, alteration of vaudevire, from vau-de-Vire valley of

Vire, town in northwest France where such songs were composed

First Known Use: 1827

Other Performing Arts Terms diva, dramaturgy, loge, prestidigitation, proscenium, supernumerary, zany

Rhymes with VAUDEVILLE anthill, at will, backfill, ball mill, bluegill, Brazil, breast drill, cranesbill, crossbill, de Mille, dentil, de-skill,

distill, doorsil...

[+]more

Learn More About VAUDEVILLE

Link to this page:

satire noun [C or U] uk /ˈsæt.aɪər/ us /-aɪr/

› a way of criticizing people or ideas in a humorous way, or a piece of writing or play that uses this style:

political satire Her play was a biting/cruel satire on life in the 80s.

satirical

adjective uk /səˈtɪr.ɪ.kəl/ us

› satirical cartoons/magazines

Translations of “satire”

in Spanish sátira…

(Definition of satire from the Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge

University Press)