Variety performance is a specific type of entertainment that consists of multiple contrasting performance acts. Variety as a genre aims to appeal to every type of audience member as each show displays different talents back to back, ranging from dancing, singing and circus acts, to ventriloquism, impressionists and magicians. Some famous examples of variety shows are The Royal Variety Show, The Muppet Show, and Britain’s Got Talent.
What are they key features and purposes of variety?
Entertainment
Perhaps the most important feature of variety is that it is entertaining. It is essential that each act serves as entertainment in order to keep audience members engaged and interested. The appeal of theatre for audience members is that it is fun and ultimately more exciting than real life so performers must aim to entertain. An example of this is is the well known dance group from Britain's got Talent, Diversity. They put together intricate and impressive routines that consist of a range of tricks and precise choreography which always manages to entertain all audiences.
Comedy
Another key feature of variety is comedy. Audience members are expecting to be able to leave any troubles and worries behind when they go to the theatre so it is important that comedy is present in any variety show. The main aim of comedy is to make the audience laugh; to make them relate. Comedians like Ricky Gervais are an example of this. He aims to relate to the audience whilst also shocking them with controversial opinions.
Audience participation
Some performers chose to involve the audience in their acts to keep them more engaged and to further show off their skills. Magicians are most known for this. For example Britain’s Got Talent contestant Marc Spelmann, who asks the judges to select cards, write down words, and think of colours. This is a super effective way to not only get audience members interested but to get them to believe.
Shock spectacle and risk
The idea of shock and spectacle is to get the audience members on the edge of their seats with anticipation. This feature of variety is effective is mesemering an audience and leaving them amazed by the performers. These acts, of course, tend to be acts that are less common than the typical dancing and singing. Instead they tend to be more along the lines of circus. For example, Cirque Du Soleil is a circus company that puts together shocking and risky performances to wow their audiences. This feature is extremely effective in variety as it builds adrenaline in audience members and leaves them wanting more.
Specialised performance skills
It is important that any performer in a variety show is especially trained in their area. For example, an individual who is not professionally trained in circus skills could never perform in a Cirque Du Soleil show for risk that they would injure themselves or those around them. Not only is it a safe risk, being untrained would lead to an untidy and unimpressive act which would not effectively captivate an audience. By ensuring that performers have specialist performance skills, audience members are guaranteed a clean and professional show.
Specialised equipment and props
The equipment and props used by professional performers must be specialist to ensure that the performer can perform to the best of their ability. The props and equipment used must be durable and sturdy to ensure the performers safety. For example, Anna Pavlova’s pointe shoes had to be of the highest quality and had to have the perfect fit so that she did not injure her feet and so she could give her best possible performance.
The History of Variety
Who, How, Why, and Where?
Arguably, the origin of variety performance goes back to music halls. Music halls can be traced back to the taverns and coffee houses of 18th-century London, where performers sang songs whilst the audience ate, drank and joined in the singing. By the 1830s taverns had rooms devoted to musical clubs where they presented Saturday evening singsongs and 'free-and-easiest'(1)
The first Royal Variety Performance, with King George V and Queen Mary in attendance, took place on 1 July 1912 at the Palace Theatre in London's West End. This was a lavish occasion with 3 million roses draped around the auditorium and over the viewing boxes. The form of entertainment grew significantly following the end of World War I. (2)
Sir Oswald Stoll started the trend for Variety after WW1 and packed theatres welcoming audiences with the Stars of the day and a splendid array of variety turns with his twice nightly shows in London and the provincial theatres with Comedians, singers, acrobats, sand dancers, ballet stars, magicians, jugglers, mime artists, circus performers and the like. (3)
Variety in the united states started with vaudeville theatre. The term vaudeville, adopted in the United States from the Parisian boulevard theatre, is probably a corruption of vaux-de-vire, satirical songs in couplets, sung to popular airs in the 15th century in the Val-de-Vire (Vau-de-Vire), Normandy, France. It passed into theatrical usage in the early 18th century to describe a device employed by professional actors to circumvent the dramatic monopoly held by the Comédie-Française. Forbidden to perform legitimate drama, they presented their plays in pantomime, interpreting the action with lyrics and choruses set to popular tunes. It eventually developed into a form of light musical drama, with spoken dialogue interspersed with songs, that was popular throughout Europe. (4)
Types of Performers
Comperes
A compere is an individual whose job it is to introduce performers in a television, radio, or stage show. This person does not often take part in the show itself but simply announces the acts within the performance. Comperes, in the past, had the job of giving cues to actors and other performers. However, as technology progressed and microphones and speakers were introduced, it became their job to also announce the dates and venues of shows. They had to ensure that the audience stayed engaged between acts whilst also building the anticipation for the following acts. A compere could perform in almost any venue. They might be introducing musicians at a music festival, or dancers and singers in a theatre, or an orchestra in a music hall, or even circus acts in a tent.
Famous comperes - Ant and Dec
Though known for much more than just their presenting, Ant and Dec and one of the most famous compere duos. The two are the presenters of one of the biggest televised talent shows; Britain's got talent and are also the hosts for two of their own shows, Saturday night takeaway and I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
Famous dancers - Charity and Andres
Charity and Andres are a contemporary dance due that performed on “World of Dance” , guaranteeing their place in the history pf the show when their combative Duels performance made them the first act ever to receive perfect 100s across the board from the judges.
Dancers
Dancers are performers that tell stories with movement You may perform to a live audience or take part in a recorded performance for television, film or music video. There many different styles of dance meaning that there are many different types of dancers, including jazz dancers, contemporary dancers, street dancers, tap dancers, etc. Dancers may perform by themselves or with a partner or even in large groups. Being a dancer requires a high level of core strength to aid with moves such as pirouettes as well as leg strength to help with technique such a turned out feet and extensions. A dancer also tends to be flexible so as to allow them to perform leaps and kicks and other impressive steps.
famous singer - Ella Fitzgerald
Dubbed “The First Lady of Song,” Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. In her lifetime, she won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums.
Musicians & Singers
A musician is a performer who is a skilled musical instrument player. They may perform individually or as part of an orchestra or small group and may play a variety of different music genres, perhaps depending on which instrument they play. A singer is a performer who uses their vocal talents to sing songs to an audience, in a stage show, on the radio, or on television. Again these performers can sing a range of different genres, from legit songs to contemporary, from pop songs to musical theatre. There are also different types of voices such as altos, mezzo-sopranos, sopranos, baritones, tenors etc.
Circus performers and acrobats
Circus performers entertain audiences with displays of skills like acrobatics, juggling, stilt-walking and aerial work on trapezes and high wires. Other popular acts include clowns, mime artists, fire eaters, sword swallowers and dancers. They perform at a range of events, including: Traditional 'big top' circuses. An acrobat is a specific type of circus performer who will often entertain with tumbling and gymnastic routines
Famous circus company - Cirque Du Soleil
Originally composed of 20 street performers in 1984, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group completely reinvented circus arts and went on to become a world leader in live entertainment. Established in Montreal, the Canadian organization has brought wonder and delight to over 180 million spectators with productions presented in 450 cities in 60 countries. (5)
Comedians
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy. A comedian who addresses an audience directly is called a stand-up comic.
Famous comedian - Robin Williams Actor and comedian Robin Williams was known for his fast-paced, improvisational performance style and for his performances in films like 'Good Will Hunting' and 'Dead Poets Society.' After developing his improvisational style as a stand-up comedian, Robin Williams landed his own television show, Mork and Mindy , and moved into leading parts in film with Robert Altman's Popeye
.
Magicians & Illusionists
Magicians perform illusions to mystify and entertain audiences. They use quick hand movements and a variety of other techniques to perform classic tricks such as pulling a rabbit out of a hat or making a handkerchief disappear. They often use props, such as illusion boxes, scarves, cards, and coins.
Famous magician/illusionist - Dynamo His real name is Steven Frayne and he is a world famous British magician best known for his award-winning television show Dynamo: Magician Impossible. He was inspired to pursue a magical career after being bullied at school, and has since gone on to appear on the MTV EMAs, Strictly Come Dancing and more.
Impressionists
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of recreating the movements, sounds, facial expression, and voices of celebrities or iconic characters. An impressionist usually refers to a professional comedian who specialises in this type of performance. Impressionists most commonly perform through acting but some also sing.
Famous impressionist - Frank Gorshin Born April 5, 1933 Frank Gorshin was an American character actor and comedian. He was best known as an impressionist, with many guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and Tonight Starring Steve Allen. His most famous acting role was as The Riddler in the Batman live-action television series. (6)
Ventriloquists
A ventriloquist is an artist who practices the art of ventriloquism (also known as ventriloquy), in which the person “throws" his or her voice to make it seem like it's coming from the puppet or doll he or she is holding. The puppet or doll is ]usually called a “dummy," probably because it gets its smarts from its operator.
Famous ventriloquist - Darci Lynne
Darci Lynne - singer / Ventriloquist Darci Lynne is the youngest contestant to ever win NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” garnering over 67M views on AGT’s YouTube and the most votes for a final performance in the history of the show.
Drag Queens
Drag queens dress in exaggerated costumes and makeup to perform a show. Makeup is often drawn to accentuate features that will make an act funnier or make the performer more beautiful. Drag Queens tend to be performers who dress and perform in an exaggeratedly female persona.
Famous Drag Queen - RuPaul
RuPaul, is an American drag performer, actor, television host, and recording artist. RuPaul is well known for appearing in several films, and being the host and judge for his own popular reality television series RuPaul's Drag Race
Who are some famous variety performers?
Alistair McGowan
Alistair McGowan is often referred to as the master of mimicry and was born Alistair Charles McGowan in Evesham, Worcestershire, Great Britain. He is an actor, writer and producer and when he was younger, attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. The hugely versatile Alistair McGowan is an impressionist, actor, writer of jokes. Plays and sketches, stand-up comedian and, latterly, pianist. He is widely regarded as one the finest comedian-impressionists in the U.K. and is much in demand as moderator and host for corporate events and awards evenings. Alistair began his career by providing voices for the puppets on Spitting Image. He is fondly remembered for his popular BAFTA-winning TV show The Big Impression, in which he impersonated everyone who was anyone in the early noughties. (7)
Paul Daniels
Paul Daniels is one of the most well known magicians in the world, but he is known as much more than just a magician. He incorporates comedic elements into his family entertainment performances, engaging audience members of all ages. A household name in the UK for decades and a part of every family’s weekend viewing for years, Daniels’ achievements spread as far and wide as New Zealand, Japan, and Germany. He has even entertained for the Royal Family on several occasions as well as many of the past UK Prime Ministers. Daniels was interested in magic from an early age, and read his first book on the subject when he was on holiday in France when he was 11 years old. He was smitten with magic from that moment onwards, practising whenever he could and entertaining for youth clubs and small parties until he perfected his art enough to enter the world of the stage. Working with his first wife, he used the anagram The Eldanis as a name, and then went on to perform with his present spouse where he became well-known for phrases like, “You’ll like this, not a lot, but you’ll like it.” (8)
What Kind of Venues Are Used?
Televised variety show
Similar to that of a live variety performance however a televised variety show would have been performed in front of a slightly smaller audience. The show would be set up the same way that a live variety performance is; a range of different entertainment acts following one another with a compere to introduce each. The idea of a televised variety show is that it allows people to enjoy a show from the comfort of their own home. Advancement in technology has meant that people are able to watch almost anything from their homes, which is also beneficial to some because it is cheaper than going to a live performance. Some of the most famous examples of a televised variety show are, The Muppet Show, Saturday Night Live, and Britain's Got Talent.
Talk shows
A talk show would usually take place in a smaller theatre/auditorium with a live audience as well as a camera crew. The purpose of talk shows is to educate, bring awareness and to entertain so most usually feature multiple celebrity guests in order to draw in bigger audiences. It is common for these shows to either open or close with a variety act to entertain the audience and to keep them interested with the show. A good example of this is The Jimmy Fallon Show.
Cruise ships
It is common for cruise ships to have large theatre facilities on board so as to accommodate their performers. Individuals perform on cruise ships to keep the guests entertained Each ship, however, is different, so the size of audiences may differ. This is a very popular venue for variety as holiday goers are eager for extra entertainment and performers are keen to travel the world with their ship. The performances are usually scheduled for each day so that the audience can plan their days around performances. Any act can be performed here, including singing, dancing, circus, impressions and more.
Cabaret bars
A cabaret bar is either a restaurant, nightclub, or bar, where customers go to enjoy an evening with performance in the background. These venues are often small and intimate and audience members are usually sat around tables eating and drinking whilst the performance takes place. Variety is performed here to keep the customers entertained and to hopefully encourage them to come back regularly. This type of venue is perfect for variety performers because it allows them to see up close reactions from audience members and even allows them to interact with customers.
Music halls
Music Halls are often large theatres which can accommodate large audiences. They are predominantly used to showcase musical talents and theatre. This venue also tends to cater to a more sophisticated upper class audience. A night out at a music hall would be seen as quite formal.
Street theatre
Street theatre is a type of theatre that is performed for the general public in open spaces such as parks, train stations, shopping centres and cities. A good example of a place where street theatre is common in Covent Garden in London. There, street performers are given their space to perform whatever it is they wish and it is often that small audiences will gather to watch on a break from their shopping. More often than not these performers will be singers or musicians. These types of performers, also known as buskers, can be found in most towns or cities. Performing on the street or in other public places is good for a performer to gain confidence and experience and it is also a good option is an indoor venue cannot be afforded.
