The Natural History Of The Chorus Girl
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Tanning and foxing
Long before the Broadway spotlight and the Las Vegas showroom defined an era of glittering spectacle, the chorus girl was already a cultural institution — misunderstood, celebrated, and endlessly fascinating. The Natural History of the Chorus Girl by Derek and Julia Parker chronicles the rise of this iconic figure from the rowdy music halls of Victorian England to the sequined grandeur of 20th-century stage and screen, presenting a rich and vivid portrait of the women who became the backbone of popular entertainment. With a tone that is both affectionate and analytical, the book details the social conditions, theatrical traditions, and shifting moral attitudes that shaped — and were in turn shaped by — the chorus girl's remarkable evolution. Drawing on extensive historical research, the Parkers illustrate how this much-mythologised figure served as a mirror to society's anxieties about femininity, class, and spectacle, arguing that her story is inseparable from the broader history of popular culture itself. Their writing is accessible yet authoritative, weaving together anecdote, social history, and theatrical lore into a seamless narrative that rewards both the casual reader and the serious student of performance history. For anyone who has ever been captivated by the magic of the chorus line, this work raises a tantalising question: was the real drama always happening in the wings?
Author: Derek & Julia Parker
Format: Hardback
Genre: History of arts
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Tanning and foxing
Long before the Broadway spotlight and the Las Vegas showroom defined an era of glittering spectacle, the chorus girl was already a cultural institution — misunderstood, celebrated, and endlessly fascinating. The Natural History of the Chorus Girl by Derek and Julia Parker chronicles the rise of this iconic figure from the rowdy music halls of Victorian England to the sequined grandeur of 20th-century stage and screen, presenting a rich and vivid portrait of the women who became the backbone of popular entertainment. With a tone that is both affectionate and analytical, the book details the social conditions, theatrical traditions, and shifting moral attitudes that shaped — and were in turn shaped by — the chorus girl's remarkable evolution. Drawing on extensive historical research, the Parkers illustrate how this much-mythologised figure served as a mirror to society's anxieties about femininity, class, and spectacle, arguing that her story is inseparable from the broader history of popular culture itself. Their writing is accessible yet authoritative, weaving together anecdote, social history, and theatrical lore into a seamless narrative that rewards both the casual reader and the serious student of performance history. For anyone who has ever been captivated by the magic of the chorus line, this work raises a tantalising question: was the real drama always happening in the wings?