Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This captivating book presents a uniquely comprehensive cultural history of cabaret, where the most radical of artists, poets, writers, musicians, and theater directors have gathered since 1881. Lisa Appignanesi takes us to the original cabaret--the smoke-filled rooms of the Chat Noir in Paris that served as a meeting place for the avant-garde and a laboratory of subversion against the establishment. She then follows the journey of the cabaret across Europe and to the United States, tracing each development in cabaret history to the present day.This much revised and updated edition of Appignanesi's classic work is enriched with materials that have become more accessible in the post-Soviet era. It also features a variety of new illustrations from both East and West. The book provides a lively look at all aspects of cabaret, where art and entertainment join to mock and provoke, and where radical artistic, literary, and political ideas have found expression for more than 120 years.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

When first published (CH, Feb'97; [slightly] rev. ed., 1984), Appignanesi's The Cabaret was the only survey of this hybrid entertainment, which was often political or satirical, or both. The present edition reprints the earlier editions, but adds new sections (primarily in chapter 5, "Cabaret as a Vehicle of the Artistic Vanguard," and in the final chapter, "Life and After-Life"), including Spain, Hungary, Russia, and Poland in the discussion. Appignanesi also added new sources to the bibliography, reflecting the increased international scholarship on cabaret over the past 30 years: general sources increased from 7 to 15; English and American from 9 to 24; unfortunately omitted are Laurence Senelick's two-volume Cabaret Performance (v. 1, CH, May,'90, 27-5040; v. 2, CH, May'93, 30-4899) and Alan Lareau's The Wild Stage (CH, Jul'95, 32-6133). This edition also includes new illustrations, and the production and design are noteworthy. Although important books on cabaret have appeared since the first edition of this work--Harold Segel's Turn-of-the-Century Cabaret (1987), Peter Jelavich's outstanding Berlin Cabaret (CH, Mar'94, 31-3690), in addition to those cited above--this remains a useful and stunningly illustrated historical treatment. Libraries that own earlier editions might wish to update with this handsome new edition; those that don't should buy it. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Lower-/upper-division undergraduates; general readers. D. B. Wilmeth emeritus, Brown University