How a loophole in London's theater laws birthed the melodrama
In short: At the turn of the 18th century, London audiences craved extreme drama. This video explores how entrepreneurs bypassed strict licensing laws to create a new genre through the invention of incidental music.
The video examines the origins of melodrama, a genre characterized by sentimental plots where the virtuous overcome villainous forces. It details how, because only two theaters were licensed in London, entrepreneurs utilized musical entertainments to evade restrictions, leading to the birth of the genre via incidental music.
While melodrama relies on stock characters like the noble hero and long-suffently heroine, the video places its rise within the broader context of theatrical evolution and the audience's desire for high-stakes, 'over the top' storytelling.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Rise of Melodrama: Crash Course Theater #28
- Also: Melodrama | Narrative, Emotion & Suspense | Britannica
- Also: Crash Course Theater | The Rise of Melodrama | Episode 28
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