revue

revue,

a stage presentation that originated in the early 19th cent. as a light, satirical commentary on current events. It was rapidly developed, particularly in England and the United States, into an amorphous musical entertainment, retaining a small amount of satire and partaking increasingly of the elements of vaudeville and the pageant. In the United States the revue—essentially an upscale vaudeville show—became noted for its extravagant staging and costumes and its display of showgirls. The best known of this type was the annual Follies (1907–c.1930) produced by Florenz Ziegfeld, which had as its chief rivals Earl Carroll's Vanities and George White's Scandals. Noël Coward was the pioneer of a more intimate revue-style in the interwar years. Elaborate showgirl revues and comedy acts, often of a satirical nature, are still popular in nightclubs and casinos.

Revue

 

a theatrical production combining features of the operetta, ballet, cabaret, and variety theater. Although music was of minor importance in revues, musical numbers from them sometimes became popular. The revue influenced the development of a distinctive type of operetta, the revue operetta.

The revue originated in the 1830’s in Paris. Outside of France, revues were widely performed from the late 19th to the early 20th century in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Great Britain. European revues influenced the development of an American version of the genre, called a show. Revues are usually performed in music halls, a type of variety theater.

revue

(less commonly), review

a form of light entertainment consisting of a series of topical sketches, songs, dancing, comic turns, etc.