Published: 13 July 2026

Forgotten Music Hall absurdist comedies from the late 19 century

One man blows out a candle when another man lights it. The man trying to light the candle runs faster and faster away from the man blowing it out, until he cannot light a match.
Several men, wearing padded outfits and blindfolds, walk around the stage swinging large swords that cut though various obstacles that fall and trip them. When they trip they remain on the ground until no one is left upright. They know everyone has fallen when a man shouts out from off stage “Done!
A man wearing women’s underwear folds pants when a woman dressed as a man sneaks up behind him and sexually attacks him.
A woman enters, miming she is swimming, a man follows her, carrying a large glass bowl filled with goldfish. He has a striped straw in his mouth which he uses to blow bubbles in the bowl.
Two women, dressed as men, enter from both sides, aggressively sweeping with large brooms. Another man, dressed as a woman in a Grecian robe, dances between them, scattering sand.
A woman enters right, pulling a long rope. She struggles, crosses the stage, the rope stretching behind her. A man follows her, whipping her with a collection of twigs. He shouts, “Pull! Harder!” She exits left. The rope stretches taut across the stage and still moves. A large wagon appears, pulled by the rope, on it rides the same woman as the Sphinx, wearing a headdress, bare breasted, great mechanical talons extend before her, flex and snap as the rope moves her across the stage, exits left.

More Poetry:

Pun-aphors

A pigeon flew at me and made me duck.
I was excited by the bow and arrow, but I no longer get that quiver.
I wanted to write an alphabet in a boat, but I floundered at sea.
I got a dog and wanted us to have pet Latin names — he was going to be Canus, but my friend said “You can’t be Sirius.”

Your Evil Eye

Your evil eye
is much more beautiful
than the other one.

Your evil eye

WW#3

WW#3’s on, no one knows it
first one who says so — they’re the one who blows it
satellite views won’t disclose it
eleven o’clock news is on, but somebody sold it

Father and Child in the Water

You’ve taken her further than Mom would,
now, her giggles are sneezes and tears.
I look up from my book, see you splash,
try to scare the voracious horse fly

white cat

white cat appears at the head of the stairs
disappears as footsteps approach
white cat rests on the crest of the wave
skitters away across multiple planes

Northern water, once again

Get in the water.
This fresh lake bears no threat,
close to mother as you could imagine.

First steps seem simple,
but be deliberate. Step
into the lake, into the water, away

Related

Pun-aphors

Pun-aphors

A pigeon flew at me and made me duck.
I was excited by the bow and arrow, but I no longer get that quiver.
I wanted to write an alphabet in a boat, but I floundered at sea.
I got a dog and wanted us to have pet Latin names — he was going to be Canus, but my friend said “You can’t be Sirius.”

read more
WW#3

WW#3

WW#3’s on, no one knows it
first one who says so — they’re the one who blows it
satellite views won’t disclose it
eleven o’clock news is on, but somebody sold it

read more

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