A unique conference experience, held at Hoxton Hall, on May 11th 2013, organized by King’s College, London and the University of Liverpool. This one-day conference will explore the history of one of the most exciting, subversive and controversial forms of theatre from the 19th Century.

The first example of mass entertainment in Britain, the music hall’s influence over fashion, language, society, and culture continues to resonate today, while remaining one of the most enduring art forms of the Victorian period. On the other side of the Atlantic, vaudeville had a similar impact, helping produce a mass audience of consumers, in advance of the development of film and television. In addition, American performers found opportunities in the UK, and vice versa, becoming carrier of cultural exchange in the process.

This conference seeks to bring together all those working on any aspect of the Music Halls, both nationally and internationally, for a day of discussion and discovery.