Lion comique was a popular style of entertainment in Victorian

Victorian era

The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...

 music hall

Music hall

Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...

s, a parody of upper class toffs or "swells". The songs the performers of the genre sang were "hymns of praise to the virtues of idleness, womanising and drinking", perhaps the most well-known of which is George Leybourne

George Leybourne

Joe Sanders , better known as George Leybourne, was an English music hall performer. Often nicknamed "Champagne Charlie", Leybourne is best-remembered as the lyricist for The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze....

's Champagne Charlie

Champagne Charlie (song)

Champagne Charlie is a music hall song from the 19th century composed by Alfred Lee with lyrics by George Leybourne. It was popularised by performer George Leybourne. The song was first performed at the Sun Music Hall, Knightsbridge in 1867...

. The lion comique deliberately distorted social reality for amusement and escapism.