Mother takes in older variety entertainment (9)
I believe the answer is:
melodrama
'entertainment' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Sensational entertainment ' mean 'melodrama' so perhaps 'entertainment' could also mean 'melodrama')
'mother takes in older variety' is the wordplay.
'mother' becomes 'mama' (mama informally means mother).
'takes in' is an insertion indicator.
'variety' is an anagram indicator.
'older' is an anagram of 'elodr'.
'mama' enclosing 'elodr' is 'MELODRAMA'.
(Other definitions for melodrama that I've seen before include "Sensational entertainment" , "Sensational theatre piece" , "Old play in emotional and sensational style" , "sensational affair" , "Sensational type of play" .)