Book Projects The Midnight Follies: Cabaret and the Dancing Craze in the Jazz Age
 
 

After Dark is a timely book because of the resurgent interest and current vogue for  ballroom dancing, burlesque and cabaret.  Ginny McGrath’s feature ‘Cabaret Lights Up London’s Nightlife’ (The Times 17/8/06) identified a renaissance in the idea of cabaret entertainment that had been sweeping London and confirmed by Time Out’s cabaret listings and reviews section. This ‘new trend’ was sweeping the country. At the same time, like cabaret, ballroom dancing was undergoing a significant revival spearheaded by the hit TV programme Strictly Come Dancing.


But what is cabaret and where did it come from? You will be surprised to learn that there is NO book on the market that explains how modern cabaret entertainment evolved. So this is the first book of its kind - a peek behind the completely hidden world of late night supper entertainment  explaining the origins and development of cabaret and the dancing craze.


The book is global in outlook exploring the transatlantic network of nightlife of major European and American cities - New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Berlin, London, Paris, Deauville, Biarritz and the Riviera - thus perfect for foreign rights sales. In some way it is a  natural successor to Lisa Appignanesi’s The Cabaret (Yale) first published in 1975 and still hugely popular and the more recent Nightclub Nights: Art, Legend and Style 1920-1960 by Susan Waggoner  (Rizzoli). However, this is the story of modern 20th Century cabaret or supper entertainment, not the ‘cabaret artistique’ of Appignanesi’s survey


The book contains full descriptions of all the main cabaret venues in London, Paris, New York and elsewhere and detail about all of the cabaret entertainers who became huge stars.  Plus, there are numerous photographs and drawings of the cabaret venues, programmes, adverts and performers all from my private collection.

 

Cabaret and the Dancing Craze - a visit to a cabaret


Imagine yourself in London, Paris or New York in the mid 1920s. We are in company, smartly attired and have had cocktails, an early light dinner and been to the theatre. We have seen a marvellous show but it is now 10.30pm and we are in need of further entertainment. After all, the night is young and we want to party the night away.


The choice of where to  go is simply bewildering because there are so many places to eat, drink, dance, hear music and, most importantly watch a supper show or cabaret. Should it be one of the fancy restaurants, or one of the ballrooms in one of the swanky hotels, or one of the exclusive night clubs? What does it matter. We choose and make haste eager not to miss a thing. Entering the foyer we deposit our coats and after paying our entrance fee get ushered into a large, spacious, although not vast, marvellous decorated room to an imacculate laid out table, one of many that form a horseshoe shape around a dance floor. The table and ceiling lights  are dimmed and cast a glow over the room through the billowing swirls of cigarette smoke and twinkle on the vast array of glittering jewels worn by all the women.  The place is alive with a cacophony of sound. All is seemingly in uproar and confusion. The orchestra at one end of the room plays high spirited jazz music as  couples dance on the dance floor.  Expensive couture gowns rustle, glasses are chinked and conversation and laughter abound. Above the noise we order our drinks and supper from the excellent menu and become part of the unfolding revellry. The room swiftly becomes packed with an eclectic mix of people of all ages but they have one thing in common: they are all immaculately dressed and the men have large wallets.


On the stroke of midnight the music suddenly stops and the lights are dimmed. The drums rolled, trumpets blew a fanfare and in the distance at the end of the room the curtains opened to reveal a small stage lit by several spotlights. The orchestra took up a new tune as a bevy of show girls appeared in their rather brief yet colourful feathery costumes. The chorus sang and danced and then disappeared to hysterical cheers, wolf whistles and clapping and in their place emerged  the principals of the show in their first number, a dancing duo of international re-known, beautifully dressed and full of grace and skill, whirling across the dance floor causing gasps of delight. This was the beginning of a spectacular supper floor show that would last 30 minutes and would feature more artists and more show girls in even more bizarre outfits.


Across all the major cities of Europe and America in dozens of venues the same thing would be happening - a world of entertainment designed to entertain and amuse would be coming to life.

After Dark Book


Cabaret Stars of the Jazz Age


A Little Bit of Fluff: Costume

Design for British Silent Film


Stars of the British Silent Screen

Explore the hidden world of entertainment in London and Paris during the Jazz Age by reading ‘After Dark’ - Fynes Harte-Harrington’s blog.