Not long ago there was a lot of argument about certain music-halls in
London. Many people were disgusted at the low and dirty talk or hints
made by some of the performers. Most of these rotten ideas of
half-dressed women, dancing about trying to look pretty, come from
abroad, and do not really please the ordinary British man.
Harry Lauder is delightfully funny, but he is funny without being
dirty, and so is Chevalier, the coster singer. Dan Leno made you
laugh, but he was never dirty--and that was why he and these other
singers have been so popular.
I saw a performance not long ago, where a half-dressed woman came and
danced about on the stage, but, though she was tremendously advertised
as the great attraction of the place, she got very little applause.
Soon after her there came a bright-looking girl in ordinary clothes,
who merely sang an English ballad, but she was cheered and applauded
till she had to come on again and sing a second, and even a third
time.
I believe that the proper, manly Britisher likes a good clean show on
the stage; he likes to have a good hearty laugh, or to hear good
music, but I believe it is only a very few (and those nearly all
slackers and wasters) who care to go and see the nasty, half-indecent
shows which come sometimes from other countries.
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