BRING BACK THE SHOWGIRLS!

Cabaret is a little controversial. In fact, it was designed to be that way. Whether it's flouting old censorship laws or flaunting new liberties, cabaret intentionally stirs the pot. Hillary Sukhonos delves into the fascinating history behind this art form.

-  Hillary Sukhonos

A NEW ERA OF NIGHTLIFE began for Great Britain when cabaret arrived at the start of the 20th century. The year 1912 marks the beginning of modern cabaret in London, when Austrian writer and impresario, Frida Strindberg, opened Cave of the Golden Calf. Located underground near Regent Street, it attracted the upper crust of artists, outcasts and thinkers. This was akin to Le Chat Noir in Paris, whose famous bohemian artists kicked off the start of cabaret in 1881. Both venues offered drinks and entertainment in dimly lit, richly decorated surroundings, meant to stimulate creativity. Frida went bankrupt in 1914 and the Golden Calf closed-but London nightlife would remain forever changed.

Cabaret became the new kid on the block in Britain's live entertainment landscape. At the time, variety shows reigned supreme, chorus lines like the Tiller Girls swept Europe and the US, and Gaiety Burlesques (lighthearted plays starring women) were the talk of the town. In fact, Laura Henderson, the future owner and director of the Windmill Theatre, attended Gaiety Burlesques with her husband and wrote about her experience: "I, like most girls of that period, had been taught to regard legs as something you might perhaps meet in your bath, but never elsewhere, and my horror at the legs-rows and rows of them- I shall never forget." Years later, after the death of her husband and only son, Mrs Henderson would have a dramatic change of heart and buy the Windmill Theatre.

Theatre directors stole, mixed, and fused together different genres to the tune of what sold the most tickets. Manchester's Tiller Girls, for example, developed a new dance style called "precision dance" which became a hit all across Europe and the US.