The New York herald., 1921-01-16
Theatres and Dance Halls Already Reflect Influence of
New Moral Code High Prices Also Put Damper Hlarity
Although War Mlionares Continue Wild Spending and
Plenty Remains to Cheer Prohibition Parched Americans
Magnificent Automobiles Find Quick Market and Rare
Jewels Do Not Rest Long in Windows

But like everything else in France the
theatres have been drawn into the wave of
high prices. Loge or orchestra seats which
in the best houses cost only five francs be-
fore the war are now unobtainable for less
than twenty francs, and on special holidays
prices are doubled without the slightest
warning or apology apparently in an effort
to wipe out the deficit caused by growing
desertion of the so-called-/'popular' houses
by the French clientele. AT one of the best
known Montmartre theatres, where semi
nude women and an overdressed most beau
tiful"> sister alternately appeal for public
approval. less than half the seats are occu-
pied nightly, although the managers still
resort to the time worn advertisement Of
long runs" and report all seats sold days
before the reopenings.
The fact is that the majority of the lighter
theatres are experiencing the results Of q
new change in the theatregoers desires No
longer does the average amusement seeker
applaud the spectacle of modern "undressed"
shows for the traditional recurrence Of in
terest in older French authors has arrived
The dizzy, jazzy noise of the King of Bahoo-
land is rapidly giving way to an apprecia-
ton, or an effort to appreciate the works
of Moliere. Racine, Corneille and their sue
cessors This is especially true in the case
Of the subventioned state theatres. where
seats must be engaged at least five or six
days in advance and where hundreds of well
dressed clients are turned away nightly from
the gallery entrances, whereby way of
parenthesis-the uncushioned bench seats
cost nearly as much as loge seats cost i'm the
prewar days.
Plenty Still Remains to Cheer
The Americans Prohibition Torn Spirit
But this does not mean that the American
seeking something to cheer his prohibition
torn spirit cannot find the remnants of the
historic joys of the Butte, for the theatres
off the Grands Boulevards are as brilliantly
lighted as ever and new features are always
being injected in an effort to reawaken in
terest. There is STILL in some districts the
same artistic disregard of propriety which
has always made Paris lead the rest of the
world the sun around which amusement
affairs rotates there is even a considerable
portion of the Paris population which re-
mains faithful to the old traditions. but the
masses are giving evidence of the effects of
a revised mental and moral code, and are
turning their attention toward the more
serious interests OF life This may be re-
grettable in some ways. but it has one rec
ommending feature-it leaves more space
for the American and other visitors who are
out for pleasure and mean to have 1t as long
the dollar retains tits ability to bounce a
little higher after each downward fluctua-
ton.
Even the dancing craze is suffering from
the reaction. although the months imme-
diately following the armistice exceeded the
widest hopes of the dance hall proprietors.
To-day, apart from the dancing i'm restau-
rants of the better class, there Is "A veritable
"terpsichorean slump"-whch does not by
any means indicate new variety of the fox
trot.
At the public dance halls this is probably
due to the increased prices-20 francs in
stead of the pre-war francs per couple
but the managers point out that with coal at
500 francs a ton. electricity rates doubled
and the American jazz artists demanding
100 francs night for their uproar. 20 francs
leaves less for profit than the negligible half
dollar (including cloakroom fee) of 1914.
Hifarify on the Wane Where
Champagne Costs $50 Francs
AS for the clandestine dancing rendezvous
of Montmartre. and even in the richer resi-
Dental districts of Paris, where admission is
only by presentation of card of dentifca-
tion or membership and where champagne
pops only at the sight OF $50 francs a BOTTLE
these are gradually losing their dance hall
characteristics. OF course. there is some
dancing" "shimmy" preferred. with the "se-
duction waltz close second--but for every
couple actually dancing there are four or
five seated around their tables. blase and
weary and waiting hopelessly for some one
to initiate new balm for their idle spirits.
This class was unknown I'm the old days,
when every one in Paris who danced did so