The Washington herald., 1921-06-05

A Midnight Frolic in London!
Alas, Mr.. Ziegfeld should know
that he will encounter insuperable
difficulties if he attempts to trans
plant the Amsterdam roof show,
plus atmosphere. without which it
is nothing to London town, says the
New York World.
Admittedly the time had come for
him to close in New York. On the
roof the other night it was more
like midnight mass-one would
hardly have been surprised had the
chorus burst into the Gregorian
chant-but he will have to wander
further afield than London IL he is
to realize his laudable ambition of
rewedding Beauty and the Yeast
But it can't go to london.
1t could go minus the midnight
but then presumably it would just
be an ordinary revue affair. For
they have a closing hour in London,
a ridiculously early closing hour
when the cold paw of "Pussyfoot"
stretches out and pats one on the
face causing walters to turn down
an empty glass. in fact a whole Sc
ries of empty glasses. That occurs
as early as 10 o'clock.
The old night life of London has
vanished into the mist as if those
who fell in France were its cham
pions. To walk abroad now at mid
night in Piccadilly, once the gay
highway of roysterers, is to be
alone with your own football, to
hear the friendly goodnight, sir"
of the lonely policeman.
Before the war London boasted a
night life almost comparable to
that of Paris. Gay supper parties
held on in the restaurants till 4
o'clock and even then the police
seldom made their presence felt till
half an hour later. Once a week an
all-night ball was given at Covent
garden.
The continued restriction of the
sale of liquor after 10 o'clock COM
pletely cancels any night life in
London, placing that city on a par
with New York-ipdeed, there Is
far less night life in London now
than in New York.
The law extends even to clubs
and hotels and 1t is absolutely re-
spected. 1t is a hangover of war
legislation passed under Dora Cor
the defense OF the realm act). and
it was to have been abrogated on
the rehabilitation OF the army. But
it never was. powerful temper
ance" forces behind the scenes
making themselves felt at cabinet
meetings.
As a consequence London today
goes straight home to bed after the
theater. that is to say at IL o'clock.
Londoners refuse to patronize res
taurants and supper places IL they
cafihot get a drink. and these re-
sorts are all drearily empty in con-
sequence compared with the team
ing life of pre-war days or rather
nights.
A few people go to supper at the
Savoy and Carlton and other die
hards" patronize a quartet of ex-
tremely expensive night clubs; the
Embassy. Rector's, Ciro's, and Mur-
rays: but even these close at 1
o'clock or rather. all except Rec
tors in which I actually recently
sat slipping ginger ale and listening
to an American jazz band till the
dreadful hour of 8 a. m.
There is no bootlegging or hip
pocket drinking at any of these re-
sorts and II Is absolutely impossible
to get a drink from the manage
ment after 10 o'clock.
1t may be safely written. there
fore. that the night life of London
is dead. dead as mutton. Early on,
of course, at z and 8 o'clock In the
evening 1t is quite a different
story. and here London has II on
poor old dry New York The res
tsurants are illed with merry par
ties. chiefly drinking wine, a habit