A WORD FOR THE CHORUS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 83, 4 October 1930, Page 25

A WORD FOR THE CHORUS

BEVERLEY NICHOLS,IN':: DEFENCE:

Three letters lie before me. 'They all .arrived to-day. . They are- all sad, and when I have quoted'extracts from them you will realise why they aro all also stupid, writes Beverloy Nichols in the "Daily Mail.."' . ' : -"I am really desperate. In fact, I would be quite willing to go. into the chorus." "Even the back I'ow of the chorus would be better than tramping round from agency to agency." ' "lam really desperate. In fact, 1 had a chance." Neither the young man nor the young woman, however, would have the least ehanee of entering-the chorus without a very' strenuous, training. 1 only know one chorus really well, and that is thechorus known as Mr. Cochran's Xoung Ladies, who during the rehearsals of the.present 1930 Eevue filled m6 at first with delight, then astonishment, and ultimately with.awe. ■ , ■,• '.'"■■ .:-.-

It may be unfair to"take these young ladies as an example, because they are exceptionally, brilliant, individually and collectively. But since the ambition of every other girl in the kingdom (if I am to judge from my daily, correspondence) is to be a Cocnran'Young Lady, it would eavo a great deal of trouble if the; amateurs would; realise that it is much easier to get into: Parliament, to marry a millionaire, or to swim th,o Channel than to be a perfect chorus girl. : ; .'■.' '■'.-;. -,: ..;.. '. ■• '

As for talking about going into "oven" Iho chorus! If anybody says that to you, ask them tho following questions, in rapid succession:— "Can you stand on.your head? "Can you kick your father's top hat! off his head without .lcickiug his nose? "Can you danco on your toes if "Can you sing in tune —not with yourself but with others? "Are yo'i exceptionally pretty.'

"Are your legs the sort of legs that cau be observed in all positions, .'on;a cold morning, by hardbitten managers in the stalls without exciting, misgivings? . •■•■. -j . . -..- ... ■ : :, ..:u: ...•,/• "Cau you cheek ill immoderate long*, ings for sweets, cocktails, and ■cigarettes? ' ■ '■■ '". ' :'., "' "',':;' . "Can you rehearse, interminably, dress in a stuffy,..crowded:room, \ ;-ruu like greased lightning on to the stage, and look as fresh as' though- you had just conic from a bathe? ;'.;:.'..".' "Can. you: learn principal parts, juyl keep your: head if you suddenly ; have to play them, and.-keep. your "if you dou*t? "■;■ -;•; ' .":';;'I:.: :■',■•■■ '"Can, you stifle,'month aitor; imo'ntK, your own longing for.'peWoual'applause, and content yourself with .doing!your utmost as a menibet of youi;:.teani? 3|.:\; "Even the; choriis!,; A^aft -from this idiotic assumption the.chorus, is easy,thero ; is the, equally ridiculous conception that once a girl. is;dn 'tlio chorus ■'.her ;" personal ■■' reSponsibiUty ceases. 'r. Tho actual-.fact^'df. <?oiirse/;is, that it increases in direct' ratio tb'-tW number of tho chorus .itself,.'.-. ■■•:.; "'*"

When you fcit in your stalls and s>ee sL\teeu exquisite pairs of legs flashing in a complicated lhythm across a brilliantly lit stage, does it GVer occur to you that if one of those sixteen girls began to slack, or to dream, or to tire the rhythm would be confused or utteily lost, und the "number"—which is only, perhaps, a single, glittering moment in a long pageant—ruined? Evidcnly it does not. It seenia that no ago over does justice to its choruses. Since society has flooded tho stage with its lecruits, we have leapt to tho conclusion that the chorus is a sort of; chaiitablo institution for the poorer and more Bohemian relations of the rich, demanding no particular talents and no special training.