the history of cabaret Book Review

Roots in Europe:  In  France,  the  word  “cabaret” initially referred to any business  serving  liquor.  The  history  of cabaret culture  began in 1881 in the district of Paris.  It was an informal  saloon where  poets, artist  and composers  could  share  ideas  and compositions.  Othercabarets sprang allo ver Paris, and by 1900 similar establishments appeared in several French  and German cities.  As time  went by, many of these rooms featured scheduled entertainment  ranging  in size from a few  musicians to full floor shows.  Cabaret bought new intimacy and informal spirit to public performances.  Audiences sat at cozy tables consuming  food  and drink  while  performers  worked  right in their midst, inevitably, audience members became  part  of  the show, interacting with performers and  even each other.  After World War, cabaret enjoyed  even  greater  popularity all across Europe, but particularly in Germany.  In the United States, cabaret  had  developed along  more  glamourous andless intellectually ambitious  lines.  In New York, during the 1910s,  several  large Cafes provided singers and came tobe known  as “Cabarets” The earlier American cabarets were not exact copies of their ancestors.  The cabaret made few pretences about being family trade, rather it would service the adult fantacies.  Women and men could stretch the night  into  hours of pleasure for  themselves, away from home business, children, and  other  obstructions to their mutual enjoyment.   When  the night mare of AIDS  descended  in  the  1880s, the “anything  goes”  attitude of  the previous decade collapsed and most New Yorkers opted for quieter forms of nightlife.  There were new options, including  home  videos.  These  factors and a little mismanagement took their  toll.  Backstage  and  The Grand  Finale  faded, and smaller rooms disappeared with astonishing speed.  Cabaret Redefined Grove Street, Manhattan Grove Street in Greenwich  Village has been home to several cabarets  and piano bars over the years. However, those with a solid  business  sense  prospered.  The owners  of  The Duplex brought their laid back format  to  the theatre district with Don’t Tell  Mama,  a combining a lively piano bar front room with cabaret  backroom.  1988  brought  the  ultimate Green Village hangout, Eighty  Eights, where  the  crowd  enjoyed  piano  bar  and cabaret  in an opulent art deco setting.  Soon after, new  owners  moved The Duplex to larger quarters-  its old space was taken up by Rose’s Turn. These rooms attracted regular crowds in their piano bars  while  performers  brought their own followings to  the  attached cabarets.  The sad  facts is  that almost no one makes money in cabaret any more  -  except perhaps the club owners, personal managers and piano players.  A more constructive development came  when promoter Donald Smith created the Cabaret Convention at Town Hall,  giving  cabaret performers an opportunity to be seen and heard in a well  -  publicized theatrical  presentation.  It has remained a popular event, drawing thousands annually.  Whatever its current drawbacks, the cabaret scene is alive and kicking.  At the start of the 21st Century, cabaret has reached beyond New York, with active rooms in San Francisco,Chicago and other cities. And attendance at these clubs suggests that the audience for cabaret is growing.  It may once again prove to be the break out point for new talent.  Every year  new  faces show up, keeping the dream alive.  This is the true magic of cabaret.