Page:René Le Coeur Le bar aux femmes nues, 1925.djvu/3



I had entered this small theatre, out of idleness, curiosity, perhaps also by concupiscence, as the good fathers used to say in the days of my childhood, when I used to write verses to the actresses during study hours, behind the Latin dictionary: gradus ad Parnassum.

The poster for the show announced a Greek, Roman or Egyptian operetta, with an appealing title. It was the speciality of the house, these operettas, which were all the rage thanks to a very simple procedure: naked women were exhibited. They obviously had a loin cover.

This alone constituted the entire costume. Ah, the management didn't spend a lot of money on costuming! And the stage fees, according to the trade term, were considerably reduced.

What difference was there between Greek operetta and Egyptian operetta? I never quite understood that. These ladies were equally naked in both plays. Perhaps the hairstyle changed a little; and also the names of the characters. It was a very amusing little theatre. It has disappeared today, gutted by the demolition workers' pickaxes.