23.
to watch the reactions of the people there, both the other customers and the staff itself. Everyone seemed to accept these entertainers, perhaps not as women, for many knew they were entertainers and some knew from which club they came In some cases just a casual look of curiousity and a return to their own conversation In others a smile of interest or a hello and a desire to be recognized by them, but never once did I see a look or act of derision. This, however, was Paris From my conversations with these en- tertainers I gathered that in the smaller provincial towns the attitude would not have been so accepting.
In London there are no large clubs that specialize in female impersonation such as the carrousel in Paris, the 82 in New York, or Finoccio's in San Francisco In fact, it seems to be difficult to even book such an act here Yet ironicly, wherever a female impersonator appears he is usually very warmly received. It seems to me that the British have a strong tendency to pass laws against the very things they enjoy most Though there doesn't seem to be a precise law against female impersonation as an act, still there seems to be a reticence on the part of the club owners to book such acts.
I have been to a few of the many sr 11 "clubs" in Soho and in some of them impersonators "performed" two nights a week None of them were artists yet but they tried hard and gave all they had Everything was against them but the audience who loved them. These "clubs" were invariably "gay" clubs.
One of the "posh" clubs in Mayfair, Winston's has hed Danny LaRue, whom I understand is the only "real" female impersonator in England, playing there for over six months steady and he is obviously well received though I have seen dozens of impersonators in the States who sur- passed him as far as make-up is concerned Ricki Renee and Mickey Mercer recently completed a months engagement at the Stork Room near Piccadilly Circus and were very popular and well received.