Normalcy by Night

Among the dimly lit midnight blue and rose appointments of London's newest and most expensive nightclub, the "Orchid Room," a middle-aged Briton swayed slightly in his chair, comfortably close to a bucket of champagne. From time to time he would wave vaguely at a French girl warbling seductively in the spotlight. "Vive la France!" he pronounced with dignity, "Vive la France!"

In London last week tired businessmen in nightclubs were once more coming into their own. Gone were the dashing, uniformed bucks with money to burn, the outrageous prices and the pseudo-Cuban bands which jangled jungle rhythms during the hectic war years. Back were the soft-sweet tunes of the '30s, the black ties, the long evening gowns. Champagne, which had fallen from favor when its price rocketed to nearly -L-9, was on hand again at a Government-controlled -L-3 a bottle.

Gone too was disastrous Rule 42 C of the Defense Regulations, which had closed 174 nightclubs because the police had "reason to believe there was drunkenness" on the premises. Some 15 establishments had survived, ranging from the plushy "400" (newly decorated in pale peach and amber) to the brash "Nuthouse," whose walls are inscribed with legends like: "Through these portals the most beautiful girls in the world have passed out."

But nightclubs must still tread warily to get around the licensing laws, which forbid liquor sales after 11 p.m. The commonest dodge is the "bottle party" (invented some 14 years ago), which provides that, for a year's fee of about -L-3, guests sign an invitation list and a wine order. This permits signers to "invite themselves" to the club and drink liquor ostensibly purchased and owned by them, but kept on the premises.

The chief difference between today's niteries and those of the '30s is the absence of food and of good entertainment. "Poor little dears," said one nightclub owner of his chorus girls last week, "the war has either broadened their fannies or flattened their feet. British womanhood is not what it used to be."

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