Windmill Theatre (2016)

Saucy secrets of Britain's first nude showgirls - Six performers reveal how thrilling it was to appear at The legendary Windmill Theatre.

• Legendary Theatre was the first in Britain to feature nudity on stage
• A very British institution, its variety shows ran all day
• Now it's been turned into a stage musical; which has opened in London

(By DAVID WIGG Published: 17:31 EST, 12 February 2016)

London's Windmill Theatre was justifiably proud of its motto: 'We never closed.' Throughout World War II, even at the height of the Blitz, it remained defiantly open while bombs rained down on the capital.

But it was equally proud when that motto was humorously modified to: 'We never clothed!', for The Windmill had introduced nudity on stage for the first time in British theater history in 1932. It presented its naked starlets in motionless poses as living statues in revues based on themes such as mermaids or Native Americans, and the Windmill girls became known worldwide.

A quintessentially British institution, the theater near Piccadilly Circus had a long-lasting legacy, providing countless future stars the opportunity to try out their comedy routines, including Harry Secombe, Bruce Forsyth, Peter Sellers, and Tony Hancock. Its variety shows ran all day featuring singers, dancers, showgirls, and specialty acts - but it was the girls who were the main attraction.

Emma Williams, the star of the new show (centre) with (left to right) Margaret McGrath, Margaret Cooper, Joan Bravery, Googie Cooney, Sylvia Lavis and JilMillard Shapiro

The astute brain behind the risqué shows belonged to a little white-haired lady named Laura Henderson, who inherited a fortune after the death of her wealthy husband. In 2005, her story was turned into the film "Mrs. Henderson Presents," with Laura played by Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins as her business partner and producer, Vivian Van Damm.

Now it's been turned into a stage musical that has just opened in London. When it was previewed at Bath's Theatre Royal last year, the Mail's theatre critic, Quentin Letts, wrote, 'I have not emerged from a theatre feeling quite so cheerful for a long time.'

The show's producer Norma Heyman explains, 'Mrs Henderson was an eccentric widow who bought an old cinema, turned it into a theatre - The Windmill - and put on a revue with Vivian Van Damm. The first show was a failure and the costumes were so expensive they hit on the idea of putting on nudes to save money.' But first she had to get permission from the Lord Chamberlain, the official in charge of vetting public performances. He agreed, on condition that the girls remained motionless. 'I'll close you down at once if any t*tties move,' he warned her.

It was pure innocence—naughty but nice. Mrs. Henderson also had personal reasons for putting nudes on stage. Her only son, Alec, had been killed at the age of 21 during World War I. After his death, she discovered a picture postcard of a naked woman among his belongings.

'Jill Millard Shapiro, the original Windmill Girl, recalls, "She realized he'd died without ever having seen a woman's body in person. She said, "I don't want to think of any young British or American soldiers dying without experiencing that." It was a brilliant idea, and the shows played to packed houses."'

The Windmill Girls in 1940. Margaret McGrath, now 97, is on the far left

Vivacious, convent-educated Jill, now 72, was a Windmill Girl for five years starting in 1959 and is one of six former dancers who have joined young Emma Williams, the star of the new musical, for our photoshoot.

'I started when I was just 14,' Jill recalls. 'I saw the sign for the Windmilstage door, so I walked in and asked for an audition. I can't believe I had the nerve!' But Van Damm quickly told her to finish her education, and she eagerly awaited her 15th birthday, the school-leaving age at the time, to step back onto the Windmill stage.

'We, the ones still alive, are immensely proud of what we achieved. At 15, to find yourself naked on a pedestal, I embraced it. Fraternization between the boys and girls in the cast was prohibited, but they found it impossible to keep us apart. There was always a little corner where we could sneak away for a secret meeting.'

Margaret Cooper certainly discovered a few little corners. She danced at the Windmill for ten years starting in 1948, specializing in the Can-Can. 'I lived for the Windmill, and so did my husband John, because we met there—he was the choreographer,' Margaret shares. 'But we had to keep our romance hidden behind the stage while the main act performed. We would whisper our plans for later.'

The oldest surviving Windmill Girl is Margaret McGrath. In 1942, Life magazine named her the Windmill's No. 1 Glamour Girl, and she was also recognized as the theatre's Blonde Bombshell of the Blitz.

The exterior of the Windmill Theatre pictured in 1973

Now a spirited 97-year-old, she joined at 17 and performed there for five years. 'The war years at the Windmill were the best of my life - and boy, have I had a life!' says Maggie, as she's known. 'If I could relive that time, I'd do it in a heartbeat. It was a privilege to be there. We heard the buzzing of the doodlebugs overhead, but we carried on regardless.'

One night, two firebombs landed on stables near the theater and set them ablaze, killing three people. 'We did what we could to help,' says Maggie. 'I put on my tin helmet and, with another Windmill Girl, Anne Singer, went into the stables, got six panicking horses out, and led them into Piccadilly Circus.'

Clearly not one to shy away from a challenge, didn’t she feel daunted by the idea of appearing naked in front of audiences? 'No,' she says firmly. 'Because of the discreet way it was done. You stood on a stage and remained still. You weren't allowed to move. Nobody could really see anything, because we used ostrich-feather fans for modesty. It was pure innocence: naughty but nice.'

At least Vivian Van Damm, a disciplinarian, was protective of his girls. They had to get his permission to go on dates and tell him where they were going - he insisted they take their tin helmets too. 'And I had lots of dates - I didn't waste my time,' says Maggie with a twinkle in her eye. After she married the 1950s film star Michael Rennie, who played Harry Lime in The Third Man TV series, they moved to Hollywood, where she had a son and mingled with the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Humphrey Bogart. But the marriage ended after eight years. 'So I sailed back on the Queen Mary, and who do you think was my companion? Marlene Dietrich. She was lovely.' Elizabeth Taylor never forgot their friendship, and Maggie treasures a 92nd birthday card from her with the message, 'Happy Birthday and many more. You will never close, dear one.'

While Mrs. Henderson viewed show business as one long party, Van Damm had a more serious side. Joan Bravery, who joined in 1960, recalls being questioned by him after a performance. 'I was completely naked. He asked me if I had been wearing earrings—which were prohibited. I told him, "No, as you can see, I'm not wearing anything at all!"'

But it's the sense of community that the women remember most. Sylvia Lavis was 18 when she joined in 1963. 'Even though I didn't stay very long, it's very deep in my heart,' she says. 'The family feeling of the Windmill was unique.'

Blue-eyed blonde Googie Cooney, the daughter of a London flower seller who joined the Windmill at 15, says it was simply a different time then. 'Today, performing at that age would probably be frowned upon. But we were innocent compared to today's girls. It was incredible to do that kind of show at 15. I loved it.'

Mr & Mrs Vivian Van Damm onboard the Queen Mary at Southampton in 1949

In the new show, Mrs. Henderson is portrayed by double Olivier Award-winner Tracie Bennett. Ian Bartholomew plays Van Damm, and Emma Williams takes on the role of Maureen, a shy stagehand who, with Mrs. Henderson's encouragement, blossoms into the star of the show. Emma admits to feeling nervous about going nude on stage. 'You think, "All those people are seeing my naked body. I really wish I hadn't had that last slice of toast." But the strangest thing was that when we previewed the show, for possibly the first time in my adult life, I wasn't on a diet because I'd learned to love my body and myself. When you strip the body down to the bare essentials, it's incredibly empowering. I'd recommend it to everyone.'

She explains that the show essentially tells two strong women's stories: Mrs. Henderson's, which is based on fact, and Maureen's, which is fictitious. 'It's a very feminist story, which is brilliant because musical theater is male-dominated, and women often play simpering love interests. Maureen grows under Mrs. Henderson's influence. She had such an impact on the real Windmill Girls' lives too.'

As she had wished, on the day Mrs. Henderson died in 1944—bequeathing the theater to Van Damm—the show went on as usual. The Windmill lasted until 1964 when it closed due to competition from private strip clubs.

Notes

This article has been spell-checked with Grammarly for spelling and content

External links

Mrs Henderson Presents is at the Noel Coward Theatre. mrshenderson.co.uk. (note: this article was originally posted in 2016}

• Original Dailymain,UK article

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