Les Girls

by Constance Tomkinson

Vintage paperback novel. "Learn how chorus girls land in royal courts and law courts -- illustrated in the French manner."

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, World War II

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1956

Reviews

[Big Ship · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars

This is the memoir of Constance Tomkinson (Canadian via New York), covering her time immediately before and after her time as a member of various dance troupes and chorus lines as they travelled all over the Continent during the mid to late 1930s, where Tomkinson and her colleagues "not only thought [about] but were experts in navigating the rackety worlds of show business, finance and sex while defending their virtue as energetically as a Samuel Richardson heroine." [page 5]

Whilst they were not a raging success, they went from job to job and had lots of varied experiences, including being pursued by high ranking German military names.

The memoir is witty and very readable.

It was made into a film in 1957, though Tomkinson is not named (or portrayed?) in it, most likely by reason that there was a dispute as to changes made in the film, which apparently made the film more salacious than the book.

A delightful memoir of a time and of places well outside my experience.

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir, recollecting Constance Tomkinson's years as a show-girl in the 1930s, is a pure delight to read, with sparkling descriptions of the troupe’s cameraderie, the admirers they counted on as ‘meal tickets’, and the chaotic backstage life of a travelling dancer. Constance, lacking in any experience except a pantomime, is surprised to be taken on by the Millerettes for a tour to Scandinavia. When this comes to an abrupt end, 'Les Girls' jump on a train to Paris where Constance finds work at the Folies-Bergere, where Josephine Baker is the star of the show. She talks her way into the ranks of the Basil Beauties and goes on tour to Germany and Italy - and here a shadow creeps in to the light-hearted narrative, as amidst the high spirits she witnesses the growing power of these Fascist regimes… The Slightly Foxed hardback is beautifully produced with the charming original illustrations.

[Boyschool · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a memoir of Constance Tomkinson, and while at first I enjoyed it, I began to be aware that the author continually toots her own horn, to the point that I became tired of reading about how wonderful she found herself. Here is a quote from chapter 4. “In my dramatic school, which hoped to turn out actresses of a great emotional depth, I had been a disappointment. They used to say sadly, “Constance is doomed to be a comedienne.”Apparently they were right. I brought the house down in Munich every night.” Under the guise of self-deprecation, she ends up singing her own praises again. This is a repeating theme throughout the book. I ended up skimming and ultimately dnf’ing this one.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly Foxed’s Winter publication. 2.5 ⭐️. Very much of its time.