Mrs Henderson Presents Page #7

He'd been hiding it.

And I realised that Alec

had probably gone to his death

without ever seeing...

a woman naked in real life.

Well, I thought

that was the most... awful thing.

When you lose a son in a war,

you do know,

no matter what anyone might say,

that his death has been in vain.

It won't stop others from following.

Other wars, other young men.

Years later,

after my husband had died,

and I was on my own,

I decided to buy a theatre...

and put on a nude revue,

so that boys like Alec...

...would never be

in the same predicament.

As long as the Windmill exists,

there's no need for a sad little postcard

stashed underneath a bed, is there?

Sometimes... my feelings

towards our young men in uniform...

...have led me to foolish actions,

which I do, in my very soul, regret.

But I do know this:

That my desire to present this gift to

our young men has not been wrong.

If we are to ask our youth

to surrender their lives,

then we should not ask them

to surrender joy,

Or the possibility of joy.

And if, along the way,

we cause too many people

to congregate in the street,

who gives a fiddler's f***?

There. I've said it.

Oh, dear, another air raid.

Don't you think everyone

would be so much safer inside?

Yes!

Oh, for Christ's sake, Van Damm,

take down that stupid sign

and let your public in.

Closed

We Never

I thought so.

You're going to ask me

to come down, aren't you?

I wouldn't dream of it.

Now you know my secrets.

Yes.

And I know none of yours.

No.

Well...

Actually, I think you do.

We have made rather a goof it,

haven't we?

Yes.

You're a very irritating woman but I

wouldn't have missed this for the world.

- I feel quite the same.

- Mm.

Even though you're

a very irritating man.

So, we'll continue?

I'm game if you are.

- Oh Yes

It passes the time of day.

Let's watch the rest of the show.

You go inside.

I'll stand here for a while.

As you wish.

Would you fancy a dance?

A dance? Where?

Here.

Won't it be dangerous?

You're quite right.

I'm a very cautious man. But...

it won't be dangerous. Not Tonight

Just one dance.

- Mr Van Damm.

- Mrs Henderson.

Ow! You've severed my toe.

- Nonsense. I didn't touch it.

- You're rather clumsy.

That's not something

you say to a dancing partner.

You should take lessons

before issuing an invitation.

I'm a very good dancer,

thank you very much.

In India only delicate men

are good dancers.

The ungainly are not so.

Listen, you old battleaxe...

Don't you dare speak to me like that.

Laura Henderson died in 1944. In Her will

she left Windmill Theatre to Vivian Van Damn.

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