For Mae West, the events of 19 April 1927 were a public-relations coup beyond price. A year earlier, the 33-year-old performer had launched her first play, Sex, at Dalyâs 63rd Street Theatre in New York City. West herself played a prostitute, Margie La Monte, and as the title suggests, the treatment could hardly have been more risquĂŠ â at least by the standards of the time.
Not surprisingly, the cityâs cultural conservatives hated it. By contrast, the public seemed delighted, and despite damning reviews and religious protests, demand for tickets was high. But then, in February 1927, the police raided the theatre, arrested the entire cast and charged West with obscenity.
For someone with Westâs natural flair and eye for a photo opportunity, the ensuing trial was a wonderful chanceâŚ
