New York Clipper (May 1923)

May 16, 1923 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 9 PALACE Les Splendids, "European Champion Art Roller Skaters," gave an artistic ex- hibition of acrobatics and dancinE, doing their work on a table about five feet in diameter, which showed their skill to. greater advantaged In the second spot Lytell and Fant, in blackface, offered dancing and singing plus considerable pop and style. "The Chocolate Cake Eaters" dance well and proved their ability at putting songs over by doing it with a number that has been heard here some time ago. Presented by Captain Jan Smutts, May Yohe. formerly Lady Francis Hope, and Her Original Shell-O-Tone Syncopators and an unbilled dancer of color entertained with orchestra selections, songs by Miss Yohc and a singer from the orchestra and eccentric steps by the dancer. Miss Yohe makes a dignified appearance and the jazz band in back of her gives the impression of a society matron who hired an orches- tra for one of her musicales. They fail to harmonize well. The nine-piece com- bination with individual shells in back of each musician to project the sound, and give the band a title, supplied most of the actual entertainment. Miss Yohe sang a few of her old-time songs, including "If ,1 Were You," "That Old Girl of Mine." and her first stage song, "In Dear Old Georgia.' Tom Patricola with Harriet Towne, are using the same vehicle that Patricola has been doing for the past few years. His clowning and other nonsensical bits are funny and he does not do as much dancing as formerly. Miss Towne is an excep- tionally cute and graceful dancer, who will undoubtedly have an act of her own some day. The first half was closed by the Marion Morgan Dancers in their dance drama in prologue and three scenes, "Helen of Troy," which is an artistic dance version of episodes in the famous love story. The scenes arc "The Jud^ent of Pari.^," "House of Mcnelaus—Leavetaking of Paris and Abduction of Helen." "Tent of Mene- laus During Siege of Troy" and "Within the Walls of Troy." Most of the dancers are talented and endowed with beautiful, symmetrical lines. The tableaux were colorful and pretty. Karyl Norman, "The Creole Fashion Plate," opened the second half in "Some- thing Different," music by Irving Biho and Leo Woods, and Edwin Weber conducting the orchestra. He wore several stunning costumes, singing new songs, and did the usual song in overalls, before showing an- other gorgeous gown. He seems to im- prove in his steps and voice is under bet- ter control than ever. Helen Ware, supported by Anne Mor- rison, Eugene MacGregor & Company in "Her Dearest Friend," a comedy of old New York, by Glen MacDonough, brought the patrons back, in their thoughts, to the year 1872. The comedy concerns a frivo- lous matron and a contented woman's hus- band in a flirtation. The costumes added a certain amount of charm and the action was fairly pleasing. Anne Morrison as Hester Van Dam, the frivolous one, has the best part in the' playlet. If not, she "stole" the show as it were;. Not that Miss Ware did not adequately, act her part. _ Sherman Wade had a great makeuo and lingo as a cabby. Cutting down the running time from 23 to about 18 minutes would not hurt the offering in the least. Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson filled the next to closing spot with their comedy songs, and antics of one at the piano, gathering their usual large quota of laughs. Their afterpiece billed as the dos- ing act was a continuation of their act with most of the folks on the bill clowning in for one of the most sensational, rough- house bits of comedy that ever was seen in a vaudeville house. Apparently im- promptu, it was extremely funny every second. M. H. S. VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS NEW BRIGHTON The. fourteenth season of the Brighton Beach Theatre is being given a great start by George Robinson, its owner and man- ager, through the booking of a series of theatre parties for almost every night of the current week. The matinee business as early as the present part of the sea- son shouldn't be spoken of, for it never amounts to much. The nights are what count. The same staff that has been here for the past few. years are back, and the orchestra consists of the aggregation led by Louis King, who also were here last year. The opening is earlier than usual, owing to the fact that the new Coney Island boardwalk has its official opening this week. Vincent Lopez and his Hotel Pennsyl- vania' Orchestra headline the opening sho%v, closing the first half of the bill. The show- ing they made was remarkable, for with a ha:idful of patrons present, they stopped in'ermission from going on, and were com- pelled to take another encore after "Natchez and Robert E. Lee." with its wonderful scenic. A new scenic in the act is in conjunction with "On a Moonlight Night," a waltz number which is one of the best we've heard in years and sounds like a natural hit. The boys do some good work with their comedy in "Runnin' Wild." A few weeks ago we spoke of Lopez in regard to his many imitators, mcntio It several reasons for the fact that none can touch him. Among them were originality, showmanship, and personality. 'We can add to that two more—^both very im- portant. One, the co-operation of everyone in the organization, and the other, the fact that Lopez is never satisfied with leaving a number or a bit as it is, but is always seeking to improve it still more if possible. A dazzling and glittering start was given to the show by the Littlejohns, who seemed to have taken their entire rhinestone busi- ness over into their act, for myriads of these gleaming stones were used on setting, costumes, the balls, plates, axes, and all the props used for their juggling. Millard and Marlin are on second, with a cute little song and dance offering. Both are likable, and handled their various bits, which include a "bride and groom," Chinese girl and sailor, and a "Boviery" bit, in a youthful refreshing manner which is mainly responsrblc for their success. The ace of pantomime offerings, "The Dream of a Moving Man," came with The Briants, who kept the laughs and applause coming all the time they were in view. Both are artists and great showmen. Edna Leedom and Dave Stamper also scored a big hit with their comedy, the clowning of Miss Leedom being sure-fire. These two are developing into one of the best comedy offerings on the circuit, but again we suggest that the "dum-bell" number be omitted, as the act runs much too long for its own Rood at present. Gtiiran and Marguerite, with Billy Griffith at the piano, opened the second half. The ballet and Russian work of each, in addition to the Apache number, are all classics of dancing. Griffith is bet- ter than the ordinary run of pianists, and scored with a solo. Freda and Anthony went hrough their "wop" comedy routine and scored the laugh hit of the second balf, being the only comedy offering in that section, and also one of the hits of the show. Daley, Mac and Daley closed the show with a skating exhibition. G. J. H. PAINTER AT PALACE MAY 26 Eleanor Painter, the musical comedy prima donna, who closed recently with "The Exile," will open in Keith 'raudeville at the Palace, on Monday, May 26th. EIGHTY-FIRST STREET The bill at the 81st Street this week con- sisted of six acts, all top notchcrs, and not a weak spot from beginning to end with the exception of the opening act, which, while not weak, is still not the kind of an act that will pull people out of their seats and make them throw their hats in the air. "Nihala" Vaudeville's Daintiest Model, started the bill on its way with a series of artistic poses in which, clad in a pair of white silk tights she stands against a white backdrop and has a man operating a stereopticon inachine make her the central figure in various scenes. The act is not new, but Nihla is well formed and very exact in her work as well as artistic in her choice of subjects and for this reason the act goes over better than the ordinary turn of this kind. The Chun Hwa Three, three Chinese who sing a routine of American songs, followed. They sing well together and one of them has a .fine tenor, the other a good bass and the third a good baritone and a sense of comedy. The act is put over by the fine harmony and the Scotch finish, which is enough of a novelty to win ap- plause from any audience. All three of the Chinese come out dressed in Scotch kilts, one of them having, instead of pants, a pair of girl's bloomers trimmed with ruffles. McLaughlin and Evans, "On a Little Side Street" went as well as this pair usually do, which is saying a lot. They have been seen in the neighborhood several times before so that if their offering still holds its comedy value they should be congratulated. For an encore now they are singing "Barney Google" which an- swers the purpose. Rita Gould, magnificently gowned, was on fourth. Miss Oould has an offering that is really different, singing several specially written numbers, the outstanding being her delineation of the yoimg bride and the widow, bemoaning the fact that her husband did not take out any insurance. In this number she uses a gown that is black on the right side and white on the left. later in the number staging a conver- sation between the widow and the bride in which she shows the appropriate side of the gown while standing in between the curtains. She finishes up her offering with several published numbers of the "blue" variety which she does well and on Mon- day came back for a curtain speech in which she remarked the number of women in the audience and appreciated being ap- plauded by women as it showed confidence. Rockwell and Fox, accompanied by the bunch of bananas, had things all their own way. These "Noble Nuts" have an act that is distinctly original, and, while they may not be funny to some people, we must say that they are funny to us and to most of the folks out front. Rockwell's unceasing line of chatter is no easy task to put over and, concealed in what appears to be mere buffoonery, there is some shrewd satire on conditions in general be- tween the girls and boys of yesterday and to-day. We don't know about to-morrow. Lloyd ] bach's Entertainers closed the bill with what seems to be an orchestra act but which is really background for a man whom we believe to be Jimmie Naulty, to do some fine stepping. The man is a great dancer but we do not believe he plays ban- jo much, as he played only during the opening number. Quirk is more or less featured on the saxophone and does fairly well with that instrument. The act is entertaining because of the dancing num- bers and several of the orchestral arrange- ments, which are good and well rendered. The act scored a big hit. C. C. RIVERSIDE A nine act bill, with the delectable Fair- banks Twins starlining, and which for the ?:reater part was made up of warm weathe'r eatures, did not attract the audience that it should have but played to the lightest house of the season at the Monday matinef, The few hundred assembled did their best to convey their appreciation to the players on the bill, but even in their most tumnl- tuous moments the applause was lost in the nearly barren auditorium. Tim and Kitty O'Meara were the pace- makers with a novel dance offering: Tbey do their ballroom and eccentric dances with ' the same lithesonmess as of yore but serve them with a new slant. They project themselves as the champions of tiie modem dance, claiming that all the fuss the re- form element are making about dancing is not due to the dances themselves but rather to the varied interpretations given them by the dancers. They then proceed to contrast the right and wrong way to do a one-stem fox-trot and a waltz, working up the latter for a good tough dance to the strains of "The Bowery." Roxy La Voeca followed with a well routined budget of selections on the harp. Most of his stuff was of a popular vein and bad the audience whistling the tunes. "The "Awkward" Age," on ntxt, proved an admirable vehicle to display the talents . of Eva Lynn and Qyde Dilson. Aldiough the plot, which treated npon a widow's ef- forts to keep young in order to adneve a second marriage and making her twenty- year old son wear buster brown collars and knickers, was too familiar a formula to get anywhere, but the songs and dances of the featured members more than made up in entertainment what the skit otherwise lacked. Frank Dixon and Company were the usual treat in "Lonesome Manor." Having exhausted our supply of adjectives in ex- tolling its praises at a previous showing, we shall have to remain content 'witb add- ing that it is a gem of simplicity that sounds a refreshing note for vaudeville in that it faithfully depicts the "fourflosh" types that people the highways and by- ways of Broadway, which to the unsuc- cessful stranger, is more lonesome than the main street of Cohoes at midnight. Orette Ardine and Company kicked their way into instant favor with one of the fastest dancing acts thus far glimpsed this season. Miss Ardine is ably assisted Iqr John Tyrell and Tom Mack, both splendid dancers on their own account, who render the star valuable assistance in making "The French Doll," one of the snappiest song and dance affairs the two-a-day has had in some time. Although the trio show prac- tically every form of dancing tli^ forte is acrobatic stuff when they break loose with it, either individually or coUectrvely. Herbert Clifton opened the second sec- tion with his scries of travesties on the weaker sex. He offered five numbers and accompanied each with a dazzling gown that would do credit to any female star. Oifton also has a fine falsetto that fits into the scheme and makes his offering all the more entertaining. The Fairbanks Twins, chic and lithe- some as when they fafaded some of Broad- way's representative musical comedies, scored the hit of the show with their dainty song and dance tid-bits, in which they were given able akl by Richard Keene. They came on in a nnrsery scene and crooned a' melody in which they yearned for "Grown-Up Land." Their wish was granted and the ensuing numbers, an old fashioned song and dance and a little love song was done as grown-ups, with the scene revertmg to the nursery and the whole affair being a dream. "Their danc- ing won many rounds of well merited ai»- ' plause. Htaiy and Cross were as likable as ever in their songs, while the Four American Aces closed the show with some sensational casting. E. J. B.