Variety (Jan 1906)

10 VARIETY AMPHION. It must U' very discouraging tor the true artist to play before WillianiRburg audioiu-es. One Alf. (Jibson, described on the pro»,Tain simply as "monologist," who offers a single turn of the poor quality, receivtnl almost an ovation, while the ap- plause that greeted lioland West in the Emmet Corrigan dramatic sketch "Jockey Jones" was little better than lukewarm. The Corrigan playlet (which will be found under New Acts) is one of the best things of its kind in vaudeville, while Gibson hands out a bunch of execrable puns, all of them so bad that even an Elizabethan pamphlet writer would have turned his back upon them in shame and sorrow. ■ All of which might have been analyze<l in the simple statement that the Williams- burg audiences want their humor ladled out to them in pretty raw doses. "The rtince of Pilsen (Jirls" were coldly rei'cived until the prettiest of the bunch was introduced as "Miss Williamsburg." Then local sentiment came to the rescue, to the extent of half a dozen recalls. But up to that time "Miss New Orleans" had danced her graceful dance in vain and Cheridah Simpson had sung her topmost notes without appreciation. The strength of the act is its local application—not that the rest of it is not good. It is de- cidedly so. As a "girl act" there are few that are better put together and more skillfully or gracefully done. "Cherry" Simpson comes nearly up to the ideal of what is retjuired of her in singing ability, grace and dignity. The Herald Square Comedy Four frames up very creditably with the other <|uar- tettes doing their line of work. The voices blend uncommonly well and the two "end men," if one may so describe the tenor and bass, have voices of power, tempered by fair i^uality. Much of the fun makinir is forced, and the time devoted to the last number—concerning "The Countess of Something-or-other"—might be employed to much better effect. Reno and Richards have moved their act about a little. The fat man—one of the best laugh-makers of the combination, -by—the—way—no-^ l o ng c i ap|» ' am in —thir baseball game, and much of his comedy is taken by the dwarf in the last end of the act. The act runs smoothly and was well received. Willy Zinjmerman's impersonations were a little over the heads of the audience, but they went with their wonted evenness and were as skillfully done as usual. The Hammerstein stunt is best received; per- haps the subject is most familiar to us. The others we are compelled to receive on trust. The impersonations are entertain- ing nevertheless, and the Zimmerman act is a valuable item on the bill. Frances Trumbull and Gertrude Barnei, in a new sister act which is reviewed un- ner New Acts, opened the liill, and Klein. Ott Brothers and Nicholson closed the entertaiuin'.'nt. CoA-c. GOTHAM. 'Tals," with Inez Macauley and Ual Davis, monopolizes headline honors at the Williams* Ea-st New York house this week. That it went with a whoop-hurrah goes without saying, Gotham audiences being the easiest pleased in these parts and highly susceptible to the charming appeal of a slugging match and a fur- niture smashing fest. Aside from the prize fight feature, "Pals" is built out of pretty thin stuff and of nniterial as old as the mountains. William F. Powell, as the stable boy, a character part of splendid opportunity, is the comedy hit of the sketch and the other men, Mr. Davis and Lawrence Finen handled their heroics without too much noise. Miss Macauley makes a most agreeable Grace. Out of the rest of the bill a short serai- monologue, incidental to a bicycle act by the St. Onge brothers, stood out strongly. The conuMly member of the pair ran a tjuantity of really good talk while his partner did bike feats. The trick riding of the two was also-good, consisting of many of the best things done by the Kaufmann troupte at the Hippodrome. The (Jasino 0)medy Four insist on do- ing a vast deal of unspeakably poor com- edy. The baritone is responsible for the greater part of it. The strength of the ({uartette is in the bass, who has a strong resonant voice perfectly adapted to this sort of work. He should be given a solo. McGloin and Smith, a pair of male singers and dancers were gooA in their work. Their voices were almost worth while and their clog dancing fast and smooth. The boys dressed quietly but in fair taste. The Murakit Troupe of Japanese jug- glers and equilibrists, as is indicated by the name, is a split-off from the Kitamura organization. Their performance was no- table for the excellence of their perch work and the introduction of a new trick. Dorothy Kenton, billed as "The Girl W'ith the Banjo," was as pretty as could be desired and played with brilliancy. It occurs, however, that just banio Bolds. unrelieved by other features, frames up as rather light entertainment for a vaude- ville act of value. Miss Kenton should think up some incidental business by way of introducing an element of variety into her turn. C. W. Littlefield's burlesque Imitation, particularly that of a woman dressing, caught the audience in East New York. The work is rather Ihroad ftml packs novelty. Before a higher class audience it would overreach the mark, but in the less exacting houses it is calculated to win laughs. . Karsey's Myriophone is in the freak in- strument class. It is a complicated ap- paratus of whirling wheels, standing some 10 feet above the stage level. The music is something like that of an organ, t"'t with a Itrassy jan^lin;; effe<'t. Coke. Tom Hearn, "the lazy juggler," played the opening week at William T. Grover's Imperial Theatre in Brooklyn. Immediate- ly after he was informed that his booking for Percy Williams' Gotham, in the same borough had been canceled. The connec- tion may be traced through the proxinuty of Mr. Williams' Orpheum theatre to the Imperial. IMPERIAL. Mr. Grover is displaying an unusual de- gree of enterprise in the conduct of his new Fulton street vaudeville theatre. The bill when the week opened Monday of this week was one of more than aver- age merit, but at the first night perform- ance Billy Gould and Velasca Surratt were added. Mabel McKinley is the big type feature. She sang four of the twelve songs that follow her name on the program and the audience demanded two more before it was satisfied. . • ' The Gould-Surratt name did not appear on the billing. They were applauded at the close until the page changed the cards. Miss Surratt is wearing a new gown of a coloring and construction not to be described. J. C. Nugent, assisted by Jessie Char- ron, in their sketch "The Rounder," were well received and deservedly so. The playlet is amusing and well written as sketches of the sort go, and Mr. Nugent handles his part effectively. The one ob- jection that might be found with his work is the imbecile laugh which he in- sists upon using every time he makes a joke. Miss Charron is not so good, but little is demanded of her. Ford and Wilson keep their talk up to date. They had the first gag on the Town Topics scandal, and several others on matters of present public interest. Diamond and Smith, in songs with mov- ing picture illustrations, were a popular item on the bill. The pictures are full of action and have been selected fortu- nately. As much cannot be said of sev- eral of the slides. In a fireman's song several colored atrocities were introduced. Otherwise the act is excellently prepared. Walkowsky's Russian Troupe of danc- ers and troubadours were eight in num- ber, wore the Russian costume and danced with abandon and more or less grace. They gave several numbers on the "balalyka," which is described as the Russian nation.il instrument. Whatever interest attaches to the music is caused by the oddity of the instrument rather than the beauty of the music. telancing- ii Skigie/* the Youngest Critic in the World, Goes to a Sunday Concert at the American NEW SKETCH FOR LOUISE ALLEN. I^uise Collier Allen is contemplating a new sketch to take the place of "A Wild Idea" which she used recently for a short engagement. The new offering will be made up of the best things she has done from the Weber and Fields days to 'The Dictator." feats and sharp shooting won its share of a])proval. A new trick is done with a candle and cigar by the man of the pair. Some of the woman's shooting is so spectacular as to appear faked. The bill was opened by Chick, the com- edy cyclist. Sam Collins' monologue is r»'vi«»w»'«l anioDj; the new ad.s. Coke. A CORRECTION. In the review of the bill at Hyde and Behman's in the last issue of Variety, the names of the members of the team of Talbot and Rogers were transposed, the comment on Mr. Rogers having been intended for Mr. Talbot. As this paper has been informed that Mr. Talbot last week was suffering from a severe cold, the remarks anent his voice should be al- together disregarded. BENTHAM OFFERED THE CIRCLE. M. S. Bentham, the agent, has been offered the lease for the Circle Theatre, now run as a burle8<iue house. The op- tion for a renewal of the lease held by Percy Williams has expired. Mr. Ben- tham has not decided what his action will be. of Missing tKe Picttires Kept Him AwaKe. y, ("SklKle" Is a boy, seven years old. llav- iuK licen a con.stnnt attendant at vaudeville theatres since the uge of three, he has a <leclde«i opiniun. "Sklgie's" views are not printed to Iw taken seriously, but rather to ennlile the artist to determine the Impres- sion lie 4>r t)is work leaves on the Infantile mind. Wlint "SkiKie" sayH is taken down veil)aiini. witliont the change of a word or syllable.) IXtn't make me tell about that show (.American Theatre, Sunday aftern<H)n, -Ian. 21). 1 wanted to go to sleep all the time but 1 was afraid I would miss the pictures, and the j)i(tures were all right (Moving Day) and 1 liked them better than anything else in the show, and I didn't like anything in the show except that girl that came out dressed as a boy (Katie Hooney) with whiskers on her face, aiul 1 liked those two Dutchmen (Ross and Vack) but that sketch with the Chinaman in it (S. Miller Kent—Must Dorothy") was no go<»l, but 1 liked the Chinaman l»ecau>e he was tunny, but the other fellow just yelled and talked all the time. And that's all I liked in the rotten show i.nd I like.l that Dutch girl (Radie Fur- man) because she danced and I didn't like that bunch of girls (.Madge Fox and her live Palace girls) because they didn't d<» anything only one of them turned over on the stage with a dress on but I didn't think that was funny, and that fellow that talked so much (To m fJillen) made me tired because I thought he .would never stop talking and singing, and it got me sleepy and he wasjj't any good anyway and that's all I liked in the show. Those two coloretl people (Bert and Ber- tha Creen) were all right and they were peach dancers and that last sketch ("What Worried Watt") was the rottenest thing I ever saw, and all they did was a lot of monkey business and talked all the time. I'm going to stay in Harlem after this. FERRY CORWEY IN PANTOMIME. Ferry Oorwey. "the musical clown," has been ofTcrcil an engagetnent for thirty weeks for next season to appear in a pan- tomime on Broadway. Mr. Oorwey tours the Orpheum circuit, commencing Febru- ary 12, and has accpted no time after that, pending his decision. Mr. Corwey will rettirn to Europe in .Ttily. coming back in the fall. GRAU IN NEW ENGLAND. Rei»ort has it that Robert drau. the sometimes agent, is l>ooking for two houses in New England, but no one seems able to discover the combination.