Variety (May 1909)

VARIETY 11 .Afl^^J. PARIS BY EDWARD NOTES 0. THE WOMAN BjTHB IN VARIETY 8KIET. Paris, April 10. Gaston Habrekorn, the present director of the large popular music hall on the Boulevard Voltaire, known as the Ba-Ta- Clan (which he is trying to dispose of for this summer), is very enthusiastic about a new project he has of creating a new hall in Paris. During an interesting chat I had with him he unfolded his plans, which, although somewhat chimerical, seem feasible. He would fain create three establishments under one control: the first an elegant music hall modeled after the London Empire, with a popular gallery but catering to a fashionable au- dience; the second a popular concert hall with cheap seats right through, and the third an elegant theatre with only stalls at about $3 to $4 each. This will require a large capital, but Mr. Habrekorn as- sured me he had the necessary backing, and that one multi-millionaire gentleman, well known to all the automobile trade, felt the same enthusiastic confidence in the project as he himself. No site has yet been fixed, but a most suitable spot would be the Casino de Paris, the Apollo and the Theatre Rejane, which could all be joined under one roof. Another might be the Red Mill. I sug- gested the Hippodrome, but M. Habre- korn shook his head. I could only admire the manager's ardor, who considers his dream almost realized, and obtain the promise he would inform me as soon as anything definite is settled. The Schwartz Troupe of imitators opened at the Folies Bergdre on April 10. Chris Richards remains another week, and likewise the Sisters Kaufmann. The re- vue is still playing to capacity. The Marigny will probably open on May 1, as already announced in these columns. Messrs. Borney and Desprcz have engaged Otero for September—ru- mor says at $5,700 for the month. The first headliner will be Moritz, the clever monkey. C. Bannel has also Peter (late Peter Consul) booked for the Folies BergSre for May; so with "M. and Mine. X," the marvelous couple (who now ride a tan- dem), we shall have real apes perform- ing at three of our principal music halls. On the other hand, at the Jardin d'Ac- climatation, the zoological garden in the Bois de Boulogne, we have a Liliputian city with a big company of small people, where they have their own circus and theatre. You fancy yourself a real Gulli- ver. Among the performing element of this vast troupe of about 150 midgets are The Franco Midgets, Dutch illusionsts; Willy Gabrim, the Polish swell; the 13 Scheuers, tiny eccentrics; Colibri Sisters, divettes; Bengalis Brothers, comics; Mile. .Tos-Jos, chanteuse; Ludwig (aged 21 years, 21 inches tall) lightning cartoonist; Count and Baron Magri, of authentic no- bility (from America!); Magri Brothers, who were in Paris in 1807, and who are reputed to be warm friends of Roosevelt; Walter, the rich Austrian, who has fol- lowed his "compatriots" to the French Liliput by pure atavism; Smaun-Sching Hpoo, gymnast, and many others. The revue at the Gaiete* Rochechouart, and Polin, the comic military singer, are the attractions, Mayol, the most popular French serio-comic singer, will be the star at the Moulin Rouge for May. Joseph Hart's "Rain Dears" will top the bills at the Alhambra next month. For a big woman Mrs. Gardner Crane, at the Alhambra, was most liecomingly gowned in a voilet chif : fon, the skirt having a hand-painted border. The coat, a perforated affair, was of velvet of a darker shade. Very few women of Mrs. Crane's build could have gotten through that gate as gracefully and looked none the worse for wear. The net taking for admission to the music halls of Paris during the year 1908 have just been published. The list shows the following results: Follea Bergere..$203,000 Ambaaaadeore . 88,118 OljrmpU 220,020 Casino de Parla. 83,188 Alhambra 101,841 Gait© Boche- La Cigala 133,043 chouart 00,000 Scala 130,276 Jardin da Parla 89.000 Bldorado 120,120 Nomreau Cirque. 132,785 Ifaiigny 110,400 Cirque Medrano. 07,270 Apollo 108,005 Cirque de Parla 48,820 Palala de Glace 103,400 Bal Tabarln.... 71,005 BaTa-Clan .... 00,118 It should be taken into account that al- though the takings are given for a full period of twelve months, the principal halls in Paris (and the first eight on the list), are closed yearly for about ten weeks (July to September). Many of the others are closed for a much longer period, the Am- bassadeurs and the Jardin de Paris, for instance, which are exclusively summer resorts, are only open between May and end of September. I should hate to state how old Vinie Daly looks with the yellow light on her. But I'm sure if Miss Daly were to see her- self in that light she would discard it forever. The green aatin costume, even with a Spanish mantle, is very becoming; also the second change, a pink crepe, is very pretty, although the skirt hangs miserably. J. Pearlstein, manager of the Grand Opera House at Syracuse, has the proper idea about his orchestra. Not a musician is allowed to leave his seat after the per- formance has once started, Mr. Pearlstein says he considers it an insult to the art- ists and the audience to have the musicians dodging back and forth under the stage when their services are not required. The takingB of the principal 22 theatres of Paris, including the Opera, amount to $4,524,712 in 1908, compared with $4,584,- 910 in 1907, making a decrease of $00,198. This is exclusive of the above music halls. "The Candy Shop" turned out some very pretty costumes if nothing else. Louise Dresser was stunning in two gowns, one a black messaline, heavily embroidered and inserted with lace. The second was a black satin with a coat of point lace, with which was worn a large black hat completely covered with white willow plumes. Maud Fulton wore one especially pretty frock, a pale green silk with panels of lace in a darker shade of green. By far the catch- ■ WORK AND OWER. The well known European eccentric comedian* wbo ire at the Colonial tbla week. AL. SUTHERLAND. iest costumes in the chorus were those the pony ballet wore, bronze silk With rose underdressing. The green broadcloth dress worn by Dorothy Rogers upon her first appear- ance in "At the Waldorf" is the only cos- tume worthy of special mention. It is cut perfectly straight, its only trimming a row of jet buttons reaching from the neck to the hem. A person near me re- marked she looked like a billiard table. Bliss Rogers' second dress, a jet princess, was not over-becoming. In the straight Empire Idlss Rogers looked thin, but in the black not so much so. The show girls in the act are the same stereotype style we are all so tired of. READY TO APPEAL. The trial of the action commenced by New York City against the American Theatre under the Douell ordinance to col- lect the penalty of $500 for violation of the local statue was held Thursday before Justice Greenbaum in the Supreme Court. Judge Greenbaum also presided at the trial earlier in the week of the City vs. Hurtig & Semon in a similar case. The City, through the Corporation Counsel, asked the Court to direct a ver- dict in its favor after the testimony for the prosecution had been presented. The evidence all related to the character of the performance given on a recent Sunday at the American. George M. Leventritt, appearing for the theatre management, opposed the motion of the Corporation Counsel and asked the Court to dismiss the action on the ground that the Douell ordinance particularly specified there must be a wilful violation before the penalty could be collected. Mr. Leventritt claimed no proof had been of- fered that the violation, if any, was a wil- ful one on the part of the theatre manage- ment. The Court directed briefs to be sub- mitted by Tuesday next, taking the case from the jury. The points involved in the action for the guidance of the local theatrical man- agers have determined William Morris, Inc., which operates the American, to ap- peal the decision if it should be adverse. The appeal will be made on technical points of law, without attacking the legal-, ity or validity of the ordinance. Direction, JACK McLALMCN AND MAY CARSON. Jack McLallen and May Carson are America's representative team of roller skaters. They present an act fairly gleaming with novelty, and the number is, with little doubt existing, unique among skating attractions on the stage. The work of Mr. McLallen and Miss Carson embraces every known style of skating, including fancy, trick and many odd dancing conceits they have originated. The act carries special scenery depicting a scene in Toyland. They appear as automatons. William Morris has placed the pair under contract for many weeks in this country, after which Mr. Morris intends sending the novelty to Europe.