Variety (May 1909)

10 VARIETY COLONIAL. A very pleasing hill surrounds Eva Tanguay, the feature once more at the Colonial this week. There has been no. change in Miss Tanguay's songs or cos- tumes since she last appeared locally. Both are as extreme and eccentric as ever. Every seat in the orchestra was sold; five or six speculators blockaded the sidewalk, and that's usually enough to appease any "headliner" who "draws." Another return engagement is Jesse Lasky's "At the Country Club," that "production" which has fooled so many managers.■«. The "production" end hel£*4|p the act at first. The finish is the biqgpst of the remainder. George Spink is the principal pianologiat, much more human now than at first, and the remainder of the company With' an exception of a "show girl" or so continue. The four girls' voices make a terrible racket. The boys art but little better. For the lessened advertisement the mill- iner is receiving at present, he might supply spring styles for the "hat" num- ber. The act closes the first half. While not as successful as when first shown, it did well enough for what is contained within the splendid setting. Ward and Curran opened after the in- termission, with "Pop" Ward sending over comedy greatly relished by those who knew him and of him. Had "vaudeville" changed no more than the act in the past umpty umph years, Ward and Curran would be the riot on every program from recollections alone if nothing else—and they have both good comedy and good singing by the wonderful Curran, whose voice is the advance agent of perpetual youth. The standard act by W. a Fields held him in front for full measure, while the comedy bar turn by the Artois Brothers closed the show. The comedian is the same. If there is a new man, he is the "straight" worker, on a par with many other horizontal bar performers. Nothing beyond the comique in white chalk is re- quired. A nice entertaining bit is the offering of Charles and Fanny Van. The odd "bare stage" act in "one" ia a puzzler to the house. Many laughs are brought home by Van and his natural comical face. Whoever framed the piece, called "A Case of Emergency," did an excellent job. A new act from the "Wine, Woman and Song" show, "The Imperial Sextet" (New Acts), gave a fast start to the bill, slowed down by the Italian Trio, who make good vocally. The big bass is out, replaced by another and smaller voice deeply «et. There isn't much life in "At the Thres- hold" as played by Walter Law and His Company, but Mr. Law particularly. This little problem playlet when shown by Frank Keenan in his regrettably ill-fated venture at the Berkeley Lyceum, was a charming study. Law seems to be unable to grasp the keynote of his character. He cannot blend the ingrained polish with the ruffianly exterior of the burglar role. The jar upsets and the illusion of realism is missing, more so perhaps this week than ordinarily through the manner in which the scene in "one" mrst be made. Follow- ing this piece, the Vans had to fight against the impression left. Sime. ORPHEUM. Vesta Tilley heads a bill of merit at the Orpheum this week. The English male impersonator is in her second week at the house, where she seems to have be- come a favorite of the biggest sort. Bert Leslie is showing for the first time this season in vaudeville in New York in his slang playlet "Hogan in Society." The comedian's dip into the legitimate hasn't interfered with his knowledge of vaude- ville. He is there with a new bunch of twisted talk that made them hxjwl at the Brooklyn house. The cast is the same as when Mr. Lesffc showed the piece last. Maude Emery does exceedingly well as the sister. Dressing the part properly now she is in the atmosphere more easily, also handling a song in good style and has her fetching toe dance in her best form. George Ryan holds up the "straight" end nicely while Bert Fowler plays the servant without effort. Reynolds and Donegan scored a deserved success, "No. 3." The skaters have put together a decidedly attractive routine of fancy skating and dancing. Their efforts were punctuated at intervals by hearty outbursts of approval Miss Donegan is quite the most attractive figure imaginable upon the little rollers. She works with- out any. apparent effort and her dancing is at times remarkable. Her "Genee" dance brought gasps of astonishment. She should avoid going into the spin at the finish of the dance, however, as it takes away from the applause. The act is beau- tifully costumed and makes a novel and pleasing turn. Work and Ower had what seemed a rather "tough" spot following Vesta Til- ley, but the acrobats never felt the place at all. They were easily one of the bill's biggest applause winners. The audience did not stop until the signs for the next act had been placed. The pair have im- proved steadily since they first came to this country, until now they are one of the leading comedy acrobatic turns. Working in "one" they add value to their offering. There is no time wasted in talk or horse play. The comedy derived comes directly from the excellent acrobatic routine. Ida Fuller closed the show. When it comes to her class of dancers Miss Fuller is a long way ahead of anyone, in this country at least. She held the house in their seats after a long show Monday night. Hyman Meyer opened after the inter- mission and did splendidly. His first song "The Lawyer" from "The White Hen," started him off nicely, and a funny chicken imitation supplied a corking finish. The burlesque grand opera might be put aside for something better and newer. Charlie fase always has at least some- thing new in his string of talk. This week's *1j| yisi aV funny as all his others. The laughs sounded continuously. Fred Sosman did but fairly well. He sings what are called "dialect songs." Of the five given one only got him anything. It was the Italian number which sounded not unlike his "coon" characterization. Arthur Huston, New Acts. Da«h. There are 150 applications for licenses to run theatrical agencies on file in the office of the License Bureau, New York. Adele Ritchie has pansed up all vaudeville time during the summer. The first week in September she commences a twenty- week tour of the United circuits. Bill Lykens. AMERICAN. The show this week was very light up to the appearance of Charles Barnold's Animals, the seventh number on the bill. From "No. 1" to "No. 6" the effect of a slow performance was emphasized by the Columbia Four taking up twenty minutes in a stretched-out comedy routine. Stevens and O'Brien opened in a sing- ing and dancing arrangement. Both boys dress tastefully, but their singing is bare- ly audible. They use only one number, the rest of the act being made up of the familiar.daucing routine, well executed by one of the pair and indifferently by thf< other. . , Minnie Hurst, the illustrated song singer, was in her usual position, followed by the Three Yoscarys, the acrobatic trio. The Yoscarys go extreme lengths in de- vising misses for comedy purposes, but they seem to make laughter enough to justify the proceeding although the com- edy is secured at the expense of clean, straight acrobatics. Maude Morris registered a mild suc- cess. Her numbers are not over-well selected, several extremely old. A pretty evening gown of cloth of silver gave her a first-rate appearance. Hill and Syl- viany, acrobatic bicyclists, did nicely. Their series of two-high feats and the shoots down the stairway take them away from the conventional in this class and the neat appearance of Miss S^lviany gives the turn a touch of picturesqueness. The Barnold number went through with- out a pause and easily mede the hit of the evening. Charles Barnold was called to make half a dozen bows and the illu- minated sign had to be switched back to his name after the succeeding act had been announced. The Three Dumonds held the pace thus set. The solo of the vio- linist near the finish was the big ap- plause getter. This should mean some- thing to the act. The selection has a soft, slow melody and a popular operatic number would have been immensely bet- ter for an encore in place of the semi- acrobatic performance now in use. The comedian of the trio is a valuable asset. The Dumonds have a highly enjoyable musical offering. Fred Karno's "Early Birds" was the feature of the show. A new exterior set has been provided for the first part. The announcement of the act was the signal for a reception. The Karno company has played so often in New York its members have become familiar to the local au- diences. The "Vassar Girls" have a well varied arrangement of musical numbers and the electric ballet makes an effective climax to the act. Maude Odell was billed to close the show, but did not appear. In her place Brengk's "Bronze Beauties" deputized. Harvey and Lea, New Acts. Ru$h. HEADLINERS NEXT WEEK. NOTES Charles Bornhaupt, the Marinelli rep resentative, purchased a partition from Percy G. Williams in Mr. Williams' for- mer office at the St. James Building for $2. The landlord claimed the partition was a part of the premises, leaving Born- haupt with Mr. Williams' receipt only. Bornhaupt does not understand the pro- ceedings and has cabled H. B. Marinelli, his principal, for instructions. Marinelli cabled for fuller information. The cable tolls up to date amount to $18.60. Julian Eltinge, American. Willa Holt Wakefield, Henry Lee, Cliff Gordon and Barnold Dogs (splitting top line), Plaza. Eddie Foy, Fulton/ Vesta Tilley, Alhambra. 1'nuline?, Orpheum. Eva Tanguay, Colonial. Vesta Tilley, Alhambra. CHICAGO. .Tnmes J. Jeffries, American. Dunn and Glazier, Majestic. Walter Stanton, Jr., fagfatrly of Stan- ton and Landberg, and qfiSVieve McDale, were married at the bride's home in Brooklyn last week. M. R. Sheedy will take over the Gil- more in Springfield, Mass., following the close of the burlesque season there, and will run it this summer as a combination moving picture and vaudeville theatre. B. A. Myers has the bookings for the 3 La Maze Brothers, who will return to New York on May 8. There's no more "knocking them off the seats," "killing 'em dead," "riot," "knock- out" or "the biggest hit ever." They are saying nowadays: "Well, I had to make a speech, that's how I went." The "speech" is supposed to cover everything. World and Kingston have signed con- tracts to open at the London Hippo- drome May 23, 1010. They will follow over the Moss-S toll tour in England. Murphy and Nichols left the Fifth Ave- nue program Monday. -Imra Fox* stepped in. Wells S. Grant, Robinson and Grant, is recovering from an operation in the Lynn (Mass.) Hospital. The European opening of the act has been postponed from May 10 to June 28. Taylor Holmes has been released from the David Warfield Go., playing "The Music Master," and is rehearsing for the part of "A. Case Daly," a wine agent, in Lew Fields' forthcoming production of "Midnight Sons," which opens at the Broadway May 17. Mr. Warfield has an option on Holmes' services next season. A. E. Johnson, formerly in charge of the foreign department in the Casey Agency, has an office of his own in the Long Acre Building. "Nachette," a novel written by Ned Nye and Robt. A. Wason, is being pub- lished by Remick & Co., the firm's first attempt at book publishing. Billie Reeves has had to postpone his visit to England. A week's earlier open- ing of the "Follies of 1909" demanded his presence here. The New York Roof show starts either May 31 or June 7. The East Palestine Amusement /Co. will be interested in a park at Columbus, Ohio. J. F. Stoddard, J. A. Johnson and F. T. Irwin are among the organizers. Forest Park, Chicago, opens May 8. The park has been much improved and beauti- fied.