Variety (May 1909)

VARIETY 11 London, April 27. Last week at the Coliseum May Isabel Fisk, billed as "An American Entertainer," could not "get over." In fact, her recep- tion was even worse than that. Miss Fisk has appeared infrequently in public on the other side. When I was in New York she had some fame as a drawing room amusement provider. If I remember aright, her husband was doing the press work for F. F. Proctor when Miss Fisk made a lone showing at the Fifth Avenue. At the Coliseum, the American should have done three numbers, but one sufficed. It was "A Woman Buying Shoes." Miss Fisk's "sketches of real life" will never do over here. Another new act at the Coliseum last week was Qeo. Ali and Co. in "Papa's Day Off," a sketch. Ali, as the dog, scored a very big hit, but the support lacks a lot. The piece is the "Buster Brown" act with- out a real "Buster," who is very much missed. The dog part of the sketch, how- ever, as handled by Ali will take the act through. The audience forgets about every- thing else while Ali is around in the covering. "The Star Bout" took a "flop" at the Olympia, Shoreditch, last week. Business was not as good there as it might have been while the boxing act was the feature. It is about settled that "The Star Boat" over here is only suitable for a West End hall or one of the larger provincial towns. It won't do anywhere else. The failure at the Olympia has caused considerable feel- ing among the promoters of the act and those who have it booked. It is receiving $1,000 weekly. The Great Lafayette is in- terested in the management of it. Lafay- ette is very friendly with Barassford, who had the act first. Gibbons also has it booked. Paul Barnes will sail for New York about May 15. The Edgbert Brothers, who are first- class tumblers and excellent comedians in their line of acrobatic comedy, have put together an act which will be a winner. They were at the Coliseum last week. Paulette Darty is the latest Continental lady imported by the Stoll office for the Coliseum. Miss Darty is having a strug- gle with her French songs. It might be of interest to add her fighting weight is about 180 pounds. Fred Lindsley, the Australian whip fellow, became the father of a baby girl this week. The Will Collins testimonial fund given out this week amounted to $2,000. The Benevolent Fund of the V. A. F. held a ball Sunday evening. A collection amounting to about $2,000 was taken. The Billiken Club gave $100. Joe Hart's "Rain Dears" open in Paris on Saturday if they are not held over in Brussels. The act will play Barassford's Alhambra across the Channel. Radie Furman will sail for the States in June for a few weeks' visit. Upon her return Miss Furman will commence a LONDON NOTES VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE. 411 STEJUTD, W. 0. (Mall for Americans and Europeans In Europe If addressed care VARIETY, as above, will be prornptl7 forwarded.) tour of the Payne Syndicate Halls, open- ing at the Oxford. Radie has accepted an offer made her for pantomime in Edin- burgh for next year. J. Coughlin and his 12th Regiment Band from the States are in town and will shortly start a fourteen weeks' engage- ment at the Wild West Exhibition, Earl's Court. Caryl Wilbur has just returned from Rochdale, where he played his new sketch "Her First" for two weeks. The sketch is said to have been a success. While Ed Gallager is acting over here, he is also busy looking for acts for the smaller iime in America. The members of the Benevolent Fund have decided to build an actors' home. Joe Elvin will donate a plot of ground a little outside of London, where the home is to stand. Friend and Downing returned from Scotland this week. The boys played three weeks in that country, one in Edin- burgh, where they topped the bill, and two in Glasgow, topping and bottoming, respectively. "The Colonial Septet" is at the top of the bill next week at the Hackney Em- pire. The Kratons are at the bottom of the bill at this hall this week. Alf Holt returned this week from a trip in the Provinces, and reports that his pipes are again in good shape. At the Tuesday matinee, Coliseum, this week, Ruth St. Denis, the dancer, was treated rather badly by the sixpence gal- lery. Throughout her entire entertain- ment there was the usual clapping which denotes disapproval. Jn the midst of one of her dances the curtain was lowered, because a few persons who paid 12 cents admission didn't understand her act and were determined to break it up. The people who were really enjoying Miss St. Denis did not know or understand what had happened. They realized it when the curtain went up for the next turn. Stella Mayhew, who suffered through the rest- lessness of her audience. Miss May- hew, however, finished strong. The man- agement made a sad error when they per- mitted the gallery crowd to ruin the act of Mls9 St. DeniB. They will most likely believe now they can do the same with nny turn. A member of the staff of the Stoll office stated that four of the people who started the disturbance were placed under arrest. Probst, whistler and imitator, opened at the Coliseum this week. He wns quite popular with the audience. A flash at the Coliseum bill this week is as good as taking a sleeping powder. For picking a cluster of gloom this house has them all beaten. Ruth St. Denis, La Scala Opera Co., Canova's "Living Por- celains," Paulette Darty, a French singer, and a few other small dreary acts cer- tainly make.this place look like a prayer meeting. A representative of Flo Irwin is in Lon- don and it is probable that time for her will be arranged over here. It is not unlikely that she will play "Mrs. Mix Mixes" under that or another title. From the general survey and the en- largement of the vaudeville scope over here the observers won't be alarmingly sur- prised if the Moss-Stoll Circuit before long announces a regular booking office staff for New York City. The importa- tion of American acts, with the number that will* ultimately be required over here is pretty certain to result in the Moss- Stoll people deciding that Lewellyn Johns, their present New York representative, must have assistants. To anyone knowing the States and the condition, this move seems extremely feasible and advisable for the large interests Mr. Stoll now has in charge through his booking department, without considering those most likely to come under the same director's reins. Nothing has developed in the Variety Artist's Federation plan to operate a few of the halls (which would otherwise change their policies during the summer) on a sharing basis with managers and artists. A test may be made of the scheme, however. There isn't much doubt pictures will be pretty prevalent very soon. One hall a week or so ago had four reels located at different spots on the program. "The Battle of Too Soon" opened at the Palace yesterday, but did not at all live up to the showing made by the act at Brixton last week, where its reception was tremendous. The Palace booking was made on the strength of that. The act was on rather early, but that cannot ac- count for the drop Ed. Gallager's travesty took with the Palace crowd. METROPOLITAN, LONDON. London, April 27. Quite a bit of variety in this week's bill at the Metropolitan. The Three Coopers are singers who harmonize and get away very well at the opening of the show. Frank Maura does some wonderful juggling and balancing with his feet. Maura seems to be well used to his work and secures a deal from the easy style he has. Wilkie Bard is doing two of his old numbers, but that made no difference to the audience. Bard was a tremendous hit. A little girl doing ft Scotch turn at the piano surprised everyone. At first Mamie Fenton looked merely like a "child wonder" of the neighborhood, but she proved a very interesting item. Mam it has a real good Scotch song, with nice talk in between. For a finish she does a Scotch "coon" song and dance. The dance was funny, a mixture of a Highland fling and a little "coon" buck dance. Madoline Rees, a ballad vocalist, looked great and sang a couple of songs. The Poluskis, always humorous, have hit upon the funniest idea in weeks. The younger of the two brothers represents a volunteer British soldier trying to make the other brother join the volunteers. The patter is brighter than ever and it has the house screaming from start to finish. Will Po» luski, the older of the two, is said to have been in the business for about thirty years. He surely is the grand old co- median on this side. Ethel Macdonough, with ner drums and all, had things very easy. The Yankee girl was cheered at the finish and it looks like a long stay in London for her. The Brothers Dean dance well enough, but their suits might have been white at one time. Les Marsumas are good "rough house" men on bicycles. Angus Strong, baritone, put one over about a sailor's life, but that let him out. Letine was there. EMPRESS BRIXTON. London, April 26. A number of single acts and sketches composed rather a long program at the Empress Brixton last week. Johnny Cecil did a singing turn. Someone must have inadvertently given him a glance at the billing, which Tead "comedian." Well, of course, Johnny tried to make good. He told four or five "gags," saying "bow wow* after each, but there were no bows at the finish. With the aid of a few wigs, Rudge Whitford did impersonating, winding up with an old soldier who wanted to be young again so he could fight. So he fought. A bunch of girls and boys were set out by Emie Harlow as singers and dancers. Emie .is keeping them from learning some profitable trade. The "red fire" over here ib a *ong about "mother's love." Queenie May had one. Lauder was on the bill and liked here as well as anywhere else. Musgrove and De Vere have an act like the Five Majors. The new turn has six men, equally divided on "good voices." "The Power of Music," the sketch of Jan Rudyeni, the violinist actor, stands pat when Jan is playing his instrument, but he's one bad boy on the acting thing. It was a hard position to follow this gloomy sketch. Gallager and Bannon had to on their first appearance over here with "The Battle of Too Soon," the military travesty familiar on the other side. They were even obliged to follow a long wait also for the setting, but once into their stride after the start made the rest of the way easy going. Almost every laugfc reached a vital part, and the finish caught the house for a lot of noise. The act looks like a sure thing over here. Lilian Lowe, who besides being a vocal- ist is also a blonde, came next and dis- closed that she is more of a blonde than o vocalist. "The Court Jesters" gave a good imitation of a pantomime chorus, and along with that they did some singing and dancing. Having a good idea of a dance, Percy Palton ought to land hard with this ju«*t as soon as he can stop singing. They were nil yelling and singing with Vic Monks as usual, and Haines Borth- wick and Co. in I heir "coachman" sketch were a bin scream. Lillian Farrnr was then-.