Variety (October 1909)

VARIETY 17 Fat Reilly and Co. (x). "The Days of '6i M (Comedy). a3 Mins.; Fill Stage (Special Set). Third Avenue. Pat Reilly needs very little to make things easy for him. Naturally a funny Irish comedian, his efforts at talking se- cure laughs immediately. Jack Gorman and Bert McKinney have, however, handed the comedian a first rate vehicle for his fun making. The scene is on the lawn of the Old Soldiers' Home, where Dan Mc- flfethy (Mr. Reilly), an ailing inmate Jmh hallucinations, has been placed in a tent because of his rough methods. Mar- garet Reilly (Florence Wells), a nurse at the home, has been assigned to look after the old veteran. She has a time entering into the soldier's good graces until sing- ing a typical song of the "Ould Sod." After this it is easy. During a conversa- tion with her McCarthy learns the girl's father was a "pal" of his in "The Days of '01." From here on it is a series of funny incidents concerning the girl's father and McCarthy. These bits are re- cited by Reilly in his best manner. The laughs which greeted each new boast of the pair's fighting qualities were continu- ous. Some of the dialog seemed a bit ahead of the Third Avenue house and sailed ever, but it was impossible for them to miss Reilly's humorous delivery. Miss Wells makes an attractive nurse and sings a couple of old Irish songs in a quiet, pleasing way. For a finish the nurse tucks the tired veteran into his cot and the curtain drops to the faint strains ef the war day times. It is a splendid clos- ing. Wednesday evening with the house Mell filled Pat Reilly and Co. were mark- edly the hit of the program. Dash. w L'Ecrase7' jo Mine. Olympia, Paris. Messrs. de Cottons and Marinelli, awaiting the revue due in a month, have put on a sketch played by M. le Gallo, of the Palais Royal Theatre. The piece is amusing, not particularly broad, and splendidly acted. It is hardly a new feature in vaudeville, but it comes at a poriod when the best playwrights in Eu- rope are tempted to devote a little spare time to the music hall. Seeing that the &reat modern poet, Jean Richepin, of the French Academy, has produced a ballet i't the Folies Bcrgere, there is every prob- ability that M. Bricux will even write for the halls. "L'Ecrase," by Froyez, is ^Antially Parisian. A young man is in IcW with a pretty neighbor—the mistress of Baron somebody, but is unable to ap- proach her. He therefore steps in front of her motor car, and is taken to her home in what he declared is a mutilated condition. By "tipping" the maid and chauffeur he imposes this condition on the young woman to the extent that she persuades the Baron to go on a long er- rand which the man who was run over 'hence the title, Ecrast) had to do. The supposed victim then shams lunacy, com- pelling the women to disrobe, and finally, fl fter much torn-foolery, declares his love, promising to place his fortune at her feet. Me is accepted. The play is trivial, but the dialog in parts is droll. With the curious situation created there are a good n «ny laughs. Edward fl. Kcndrar. The Great Hermann. Magic. 23 Mins.; Full Stage. Third Avenue. The Great Hermann apes as far as pos- sible in method and manner the orignal Herrmann the Great, and also the present "Herrmann the Great." He has fallen into two errors, talking and dressing like the first Herrmann. The talk, unless it has comedy values, in a magical act is useless. In the old days the audiences may have required information about minor facts, but now all know a glass tube and can recognize a bottle on sight. The dressing is the short satin knickerbockers with the dress coat. It isn't every man who can wear knickerbockers. This Great Herr- mann is not one. A small variety of tricks are well done, including palming, especially interesting. The palming might be extended. There is also one capital cr.rd trick, although it is not new. This pleased the house more than the two illusions which closed. Both illusions have been seen before. One is a trunk trick and the other a substitution. Both were well executed. The Great Herrmann will do nicely for the small time but will have trouble following the few magicians who liuve adorned the big circuits. It requires more than a magician these days to get through. There must also be an act. Dash. Walter Bird and Co. Comedy Drama. Holborn Empire, London (Week Sept. 20). Walter Bird and Co. are presenting a very novel idea in the shape of a sketch that has a dramatic plot throughout with a comedy burglar to "kid" the rest of the act. The start reminds one of the "Twentieth Century Burglars" presented by Hall and Staley. As the act progresses, a different idea is shown. Jack Moore, of some wealth, is seated with his wife at a table. From the talk they are cele- brating their third wedding anniversary. Jack receives a phone call from his busi- ness partner. He must go to the city (the home is in the outskirts of London). The wife retires. Presently two burg- lars enter, one "straight," the other a comedian. Then there is fun as the comedy fellow will burgle with much noise. After a few minutes filled with laughs the wife intrudes with a gun. It develops the wife of Moore was once the wife of the "straight" burglar. What follows could easily be imagined if the comedy fellow wasn't there. As the act stands now the clowning of this comedian made the audience laugh so heartily it was only through pantomime that the other two could make themselves understood. After a money argument the "straight" burglar attempts to kill his former wife and is killed bv the comedian. The comedian stops his nonsense for just one line to explain why he killed his pal. Upon de- parting he leaves the house laughing. When the husband returns the wife says she has just shot a burglar* This act. with a little smoothing over removing some of the bread-throwing and things, ought to pass along. The finish is closely similar to "Compromised." played in the States as a straight dramatic piece. Other than the comedy, the two sketches follow each other sufficiently in general outline for one to hnve suggested the other. Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Dowling. "A Snap Shot" (Comedy). 18 Mins.; Full Stage. Columbia. Mr. ami Mrs. J. J. Dowling have a bright little, comedy in "A Snap Shot." At the outset it looked as though it was to be another of those man-and-wife-can't-get- along affairs, but it turrted out a surprise. The wife picks up a morning paper, show- ing a picture of the husband with a girl on each arm having a fine time at a picnic the day before., I Escape from a threatened predicament b£ the husband makes the sketch. The idea of convincing the wife that it was a double is not new, but the way Mr. Dowling goes about it is. He plays both characters, making a change only by a hat. The thing becomes funny and confusing after a time and the Co- lumbia audience howled over it. Mrs. Dowling also plays effectively. Dash. the finale, when she walks off the stage carrying the two men. Much unnecessary ado is made of this bit. It is not unusual and the comedy tried for during it seems out of place. Closing the show at the Plaza, the-act fitted in. Dash. •Tour Girls From Melody Lane." Singing. 12 Mins.; One. Fifth Avenue. In his newest vaudeville offering Max Witt has attempted one of the most diffi- cult of feats, that of introducing a quartet of girls in a straight series of song, un- relieved by dancing. That he has put over a valuable light number seemed assured from the act's reception Tuesday evening. The girls make a fine, wholesome-looking quartet. They do no dancing, but go through their work with smiling willing- ness that makes them friends in the audi- ence, a point of stage demeanor which al- most makes up for their failure to dance. They make excellent music, the harmony being supported by strong, pure contralto and mezzo voices. All the selections are arranged for four. This becomes a trifle monotonous. Perhaps a solo might be in- troduced to break up the present arrange- ment. Rush. The Sylvesters. Songs, Dances and Talk. 14 Mins.; One. Columbia. As in many other acts of this descrip- tion The Sylvesters go along nicely until they talk, then they slide. In this case, however, the talk should be retained, as the man of the pair has a funny Irish delivery that could make good material tell. The mistake seems to be the bellboy character. The man is small but isn't in right with that. Any other characters and one not so familiar in dancing acts would do better. The girl is a sweet looking little one and a dandv "kid" without an effort. The dancing is of the hard-shoe, and first rate. A little variety could be added in this by trying something with soft shoes. Songs of the "Take Your Hands Away" variety are the suitable thing. The Slyvesters have an entertaining offering in their present one, and with thought should advance. Dash. Bruno Kramer Trio. Gymnasts. 11 Mins.; Full Stage. Plaza. The Bruno Kramer Trio show nothing new on the flying rings or in any of the various attachments used with the appar- atus. The act has a good appearance, going a long way toward putting it over. The dressing is neat and the trio are good to look at. The woman does little until Johnson and Dean. Songs and Dances. 12 Mins.; Full Stage (Palace). American. When Johnson and Dean, the first American colored team to innovate "dress- ing" for the acts of their race, played a return engagement at Budapesth, Hun- gary, they were met at the depot by a brass band which escorted the favorites to their hotel. They made a success all over Europe. Johnson and Dean in New York are just Johnson and Dean, a col- ored act formerly known over here as a good singing and dancing turn, Johnson having been noted as one of the nimblest of steppers. He was the first to present "the kinetoscope dance." Miss Dean has always been a good looking mulatto, with a figure un- usual for colored women. Returning to New York, Miss Dean evidently believed she could sing a Hungarian song as a splo, accompanied by a Hungarian on the zither (this was featured on the program)' and to appear in tights, a portion of the right leg between the knee and hip having a brown tint suggesting a fleshing for a colored woman. That display of form and color should have been left abroad, p.long with the solo, which was taken out of the act Monday night. Miss Dean's voice is not equal to a showy effort. Their forte is singing "coon" songs and dancing. Johnson dances as well as ever, he couM do a bit better probably if he wanted to. Among the songs is "My Little Wooden Hut," an English number used in the pan- tomime on the other side a few years ago. For the closing, Johnson appears as an English "Tommy Atkins/' with a mus- tache, resembling a Jap. The song used isn't good though but one verse is sung. Besides her splendid figure Miss Dean is showing a handsome lot Of jewels. A couple of diamond earrings weigh a ton or so on looks, and a blazing diamond pin lies upon her neck. Her dressing is just a trifle extravagant, especially at first, when a cloak gives a look of overdressing. Just what will be left for Miss Dean to do if the tights are chopped is a query, but they risk considerable by the display. At the American the act did fairly well, not nearly as well as they were accumtomed to when regularly playing over here. If Johnson and Dean will get down to busi- ness, show all the good dressing they want to, be "swell" in every way as be- comes colored people on the stage, for- getting all about Continental Europe adu- lation, they will become once again the leader? among the colored mixed acts in vaudeville. The return of the act is an important item among the colored race. They have established a record abroad, never approached by any of their dark competitors, and were at the head of their division before sailing. tiimv. (('out inued on paj?e 20.) The Barassford offices have been going after their Hippodrome in Nottingham lately, putting on their best attractions. The hall had been having a hard row up to the time Bill Collins became interested in the booking of the provincial halls on that circuit.