Variety (October 1909)

VARIETY 19 • • COLONIAL. This week's offering nt the Colonial is by long odds the biggest ana most expen- sive the season has brought forth in New York. In its playing the show is as good :;s it is big except for the possible lack of a strong laughing number in the sec- ond half. However, the big feature, Al- bert Chevalier (New Acts), was sufficient to sustain the interest of the audience. There was no lack-of comedy in the early part of the bill. Except for the Four Koiicrz Bros. (New Acts), who opened, there was an unbroken succession of laughing numbers to the intermission. The last in the list was the Fadette Women's Orchestra. Ordinarily such an act is far from a comedy feature, but Miss Nichols' score or so of young women gain that classification by their finish, "The Musicians' Strike," a capital bit of humor. Although the occasion of Hudson- Fulton week would seem to make a call on patriotic music, the program of the Fadettes contained none. Ciracic Kniinett and Co. were placed ad- vantageously about the middle of the first purt, playing "Mrs. Murphy's Second Hus- band." Her faultless characterization of the Irish woman and the really funny in- cidents of the farce swept the house with laughter from start to finish. Some of the dialog has been freshened up and minor changes arc noted in the playing. Knlmar and Brown opened the second half no easy spot for the bill had run with express speed up until the intermis- sion. Their neat stage setting of sub- dued coloring is in perfect taste, and ex- cept for its resemblance to the one used by Rock and Fulton is a novelty for a dancing act. Knlmar ami Brown do not dance a single "Apache." "mesmeric" or classical dance, for which they arc to be credited with daring originality in these .lavs. Thev have one new number, "Car- vie.' with just a bit of whirlwind waltz that fitted nicely in their routine. The others were "May and December," "Bugs" and "That's Right; No, That's Wrong," which they employ for a finish. They did extremely well. "The" (Juartct were assigned to the next-to-closing position, appearing to much better advantage in the enclosed house than upon the Victoria Roof. They have some agreeable quartet effects and a grand operatic bit worked nicely in to- ward the end. Even following Chevalier and a heavy bill they were called upon for two encores. Rnyno's Bull Terriers accomplished the difficult feat of holding the audience in at the finish (by then close upon 11.30). There is an unusual quantity of novelty in the number, one of the best things be- ing a terrier with a series of back somer- saults from a table, finishing out with a perfect row of flip-flaps. No better ani- mal acrobat has been seen. The routine runs swiftly, with something doing every instant and finishes in a riot of noise as the terriers go after the- football game. Harry Lcyl>ourne, New Acts. Avery and Hart, colored, appeared with the usual suc- cess that seems to attach to the Williams and Walker thing. Rush. The program of the Orpheum. Oakland, Cal.. is a special issue in magazine form with several departments. PLAZA. Monday night was doped as an ideal one for the theatres. The rain left no other place for the celebration visitors to go but into the playhouses, it was figured. From all accounts the class of visitors that the celebration has at- tracted would make business good only for the picture houses. The Plaza had a fair attendance. If that audience was a sample of the people that the Plaza is catering to, it - is going to take a whole lot of educating to make them "regulars," They didn't seem to know just what was expected from a well-mannered vaudeville audience. They laughed at the wrong time, applauded little and were never interested except perhaps out of mere'curiosity. The bill is not particularly strong, although it is not by any means a bad show. The stage crew did everything they could to disrupt the proceedings and all but succeeded. Three different times during the show curtain and drops were the cause of annoyance to the players, Herbert Lloyd and Cameron and Gaylord both suffered through their blunders. Ce- cilia Loft us almost lost the pink ribbon she wore on her hair through careless- ness in handling the drop. Miss Loftus is the headliner. There were a few present who seemed to think they were amply repaid for venturing forth in the storm after seeing her. Miss Loftus has wisely given up the heavier imitations for others more familiar and better suited to vaudeville, Clarice Vance, Caruso, Rose Stahl, Yvette Gilbert (which could be laid aside with that of Bernhardt), and Carrie De Mar made up a well laid out series done as only Cissy Loftus can do them. Herbert Lloyd and Co. down next to closing came across nicclv. The come- dian has a good routine of comedy non- sense which travels so fast that it is difficult to keep up with it. Some of his burlesque matter went high and wide, but the house got most of it and the comedian, in spite of the position, may feel satisfied. Lloyd has a male assist- ant who is rapidly advancing as a come- dian and his services arc already of value. The Marimba Band added a little nov- elty to the program. The peculiar sounding instrument having a sort of a waterfall effect is pleasing to the ear and especially well played. Cameron and Flanagan were on a trifle too early for all that was coming to them, although judging from Monday night the Plaza is not a late house. "Third place" is not a bad spot but it just didn't seem to fit the first-rate coin- ed v number. The act was well on tow- aid the finish before the house came up to breathe. When thev did however, cvervthing was honev and the team went just as far with them as any other number on the bill. Billv K. Wells did remarkablv well from his nicely arranged, although some- what long parodied opening, to the really funny recitations nt the finish. Wells is coming as a monologist. If he keeps the same lines he will unquestionably arrive. McDonald and Huntington did twelve of their fourteen minutes before they got. anything nt all but finished rather well with a "Cockney" bit. John Zimmer opened the program with a fast juggling specialty. Withington Zouaves, and Bruno Kramer Trio. New Acts. Itanh. AMERICAN. The American bill Monday evening did not run well before a large orchestra, with capacity above. With the exception of Ida Rene (New Acts) it may have been laid out for good results, but per- mitting acts to unnecessarily hold the stage, exhausting their repertoire, becomes very tiresome in these days of bing-bnn? and especially in a "music hall" where the avowed policy is a long but quick show. Ten acts, with two reels of pictures, make up the bill. One film, "The Naval Review" occupied the place of a turn. It was of the naval parade on the North River Saturday, and interesting. Had Miss Rene appeared just before John C. Rice and Sally Cohen at the close of the first half, it would have been better for the program, and probably of much bene- fit to the Englishwoman. She came after Almont and Dumont, the well dressed "straight" musical turn, one of the several who held the stage too long, though their stretched-out encore brought repeated rounds of applause, and from those who had been rather quiet earlier, there being some "class" in the forward rows of the orchestra. One of the hits of the show, Friend and Downing, overstayed, remaining 21 minutes. Sixteen would have been plenty, and they could have accomplished just as much. Willie Hale did 21 also. Work- ing more quickly in this act would have reduced the running time. For a finish there is some good comedy on the re- volving globe. The boy is a very good juggler, and the father has a brand new trick in club work. The act did extremely well at the "No. 2" spot. The undoubted hit of the show was Arthur Prince, the English ventriloquist, making a return appearance in this coun- try. Mr. Prince presented his human "Jim" as the sailor boy. giving the for- mer offering with little change, excepting |H'rhnps a complete backing in "two" of a ship's deck. Prince, with his humorous dialog, ven- triloquial tricks, looks and finish of deliv- ery and bearing caught the house wholly, receiving little less than an' ovation at the close. Another laughing act well up with the leader was the sketch offered by Mr. Rice and Miss Cohen. "The Kleptomaniacs." It's a delectable little farce as well played as it could possibly be. Foster and Foster in the early part presented their comedy musical act, con- taining no alterations excepting the song at the joint singing finale, and "The Devine Myrmn" appeared after the regu- lar picture sheet, to permit of the setting. Friend and Downing as "Rosenthal and llarrigan" made plenty of fun for the house. Friend has a very funny paro- died verse on "Chevenne," with variations bv the orchestra, but should secure a new song to replace "Don't Take Me Home.' with the patter verses. The talk is new and got over easily, though dragged out at times. A neat little "sister act," Armstrong and AsVton opened the show. They call themselves "The Girl and the Boy." "The girl" looked very good in a pink soubret costume, while '"The Boy" put over one of the Cohan recitations verv well. In "I'd Like to Know Your Address." they should practice harmony instead of be- lieving they have attained it. There ouiiht to 1k» some wav devised to have tin orchestra playing more in ac- cord with the music and acts at the sec- ond show than the American orchestra did Monday night. It was off on every- thing ami everybody. Johnson and Dean, New Acts. Si me. HAMMERSTEIN'S. The rain drove people off the streets Monday night until the house was packed to its capacity, two or three rows of patrons being forced to stand. While Marie Dressier was given the feature posi- tion in the billing the audience selected Raymond and Caverley as the favorite number and lifted them into a rattling success. Youua (New Acts) started pro- ceedings with his juggling act, and Sam Stern came second with delineation of He- brew character which brought him into favor. "The Sicilian Singers" have settled down into a straight singing act. having cut the talk which interrupted the running smoothness when they first appeared in America. Cards display the names of the selection which they sing, a further bene- fit. Clifford and Burke were liberally treated in the matter of applause. When the comedian got down to cases he had the audience laughing all the time. This pair have found a new avenue to success as blackface performers, contributing a num- ber in many particulars different from any act in their class. Closing the first part Miss Dressier ambled and sang until the audience had rolled up applause which told a plain story of appreciation. Marie certainly has her own way of doing tilings to Delsarte which makes that graceful science sink into oblivion. The applause and laughter were as substantial as the comedienne herself. The one great big hit of the bill came at the opening of the second half when Raymond ami Caverley took possession. Their act kept the audience in roars from first to last. Frederic Haw ley, Frances Haight and Co. presented "The Bandit." an improb- able piece of property, but a tense and engaging display of acting. It is a tab- loid melodrama encompassing every ele- ment, and stirrfd the Hammerstein crowd to strict attention. Loney Haskell introduced "The Woman in the Case" with several dashes of com- edy which would add to his own monolog, and the mystifying act \va» watched with critical attention. Judging by the comment everybody in the house had their own idea of the methods employed in pre- senting the illusion, a fact which seemed to add interest to the event, though the comedy i-n't doini: the art itself any pood. Helle IMauche preceded the mysterious offering and scored a substantial success with her imitations. Especially appre- ciated wa«? tlie "Tnnguny.'' "Walt. Joe Weldi has entered into a contract with Lew Fields which will keep him under that management for three years. The first two years Welch will play in Field's productions. The contract pro- vides that he shall be starred during the third \ear of the agreement"* life.