Variety (September 1918)

iiiltii NEW ACTS THIS WEEK "Moonshine” (2). Dramatic. ^ 'f 17 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set), Palace. It surprised some to notice that the title of Edmund Hayes' new playlet was billed over his name, especially so since Hayes is reported to have bought the sketch from Arthur Hopkins, the quoted price being $5,000. “Moonshine" is the main billing, Mr. Hayes being "with” it, assisted by one other player, Richard Hutchins, and Mr. Hopkins is credited with presenting it. Those who ■ expected to see the long familiar come- dian of “A Wise Guy” and "The Piano Movers” in a new laugh vehicle of low comedy lines were even more surprised. "Moonshine” is an extreme opposite. A playlet first presented at a Lambs’ Gambol, attracting attention at the time, it is an episode in the life of a mountain moonshiner, a type of Ken- tucky citizen that is a feuefist, one who is brought up to distill illicit whiskey and kill others of his kind, not be- ■cause the^ had wronged him, but just because his father was ^ feudist and his father’s father before him. The moonshiner, Luke by name, enters pushing ahead of him a man who is suspected to be a revenue agent and who has been roughed by the “boys” who caught him hanging around the stills. The old man calls him “Mr. Revenue” and tells him that he is to be killed, merely because he is a revenue agent. ()ne of that kind named Jim Dunn had already put four of the boys behind the bars. The revenue man tells Luke that he has heard about him and his killing of 12 of the Crosbys. Luke says that is a lie. He had, only killed six. Then there were no more Crosbys, The revenue man tells Luke he is glad he is to be killed, for he had been trying to commit suicide for a long time, only he didn’t have the nerve. His speeches of what might come after death and the urging upon the old moonshiner to at last snuff him out, works on the imagination of Luke, who at the finish not only refuses to kill “Mr. Revenue,” but insists that his erstwhile prisoner give a hearty laugh, and lends him his horse to ride to town. Before leaving the revenue man writes his name on the only piece of paper in the shack, and when Luke finally spells it out, he discovers that the man who wanted to'be killed, but whom he chased away was none other than Jim Dunn, whom the boys “want- ed” so much. In other words the clev- er revenue agent had used psychology upon the crude mind of Luke and won out. “Moonshine” is interesting, which about lets it out. Possessed of a punch it might be lifted to heights. More than the story is the characterization of Luke by Mr. Hayes, who does a fine portrayal. He entered into the spirit of the role so earnestly that he grev^ a beard to make the moonshiner nat- ural, and he certainly looks the part. The lighting can be improved on, for the act is played in a far too bright light for the interior of a mountain shack. Ihee. Lalitte Ward Davit. "The American Girl.” 16 Mint.; Two. Hipp, San Francisco. Lalitte Ward Davis, a young girl of pleasing personality, has a timely pa- triotic novelty. Opening before a vel- vet drop and a “prop” book about seven feet high. The book represents the history of the U. S. as per the title on the cover. The turn consists of ex- cerpts quoted from the Declaration of Independence and speeches of Presi- dents Madison, Lincoln and Wilson. Each period from the Pilgrims to the present is appropriately costumed with the changes being made quickly through stepping behind the book. For each speech, the portrait of the orig- inal speaker, president of that period, is revealed in the book. Her lines are spoken clearly and effectively. Ed. Aveling. “The Cheerful Pessimist” (Monolog). 17 Mins.; One. Fifth Ave. Ed “Chappie” Aveling, of Aveling and Lloyd. When a rich girl from the west coast led A1 Lloyd down the church aisle to the wedlock melody, A1 left Ed flat upon the theatrical high- ways. So Ed. looked about him, won- dering whether a “single” would suit him and then picked a very live one in the person of Aaron Hoffman to write a monolog. Ed. very probably advised Hoffman along the lines deem- ed suitable, for the style of using in- itials in mentioning things and per- sons—mostly the latter—is retained. That is the only similarity to the pat- ter when Aveling worked double and the material itself is all new, bright and laughingly funny. The only other feature retained is Ed’s soft southern accent. He enters to a raggy tune and lighted "segar,” doing a bit of “shim- my” until the orchestra is through. There is a reason, for he immediately ■ launches into comment ,on the kind of a life a dancing fellow leads, who has a valet dress him in the morning, sends for his “dirty Stutz,” grabs some air in the park, dines with a pretty girl, who bothers him while eating by hold- ing his hand, goes to a show and then more dancing with pretty girls and finally home at three or four, only to wake up and do the same thing next day. How anyone could lead such a “horrible” life, Ed can’t figure, he hav- ing been brought up by the highest judges. But they all have the same bum finish—go off and get married. Personally Ed thought he had bad luck with women, for he was able to pick up more tramps than the Salvation Army. Everyone he gets seems to be a W. S. (window stopper), who ex- ' claims, “Oh look at the diamonds!,’ “Look at the shoes I” “See that fellow toss the flannel cakes!” One of his girls had the B. H. (birthday habit) and he looked her over and finally bought her a nice set of teeth. But he met a B. P. (big policeman), a kind of a gal you can hear coming and shows a lot for your money. He had recently, however, met a real sweet, patriotic, nice, quiet and thirsty, a regular B. C. (booze camel), who drank enough last night to see her through the first two years of prohibition. She looked good to him, Ed. said, after he had about 60 highballs. He finished with a rhymed affair called “The Kaiser of Hell,” getting quite oratorical near the finish and letting his cigar go out'. This seemed a bit out of tune with his other matter, but it does very nicely and went over with a bang at the Fifth Ave. There can be no question about the worth of Aveling’s monolog nor his value as a single. He is “in” easily and has the best monolog of several seasons. Maybe his Draft Board will allow him to air it for a spell. Ihee, Tozart. Oil Sketching. 13 Mins.; Full Stage (Studio). Tozart enters on a dark stage, dressed in semi-tramp attire. He finds himself in a studio and remarks he was in his better days a painter. He paints in oils, as the lights go up, on can- vasses. Tozart talks With a slight Irish brogue. He also talks too much, for the conversation ladled out has no. point. A recitation is mixed in with it. For a finish Tozart mentions his great picture, “Solitude,” and says he will again paint it, rapidly sketching a win- ter landscape under the spot light. It secures some applause. For an en- core, there is a deft manipulation of the paint brush, and when the touches are completed, the former landscapes spells out “God Speed Pershing to Vic- tory.” It’s a big applause finish for an interesting bit. If Tozart can brighten and lighten up the earlier part of his turn, the finish will carry him over almost anywhere. He should run the act in about 10 minutes. Mme. DeWolf Girls. “Clothes, Clothes, Clothes” (Songs and Dances). 15 Mins.; One (Special Drop), and Full Stage (Special Set). Fifth Avenue. A “clothes” turn, as the title tells, and “clothes” for a vaudeville act is fai* from new. Nor do these acts that bear down so heavily upon the dress- ing, where girls only are concerned, seem to consider that in vaudeville among the audiences are generally an equal portion of men, if they do not more often predominate. Men have no high interest in “clothes.” If the girls look nice, that’s enough. So in this sort of an act the principals may lose half the audience unless their ma- terial is strong enough to stand off the dressing. That is seldom so. Where the mounting is prodigious there is generally a deficiency else- where. Many an act has tried to brave it through on the “production end.” This seems so with the DeWolf Girls, formerly known as Capitola and Geor- gette. They' sing and dance, wear clothes, making a couple of the changes before the audience as inter- esting as the gowns themselves may be attractive. The act is really a clothes cycle. The girls go from “one” before a special woodland drop where they they are costumed as Red Riding Hoods to display the changes in wo- men’s dress up to the present day.. They do the latter in a curtained par- lor scene, which contains a “maid” or so, one of the maids having a couple of lines all by herself in a phone con- versation. That was a big moment. But_she got through it, not forgetting ’to take the receiver off the hook and leave it off. Then one of the girls came waltzing on, sinoring someone wanted her on the phoae. After she had sung that around the apron, she went over to answer the call. So everyone knew it wasn’t any more im- portant, the call or the song, than the lyric and business made of it. There is a “clothes” refrain that runs through the act, ending up individual bits, even when ■ in evening gowns, the girls danced to the “Humoresque” after . singing another song, when they also changed their hair-dressing to obtain a further “society” effect. The act has been made very dressy and the pro- duction is expensive, although the opening in “one” together with the drop were superfluous. The girls could start the act in the full set. It’s a bit too much detail in these days of trans- portation and economy. Included among the costuming is a riding habit and a Quaker costume, also a boudoir outfit of flimsy material. The turn will have to have a showing before a big time house for a better line. At the Fifth Avenue there didn’t seem to be enough backbone to the material to back up the setting and dressing. JStwte. Delano and Pike. Juggling, Dances and Acrobatic. 10 Mii^^.; Three. Two men in neat surnmer attire are Delano and Pike. They open like other acrobats without saying anything, but start a good double dance, followed by some juggling and a dance by the tall- er man while continuing juggling the clubs. They close with clever acrobatic tricks that earned round after round of applause. The turn is pleasing arid should do an opening or closing spot in the better house. Jos. Dunn and Co. (1) Wire Walking. 8 Mins., Three. Joe Dunn assisted by a girl have as neat a wire walking act as could be wanted for a spot on the big or small time. He goes through the routine with a snap and works' as easily on the wire as if on the ground. The girl goes through a light routine at the opening and adds to the appearance. Doris Dare. Songs. ' 14 Mins.; One. Fifth Avenue. Doris Dane in a “single turn” seems ^ have especially written material. The striking part of the songs is that while the melodies seem reminiscent more or less (other than those melodies interpolated), they are very melodious. This aids the singer and Miss Dare aids^herself, immeasurably. She has a good voice, decided personality, of the appealing sort, can certainly put over a number, is a pretty brunet, and quick- ly reaches the house after appearing. Her first number has a descriptive opening of the usual sort, that she is there to do her best, which the billing foretold, and .then goes into a-popular numbered medley that sounds specially written.- “Take the First Man That Comes Along” is a comedy lyric of good points and very well handled by Miss Dare for the laughs that she re- ceived. The “Victrola” song is an idea that could be better worked out a bit in study, to give a record imitation in part, and there is a comedy in this. ‘The Older We Grow” is the weak sis- ter of the turn, unless the Fifth Avenue crowd failed to grasp it in toto. It also calls for a mature makeup of mien and hair that could not be called wholly becoming to a young girl, although Miss Dare effected the change in ex- pression so well she seemed a different person -when reappearing with the grey at the sides of her templex. The final number, a “phone” song, written to the melody of “Casey Jones,” with a patriotic kick for its finish, hit the house hard, almost holding up the per- formance, although it was not cer- tain it was the song alone that did it. The house liked Miss Dare, even much more so-than some of her songs, but the combination is a good one and suit- able for the No. 4 spot on the big time, the position given the girl at the Fifth Avenue the first half. Miss Dare must have had previous stage expe- rience in singing songs. She could not put them over as she does otherwise, and it is probable she was known for- merly as Dorothy Meuther. With a slight change in routine and some ad- vice secured to cover up the slight waits now required for her attractive changes of costume, Doris Dare will become a standard big time single turn. ififiwie. “That’s a Bet.” Sketch. 19 Mins.; Three (Special Set). Two wome.n and a man working in a back room of a cafe set have a pass- -able turn for the better small-time houses. The act is about a bet between a man and a woman to show that all women haye hearts regardless of their position in life. It’s a case of double- crossing one after another with the woman finally winning the money. The turn is too long, causing it to drag in .spots; but the work of the three in the cast is fair. When cut down and running smoothly it may make the smaller big-time houses. Regal, and Moore. Talk and Acrobatics. IZ.Mins'.; One. Fifth Avenue. Very much like the former turn of Regal and Bender with the two cork- ing acrobatic tricks on the ropes at the finish sending the turnover with a srnash. It opens with the two men singing about the different varieties of vaudeville, they doing nothing with this end until reaching the acro- batic portion where they are at home. One sings rather well for an acrobat and both talk in a rather nice way, also considering. Their finish for the first section is weak but draws enough to allow them to return for their real act, which is the encore of tHose two tricks. That will carry them across anywhere. B\me,