The New York Clipper (February 1917)

February 7, 1917 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER VMCJ MLLE. DAZIE Theatre— Palace. Style— Paritomimio dancing. Time— About twenty-five minute*. Setting— Special scenery. Herbert Brenon presents La Belle Dazie, now Mile. Dazie, in a ballet pantomime entitled, "The Garden of Punchinello." Mile. Dazie, as a child, in picturesque blue pinafore and cap, is playing with her dolls as the curtain rises. Dancing with her favorite doll, Punchinello, she finally gets tired and goes to Bleep on a pillow beside him. Punchinello, grown to life size, then appears and introduces himself as "the Fate, who makes all dreams your ser- vant." He, of infinite wit, visible or invisible as he wills, delights in tangling the fates of his puppet crea- tures, Columbine, Harlequin, Pierrot and Pierrette. Columbine and Harlequin love each other, and so do Pierrot and Pierrette, but Punchinello tempts Columbine and Pierrot to keep a rendezvous in a gar- den where they are followed, first by Pierrette and later by Harlequin, who challenges Pierrot, befuddled with wine, to a duel. Columbine puts .on Pierrot's cloak and mask and fights the duel herself with her lover and is killed, much to the Borrow of all. But now, Punchinello appears again before the curtain and says it is all a dream. Again in blue pinafore you see Mile. Dazie and she does the old steps on her toes that the audience always like best, cake walk steps and eccentric steps, dis- tinctly Dazie's and for which she re- ceived a just ovation. A competent cast of pantomimists and dancers help out nicely. EMMA STEVENS Theatre— Fifth Avenue. Style— Singing act. Set— Drawing room "in two." Time—About fifteen minutes. Like a ray of sunshine suddenly il- luminating a dark sky, this smiling young woman bursts upon one singing the always popular sunshine song. Care- lessly throwing aside a gorgeous wrap of rose brocade and gold lace, she steps to the piano and plays and sings an old- fashioned melody in a delightful manner. Two other songs are rendered equally as well- Miss Stevens possesses a soprano voice of clearness and sweetness. Youth and happiness seem to shine forth in the voice as well as the smile of this singer. Her encore number is a medley of na- tional airs, about the defense and honor of the old red, white and blue. Her present repertoire would be hard to improve upon, unless it be the piano number. Perhaps a brighter, faster selection would keep up the pace she startB out with better. Two beautiful costume changes are made, Miss Stevens wearing, her gowns as if they were a part of her and not the act This is a splen- did single for an? bill.. NEW ACTS (Continued on page 18) BANCROFT, BROSKE & CO. Theatre— Audubon. 'jityle— Operetta. Time— Twenty minutes. Setting— Special. Edgar Allan VVoolf has written the book and lyrics and Percy Wenrich has composed the music to an operetta en- titled, "Highwaymen." The offering has a cast of three. George Bancroft portrays the role of Sheriff William Langdon, Octavia Broske that of Terrible Dick and Santford Andering the role of Peter Kettering, a tenderfoot. When the operetta opens, Terrible Dick is holding up the Sheriff and re- lieving him of his valuables. The Sheriff feels piqued at being held up by a mere slip of a girl (for such is Ter- rible Dick) and makes several at- tempts to get the best of her. But hie cunning is no match for hers. Finally, however, he catches her off her guard and takes her prisoner, only to find that he has fallen hopelessly in lore with her. She asks permission to go into the cabin to change her attire before he takes her to the jail, and he allows her to do so. When she reappears he thinks her more beautiful than ever. She then ex- plains to him how she entered upon a life of lawlessness. It seems that she has sworn to disregard law and order until she has avenged her father's mis- fortune, brought about by the Sheriff's father. But "love knoweth no laws." She finds her%elf in love with him; and, as he is in love with her, they live sup- posedly happy ever after. A third character, a tenderfoot, flits in and out of the plot to no purpose and could be easily dispensed with. The action and dialogue is stupid. Wenrich's tuneful melodies. and Miss Broske's exceptional voice save the sit- uation. Nor must the scenery be forgotten. The action is laid in a forest opening. In the back is a picturesque range of mountains. During the action the sheriff's posse is seen going over the mountain pass in tbe distance. This is verv effective. CHINESE MUSICAL ENTER. TAINERS Theatre— Jefferson. Style— Musical Instruments. ' Time— Fifteen minutes. Setting—Special, in three. Three Americans, made up as Chinese, comprise the Chinese Musical Enter- tainers. They perforin on various musi- cal instruments and do it well. All their selections were enjoyed, and accorded plenty of well deserved applause. From banjos to xylophones and operatic to ragtime selections, they have arranged and presented a worthy and entertaining act. THREE STEINDEL BROTHERS Theatre— Alhambra. Style—if usical Time-. Twelve minutes. Setting—One. Good high-class musical acts are few and far between in the realm of vaude- ville. And those that succeed are even fewer. The Three Stelndel Brothers pre- sent an act which Is of the highest stand- ard and, what is more, succeed in their efforts. The trio present a good appearance. Upon entering, they lose no time in get- ting down to work. They play the violin, cello and piano. The opening number la a trio and is played in a masterful way. The cellist and violinist each render a solo, while the man at the piano plays their accompani- ments. A piano solo* is rendered which is longer than the usual run of vaudeville piano solos, but which loses none of its effectiveness thereby. All this work received generous ap- plause Monday night at the Albambra. : The work shows the trio masters of their instruments and even the most unmus- ical will realize that their playing la above the average heard on the variety boards. But, after rendering these numbers, the trio make a mistake by switching to pop- ular ragtime for their final number and encore. As ragtime players they have many peers. Classical and semi-classical music is their forte, and they, should stick to it. Not only do the final .numbers de- tract from the refinement of the act, bnt are not as well done as the other numbers. Replacing these numbers with higher class selections, the act would find the final applause of the audience much more gratifying and the quality of their act much improved. "DIXIE" Theatre— Royal. Style— Trick mule. Time— Fourteen minutes. Setting— Full stage. Dixie is billed as the "world's wisest mule." Her arjt does not belie the title, which the program has bestowed upon her. Dixie enters with her trainer, takes his hat off and hangs it on the rack. Dixie yawns. She is sleepy; so the trainer tucks her into bed and she steals a nap. The trainer thinks he will go to sleep too, whereupon the mule becomes wide-awake and kirks him out of bed. Eating is next in order. Dixie alts at a table and partakes of several morsels. Dixie is gooil at mathematics. She adds and subtracts with equal accuracy. She also dances, shows how she wonld walk with a nail in her foot and concludes the act by playing "Annie Laurie" on the bells. The mule is well trained and performs her tricks in a most satisfactory way. The act is one of the best of its kind. HELEN RAY & CO. Theatre— Fifth Avenue. Style— Sketch. \ Set— Special-Living Room. Time— About fifteen mintues. ' '* "Money and Men," by Homer Miles, tells n story that has a punch, but not at the finish. Consequently, it does not end as strong as It should. The story opens with a father and son discussing the will of the boy's grand- mother, who has left all of her money to his Bister. The girl's sweetheart enters, just having heard the girl is returning home and the three start offering sugges- tions as to what Clara (the girl) should do with her money. Clara returns just then and hears the wrangling through an open window. Enjoying their endeavor* to "corner" her money she enters, wisely calls tbe counsel to order and reads them a few conditions in tbe will which they are un- aware of. Her father must have none of it. as he ran away with her mother and was never forgiven by the grand- mother. "Like father like son," he shall have hone of it and if she, Clara, mar- ries, the entire fortune goes to. charity 1 She laughingly tells them that .her for- tune is a myth, that she ha? no money and, left alone with her sweetheart, tells him why she gave it all up. . . Miss Ray, who wears a .blue .dress, seems unconvincing, in appearance at least. Instead of a flip young miss who would enjoy the situation, she dresses as a dowdy old maid might. Mr. Mitchell, as tbe brother, is more than good. NOLAN & NOLAN Theatre— Colonial. Stylt-^FuggUng. Time—Eleven minute*. Setting— Three. With a typical Chaplin mustache and grin, Nolan comes on stage in one and Is soon juggling his hat, cane, and a handkerchief.. His work at the start is neat and fast and he is not long in "getting" the audience. Laying aside the cane, he tips the silk skypiece from his head and catches it on bis right foot, then lifts it into the air with bis foot and catches it balanced on his nose. He also picks up numerous articles, which he juggles, but his mainstay is the hats. Placing one of the hats on his right foot, he lays a cigar across it, throwing both into the air. The hat lights on his head and the cigar in hia mouth. He handles three stiff hat* with lightning rapidity. For a close he tosses, with his foot, a small saucer and catches it on his forehead. A small cup follows, and then a lnmp of sugar is shot up from his foot into the cup. This I* an ex- ceptionally clever bit of business and a good closer. Mae Nolan assists him. This routine is cleverly executed throughout and the act win please any audience.