The New York Clipper (October 1917)

October 3, 1917 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER PALACE With Nora Bayes topping the bill this week, standing room was at a. premium. The show started well with "A Wed- ding Day in Dogland," which is reviewed under New Acts. Violinsky, with the same routine he has been doing heretofore, did., nicely in the second spot, although there was a slight wait in the act on account of the cards not being changed at ■ the right time. Many persons were.under the impression that Violinsky would do some talking at this show, but.were disappointed when he only did his regular routine. His playing of the violin and piano simultaneously is a feature and the two comedy bits at the finish of his act brought him many laughs. Violinsky might change the sign calling attention to a tired piano player in a cafe at four o'clock in the morning since the one o'clock closing rale has become the vogue. Homer Dickinson and Grace Deagon did splendidly in the third spot. Dickinson starts the act off with some nifty chatter only to be interrupted by Miss Deagon, who interpolates a comedy lisp which brought laughs. Hiss Deagon does a kid impersonation in the act which is a gem and laughs come thick and fast, while Dickinson is an imposing looking straight man who is a corking good feeder and puts his points- over well. Several songs figure in the skit, which came in for nice appreciation, but it seems to the reviewer that a double version of the final number would work out better than the one now employed. Sam Mann and Company offered "The Question," by Aaron Hoffman, which has now became a vaudeville classic. Mr. Mann has the advantage of an excellent supporting company the members of which not alone add class and talent to the act, but count in its success. Sam Mann is an artist, and his performance in a sketch which runs thirty-seven minutes is well worthy of recognition of the bigger kind. The tricky situations and comedy chatter contributed by the author make this act a corking good feature. It closed the first part in excellent style. George Whiting and Sadie Burt opened the second half with an entirely new line of material, including a special gray silk drop, which is in excellent taste. There is a carpet on the floor, although the act is done in one and Mr. Whiting steps out to sing a song about how he loves the ladies only to be interrupted by Miss Burt, who has her own version of the affair. Miss Burt is nattily dressed in an old rose colored afternoon dress, and sings about her diminutive size and the largeness of Broadway, while Whiting makes a change to sing a comedy Rube song that is a gem and is further enhanced by his ex- cellent rendition. George White and Emma Haig have changed the routine of their act about a trifle, opening with the "Humoresque" then doing a Spanish dance and returning to do their well-known map dance. White offered a special series of request dances showing a Russian, soft-shoe, Irish reel, a Hula dance and a buck dance. The act finished in one with the rendition of their well-known "Flirtation Dance," Nora Bayes stepped out and fell upon the stage, Irving Fisher sat down along- side of her and then a good line of chat- ter started which led into a dandy double number. Fisher next had a chance to show his voice, by singing a ballad and then an- other double song of the popular variety was interpolated. A song about a bunga- low came next and then Miss Bayes sang a song about her trip around New York. Fisher next appeared in semi-military togs and three patriotic numbers came in rapid succession, closing the act at a late hour in good style, and holding the crowd to the very fl°i«v The last installment of "The Retreat of the Germans at Arras" wag shown as the dosing feature. ■ S. L. H. SHOW REVIEWS (Continued on P»g*» 8 «od JS) RIVERSIDE Leonard Gauthier's Animated Toyshop, one of the most entertaining and attrac- tive animal acts seen in vaudeville in many a day, opened the hill. Four well trained Shetland ponies and several bright. fox terriers go through a clever routine of tricks with evident enjoyment. Frank Crumit, in number two spot, is a shining example of. how far personality will carry one, for outside this asset, all Mr. Crumit has to offer is a few stories, most of which have been heard many times before, a bad high. note at the finish of Victor Herbert's "I'm Falling In Love With Some.One," and mediocre ability with the ukulele. Yet Mr. Crumit smiled his way into' a big round of applause at the end' of his act which caused one to wonder just how great a success he would be if he had only a portion of the ability so common with scores of vaudeville per- formers. The DeWolf Girls, in "Clothes, Clothes, Clothes," a novel idea by Marion Sunshine, have a well constructed vehicle which per- mits them to display some particularly at- tractive costumes, render a number of special songs, and do some well executed dance numbers. The girls have ability, know how to wear gowns and are good to look upon. "They found the third position an easy one and scored strongly. Their offering will be further reviewed under new acts. George Rockwell and Al. Wood, the two "nut" comedians, have introduced several new bits in their nonsensical act, and as a result their performance is more laugh provoking than ever. The amount of comedy which this pair get from a banjo and tin whistle is remarkable. They were forced to play no less than a dozen "re- quest" selections on Monday night. Adelaide and Hughes closed intermission with.their new dance creations and scored one of the big hits of the bill. This act, a miniature production, is one of the most beautiful dance offerings ever presented. Every detail is as near perfection as one can imagine and the work of this talented dancing couple is a delight to the eye. Adelaide's toe dancing, in which she ex- cels, and Hughes' Indian dance were par- ticularly well liked, although in an act of such general all around excellence as this one it is difficult to select any one por- tion, for special mention. Yvette and Saranoff, in a ragtime con- certo, found the going easy all the way and late on the bill scored a substantial hit Yvette plays the violin exceptionally well, is a good dancer, and won much ap- plause by her fine singing of a new war song. Saranoff, who is also a master of the violin, in addition to playing several selections in an acceptable manner, gave a number of realistic imitations on the in- strument of well known speeches of famous actors. The Avon Comedy Four scored the laugh- ing bit of the show with a most amusing skit called "The Hungarian Rhapsody." The action of the piece takes place in the kitchen of a Hungarian restaurant, and the comedy is furnished by the, waiters and a chef, whose repartee is the most amusing vaudeville had heard this season. The quartette is composed of Charles Dale, Harry Goodwin, Irving Kaufman and Joe Smith, each one of whom possesses a good singing voice, and they not only have a fine selection of popular numbers, but render them in a musicianly manner as well. They evidently have devoted much time to rehearsal, as the unaccompanied selections were sung with fine balance and in excellent tune. The third episode of The Retreat of the Germans at the Battle of Arras," closed and held the audience to the finish. W. V. COLONIAL The Colonial opened for the season of 1917-18 Monday afternoon. It was an en- tirely new theatre that greeted the first audience and, as published in The Clipper last week, it is one of the finest theatres in this country, as it now stands. Without a big headline name on the pro- gram that would draw the opening per- formance fell below expectations, tbe house was less than half full for the matinee. Al- though, with. two. or three exceptions, the bill was mediocre, it was interesting to note the self..confidence exhibited, by every act. The really big time act on the program was a, brother and sister act, Fred and Adele Astaire, who bill themselves as "The brother and sister, in new songs and dis- tinctive dances." The youngsters were on number three, but they deserved to have the best position. They have, as their billing announces, new songs and new dances, and they do both with a finish that is truly a delight. Try as hard as they will, it seems next to impossible for the vaudeville managers to eliminate vulgarity from some acts, the members of which are obsessed with the idea that a filthy joke goes better than n clean one. That is the case with James Diamond and Sibyl Brennan, whose entire act is filled with lines that are suggestive, at times reaching a point that would hardly be tolerated even in burlesque the- atres, which usually play to men only. Miss Brennan is reaching that age which inevitably rounds out a woman to a point of plumpness, and even this fact is accen- tuated with the idea of evoking a laugh. Doubtless this act could be made to con- form to the standards of polite vaudeville, but as it is now it can hardly be so classi- fied. Blossom Seeley closed the first half of the bill. It was our displeasure to com- ment on Miss Seeley's act last week and, although we said we did not think it necessary for her ta surround herself with four young men of the musical comedy chorus boy type, we feel that, to be con- sistent, we'll have to say the same thing again. Two other acts, Morin Sisters and the Arnaut Brothers, completed the first half of the bill. The former are two very attractive little girls, who have the making of a big time act if they devote a little more time to polishing the turn. One of the girls, we don't know which one, is some- what of a contortionist. She does a clown character dance that is really very re- markable, but the other one is just an ordinary dancer. Tbe Arnaut Brothers are standard and fit into any bill. Monday they did as well as they do always, which is to say very well indeed. The opening act after intermission was assigned to Mme. Chilson Ohrman, a prima donna soprano. Vaudeville can not boast of a better act than this, nor of a woman who lends more dignity to the vaudeville stage. She has a rare voice and sang to a very appre- ciative audience. Jimmy Duffy and Jack Ingliss, two nut comedians, were on number two after in- termission. This act is the nuttiest of nut acts, but the fact remains that they did better than any other turn on the bill Monday. They closed to a real ovation. George McKay and Ottie Ardine, and Mme. M. Cronin .were the other sets ap- pearing in the second half. They were both good and fill in in the right spots. Mme. Cronin, in a specialty, has played all the better small time and opened for the first time in bigger vaudeville yester- day. She has a very novel act aad will find a welcome hearing for H wherever she appears. G. C ROYAL To inaugurate the new policy of first- class vaudeville at the Royal, the Dolly Sisters topped a bill that is almost fault- less. It has everything and each turn is just a little better than most any other similar act. And that the vaudeville fans of the Bronx know a good show when they see it advertised, was evidenced in the fact that the theatre was sold out from pit to dome. It is admitted that the Dolly Sisters are about the best dancing act iu vaudeville and have been since they invaded tbe two- a-day field. Yet they have not improved! or originated anything, except their clothes, for ever so long. They do, of course, re- name their dances, but the dances are, we are certain, about what they were when the girls took Broadway by storm several years ago in a musical comedy. They are not as attractive now, either, as they were when they were dancing on the New York Roof, where they really created the idea of their present series of dances. The best bit of vaudeville entertainment on tbe bill was supplied by Morton nnd Glass. This team does more original stuff than any act it bus ever-been our pleasure to see. Their little satire entitled "1917- 1950," contains more invention, more clever ideas, which even find expression in their scenery, and more earnestness in presenta- tion than a dozen such acts put together. Essentially these people are song and dance actors. But they have so arranged their stuff as to make a story oat of it, the idea being to develop some very good com- edy out of a comparison between the pres- ent and the future. Among other bits, they do one to demonstrate how fond parents will suppluut tbe lullaby of old with a .syncopated song when they rock their baby to sleep in 1950. The way they work this up is splendid. Another act that need not fear anyone "lifting" its wares is that of Janet Adair, a little song mimic, assisted by Miss Adel- Bhi at tbe piano. Miss Adair has tbe Southern dialect mastered as few others have who are trying to do it, besides other abilities which she possesses. But the best number on ber program happens to be one in which she apes a Southern darky to perfection. The great Bert Williams could uot have improved upon this, even to the pantomime that Miss Adair adds to it. In addition to all this, the little lady is pretty and has a personality that reaches right out over tbe footlights and penetrates the whole audience. Collins and Hart are also on the bill. These fellows are funny and will always be so. But, it would seem that, after ten years or more -of the same thing, they would have the ambition to make a few changes in the act. The only thing new that we noted in their act since we first saw it, was a parrot they have substituted for the old cat. For an act that has been in vaudeville for more than a score of years and that has played in such legitimate shows as "A World of Pleasure," a Winter Garden show of several years ago, they haven't advanced very far, for, on this bill, they are on in number three. What ambition will really do for a per- son who works is demonstrated in the act of Ernie and Ernie. The man of this net has his leg off above the knee, yet he does almost as much dancing and acrobatic stuff as a man with both legs. And the best part of it is he does it as well or bet- ter than most of them. While an audience would very naturally feel kindly toward an act of this kind, because it is bound to appeal to one's sympathies, Ernie at no time makes a play for this snrefire ap- plause. He relies entirely upon his set and lets it go at that. The girl is a very good aid and, between the two, they do a very creditable performance. Wolford's Dogs opened the bill. For this kind of an act this one is probably as good as any of the others. Some of these dogs are remarkably wen trained aad go throagh their tricks with evident enjoy- ment, o. O.