The New York Clipper (October 1917)

October 3, 1917 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER DE WOLF GIRLS Theatre— Riverside. Style— Singing and dancing. Time— Seventeen minutes. Setting— Special. "Clothes, Clothes, Clothes," is the title of Marion Sunshine's skit in which Georgette and Capitola De Wolf are pre- senting a number of clever dances ( wear- ing some gorgeous gowns and singing a number of special songs. The act opens in one and the girls in Red Riding Hood gowns render a short prologue. At its finish the curtain rises on a daintily furnished bedroom and both girls are discovered in their beds. A maid tiptoes in, wakes the sleepers, and tie day begins. The time is 8, and after their maids array them in morning gowns they sing a special number about "clothes making the girl" and finish with a clever dance. • At 10.30 one of the girls is dressed for a ride in the park, and in a neat costume she sings and does a solo dance. The other girl, in grey old-fashioned bon- net and gown, sings a melodious number, and at 5.30 p. m. they meet for tea, when a telephone song and the best dance of the act is introduced. At 9 p. m. comes "La Bohemia," and at midnight both girls are back in their bedroom and are tncked in bed by the maids. The act is well put on, the girls are pretty, sing well and dance excel- lently, and in its present shape the act can hold its own on any bill. W. V. NEW ACTS (Continued on Pas* IS) MERIAN'SDOGS Theatre— Palace. Style— Trained dog act. Time— Fourteen minutes. Setting— Special. Billed as "A Wedding Day in Dog- land," E. Merian is offering a new trained animal act in which several dif- ferent scenes are shown, opening with a "prop" kitchen setting, in which several dogs enter and exit carrying different "props" and a few cats jump about. The opening is splendid, but, from there on, the act slows up a trifle. The next scene is in one, showing the outside of a hotel, with a porter, bride and groom and several dog impersonates entering. The following scene is by far the best, showing the lobby of the hotel, with the clerk, bell hops, chambermaids, etc., helping the bride and groom get settled. The scene is then again shifted and the old finish of the act is shown, with the dogs walking up the incline and sliding down on the sleighs. The act needs a few more pieces of comedy to bring it np to its billing as a "new and screamingly funny playlet," al- though, in its present shape, it is a corking good feature for the big time. S. L. H. BINNS AND BERT Theatre—Fifth Avenue. Style—Roman rings and hand balancing. Time—Ten minutes. Setting—Full stage. Binns and Bert are two very clever gymnasts. Their act consists of work on the Roman rings and hand balancing. On the former, they do a short routine. including a number of leg "cut offs," but . it is in the line of band balancing that they shine. The boys do not appear to be very robust, but their work shows them to possess well developed mustie=. Several of their hand-lifts and balances are out of the ordinary and one is surely a star stunt. For this, the taller of the team raises his partner to a hand stand, in which the latter's body poses in an almost horizontal position. The boys are artists and can travel in any com- pany. E. W. JEAN DE BEAURIE Theatre— Proctor's S8th St. Style— Character impressions. Time— Fifteen minute*. Setting— In one. A neat offering, which makes a capi- tal showing, is this yonng lady's group of impressions of stage stars. She is versatile to the extent that her work is not confined to any particular type of star, for she renders both musical and dramatic conceptions of the abilities of well known performers. Her first is of Grace La Rue. Her next is that of Margaret Wych- erly in the role of the medium in the "13th Chair." This is remarkably well done, and without any exaggeration. Next follows one of Miss Frances White. This one, however, can hardly be considered an imitation, as there is only one Frances White, and those.who endeavor to give their impression of her work find it rather difficult to do so. An impression of a newsboy chewing gum at a ball game and at the same time denouncing the umpire and cheering the home team was well rendered. Following this was one of Mary Nash in the trick "Dope" scene from "The Man Who Came Back.". This gave Mias De Beaurie a chance to show her dra- matic ability. Then followed her conception of Nora Bayes singing "Over There," after which she concluded her turn with Raymond Hitchcock's "Billy Sunday" speech. Her turn is very neat and well assembled and should be quite acceptable for the three-a-day houses. A. TJ. OLGA KARGAU Theatre—Fifth Avenue. Style—Singing. Time—Fifteen minutes. Setting—In two. Olga Kargau, assisted by a man at the piano, presents a pleasing singing act. Miss Kargau sings four numbers two of which are operatic, one from "La Boheme" and the other from "Mme. Butterfly/' Two are popular. She possesses a lyric soprano voice of good carrying quality and which gives evidence of culture. No single singer has scored a more pronounced success on this stage for many moons and an encore fell to her portion. Her assistant proved to be a most capable pianist, who not only was an ex- cellent accompanist, but a soloist as well, and fully merited the applause which was given him. E. W. JACK STRAUSS Theatre— Dyckman. Style— Singing. Time— Ten minutes. Setting— Olio, in one. Billed as Jack Drew, Jack Strauss, well known in burlesque circles, is offer- ing a new single act which has all the ear-marks of being the regular goods. Strauss starts off with an introductory number to bis well known yodle song. 'He then offers a good comic negro song and an Italian number. Throughout he presents a classy appearance in evening clothes. He next offers a popular patriotic song and finishes with a recitation, written by himself, entitled "When the Curtain Falls." Strauss has now got the right idea for vaudeville and, with a slight rearrangement of his routine, would be a welcome addition to big time. . S. L. H. JACKSON AND COMPANY Theatre— Harlem Opera House. Style— Sketch. Time—Ten minutes. Setting— Full stage. Based on a phase of real life, "Once a Thief," the title of the playlet presented by Jackson and company, attempts to point out that, once marked as an ex- convict, it is utterly impossible, to start over again and lead the straight path to a life of usefulness and honor. In this case, however, it is the excep- tion, and the outcast is started on the road to rehabilitate himself in the social and commercial world. Answering an advertisement for a position, the jailbird's honesty is tested by his prospective employer when the latter tries to tempt him to "torn oft" a crooked deal. In the handling of this it is shown that the thief has little chance in the eyes of the world and that he may as well reconcile himself to bis fate. But, when the ex-convict refuses to do the trick, it develops that the em- ployer was potting him through the third degree, and when he is convinced that be has found a really honest man he puts him to work. The act baa the meat for a very good sketch but it has not been developed enough to carry conviction nor give the idea of how bard it really is to over- come the stigma of being a criminal, the point Intended. It was well acted and did very well, despite its misgivings. G. c. FINLAY, BARTON AND HILL Theatre— Eighty-first St. Style— Comedy singing, pianologue. Time— Twenty minutes. Setting—In one. "Nut" comedians have good reason for presenting themselves in that type of act, but when a man who has absolutely no sense of humor just comes out and tries to impress the audience with the fact that he is a "nut," when he is just a rank pretender, is all out of order. This act opens with a male voice sing- ing off stage. Then a man enters. Right off tbe start this is a bit reminis- cent of Joe Towle's stunt even to the house uniform. After this bit, a woman appears and sings a comedy song which is well rendered. Then, to while away the time so that the woman can make a change, friend "Nut" attempts to put over one of those "please applaud", eulogies which is entirely out of order and should be dropped. The act, in assemblage, is all wrong. As it is at present constructed, the act can hardly get by in .the Three-a-dny bouses. A. T\ BELL AND MONTE Theatre— Proctor's 125«» St. Style— Singing and musical. Time— Ten minutes. Setting—7n one. In their new make-up. meaning partnership, costumes and numbers, Bell and Monte, two very attractive youths, have a good singing and musical act. One—we do not know which one— plays the guitar with the finish of a master, accompanying his partner in a singing nnmber which went as big as any act on the bill. Other than this, they do tbe ordinary singing and musical act, with very little chance of attracting the eyes of tbe bookers of first class thea- tres. In their present atmosphere they will do well in any show. G. C. GEORGE WAITERS AND CO. Theatre— Dyckman. Style— Ice skating novelty. Time— Twenty minutes. Setting— Wood scene, full stage. Whoever George Watters is in the act, he certainly showed poor judgmeut in staging a sure fire feature turn. The act opens with two nieu and two women in a short routine of ice skating steps. Then one of the young women, badly dressed, steps out and warbles two ballads in a most effectiv manner allow- ing for the amateurishness of her ges- tures. This singing does not belong in the act, as it takes away from the atmos- phere and slows things np in general. A man, dressed in evening clothes and a woman badly gowned, next offer an intricate routine of skating steps. •Then a man dressed in palm-beach trousers nod a red sport coat, offers a tricky routine of skating steps. S. L. H. "A REGULAR BUSINESS MAN Theatre- -Proctor's '£ird St. Style— Comedy sketch. Time— Fifteen minutes. Setting— Office interior. A good fast fuuiedy sketch is "A Regu- lar Business Man," presented by two men and two women. The comedy and business is wholesome, with a plot which is rarried through the entirety of the act. Each of the characters is well por- trayed and not overdone as could easily be done in an offering of this sort. The act is one which can make a good impression on any tbrce-ailay bill and should find plenty of work in this type of bouse. A. U. AMOROS AND OBEY Theatre— Loew's Orpheum. Style— Acrobatic dancing. Time— Eight minutes. Setting— In one. A man and woman who are good acro- bats, as far as ground tumbling and the turning of hand springs are concerned, present this style of work in n dancing turn. If they would have considered assemblage in patting •the bits of thip net together it might develop into a really pleasing turn. But, as ft to at present constructed, the act is .very cfude and can hardly he considered an acceptable offering for vaudeville. A. V. GOLDSMITH AND LEWIS Theatre—Fifth Avenue. Style—Comedy skit. Time—Twelve minutes. Setting—In one. Goldsmith and Lewis, two men, one straight and the other a Hebrew come- dian, present an act made up nf comedy talk and instrumental music. They open with patter and follow with music, the Jew playing a flageolet and his partner a cornet. More comedy talk follows, and then they play an inatra- mental duet, the straight on a aa>*- phone. B. W. IVY AND IVY Theatre— Dgstmmm. Style—.Skit. Time— Eighteen minutes. Setting— Parl»r. in two. A hadly-.lresscd woman with a fine delivery ami •»nunciati'in, acting as feeder to a t.«.• .1> eharactc-r, s'.arta the act. A rendition of a popular march on the savophones is offered, but was played rather Itadly. An improvised stove with steam emitting from the ket- tle upon it. forms tl.-e basis for a •sdi- ope effect, and they close in one. s. l. h: