The New York Clipper (January 1918)

January 31, 19r8 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 25 "GIRLS from HAPPYLAND" IS A LAUGHING SHOW FROM START TO FINISH The Burlesque Amusement Company offered, at the Star last week, about the best comedy show seen so far this season, in "The Girls from Happyland," featuring that funny little German comedian, Benny Small. The show is fast from the time the comedians make their entrance to the final fall of the curtain. . The first part is composed of the pick- ings from the old "Me, Him and-1" com- pany, which made Watson, Bickel and Wrothe famous ten years ago. The bur- lesque is called "The Suffragette's Jail," done years ago, but not so well. The chorus worked nicely and looked pretty. The numbers were well arranged, and the scenery is in keeping with the book. Benny Small, aa the Dutch bandmaster, proved himself about the best seen so far at the Jay Street house this, season. Small is funny, and works easily. Lee Hickman has an opportunity to show his worth now and has no trouble in proving himself a great laugh-getter in his "tramp" character. George Niblo does a "bum," and handles it well. He is clever in the part and never overdoes it. He dances well. It would be really hard to find three comedians in a show who work as well to- gether and-get as much out of their parts as these boys do. They-divide-the comedy evenly between them. There is only one thing the matter with Johnnie Bohlman, and that is he hasn't enough to do. He is not on the stage enough. There are scenes he could get into in which he could benefit greatly. Bohl- man is a clever "straight" and impresses his audienee most favorably when he is on. He is a classy dresser, making many changes, has a corking good voice and reads his lines forcibly. He pnta his numbers over finely. William P. Murphy does a Western character and handles it well. He has the physique and voice which enable him to carry the part through. Teresa Adams is the prima donna and one who, although suffering with throat trouble Thursday night, which handi- capped her singing, is of real value to the show. She reads her lines finely and acts nicely in the dramatic scene. She ia a pretty blonde, with a most pleasing personality and a dandy worker. Her cos- tumes are pretty. - Helen Spencer is a gingery brunette soubrette, with plenty of life, lots of per- sonality, and shapely to a nice decree. She injects lots of action into her numbers and scenes. She puts her numbers over for plentv of encores. Tiny Hilson, who is another soubrette, is in "her first season in the part. Miss Hilson is refreshing and pretty, with a wonderful pair of eyes which she knows how to use. Her work is most pleasing. She reads her lines distinctly also, and leads her numbers nicely. Her dresses are attractive. She has made good. Bessie Bohlman is seen in bits. She handles her lines well. Niblo and Spencer offer a dandy dancing specialty, which received many encores. The "love" bit was well worked up by Hickman, Small and Miss Hilson. The "Six High Steppers" offer a eood acrobatic dancing act on the style of the one the English Rosebuds did when they first came over here years ago. The dramatic scene, with Small. Hick- man, Niblo and Miss Adams, more than pleased. The young lady's work proved her a clever woman. Bohlman and Miss Hilson offered a bright singing specialty which won much favor. The "Girls from Happyland" i« a eorkme good laushine show, with no «-hd of speed. It could easilv be placed on the Colnmbia Circuit and hold "its own with many. Sn>. 26th—Anniversary—26th AL REEVES BEAUTY SHOW AL REEVES AND OTHER CLEVER FOLK AT EMPIRE 'Your Old Pal" and Dave Lewis Carry Comedy of a Good Show— Packed Houses Yesterday. Bringing- with him all of his accus- tomed shrinking modesty, his ultra- conservative style of dress and his hatred of discussing himself, Al Reeves, "your old pal, Al"—came back to Albany yesterday and opened the week minus the Garfield Tuesday —at the Empire theatre yesterday to two audiences that packed the theatre to the bursting point. He brought along a better ahow than he has bad In recent seasons and kept the crowds in good humor with his own "gab" and the cleverness of his as- sociates. When you listen to Al Beeves you realize that in the matter of personal exploitation Billy.Sunday and Colonel Roosevelt are amateurs. Al just loves to talk about himself, bis actors, his chorus girls and his trips to the al- tar. He has the typical "medicine man" style of patter and if It ever becomes necessary to close all the burlesque theatres, Al Reeves can go right on peddling knick-knacks from some street corner, for he has all the lingo of the curbstone orator. Audi- ences enjoy his talk season after sea- son and. whether or not you admire it, you just have to hand It to Reeves for pure gall. He's lots funnier than he realizes. • i His part in the present show la re- stricted to the second act when he in- troduces two nondescript io«iri«»; creatures as foreign counts, marries them off to two pretty girls (himself creating a new sort of marriage cere- mony) and ends by presenting "the grandest display of living models ever seen In a revue." Al Reeves is his own dramatist and as a compiler of high sounding superlatives he has a circus press agent left at the post and his reading matter sounding like an Emerson essay by comparison. He Is a great old AI Reeves and there Is nobody just like htm. His chief comedian this season is Dave Lewis, who has had his turn at musical comedy and vaudeville and Is just as useful * to the Reeves show as was the Andy Lewis of other days. Lewis got a lot of laughs yesterday as a stupid person called "pipe." The scene with ths dollar bill and the old Weber and Fields talk about the two men trying to get a drink with five cents won plenty of laughs. In the second act Lewis was genuinely funny as a decrepit, inane looking individ- ual and his acrobatic gyrations -were always good for a laugh. He fits well into the burlesque. atmosphere and is a valuable addition to the Columbia forces. Frank Pickett was a [rood second comedian with a roaring voice and some amusing scenes with Lewis. The Big Four—Stanhope. Drury, Frankel COLUMBIA THEATRE, N. Y., Week Feb. 4 CASINO, Brooklyn, Week Feb. 11 The Best Laughing Burlesque Show in America, Featuring LATE PRINCIPAL COMEDIAN with the Shubert*. pearance in Burlesque in 15 years. First Ap- Potitively one of the most Beautiful Girls ever seen in Burlesque. MAYBELLE GIBSON Singing three octave* aKove the scale. Added Feature KENNEDY & KRAMER Champion Wooden Shoe Dancers, Miss Kramer holding the World's Champion Richard K. Fox Dancing Medal. EXTRA ATTRACTION JEAN LEIGHTON Leading Prima Donna Al Reeves Co. and fasc i na tin g Piano Wonder w. Clever Comedian and Dancer The Beautiful and Dainty WOOD SISTERS Sensational Novelty Dancers 24 AL REEVES 9 24 Famous BEAUTIES BIG ADDED FEATURE THE BIG FOUR STANHOPE DRURY FRANKEL PICKETT America's Foremost Quartette—Entirely New Production LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, YOUR OLD PAL, AL REEVES "The Best Known Comedian in America" P. S.—Compare this cast with yours. Then you wonder why I do business. // / had had this show from my opening date, I would have made a new record-in Burlesque. and Pickett—scored heavily with close harmony. The comedy of Pick- ett brought as hearty laughs as any- thing In the show. Jean Leighton Is the prima donna with a pleasing plan- ologue and Maybelle Gibson sang agreeably in several numbers. Olga Woods was also in the winning class. Kennedy and Kramer gave a clever exhibition of soft shoe dancing and the brick-top chorus girl was aa strenuous-as her bulk would permit. The Reeves show will be at the Em- pire twice dally this week except to- day and If Al Reeves is at all enter- prising he will be at the corner of State and Pearl streets to-day to en- tertain the crowds who will be "all dressed up and no place to go."—The Argus, Albany, Jan. 22. 1918. LOOK OUT for NEXT SEASON MONJA RAYMOND KVRA ALAMAC THEATRICAL HOTEL Formerly tks N*v Recent JOS. T. WEISMAN, Propristor Northwest Corner 14th and Chestnut Sts., St. Louis, Mo. Theatrical Hostelry, Cafe and Cabaret Union Help (Member N. V. A. and Burlesque Club) Best Bet on the Circuit E . HEMMEMDIIVGER 45 John Street. New York City Telephone 971 .John Jewelers to trie Profession Liberty Bonds and War Saving Stamps accepted in payment for merchandise, also for accounts dec. MEYERS and SELTZER, P reprl shw s ZEISSE'S HOTEL PHILADELPHIA Where all Shpw People meet. Best Home Cooking in Town. Music Every Evening. Par Ua s Viait. RAYMO Wariu CUen WM.F. Billy) HARMS EMPIRE THEATRE, (Ml -. N. J. sear <rf T. B. O