The New York Clipper (January 1918)

30 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER January 31, 1918 CONSTAJ* Z CRAWLEY CO. Theatre— E s, . -frtt St. Style— Playlet. Time— TxcenK-five minutes. Setting— Fuu itage. Miss Crawley and Mr. Maude nave a vehicle evidently specially written for them and one in which, consequently, they have opportunities to display those particular abilities which have set them both high in the ranks of actors of to- day. The sketch itself is much better than the average one-act play seen in vaudeville, containing several surprises and some dramatic momenta. The au- thor, Thomas Shelly Datton, has worked np his climaxes with skill. Maude plays the role of a dramatic critic in love with an actress, Miss Crawley. He has written an unfavorable review of her work in a new play, and the owner of the paper, an admirer of Blanche, takes him to task for it. The critic replies that Blanche has no soul, and that until she suffers she cannot act. The phone ringB then and Blanche pro- claims that she is coming up to see the critic. In spite of the lateness of the hour she insists. She enters and tells the critic that for the sake of her art she has been over-nice to the manager. An intense scene follows. The critic is broken-hearted by her action, and he tells her he loves her. At this, the owner of the paper steps ont from behind the curtain and tells her he loves her any- way, and that nothing matters. As she goes out with him she tells the critic that none of the story was true, but that she merely wanted to show him she could act. In the emotional scenes the star was sometimes unpardonably ranting, and that she was acting would deceive no one, not even a critic. Mr. Maude was more contained throughout. Lamar Johnstone was the third member of the cast P. K. Mclaughlin and evans Theatre— Harlem Opera House. Style— Character singing. Time—Ttcefre minutes. Setting— In one. The act opens with a man and girl in Chinese costume, and, in dim light, they sing one of those songs about what a nice place is Hong Kong. They do it in a sleepy and slow fashion, dragging it out to about twice the time it should take. The girl then switches to an eccentric dress in which she sings in what is evi- dently intended to be an Irish accent. She should, literally, say it to .herself and not to the audience, for it is fierce. The man follows in Bowery attire and sings and it is difficult to know whether he means this to be really good or simply funny. He pulls a telephone out of his pocket at the close of his song and then ensues a conversation with the girl, who speaks from off-stage, regarding a date. She comes out then in an exaggerated costume, and they talk a bit and finish with a song. They got practically no applause from an otherwise enthusiastic audience. The couple have nothing to offer as far as can be discerned, and it is doubt- ful if the turn will be able to go very far in its present condition. P. K. NEW ACTS (Continued from p»ro t) CAMERON CLEMONS & CO. Theatre— Harlem Opera House. Style— Playlet. Time— Eighteen minutes. Setting— FuU stage. Three excellent actors, two men and a girl, enact this well written and real- istic sketch, which has a unique idea behind it and which should find favor with most audiences. It is a relief from the usual run of plays presented in vaudeville. The action takes place in a business office, the girl being the stenographer and the man playing the role of a cranky boss. He exits and the girl's sweetheart comes in. She tells him there is a job open there, and if he gets it they can be married. She warns him not to lose his nerve, and to be ag- gressive. When the boss comes in, however, the man is so frightened that he can't speak without stuttering, and the boss throws him out. He comes in again, to be ' soundly berated by the girl, who returns his ring and tells him she has no use for him. This makes him mad, and he decides to punch the boss before going. This time he is aggressive and the boss asks him how much he will work for. He bad intended to ask for $125 a month, but, on the spur of the moment, asks for $500 a week, which be gets. The act finishes with the two rushing ont to get married. It is good, fast comedy from begin- ning to end, and, as audiences like such entertainment, it is probable that the turn will get considerable booking. S. L. HERBERT SISTERS Theatre— Proctor's 125tfc St. Style— Dancing and songs. Time— Seventeen minutes. Setting— In one. The Herbert Sisters are three little misses who appear scarcely out of their teens, yet present an act that is put over like old-timers. Opening with a number in hoop skirts, they go into an Irish clog dance. The blonde girl of the trick then does her single clog, which is followed by the other two doing a clog while skipping the rope. For the finish the three dance together, interspersed with single bits. The girls should go big over their pres- ent time. L. R. G. CONLIN AND GLASS Theatre— Proctor's Fifth Avenue. Style— Singing and talking. Time— Fifteen minutes. Setting— Special drop, in one. There is little to recommend this act, as it has neither speed, originality nor material. It is filled with evidences of bad taste, furthermore, which weaken it considerably. The drop before which the team works is pretty and unique. The man wears evening clothes, topped with a straw hat that doesn't fit, and spectacles, relying on this to get a laugh at his entrance. But he doesn't. The girl opens in evening dress and later changes to a very unbecoming sil- ver costume. In this dress, she sings a patriotic song. The man then enters in a parody on the uniform, which is about ten sizes too large, and jokes about the war and the army follow. To the audience, at the showing at least, the war was no joke, for all this stuff did not get a snicker, though the team worked hard for it. They use a lot of props, such as signs on the piano, noises off stage, etc. The act needs a new cast, new material and new cos- tumes. The setting can remain. P. K. RAYMOND WYLIE Theatre— Fox's Jamaica. Style— Singing. Time— Nine minutes. Setting—Special. Raymond Wyiic has endeavored to get out of the beaten path of men single acts and" has succeeded in arranging an act which can easily fit into any bill if several minor changes are made. Wylie has taken the idea of "High Life in Jail," opening in a futuristic painted cell in a futuristic prison, where he is being held. A boy calls out in the corridor of the prison that a telegram is awaiting him, and then the special set is shown, in the center of which Wylie is occupying a cell dressed in stripes. The cell has a comfortable looking aspect, inasmuch as a table and chairs and a telephone are seen. His first song is about getting into prison on account of not being prompt with his alimony payments. His second is a "blues" number, about cell life and how it can be enjoyed at the price the public pays for its support. A short line of chatter is next employed, and he uses the 'phone to order dinner in the adjoining cell for two. He next appears in evening clothes in the next cell and sings a comic opera medley, in which he introduces a good falsetto voice at the finish. A good-bye song to his cellmates, built on the lines of Tosti's "Good-Bye," completed the act. In its present shape the setting is not practical, as only one part of the bouse can see the act. The entrances and lighting effects are poorly staged, and some low comedy which is necessary would speed the thing up and put the affair over in right shape. This comedy can be supplied by an assistant. At present Wylie's efforts sound and look mechanical, but with more work and the fixing of several minor faults, this should make a good vehicle. S. L. H. HOWARD AND WHITE Theatre— Proctor's 23rd St. Style— Playlet. Time— Twenty minutes. Setting— Special fuU stage. "j This act carries a very elaborate set of scenery and props, being presented in a boudoir of surpassing elegance. Two beds are on stage, separated by a screen. The husband wants to go' out to a poker party, but when he learns his wife is going to a dance he becomes angry and decides they shall both stay home. Both get into bed. When he thinks she is asleep he slips out the win- dow. A movie screen drops, an| bulle- tins as to what he is doing are flashed on. Then the stage is again disclosed. He comes in the window and attempts to get into bed without being heard. Her bed is empty, however. Finally, she comes in and makes the same at- tempt. He hears her and jumps in with his clothes on. She does the same. They talk through the screen. Each is afraiu of being seen by the other, and some rapid situations follow. Finally they confess. For a finish they have taken a line from the farce "Twin Beds," in which he proclaims that the beds have caused all the trouble and that he intends to exchange them for one big one. Both the actors are exceptionally capable. The act is entitled to good booking. P. K. DALE AND BURCH Theatre— Loew's Greeley^ Square. Style— Singing and talking. Time— Fifteen minutes. Setting— Special drop. This team has one of the best lines of dialogue heard in some time. They don't pull anything old, and sing new songs. The man is a natural comedian, with some stunts which should get him some-, where.- He is the principal talent of the act. the setting of which represents a riding school. Both are in riding togs and the man is made up to appear about sixty. The girl has come to take a lesson, and the dialogue chiefly concerns his difficulties in a love affair, from which she, a lawyer, must extricate him. They finish with a song called "Thirty Tears Ago." At the showing they got three bows. P. K. ANDERSON, EEKHOFF & CO. Theatre— Eighty-first St. Style— Musical. Time— Twenty minutes. Setting— FuU stage. This troupe consists of two women and a man. The latter plays the piaao, one girl the flute and the other sings in what is evidently intended to be colora- tura soprano. Her voice is more nearly contralto, however. They open with a trio in which the singer does some showy work. The man next follows with a piano solo which he does with the left hand only. This is the only good thing about the act. He has a splendid touch and in genuine work might be a wonderful pianist. The singer then does a solo, followed by one on the flute, with piano and orchestra accompaniment. They finish with an- other trio. At the snowing they took two curtain calls, the pseudo-music lovers in the house evidently thinking it was their duty to applaud vigorously. The players all have an amateur so- ciety manner and are not possessed of any talent suiting them particularly for vaudeville. P. K. VERNON FIVE Theatre— Proctor's 5th Ave. Style—Musical. Time— Twenty minutes. Setting—Full stage. The Vernon Five present a musical act that would make a lot of the so- called jazz bands turn green with envy. Before the curtain rises, there is beard a selection of the dreamy and creepy kind which, upon the rise of the curtain, is found to be a saxophone, piano, traps and banjo. The fifth member of the Vernons then does a solo song to the accompaniment of three saxophones and the piano. _. The three saxophone artists then have a number to themselves, after which the songster gives a Swedish impersonation. Such an imitation is one of the hardest there is, but this boy just does it in a matter of fact manner, just as though be had been doing it all his life. The next bit is a number on xylo- phones with the accompaniment of three others. The selection on the oboe is great and won an encore at this bouse. A banjo selection, followed by "Mr. Jazz, Him- self," sung by the singer, with another member of the five playing the clarinet finished the turn. The act should be on the big time. The boys are versatile, have good selec- tions and know how to use their instru- ments. L. R. 6. WILBUR'S CIRCUS Theatre— Proctor's 5Sth St. Style— Animal act. Time— Eighteen minutes. Setting— Full stage. Wilbur's Circus offers nothing extraor- dinary. After a number of stunts by the ani- mals, "Frisco," an educated pony, makes his appearance. He adds, subtracts, and does practically everything but speak. For a finish, it has the old "He Haw" with the offer of a dollar to any one who can ride him and with the usual "plants" in the audience who tumble all over themselves in attempting to do the stunt. The act, in a closing spot on the small time, should be a go. L. R. G. WEBER AND RIDNOR Theatre— Eighty-first St. Style— Singing and dancing. Time— Twelve minutes. Setting— In one. This man and girl seem, from their mannerisms, to be recruits from musi- cal comedy, as they have none of the vaudeville manner. As they stand, they can take a prize spot on * any bill for talent, personality and originality. They open with a duo in which they do some marvelous dancing. The girl, especially, dances as though she had studied long and conscientiously. Her kicks are easy and natural and she does the most difficult things without seem- ing effort. She is prettily costumed in all her numbers, making three changes. She introduces a pleasing novelty by wearing half hose instead of all the way stockings. The man is of the Carter de Haven type and build, resembling thai come- dian to a great extent. He is as limber as they make them and works with the speed and accuracy of an auto- maton. They don't do half enough as it is, for they are good enough to fill twenty or more minutes. P. K.