The New York Clipper (March 1919)

12 THE WEW YOltK CLIPPER March 26, 1919 WILLIAM GAXTON & CO. Theatre— Riverside. * Style—Dramatic Sketch. Time— Twenty Minute*. Setting— Special In "Tie Junior Partner," the new Rupert Hughes sketch which Wffliam Gaxton has selected for .his return to vaudeville, is comedy offering built along the conventional lines, the success of which, must depend more upon the ability of the cut, than either its lines or situations. The story is an old and fasnBht one, a young man recently married has spent all his money and Is on the verge of bankruptcy. The rent of the apartment is unpaid and he expects a dispossess notice with every ring of the doorbell. The furniture installments axe also on- paid and be snows the removal of all the apartment's furnishing is bnt a -mat- ter of a day or so. To cap the Mimn-r he loses his job and rather than go and live with his wife's people agrees to separate. Ail these misfortunes hare no affect on his fund of good humor, not at all, he jokes with his aunt and tells with a laugh of his father, who was supposed to be wealthy, leaving him nothing bnt a lot of worthless railroad stock. With matters in as bad a financial state aa can be imagined, an old college friend arrives, one who had years before borrowed $900. He looks prosperous and visions of its return are in tie air hot no, fie wants to borrow another hundred just to make it an even thousand. As be talks be opens bis coat and three electric lights flash from his shirt bosnm and he tells of bow he is now reduced to the straits of being a walking ad- vertisement. He is worse off than his friend. The bell rings, and Mr. Dinwiddle, a millionaire railroad man enters. He has come to see the aunt, bnt instead is compelled to listen to a scheme whereby he can combine three railroads and make a fortune. About to refuse, the walk- ing advertisement with bis coat care- fully buttoned to hide the electric lights, announces that be wants to buy the roads himself and the millionaire thinking he is overlooking something good takes over the proposition. The worthless stock is now worth a fortune, tbe furniture is saved and the play is ended. Gaxton does some good work in tbe sketch and Alphons Lincoln, as the old college friend has some good lines. The rest of the cast is acceptable. W. V. NEW ACTS AND REAPPEARANCES (Cuullmml on nsgs 13) LAZAR AND DALE Theatre— Mount Vernon. Style— Talking. Time— Sixteen minutes. Setting— In one. Lazar and Dale, two men in black- face, have an act that should find plenty of work on the better small time. They team well together and know how to put dialogue over, but lack real live material. The turn lags in several places and needs brightening up. With the introduction of some better dialogue and a song or two, the offering would be greatly improved, for their present material hardly allows them to do themselves justice. At the start they did some dialogue, touching on various subjects, one of them in the uniform of a porter and the other in white flannels and other Summer raiment. There were several good bits in the talking and some that -were not so good, but it went over fairly well. Following the talking, one of them sat down at the piano and the other produced a violin. They started playing a popular waltz tune and, after 'mutilating it, rendered it properly, with the pianist going through a series of funny antics that brought them considerable laughter. T. S. FRANKLYN ARDELL Theatre— Royal. Style— Comedy skit. Time— Eighteen minute*. Setting— Special, in tiro, Franklyn Ardell, assisted by Harjorie Sheldon, a pretty brunette, has a com- edy vehicle by Frank MeGettigan and himself that is sure'to keep any house in tears from laughter, no matter what manner of grouches may be present. The curtain rises on an office of a real estate agent, which is situated "in an alley," and the people have the right to go through for a short cut, as Ardell announces in the course of his act. He made his entrance and started the laughs going by putting his hat in the empty safe. He then began to auction off a number of lots which are supposed to be covered with water and has some- one in the audience yell some intelli- gible prices. His patter here was a riot of laughter. A young lady entered and walked through the office and out the other exit. It was here he made the announcement about the situation of bis office. The girl re-entered and finally she accepted a position as his steno- grapher because she is deaf and dumb, or claimed to be, but can read lips. Ardell also admits being a "lip expert," but does hot say what kind, and hires her. He calls up his wife and then an- other woman, with whom he. makes an appointment. He then leaves the office for a minute and the stenographer calls up the other woman and tells her that she is Ardell's (or Simpson, which is is name in the act) wife and threatens to tear her eyes out if she meets him. Simpson re-enters and gets a call from the woman who tells him about the call she received from big wife. He hangs up and the stenographer then announces the fact that she called up and is not deaf or dumb. She tells him that she is a "wife saver" and promises not to tell bis wife if he wQl behave Mmsrif in the future, and also gets a check for $200 from him, which he dares her to cash when she is out of hearing. While there is really nothing out" of the ordinary to the offering, as Ardell puts it over it is a scream from begin- ning to end. G. J. H. JASON AND HAIG Theatre— Proctor's 58<A St. Style— Dancing and tinging. Time— Sixteen minute*. Setting— Special. Nicely staged and costumed, this sing- ing and dancing act should be able to hold its own in the better bouses. The principals dance well, sing well and have pleasing personalities. The act started with an explanatory song, in which was nsed a large folio on which was painted the word "Vaud- eville." They explained that they would read out of the book and follow the advice given in it. They then went into a double song, followed by a sort of in- terpretive dance that went over well. They then again used the book and the male member of the duo sang an old- fashioned ballad under an amber spot- light. They followed with a travesty on a team in "the worst type of vaudeville show," doing a tough song and dance that registered heavily. A farce on the famous quartet from "Rigoletto" did not go as well. A comedy song by the wom- an, with a well written lyric, was a laughing hit, the way in which it was rendered being decidedly clever. They dosed with an old-fashioned dance, switching suddenly to the more modern shimmey.- I. S. 27th DIVISION BOYS Theatre— Palace. Style— Soldier playlet. Time— Twenty minutes. Setting— Special. "Intelligence," a war playlet presented by a half dozen of the recently returned soldiers of the 27th Division, is billed aa "an incident in the recent war." And it is hardly more than that, for, while in- teresting, it haa neither the strength of dialogue nor dramatic situations neces- sary to make of it a vaudeville offering which could hope to score without the uniforms and timely interest. The scene is laid in France, in the village of St. Souplat, which lies in that portion of Picardy which, for four years, has been occupied by the Germans. The time is shortly after tbe drive of the 27th and 30th Divisions through the Hindenberg line, when all this and sur- rounding territory was recaptured by the Americans and English, Jean, an old Frenchman, is found crouching alone by his fireside in a tumble down hut which had once been - the happy home of his family. The Huns ruined the cottage, took away his child and left him behind to await the end which he felt was near at hand. The shells boomed and exploded over the roof as the Americans in their victorious drive arrived, and the old man, mentally weakened, refused to look upon them as friends, but believed them only another detachment of tbe Germans. The attempt of both En gl i sh and American officers to convince him that the Hun had been driven from France and that he is safe, fails, until one of here repertoire. Intelligence at last breaks through the old man's weakened brain and, seizing his violin, he waveringly plays the in- spiring strains of the "Marseillaise*' aa the curtain descends. The playlet was arranged by Private Hugh Stanislaus Stange, of the Intel- ligence Division of 27th Division Head- quarters and staged by Private Stanley G. Wood. W. V. RITA BOLAND CLANCY Theatre—Proctor's 125t* Bt. Style— Singing. Time— Fourteen minutes. Setting— In one. Rita Bound Clancy uses the ward petite in her billing and she is all of that. She iB also possessed of a pleas- ant voice, has a great deal of personal charm and her demeanor on the stage, generally, is one that win win favor. There is nothing very elaborate about the turn. Miss Clancy uses the ordinary theatre drop in one and wears a simple white gown throughout. But her straightforward manner and the clever way in which she renders her comedy, makes the offering a splendid bit of en. tertainment. Miss Clancy should in- clude one or two more "kid" songs in her repertoire. A lisping song started the comedienne off nicely, going over with a bang. She then sang- a ballad and, after a few explanatory lines, "gave a syncopated version of it. A dance to fill in was fairly well done, following which came an Irish character number, one of the best in her collection. Her clever ren- dition of it got her a big hand. For the finish, she sang a "kiss" song and followed by singing it as it might be done by one of Flo Ziegfeld'a chorus girls, Theda Bara and one of New York's burlesque chorus girls. The way in which she did the latter piece provided a good finish to the act. I. S. "IN AND OUT OF BED** Theatre— Fiftn Avenue. Style— Satirical playlet. Time— Eighteen minutes, ,-j. Setting— Special. William Anthony McGuire, in writing "In and Out of Bed," a satire on bed- room plays, has given vaudeville an en- tertaining little sketch that will un- doubtedly hold its own on any bill. He has at the start one of the now popular bed-room scenes, which in itself could be worked out into a successful act. In stopping it short and having the plants discovered, however, he has scored a ten-strike. The five characters, three of whom are planted among the audience, all deliver their lines cleverly. The of- fering is well written, has a punch, and is neatly staged. The start shown the rehearsal of a bed-room scene, in which a young cou- ple, on their honeymoon, are seen. The fact that it is a rehearsal is not ex- plained until one of tbe plants inter- rupts the proceedings. Just as both of the performers who take part in the Ostermoor scene are supposed to retire for the evening, the woman refuses to go through with her part. The plant, who has the role of the director, then rises and pleads with her to continue. Just as he asks her to go on for bis sake, a preacher rises out of one of the boxes and solemnly interposes, "For God's sake, don't!" Some talk ensues with both plants discussing the matter. It develops that the two who are sup- posed to act the boudoir scene are actu- ally in love. "Simple," says the di- rector, "Get married and then go on with the scene." Without more ado, he orders the clergyman to the stage where the latter starts performing the marriage ceremony. Fortunately the couple have their license ready. Just as the matrimonial knot is being tied, another plant, in the opposite box from the one used by the preacher, rises and begins a verbal battle with the man- ager, insisting that the bed-room scene be omitted from his drama, protesting against the manager's inserting it. Of course the latter wins the point, arguing that he is supplying the popular de- mand. The preacher interrupts the con- troversy, asking them to act as wit- nesses at the nuptial ceremony. As they come forward, the wedding is supposed to be completed and the curtain falls. If there is any fault to be found, it is with the conclusion. The dialogue between the man who impersonated the author and the manager fell below standard. The end came rather ab- ruptly and "a better finish should be supplied. L S. MELLETTE SISTERS Theatre—Cofoniol. Style— Dancing, tinging and piano. Time— Nineteen minute*. Setting— Special —tn four. Many sister teams resembling each other have gained fame for their AanMng and beauty, and it would not be amiss to claim that the Mellette Sisters (Ros- alie and Helen) not alone should follow in their foosteps, but could right at this time go into any Broadway production and undoubtedly make good, as they possess beauty of the blonde type and figures tiiat are shapely. In their vaude- ville act and they are offering a few songs and dances that received a huge hand at the conclusion of each. Lew Pollack rendered three composi- tions and accompanied the girls at the piano, scoring an individual success. However, he should not whistle while playing the popular numbers. A series of four dances was offered with a com- plete costume change for each. At the conclusion of the act, the audi- ence applauded loud and long and two bouquets of roses was presented to them. "' ' J. D.