The New York Clipper (October 1919)

October 1,1919 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER JAMES B. CARSON AND CO. Theatre— Keith's Jersey City. Style— Comedy Playlet. Time— Tieenty-ttoo minutes. Setting— Full stage and in one. In his new comedy playlet, "To Be Or Not To Be," James B. Carson has the assistance of a man and woman, who are players of ability, and Oareon, him- self, gives a fine performance in the role of the young man whose ambition is to become an actor. The offering has been well written, and there are many amus- ing situations which have been worked out nicely. The author has provided some good dialogue, which, while clever, does not approach the farcical. The of- fering is somewhat similar to one that has been eeen hereabouts recently, but should be able to hold its own in the better houses. Carson's delineation of the principal role is most satisfactory. David is the younger son in a Jewish household. His brother has succeeded in the business world, but David's ambi- tion is to become an actor. His parents disagree as to their attitude toward him. Father ridiculed the young man's ef- forts to succeed as a performer, but mother can see nothing but a path strewn with roses awaiting her son. David enters while his parents are ar- guing about the matter. The dialogue which ensues discloses the fact that while David has had opportunities to appear at various benefits, he has had little work that had financial returns. A telegram is brought for Mike Kelley, and it develops that that is David's stage name. He is asked to appear at the "Greasy Square" Theatre, in place of an act that has been delayed. He leaves, urging his parents to come and see him. The next scene, in one, takes place at the theatre. "Mike Kelley" appears and sings and talks, while his parents, who occupy a lower box, break in occasionally with remarks. Mother continually ex- plains that he is her boy, while father is decidedly uncomfortable. The act over, the parents return home. David followed, and the third scene takes place before the original full-stage setting. The parents get home first and David follows. He explains that the perform- ers, who were delayed came to the the- atre and that they are embarrassed financially. He tells that he permitted them to retain their place on the bill out of sympathy, and did not accept the salary for working at one performance. Father ridicules him, and the young man breaks forth into a vituperative stream in which he scolds his father for his at- titude and for placing obstacles in his path. Father delivers a lusty blow to the young man who is quelled, and ex- plains to his mother that his manner of acting was good, but father does not applaud in suitable fashion. Another telegram is brought in, and it developed that Flo Ziegfeld, who saw David's performance, offers him a con- tract for thirty weeks at $300 per week. Of course there is a happy ending. One fault with the offering is that it is prolonged just a trifle beyond its cli- NEW ACTS AND REAPPEARANCES ITALIAN TRIO Theatre- Proctor'* 125th St. Style— Singing. ' Time— Twelve minutes. Setting— In one. Three men in full dress offered a number of operatic arias in Italian as their tryout at this house. They are better equipped for the concert field than for vaudeville. The men render all of their numbers as a trio and, at the end of each one, all exit. They would do better taking a bow, without actually going into the wings at the end of each number. Also, a solo, would greatly aid the offering. G. J. H. 9 ARTHUR DUNN & VALESKA Theatre— Proctor' j 125th Street. Style— Talking and singing. Time— Fourteen minutes. Setting— In one. Arthur Dunn and Valeska have a song and talk act which is, as yet. Crude, but which will improve in time and probably be able to play the better three-a-day houses. Dunn is a short fellow and Valeska a tall girl, which causes a ludicrous contrast right at the start. The talk is not particularly funny, although there are a few clever bits nicely put over. They started with some talk, after which the .girl member of the team sang a ballad in a fair voice. There was then some more talk coupled with some slapstick comedy, and they concluded with a burlesque on an operatic medley, which did not go particularly well be- cause of the fact that the same bit has been often used before. Dunn and Valeska team well together. The latter has a pleasing personality, and Dunn does his work well. What the act needs is more work. I. S. DAISY NELLIS Theatre— Alt. Vernon. Style—-Ptano Concert. Time—Fourteen minutes. Setting— In one (special). At the side of a very pretty special curtain a sign proclaims Miss Nellis, "The American Pianist of Distinction." We read it and thought that a middle- - aged woman attired in simple gown would enter, smirk at the audience, and bang off some technical pieces. There- fore, it was indeed a very pleasant sur- prise to see a dainty, pretty young girl, attired in a pink "feather" gown, which fitted her nicely, make her entrance, and showed a very charming smile. Mks Nellis did play selections that revealed technique. But her selections were not of the type that bore one, for Miss Nellis plays with style and distinction and gives an artistic ren- dition of her numbers that is a delight to the ear. She opened with the "Con- cert Etude," by McDowell. An "Irish Country Dance" selection followed, and the closing rendition was the "Hun- garian Rhapsody," from Lizst. She was compelled to take an encore, and evidently in preparing her act did not think one would be necessary, for all her numbers up to here had been announced by her signboard. But she did play the "Waters of Venice," and did so very well. Miss Nellis will be welcomed to vaudeville by all lovers of good music. G. J. H. GREAT WESTIN Theatre—23rd St. Style— Impersonator. Time—12 minutes. Setting—Special in four. The Great Westin offers a number of impersonations ranging from Washington to Wilson. The greater number of these were correct as to detail and facial ex- pression, which is all he endeavors to show. Some of them were not very good, the poorest being those of Roosevelt and Wilson. His routine includes: Buffalo BUI, Generals Pershing, Haig, Foch, Queen Victoria. Theodore Roosevelt, President Wilson and Admiral Dewey. There was not a word spoken throughout the entire act, except when Westin announced what he intended to do. S. K. LEE STODDARD Theatre— Proctor's Fifty-eighth Street. Style— Talk and ventriloquism. Time— Fourteen minutes. Setting— In one. Lee Stoddard has an offering that in- cludes a few ventriloquial feats, imita- tions of one or two phonograph records and some patter, which includes a few bits that are clever and some that are not so clever. Stoddard has a pleasing personality and the stunts he performs with his voice are remarkably well done. His imitations of phonograph records are more like the records used on old-time machines than those employed on present- day talking machines, but clever, never- theless. The ventriloquial portion, toward the end of the offering, while stretched a trifle too far, is interesting and helps round out what should before long be a two-a-day act. Stoddard started with a few remarks expressing that he was a phonograph salesman and that he imitated the records he desired to sell. When he appeared his name had not been posted in an effort, apparently, to create the impression that he was not one of the performers. No one was fooled by it. Following the imitations of a Scotch selection and a laughing song he gave an impression of a banjo record. A few stories followed ■ and then came the voice-throwing stunts. He closed by singing a Scotch melody. I. S. MAURAL BERNARDO Theatre-- Proctor's 125th Street. Style— Singing and talking. Time— Twelve minutes. Setting— In one. Bernardo is assisted by a lady, who accompanies at the piano and flings with him for his opening number. They have fairly good voices and pleased. He followed the opening number with a prohibition bit on the style of Ryan and Healy's. In this number, he has a number of popular songs put together in a parody which he sings to a whiskey bottle. While the number is good, his delivery is inferior. Some patter fol- lowed, in which he did a number of im- personations, among them being a Frenchman, Hebrew and Italian. Bernardo closed with a dramatic reci- tation, the words of which could not be understood, but as he shouted, "safe for democracy" at the end, he was given a big hand. The act will do for the pop-houses. G. J. H. RALPH AND MAYS. Theatre— Proctor's 125th St. Style— Juggling. Time-— Ten minutes. Setting— Full stage. Man and woman in a juggling and balancing turn that will do as an opening act on the small time. They go through a routine of stunts, using clubs, diablo. a wheel, and various other apparatus for balancing bits. They have a fairly good variety of feats, of which the closing bit is the best. However, they should work out a different routine in which to present the bits than the manner used /when re- viewed. At that time, each would do a different stunt at the same time and thus detract the attention of • the '.audience from the other. They should do their best stunts with one of them off the stage, and will find it to their advantage. G. J. H. PRITCHARD St. PEMBERTON Theatre—iff. Vernon. Style— Da ncing. Time— Eighteen minutes. Setting— Full Stage (special). When a young man and a young girl get together in a dancing act, in which they have no assistance from anyone else, and when that act not only pos- sesses class, but originality, they are to be congratulated. For it means that they are comers. And when the team la attractive in looks, and .when they pos- sess personality, it means that it won't be a very long time before they arrive. And this pair possess all of these qualities. They use a pretty curtain in one, and a prettier setting for fun stage. The young man opens with a song patter announcement to the tune of the "Little Birch Canoe" about the act, and offers a new verse before every number in the act. The first dance is a minuet, the second a waltz, and the third one by the girl herself. We won- der, by the way, how Flo Ziegfeld ever overlooked this young miss when get- ting some of hia pretty girls. The girl gave imitations of Frisco, Marylyn Mil- ler, Ann Pennington and Bessie McCoy. While the imitations were not so very faithful, the dancing was pretty, and the' girl exceedingly so. A jazz dance- by the two followed, in which the girl unintentionally gave a real good imita- tion of Bee Palmer. Her partner out- shimmied Frisco. On the request of the stage hand to cut out the shivers, they offered a jazz dance minus the shake. O. J. H. THREE SISTERS HERBERT Theatre— Proctor's Fifty-eighth Btreet. Style— Singing and dancing. Time— Fourteen minutes. Setting— Special. ; The Three Sisters Herbert are person- able girls who have a nicely costumed and staged song and dance act. All three dance well and there are also several vocal numbers of merit. The offering la an entertaining song and dance review, and the girls are graceful, well formed and present neat appearances. They started with an introductory song done together, after which came a song and dance by two of the girls. The third followed with another vocal num- ber rendered in fine fashion, after which " came a double dance by the other two. There was a snappy selection by one of the gir&, after which another did a rope-skippiug dance. There wan another song and dance by two of the girls and then a clog dance by the trio. The turn as it is possesses variety and holds the eye There are just enough vocal and terpaichorean numbers included to maintain interest, and the act has been wisely arranged. I. S. GEORGIA & EVELYN JEWEL Theatre— Jersey City. Style— Dancing and singing. Time—Fourteen minute*. Setting— In one (special). Two pretty little girls who possess pleasing personalities and who were handicapped by being placed in the open- ing position when reviewed, went over very nicely. The pair use a blue velvet curtain hung in one, and enter from the center of the curtain. They open with a neat eccentric military dance in white cos- tumes. A toe-dance by one of the girls, follows, in which she also injects a bit of jazz. A comedy song by her sister and a kid number and dance by the two, complete the offering. The girla are attractive, dance Well and handle their material very nicely. They should please in the better das* houses. G. J. H.