The New York Clipper (January 1920)

January 28, 1920 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 5r -PALACE Pos aibly never since the opening of the Palace -wu there a mora nnf avorabla eon - dition for acts than at the Monday after- noon performance. The house musical di- rector, together with two other musicians, reported lick and their presence was surely missed as the orchestrji simply could not -keep in time with'any of the acta, espe- cially while Billy : Seabury and his com- i pany were on. Talbot O'FarreU, bffled for fourth position, did not appear and Harry' Bines came down from the Riverside. In- termission lasted twenty minutes and the audience became restless. However, the management overcame the obstacles and 'the last half ran smoothly. The Pictures opened. Mignonette Kokin -and Fred Galetti 'opened the vaudeville portion with an act that is away from the usual offerings. Miss Kokin danced on her toes, imperson- ating well known artists. Galetti "does -little, hut the big hit came when a monkey played a selection on the electric bells, to be followed by a "Barber" bit by two other monkeys. This caused much laughter and put the act over. Charles and Madeline Dunbar strove to" get over, but their material has long aince passed its usefulness. Addressing, an audience as "Hello Soaks" and "Where have yon been all my life" have been done for many seasons past. Imitations of Chickens, Pigs, Cats and Bogs, the latter In a fight and one of them going off with a yelp, is also ancient. Miss. Dunbar looked well and her partner seemed too self assured of Ida ability to score the desired results. Both could undoubtedly ■do much better with timely m a teri a l , Toto was enjoyed throughout his stay and his contortion work, together with the novel manner in which he presents him- self, found an appreciative audience. The "Soldier" lot, wherein he becomes tangled with his wardrobe caused a riot of laughter. The Mosconi Family repeated their hit of last week, completely stopping the show after showing their splendid da ncing act "Topics of the day" were flashed during intermission. Billy Seabury and Company presented an act that is replete with splendid danc- ing, gorgeous scenery and a bevy of pretty grlils, who wore wonderful clothes. Bud Cooper at the piano, received individual applause for his- efforts to keep the dances in rhythm, a hard job owing to the mu- sicians. Seabury is a. dancer par excel- lence and uncovered some steps that were heavily applauded. The Hope Sisters stood out from the others and the act is a big time feature, stopping the show. Harry Hines has all the necessary quali- fications of a successful single entertainer. . Bos stories and songs were expertly de- livered and he is possessed of a personal- ity that radiates good cheer. He scored solidly with twenty minutes of real enter- tainment. Valeska Suratt offered her new one-act play entitled "Scarlet." Although the Story holds many impossible situations, Miss Suratt did wen with her assignment as a cabaret singer. Eugene Strong and Walter C Percival also played their roles with' intelligence and read their.lines to perfection. To those who are willing to .excuse light sketch texture, this act will appeal and it will undoubtedly serve as a vehicle for Miss Suratt for some time. The audience accepted the playlet and gave to the star and her associates a big hand when the act concluded. Harry Breen was up against the har d e st proposition possible and the time is not 7 far off before he will realise that a new "nut" act is necessary for next to closing on rig time-bills. He struggled hard, bat. -managefetojgget..» few laug^near tar '"- The G»nd»miths worked .fast and bdd b ftsaa'i* with that* acrobatic'novelty: - Two "French poodles are wall trained and work with the hoys, delighting all that stayed to the finish- J. D. VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS . .. COLONIAL TheVSUmsdells add Deyo, following the Sonograms, opened a vaudeville bul of exceptional merit. The first part of their altering is slow, bat, after they cam* to the toe-dancing bits, the act ran very nicely and gave a good account of- Itself when reviewed. Permane and Shelley started with their trapeze comedy bit and had the audience laughing at the predicament of Permane. The violin and concertina numbers were well played and pleased. The pair'handle their material well in both the comedy and instrumental parts of the act. Helen Trix and Sister Josephine changed places with Frankryn Ardell on the pro- gram. The program states that Miss Trix wrote the numbers in the act and which- ever one of them it is, is to be congratu- lated on some very good work. Both are excellent deliverers of "coon-ehouter" songs, of which the act consists, for the main part. The act can safely, be cat, for speed purposes, for it ran too long reviewed. "The Wife Beater," when formerly I ROYAL With two acta going oat of the bin at the last minute, Al Darling had to do a lot of hustling to get his show going right and, although it started late, there was very little. trouble noticeable to the audience. Haig and Waldron and Migarea and Com- pany filled In. The Corson Bisters were brought up from dosing position and finally got the show started with their iron-jaw work. The girls have cut oat the flag-waving bit and are now using a white flag with a gold border, instead of the Stars and Stripes. Perhaps it is for the best, for the work of these girls deserves applause purely on Its merits and requires no pa- trfotic anthem to carry favor. The Foot Melodious Maids made a very good start for their offering but the rest of the act gives the Impression that they have recently left a musical tab chorus. Two of them do a neat soft-shoe dance, bat should look for music that la better than what they are using. With a few more numbers in which the quartette can harmonise, Instead of some of the present - m^tolfl-™—*,..tli*T-—<T|■lafgesWeVtws'salt and find it easier going. Nina Payne and Company were brought Up from the second half and went off with one of die big bands of the MB. Miss Payne has arranged a routine of original and clever dances which she delivers very weB. The "Cleopatra Cakewalk," a sort of Egyptian satire, is exceptionally good. Evidently moat of the gaga about the army which George Austin Moore delivers in "coon" dialect were either forgotten by this audience because of their age, or weren't heard before. At any rate, he got some big laughs with moat of them. The majority of the gaga, however, have been heard with other acta. Irene Franklin also seemed'to be new to the audience, for very few of her old numbers, of which she.sang the choruses, seemed to be remembered. She omitted the "Chambermaid" number, and only de- livered those about the -waitress. "Bringing Up the.Family" and "Redhead." The song about the Hebrew girl was a riot, bat the "Bilious Vamp" number seemed to be "above their heads." After delivering the "Frenchie" number, she was called back for a curtain speech. George Foinnan rendered capable assistance at the piano. Howard Langford and Anna Fredericks cut a few bits from their "Shopping" skit, for it was almost 450 when they went on, due to an exceedingly long and unneces- sary film about the TJ-35. How Longford manages to get over those gags. which would call for rough work from the aver- age audience, without offending, is a mys- tery. But he does it, and they went over very weH. Al Wohhnan found himself among friends and almost stopped the show. ' He has some clever material and delivers it to good advantage. Emma Haig and Jack Waldron were a bit handicapped by the absence of then- set and the evident lack of rehearsing with . the orchestra. Miss Haig is not wearing her hair in curls, which aires her an older appearance than she formerly presented. Their <fr»nrfm needs no comment, for both are capable performers in this line.. Gleen and Jenkins have evidently left G. M. _ Andersons "Frivolities of 1920," and were the comedy hit of the show. This is one team of black-face comedians. by Franklyn Ardell, was programmed as written by Herbert B. Tocaner, who also used it for a while in vaudeville while Ardell appeared in a production. T*e pro- gram now states that Ardell and Frank McGettigan are the authors. The young lady with Ardell deserves some bUling, for she handles her part of the act weUV - Ar> dell's delivery of the gaga, which have not been changed with the exception of a few about prohibition, in laugh-provoking in itself. The audience here kept sending one laugh after another to Ardell's credit. Although he was not programmed; Harry Breen got a reception on his entrance. Breen is using the same m at eri a l which he has been delivering for the past Ave or more years. Despite the fact that-many of his gags have been taken and used by other acts, he found no difficulty in scor- ing a big hit. Nevertheless, a little new material in his verses would be accept- able,* for most audiences know his act al- most as well as he does himself. Frances Pritchard, recently'in musical comedy, is back in vaudeville with a. very- pleasing dance offering in which she is assisted by. two young men, Nelson Snow and Charles Columbus, both capable dancers. The act resembles that of Sheila Terry's in plot, but, as a whole, is on different lines. She was occorded a big . hand on the close of the act and quite a few bouquets. Cliff Nazzaro, with Gertie Cogert and Ernest Ferita, stopped the show, and if any other act but Pat Booney and Marion Bent wad following them, they could easily have stayed on for two or three more numbers. This lad is surely on his way to a standard headline position. He pos- sesses a very pleasing voice, delivers well, plays the piano capably and also has quite some dancing ability. Gertie Cogert, with time, will develop into a second Belle Baker. She now does.two character num- bers in her solo, giving Hebrew and "Wop" dialect in it, and does it well. Ferita has an impressive manner of playing the violin that makes every one keep quiet and, at the end of his playing, applaud heartily. Pat Booney and Marion Bent, with their excellent company, stopped the show cold. Pat has put some new bits into his dance, and Marguerite and Frank Gill have also added some new steps to their bits. Ma- rion Bent worked with her old time pep in her solo number. Lopez and his jazs hounds played meaner than ever, while 'SSAttZLF**"?*" 1 S csnte BBfS'.SZBT!* m j^K*s^a^£np«y, the Utter . Migares and Comply dosed the show bemT a young lad, cUseTtke ehoy/.-wtth with a novelty tight-wire offering a«d new oneof tiie best strong-man turns to be them In. although It was muck alter o atari. — -^ ' "G. J. DC." ' p;it when they went on; G.~J."H. RIVERSIDE mj, Martyn and Florence, man and woman, opened the show and did well with a ngfcber of juggling bits. None of the tricks are new, bat all were performed with neatness and .speed and won a big hand at the/finish. ... T.1, Doteon, the dancer, on second, scored a real hit with his fast and finely exe- cuted routine of dances, Dotson's act from start to finish runs at breakneck speed and the big applause he won at the act's finish stopped the show com- pletely. Frank Dobson and his Thirteen Sirens, after many months' absence from this - house, are back with the same act which scored so strongly when first presented. The Sirens rank high among the musical tabloids, due to its fine settings, striking costumes, good cast and chorus and the excellent work of Dobson, who never al- lows the action of the piece to lag for an instant. The plot, while sight, is suf- fident to sustain interest between the rapid succession of songs and dances. Lloyd and Christie did well in their talk and chatter. The act la practically the same as when presented last year by Lloyd and the late Avellng, with the exception of the' introduction of some new material, timely and weH handled. FoHo wing so much music, the men were obliged to work hard to keep the act from slowing up and succeeded excellently. Wellington Cross assisted by the Misses Nancy Bell and Marion Sail, Ted Shapiro, and an uo programmed young awn dancer and girl, showed hla new act for the first time at tnia house. It la ratter difficult to designate the style of offering but it is made up almost entirely of songs and dances with a piano solo or two by Shapiro. Cross, who baa improved greatly, vocally, aaag a number of selections ex- cellently. Nancy Bell, a charming maw who sings and dances finely worked with him in several of the songs which went over in fine shape. A burlesque mind read- ing bit put a strong comedy punch in the act and successfully broke np a succession of songs and dances which might have be- come tiresome. Cross works in the audi* ence in this bit and carried it over to a strong finish. The act la just the right length, the songs, while not new, are melo- dious, the dances well put on and the act Is a fine bit of entertainment. Following "Topics of the Day" in the second half of the bill Artie Mehlinger and George Meyers scored a decided bit with some of Meyer's new songs and a medley of his old time. hits. Mehlinger works hard in putting- the numbers over which combined with the catchy melodies of the composer, make of the offering an attrac- tion which is sure fire. - , , Valerie Bergere and company in the comedy playlet, "The Moth," gave an ex- cellent demonstration of the. fact that vaudeville audiences have not grown tired of sketches. The little playlet, which is by Emmet Devoy, la well written, con- sistent and waa finely played by Miss Ber- gere and her company. The story, not new by any means, is that of a yoong wife in poor circumstances who is tempted to leave home and go with a wealthy ad- mirer. A blow on the head from a falling curtain pole causes her for a time to lose consciousness, and in her delirium she lives her future as it would be away from her husband. Deserted by' the man she fled with, in a thrilling moment she takes - his life, bat is awakened from her delirium by the return of her husband who, in his absence, has sold an invention and tells her of bis sodden prosperity. Miss Bergere did some remarkably fine acting and her . support waa excellent. Harry Hines, doubling at the Palace, scored one of the hits of the bin ssJtavsome new songs and daver- comedy material pat 'over 'as only Harry can. A new pfoMH- Uon song with a Cuba twist was one of . the brijhtMt spj-rf n .trT.ftwisrt- . , .The rjoymU. "with eh* <isv«* * doc Toque," closed the show. W. M. '