Variety (September 1918)

CABLES LONDON THEATRES PERK UP; DREW BIG RECEIPTS LAST WEEK Legitimate and Music Halls in Midst of Spurt Through High Feeling Over Advance of Allied Forces. "Chu Chin Chow," Nearing 1,000th Performance, Did $17,000 Last Week. Even Bigger , Boom Looked For. London, Sept. 18. Everything is looking op theatrically, with the legitimate theatres and music halls doing a splendid business. This is accounted for by the high feeling over the advance of the Allies and the boom is expected to develop into proportions that will delight the London managers, who have passed through the many vicissitudes since the war started with an admirable spirit under all conditions. Last week's receipts in some of the legitimate theatres will probably at- tract .more than passing notice among the fraternity in the States. "Chu Chin Chow," nearing its 1,000th performance at His Majesty's, did $17,- 000 for the six days ending Sept. 14. "As You Were" at the Pavilion, played to $14,000, in the same time. "Yes, Uncle" at the Shaftesbury, got $15,000. "Going Up," Gaiety, $12,000. / The Maid of the Mountains," Daly's, $11,000. "The Better 'Ole," Oxford, $10,000. "The Boy," Adelphi. $10,000. "The Purple Mask/ 1 Lyric, $9,000. "The Freedom of the Seas," Haymar- ket, $8,000. "Nothing But the Truth," Savoy, $7,- 500. "Fair and Warmer," Prince of Wales, $7,000. "By Pigeon Post," Garrick, $7,000. "The Naughty Wife" (with Gladys Cooper out of the cast through being. on a holiday), Playhouse, $6,000. "The Live Wire," St. Martin's, $5,500. Tabs" (theatre not given), $5,000. by Elaine Inescort Ethel Irving, who has the lead, later goes into manage- ment with Three for Diana," adapted from the Italian by Chester Bailey Fernald. WEAK "WEEK END." London, Sept. 1& At the Kingsway, "A Week End," by Walter Ellis, was presented by Fred Krano and Leon Vint It is a noisy, bustling farce of the Palaise Royale impropriety type, with little humor or spontaneity. Ernest Thesiger and Yvonne Arnaud labored to give reality to an impossible play. FROHMAN SECURES NEW COMEDY. London, Sept. 18. Charles Frohman, Inc., has bought the rights to a new comedy for Cyril Maude, entitled "Lord Richard in the Pantry," by Sydney Blow and Douglas Hoare, adapted from a novel by Martin Shawne. REVIVING " IN DAHOMEY.'! London, Sept 18. Norman J. Norman, who brought William and Walker to London in 1903 with "In Dahomey," which ran for nearly a year at the Shafte'sbury, is about to put a revival of the piece, written by colored people with an all- colored company. He has made an offer to Bert Wil- liams to come to England and appear in his original role. COCHRAN'S FIFTH. London, Sept. 18. - The lease of the Aldwych has been acquired by Charles B. Cochran, who now controls five London theatres and supplies attractions to two others. Whenever a successor to "The Better 'Ole" is required at the Oxford, Coch- ran will furnish another entertainment by Captain Bruce Bairnsiather and Captain Arthur Eliot . RUSSIAN BALLET DRAWING. London, Sept. 18. The Russian Ballet is packing them in at the Coliseum. The Canadians continue there,' their leave having been extended for this week. The newcomers are Coram, Florence Smithson, Ethel Hook. BALLET BOOM IN LONDON. London, Sept. 18. The ballet boom is spreading. Beech- am's opera ballet opened at the Palla- dium seventy strong. Others on the bill are Wilkie Bard, Max Darewski, Zomah, Belle Davis and her Crackerjacks, Alfredo, Austin Rudd. MAMMOTH DICKENS FAIR. London, Sept. 18. The Dickens Fair at Botanical Gar- dens, organized by Bransby Williams in aid of the Charles Dickens Home; for Blinded Soldiers, assumed mam- moth proportions. Numerous stars and novelties appeared. C1NQUEVALLI LEFT $130,000. London, Sept. 18. By the will of Paul Cinquevalli, the great incrtfler left an estate appraised at $130,000. DeCOURYILLE TAKES PLAYS. The English rights to "Why Marry" have been secured from A. M. Woods by Albert deCourville for an early Lon- don production. The world's rights to a new farce by Harold Brighouse, en- titled The Bantam, V. C" have also been bought by deCourville, who will probably star Laurie DeFreece in it. HARRY TATE EXEMPT. London, Sept. 18. Harry Tate, the comedian, has been declared exempt from service by the Wandsworth Tribunal. Had Tate joined up as private the country would have lost some $12,500 yearly in income and super-income tax. At Alhambra, Pari*. Paris. Sept. 18. Alfredo, Garnalla and Eddie, Riggs and Witchie, Four Dormonds and Yost, clay modeler, open the Alhambra Sept. 27. IMPROVING "CHINESE PUZZLE." London, Sept. 18. The management of "The Chinese Puzzle," at the New theatre, is en- deavoring to make alterations and im- provements in the piece. Ellen O'Malley's part is now played "Office™' Meat" Produced. London, Sept. 18. Andre Chariot presented The Of- ficers' Mess," by Sydney Blow and Douglas Hoare, at Plymouth, to be followed by a short tour pending a London production. HcINTOSH'S GOLD PASSES. London, Sept 18. Gold Passes are being issued by Hugh Mcintosh to all Australians hold- ing the Victoria Cross (V. C). Th$ pass admits the V. C's and their fam- ilies to all of the theatres over which Mr. Mcintosh has control, in Austra- lia. The Australian manager and legis- lative councillor is here on a visit The example set by Mcintosh is to be followed by Sir Alfred Butt. Sir Alfred says he is delighted with the idea and will also issue passes to the V. C men which will admit them to all theatres and halls over which he presides. "FEMALE HUN" IS SPY DRAMA. London, Sept 18. "The Story of the Rosary" will be withdrawn from the Lyceum, Satur- day, to be succeeded, by a four-act spy drama, "The Female Hun," by Wal- ter Melville. ELSIE JANIS IN "HULLO AMERICA" London, Sept 18. Sir Alfred Butt has named the new revue to be presented at the Palace, Sept. 21. "Hullo America." \_, The principals are Elsie Janis, Owen Nares, Stanley Lupino, Will West OSWALD STOLL, AUTHOR. London, Sept. 18. Oswald Stoll has written a book on economics entitled, "Freedom in Fin- ance." CROCK'S WIFE DIES. London, Sept. 18. The wife of Grock. the celebrated clown, is dead Folies Marigny Being Delayed. Paris, Sept. 18 The Folies Marigny remains closed, director Perkins possibly resuming within a few days. In a speech last Saturday night Per- kins apologized for the uncompleted condition of his revue and complained at not receiving fair play, vaguely suggesting rivals were at the bottom of the delay. It is probable the real reason of his difficulties is the non-delivery of cos- tumes. , It was reported in New York late Wednesday that the "Follies of 1918" would open there shortly, having a typical Broadway, New York, aspect. American soldiers on leave in Paris are expected to be the best patrons. Butt's "Rock-a-Bye Baby." London, Sept. 18. Sir Alfred Butt has bought the Eng- lish rights to "Rock-a-Bye Baby." Photo by Hixon-Connelly BEN BERNIE (Of BERNIE and BAKER) "A Little Talk Interrupted by a Violin" PROCTOR'S FIFTH AVE. NOW (Sept 19-22) Offering a single in which Is embodied all the merits find clean-cut comedy which made BERNIE and BAKER a standard laughing hit. Direction, LEWIS & GORDON. IN PARIS. d • t*-m* . Pa " s « Au 8- 29- Keginald d Arcy, and Australian com- (oser and pianist, known as d'Arcy rving, of Algiers, where he was a pro- fessor at the Conservatory of Music, has just died at the age of 48 years, of influenza. Hertz and Coquelin reopened their two houses this week, the Ambigu re- viving Courtelain's "Train de 8h. 47," and the Porfe St. Martin continuing th run of "Un soir au front," inter- rupted by the bombardment of Paris. At the Renaissance Cora Laparcerie will shortly create a new farce "L'As de Chouquette" by Hennequin and P. Veber, m which she will be supported by Gaston Dubosc t. A JK£j of operetta by Rip, with music by Willy Redstone, will be produced ■ the near future at the Theatre An- tome. Vaudeville has come into its own again, and all the variety resorts of if ns »,l re P^yfoff t0 fa" houses. At the Alhambra, which has been redec- orated during the summer closure, E. H. Neighbour is still to be found as resident director, with Joe Brooke as stage manager. The show is an ex- cellent one, and many families are tickled to death to have their select Tnusic hall in full swing, an establish- ment of this kind having been sadly lacking during the-past three months. Manager Dubray, now assisted by Leon Rogee in charge of the Anglo-Ameri- can department, has revived the old success of the Nouveau Cirque, where a fine program is likewise on tap. The stables have been converted into a vast, chic promenade, where we have the fashionable jazz band and an in- viting bar during the intermission. (For programs see Bills next week.) There is every prospect of a fine sea- son. Perkins is busy preparing for the inauguration of his season at the Marigny, where we are promised a real American show, with English chorus girls. The Casino de Paris is doing splendid business with a somewhat in- different revue: the same can be said of the Folies Bergere. Both houses, catering more for the promenade, at , oresent have only local people, little known outside of France, on the bills. The Olympia, giving vaudeville twice daily, is also making big money with a small time show. Sacha Guitry has started in again at the Theatre du Vaudeville, offering a revival of his own comedv "Nono," with Yvonne Printemps, Baron fils, Jeanne Fusier, Delys and Hieronimus. His revue, in which father Lucien Guitry will appear, is due later. The Comedie Francaise is to add sev- eral other old successes to its reper- toire, and the troupe is now studying G. de Porto Riche's "Amoureuse," Jules Lemaitre's "Pardon," Verlaines "Les Uns ei les Autres." A new work by H. Bataille, "Les Soeurs d'Amour," is de- livered and will soon be rehearsed. There are also two short comedies due this season, "Le Petit Chaperon" by Felix Gandera and C Gevet; "Le Sou- rire du Faune" by Andre Rivoire. M._ Combes retains operetta at the Empire for the present; variety will follow as usual later in the season. The Odeon is showing the old French version of Charles Dickens "Le Grillon du Foyer" (Cricket on the Hearth). Lena Ashwell is playing this week "Billeted" at the English theatre Al- bert I.