The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

June 27, 1914 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW BRODERICK JANE OTarrell-O'Roarke Company WESTERN STATES TIME SULLIVAN 6c CONSIDINE W. p. REESE MAURICE J. BURNS PAUL, GOUDRON San Francisco Representative Denver Representative Cliicago Representative Empress Theatre Bldg. Empress Theatre C North Clark Street R. J. GILPILLAN CHRIS. O. BROWN Seattle Representative New York Representative Sullivan & Considine Bldgr. 1465 Broadway Vaudeville The Orpheum The Orpheum for the current week is dispensing its customary program of ultra vaudeville, i. e., the absolute best that Messrs. Meyerfeld, Beck, Henderson, et al., are able to procure, which unlimited capital and abundant experience can command. The result is capacity audiences. Were one in- clined to be critical, comment might be offered through the many singing numbers on the excellent bill, five out of the eight acts being principally vo- cal efforts. Two decidedly novel acts on the week's ofifering send the audi- ence away impressed with the fact they have seen something" away from the ordinary or commonplace. That marvelous Jap, Tameo Kajiyama, styled the ambidexterous Japanese writing marvel (the name is no mis- nomer)', is, indeed, a mental marvel, and his science—for science it is—is too deep for the ordinary mortal to probe into. Perhaps some of the sa- vants can enlighten us. But the con- sensus of opinion is that he has de- voted his life to mastering this inter- esting and unique caligraphic demon- stration of psychology. Time, i8 minutes. The Australian woodchop- pers, Jackson and McLaren, show to advantage in their novel act. These muscular giants from the Antipodes chop through large sections of trees in jig time, and as if they were cheese. Their ability to fell tough trees and saw through sections of logs with marvelous rapidity excites the ladies especially. Time, lo minutes. Dainty Marie, billed "She's not what she seems to be," is correctly titled. This shapely goddess of the Roman rings opens her number garbed as a vocalist or danseuse. But she soon disillu- sions by appearing in white fleshings, showing her glorious figure to decided advantage. Dainty Marie maneuvers about with decided ability in mid- air, accepting every opportunity, with spotlight assistance, to cause the men to envy their preferment. "Some Roman ring artist?" "Some figure, too?" Time, 17 minutes. Laddie ClifY, England's clever boy comedian, has outgrown the laddie or nipper .stage, but is still the artist. This tal- ented youth met with prolonged ap- plause for his excellent ability. At periods Laddie's humor was a "bit thick," to quote our English cousins, but it is probably a "bit thicker" over there than here. Quaint English songs and very clever eccentric or freak dancing made up the number. Time, 17 minutes. McMahon, Dia- mond and Clemence, billed as the scarecrow, give ample scope for some extremely good dancing by the male member of the trio. His Russian and similar eccentric dancing is far above anything of its kind ever shown here. The scarecrow part on the number is taken by one of the little ladies, and the inanimate scarecrow is simu- lated with realism. But she is sub- mitted to much unneces.sary throwing around—a decidedly animated act. 'i'ime, 14 minutes. Percy Bronson and Winnie Baldwin, in Pickings from Song and Dance Land, sing and dance most acceptably, their love song af- fording opportunity for much oscula- tion and embracing. They were well received. Time, 17 minutes. Homer IVIiles & Co. in the comedy, On the Edge of Things, hold attention with thrilling interest for 17 minutes in portraying one of the great problems of married life in an apartment house. Willette-Whittaker, an interpreter of darky folk song, assisted by F. Wil- bur Hill, endeavored to convey the dialect of the Southern darkey with a modicum of success. Her Italian harp rendition filled out the number. Time, 15 minutes. The Hearst-Selig world's news in motion views aug- mented the program. The Empress The Empress showed at this week's opening to large houses, and offered its usual program of interest, most of which were enthusiastically received. Tom Nawn and his company, the de- lineator of Celtic wit and humor, is as delightful as ever in the mythical Irish comedy, Pat and the Genii, which has as its gist the power be- .stowed by an ancient urn, equivalent and similar to Alladin and his wish- ing lamp. Tom Nawn holds attention for 20 minutes by his excellent ability, and is ably supported by Evangeline Dixey. Onaip, or piano reversed, is a sensational scientific deception based entirely upon the levitation idea of sus- pension in midair, and creates no little interest by the clever delusion. A large piano and the player is suspend- ed an<l revolved rapidly with apparent- ly no means of suspension, and leaves the audience entirely at sea as to the means employed for the deception. Others on the bill are the Two Georges, who open the show with a clever comedy acrobatic number, which gives ample chance to demon- strate fair ability for six minutes. Ray and Leonard, termed "Those dainty dancers," endeavor somewhat effec- tively to live up to their title by re- fined and mimic dancing, the female of the team showing some ability as a toe dancer. They hold the stage for ID minutes. The Rathskeller Trio, two vocalists and a pianist, consume 10 minutes in conveying the latest hits and delineating efifectively He- braic song. Their comedy ofl^sets the mediocrity of their voices. Mary Gray, the waltz girl, portrays charac- ter song winsomely and winningly without material effort. Her number is refined and of merit. Time, 16 min- utes. The Three Miltons, who are billed as exponents of modern ball- room dancing, were among those ab- sent in the opening bill. Excellent comedy is offered in the moving pic- tures intermitting the program. The Pantages This week's bill furnishes no par- ticular thrills. The Gargoiiis, and al- so the Harry Cornell, Ethel Carley & Co. number, are headlined. The Gar- gonis, a foreign acrobatic act, consist- ing of two men, two girls and a young boy, offer a bit above the average act of its kind, and do much comedy pyr- amiding, top mounting, understanding and somersaulting from shoulder to shoulder, and were received fairly well. Time, 9 minutes. Harry Cor- nell and Ethel Corley & Co. in the tab- loid sketch, Smithy and the Eel, by Howard Russell, ofi^er the puzzle ])roblem of the sneak thief and hotel prowler, (ireek meeting Greek, etc., and holding attention for x8 minutes. Clayton and Lennie, a talking act, give ample scope for cross-fire re- partee and a demonstration of the English density of thought, with a clever attempt at English dialect mim- icry, and were well received. Time, 14 minutes. The Cycling Brunettes open the bill with skillful gyrations awheel, showing considerable dexter- ity on the bicycle. Time, 11 minutes. Bob Finlay and the Yates Sisters pre- sent a neat dressed, refined number, termed Vaudeville Versions of Opera, and vocalize winsomely with some ap- proval. Time, 12 minutes. The Love Chase, or Cupid's Handicap, is by our old friend, H. Guy Woodward, who is cfjllaborated with by Harry B. Cleveland. They are using the afore- mentioned titled vehicle to put over a tabloid musical comedy, which dis- plays the usual musical offering, but which is apathetically received. Time, 30 minutes. Animated photographic efifort closes the bill. The Republic The Republic's three-day bill for the first part of this week opened to capacity business last Sunday, and the most of the numbers were vociferous- ly received by the Republic's clientele. Leonard and Willard, who closed the show, ])r(jved to be the stellar ofifer- ing on the program—a talking" and singing number of pronounced worth, who garb their act properly. Time, 18 minutes. The Scotch H^ighball, a tabloid musical comedy composed of 13 people, hold the rostrum for a half hour, to afford the two Scotch comedians an opportunity to be funny. The lads are acceptable and the chor- us of eight maidens satisfactorily fill their parts. Wm. R. Abram and Agnes Johns, supported by Rupert Drum, i^resented Carlton Webber's dramatic ])laylet. The Right to Hapjji- ness, a com])rehensive llieme, inter- s])erse(l with allusions to socialism, which a])pealed to the industrial ele- ment in the audience. The principals in the ])resentation were highly suc- cessful in portraying the characters they re])resented. Time, 20 minutes. Santa Cruz, a shadowgraphist, en- deavored to please with this obsolete diversion, and a|)parently did i)lease the juveniles. Nine minutes. Bruce and Calvert, styled 'i'wo Jolly Cher- mans, failed to enthuse those present efl'ectivelv. Time, i<; minutes—too long. .\ni])le excellent ])hotoplay filled mil the |)r()grani. The second half of the week showed Wm. Lovell, accordeonist; .Abram, lohns and Dniin in llie ])laylet. The OfSces — Iiondon, New Tork, Chicago, Denver, Iios Ang^leB, San Francisco Bert Levey Circuit Of Independent Vaudeville Tbeatres Executive Offices—Alcazar Theatre Bldg., O'Farrell Street, near Powell. Telephones: Home C377B Sunset. Douglas 5702 WIGWAM THEATRE Mission Street, near 22nd Street JOSEPH BAUSB, Qen. yigr. San Franci.sco's tinr.st anil largest vaudi'- ville, musical comedy theatre. Seating capacity, 1800. Now playinj? JAOK MAGEE and his 26 comedians, singers and dancers. Capacity business. Prices: 10c. 20c, 30c Western States Vaudeville Association Humboldt Bank Bldf., San Francisco Ella Herbert Weston, Gen. Mgr. Sherift' and the Widow; MacKinnon Twins and Winona Howitt in singing and dancing and pianologue; Al Hal- let & Co. in The New Chief of Police, and Wilson Miller in the minstrel bas- se) and comedian. The Wigwam The Wigwam i> |)leasing it.s audi- ences with a diversified bill of musical comedy, vaudeville and animated i)ho- tography. Jack Magee and his Broadway Broilers hold attention with the usual musical comedy efforts. Their chorus of ten cai)able and fair of face girls appear to aclvantage. AIa,ri- on Stewart and Clarence Lydston in their song, In My l)Ungalt)w. assisted by the clmrus, win ap])roval. I)re(|ua Mack, the ])rima donna, dignified and prepos.sessing, vocalizes ])leasing!y. Wm. Spera renders the ballad. Just fur Tonight, efi'ectively. ileine .\uer- bach furnishes Teutonic comedy. Ma- gee himself is a whole show. The opening number on the bill is Laskey's Six Hoboes, who have just returned from .\ustralia. They should go back. These merrymakers furnish more amusement for themselves than diver- sion for the audience. I'athes weekly news show some views of extreme in- terest from all over the world. The second half bill is as follows: IIai)i)y Jack Magee & Co., in Hotel Top.sy Turvy; Wellston Bros, in an eccentric musical and dancing novel- ty; l'>rown and Lawson, Coming from tlie Tork Cho]) ( lub. CRYSTAL GRILL 110 EDDY, AT MASON" STREET Brand New—Catering- to Theatrical Folks Especially TRY OUR POUNDED STEAK—YOU WII.I. BE PLEASED