The San Francisco Dramatic Review (1908)

DRAMATIC REVIEW BRODERICK JANE OTarrell-O'Roarke Company WESTERN STATES TIME SULLIVAN & CONSIDINE W. p. REESIC MAUIUCK J. liUUNS PAUL GOUPRON San Francisco Representative iJenver Representative Cliicago Rc-presentativo Empress 'Xlieatre BldK- Empress Theatre C Nortli Clark Street R. J. GILFILIjAN CHRIS. O. BROWN Seattle Representative New York Representative Sullivan & Considine Bldg. 14G5 Broa^lway July 4, 1914 Vaudeville The Orpheum Capacity houses prevailed durins^' the new bill which opened last Sun- da}'. Everett Shinn's Wronged From the Start, a satire or burlesc|uing of the old-time melodrama, was to])line(l, and justly so—a continuous laugh during tlie thirty-five minutes this number was on testified to the merit of the comedy intended. Eight capable j:)eople carried the theme to the finish. Charles Withers, ])ortraying Cyrus iUivens, the "o])ry" liouse manager and general small town hall factotum, monopolized the most laughs, dividing with Ethan Allan, who posed as Ephriam I'urdy, the "limb O'f the law." The other characters in the cast were decidedly ef¥ective. The orches- tra loft, instead of orchestra pit, was the "locale" or laugh-center with the opry manager's one-man band, me- chanical effects and traps. Wronged b'rom the Start is worth while as a laugh producer. Romeo the Great is a chimpanzee under the mentorship of Monsieur Alfred Drowishey. This remarkable chimpanzee proves the Darwinian idea beyond a doubt and shows the possibilities of the inculca- tion and concentration of thought by a .Simian without any apparent sugges- tion, cue or assistance from his train- er. Romeo rides different-sized and graduated bicycles from the smallest to a kangaroo cycle with really re- markable ability. He also dines and partakes of a meal with more adher- ence to table etiquette than many ]jeople, retiring to his bed. removing his garments with human-like facility —a wonderful animal—time fourteen minutes. Henry Lewis, billed "A \'audeville Cocktail," offers a hodge- podge, melange or pot pourri of every- thing, with a (ierman dialect. This artist kee])s his auditors in good hu- mor from start to finish with charac- ter song, eccentric speech and actions, but lapses to "old stuff" for titters in referring to the previous numbers on the bill. Henry Lewis thinks quite well of himself, but merits the pro- nounced applause of his auditors at the finish — time twenty minutes. Dainty Marie or Miss Mabel Meeker, the lady who is not what she seems, is a hold-over from last week. She still enchants with her charming con- tour in her evolutions on the Roman rings. She is a "web" artist of pro- nounced worth, who is helped much by her good figure and the spot light. Time, eighteen minutes. ]3oris Wilson and Company in a dancing and sing- ing act, Through the Looking Glass, is a beautifully dressed number which tiic trio of charming blonde females make the most of. Their number ])rincipally is made u]) of the mirror deception — conveying mirror reflec- tion by means of similarly dressed \ico- ])le following i)erfectly the actions of one another, on the stage and in a darkened exterior; well received— time, twelve minutes. Laddie Cliff, luigland's clever juvenile artist, is the other hold-over from the previous week. This finished performer with new songs, holds his auditors by the merit of his act, and was well re- ceived. Time, thirteen minutes. Lancton Lucier and Company in Heai)s of Hilarity, fall somewhat short of creating that impression. Their THE SAN FRANCISCO number was made u]) of much old musical comedy stuff'. Eddie .\llcn is effective in animated song. This number was well received for lax effort—time, twenty-one minutes. The (Jardiner Trio, a dull number, two females and a male, go through the usual routine of novelty dances and ballroom gyrations, and were weakly received. Time, twelve minutes. Selig-Hearst World's \'iews interest considerably with animated ])hoto- graphic views from all over the world. The Empress Eni])ross vaudeville oi)ened this week's I)ill last Sunday to its usual ])acked business and mtjst of the num- ijtjis met with the merited approval of tne auditors. Everett Shinn's "meller drammer," More Sinned Against Than L^sual, to])lined the bill and afforded excellent opportunity to the capable cast to satire and burles(|ue the old- time melodrama. Continuous laughs indicated the auditors comprehension of the humor intended. The efforts of the outcast girl "with no place to lay her head" were somewhat incon- gruous with her hands full of dia- monds and appealing silk hose. The sheriff and the oyster-can sized star and the villain's comimtriot and or- chestra with his violin, handed out the most titters, h^red liallen and Mollie Fuller, the (dd-time favorites, are still with us in the flesh, and they exhausted their every effort to win ai)])roval with their On the Road to jonesville. The theme conveyed re- vealed some humorous situations put over with some effect. The Three l'"alcons, Roman ring exponents, show some excellent work and are well clowned by a capable "Joey"; well received. Dick Lynch, billed as the "I'rince of Entertainers," endeavors to live up to the title by conveying a number of humorous Celtic short stories and hard-shoe dancing with some apjiroval. The Moscrop Sis- ters, two vivacious young girls, sing and dance to some purpose in a well dressed act. The male impersonation is cleverly done. Their number met with approval. l lie Ricci Trio, two male violins and a female vocalist, l)resent the usual "fiddling act" some- what apathetic as regards the results obtained upon that much abused in- strument. The female in the number is prejjosessing, of excellent voice and garbed effectively. She saves the number from the commonplace. Ani- mated photograph effort, featuring inimitable Ford Sterling in comedy, closes the bill. The Pantages I'antages ojjcned the new bill Sun- day witii Mile. Miami Amato in A Xight in the Slums of Paris, a ))antoininK- in one act and a tableaux. It gives ami)le op])ortunity for those tvjMcal Europeans, Mile. Amato and Signor Aurello Coccia, to demon- strate the Apache dance (])ronounced ajjash )' with excellent results. The Dance du Couteau, or dance of the dagger, is given with much gusto and realism. The whole plot or* theme interwoven in the |)antominu- is based upon a wager by a rich clui) man of gay i'aree, who is smitten with the charms of the notorious /\paclie, Casque D'Or, the Belle of Helleville, who is Mile. Amato. In the i)ursuit of this fair lady, this wealthy but ex- hilarated roue finds himself in many tight places in the slums of i'aris, but is rescued by Mile. Amato, who dances and wiggles to his rescue. A large caste of Europeans lend sujiport to the i^antomime, w^hich holds at- tention for nineteen minutes. The X'illage l iiest. a playlet featuring Virginia Tliornton and Charles King, shows the advanced suffragette, a lover's quarrel and Mr. King as an admirable clergyman, who later effects a reconciliation, all nicely told. Tiire, twenty-four minutes. i'ob Albright, the male Melba, a vocalist of nice appearance and voluminous voice, sings effectively with ;un])le a])])rovaI of the audience—time, eight minutes. (ieorge ("Waltz Mc Around .\gain") Wilson, the old-time black-face comedian, keej^s his audi- ence in titters throughout his number, but he starts and ])eri)etuates the laughs himself — his stories are old and his stJiigs not too new. 'I'ime, twelve minutes. i\umi\', lloesch and Robinson, in Fun in a Music Store, carry through a singing an 1 dancing number with some approval from the audience. The comedy furnished by the decidedly elongated and angular member of the team is excellent— time, sixteen minutes. Romano and Carpe, an ordinary song and Italian harp act. were well received. The songster was accompanied by the harpist with excellent results on that instrument. Time, nineteen minutes. DeX'itt and DeVitt, termed ".\cro- batic Comiques," .showed some really clever barrel-jumping by the male 'member, who, blindfolded and basket hobbled, jumped long .spaces into bar- rels and onto elevations. Time, eleven minutes. Comedy motion ]iic- tures finished the program. The Republic The Rei)ublic Theatre, with its standard clientele, is meeting willi the usual excellent business. The Variety Tliiee, a juggling and sliar])- shooting act, a man, a woman and a "half i)ortion." are easily the hea-lliiie act on the bill. i*"\cellenl and cai)abU- juggling by the male member and some good sharpshooting by the little lady, meet with nnich merited ap- ])lause. Hme, eleven minutes. Wm. R. /Xbram ;ind .\gnes Johns, su])- ])orted by Rui)ert Drumni liresenl MacMann's (Iramatic comedy, A Modern Camille. or The Sacrifice. These ])opular jicople meet with their usual Re])ublic a])proval in ])ortray- ing an actress' sacrifice of her lover, to please the wealthy fallier. 'l ime, fifteen minutes. The New Chief of Ofllces — Iioudon, New York, Chicagro, Denver, Zios Angrelos, San Fraucisco Bert Levey Circuit Of Independent Vaudeville Theatres E.xecutive Ofllces—AU-azar Tlicalre BMk., O'Farrell Street, near Powell. Telephones: Home C3775 Sunset, Doug-las 5702 WIGWAM THEATRE Mission Street, near 22na Street J03ZFH BAUER, Gen. Mgrr, San Francisco's finest ami largest vauiie- ville. musical comecly theatre. Seating capacity. 1800. Now playing JACK MAGEE and his 26 comedians, singers and dancers. Capacity business. Prices: 10c. 20c. 30c Western States Vaudeville Association Humlioldt Bank Bldgf.. Snn Francl*co Ella Herbert Weston, Gen. Mgr. Police treats of the ])revailing vices and intricacies of society, with the dangers and lures which bi-scl the young woman of the day. .\1 II. I lal- left, as the new chief, is forceful and ]:)ractical. Time, sixteen minutes. The l)e .Alberts, a ])antominiic and novelty dance act, is well dressed and affords oi)i)ortunity for the female member of the team to sing in an affected voice and the team to dance those Kurojican danci"-. Well re- ceived—time, eight minutes. Mr. Rudeen, the human mocking bird, whistles and imitates. I"re<|uent comedy ])hc.loplays inlt'rmils refresh- ingly. The second half of the bill is as fol- lows: (Jrace .\llen. singing and danc- ing soubrette; .\bram and Johns, with Rupert Drumm, in a .stirring playlet, in His Power; Louise I'rownell, Rahih l!ell, h'red Wilson and Xina .Maitland in a Willard Mack sketch. Two Sides to Every Story: liowen and llowen. comedy duo. The Wigwam lack .Magee and his com])an\' are still (he mainstay of ihe enkrlain- meiil at this house, v.here .Magee, lleine .\iierbach. ( larence I,\(lston, Wm. .Sypher and Ih'lly Spera have become ])o|)ular. Among the ladies, .Miss .Steuart and Miss .Mack li;ive a large following. The name of the piece for the first half of the week has escaped me, but what docs it matter? —any name will fit il, as long as the comedians work and the girls a])i)ear. The offering for the second half of the week is as follows: Three Sulli- van brothers, cabaret singers; La X'eail and IJowden, aerial gymnasts; Howard Sisters, in nnisical novelty; .-md Jack .Magee and Com])any in Tlie White 1 lorse Inn.