New York Clipper (Feb 1923)

12 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER Fcbmary 7, 1923 PHENOMENAL PLAYERS Ihutit—Proelor's 23rd Si. Bt/lt—"Looting Backward." T i wif Twenty-three minutes. Ssttiaf— Special. This is another "old timer" {rame, conceived and staged by Edward Lc Roy Rice, and which contains six varie^ favorites of yesteryear. The action is set in the b'brary of \V. H. Thompson, who is Riving a surprise party in honor of his old friend Banks Winter, per- haps best retnenibered as the aothor of the song. "White Wings." Thompson gathers a number of old cronies to assist in makins the surprise a meny one. Maggie Le Qair, Irish comedienne; Mand Detty. world renowned dancer; Paul Hamlin, of the famous Hamlin Brothers and Blanche Newcomb, daugh- ter and nnpersonator of the late BoUiy Ncwcomb, comprise the list. Winter is naturally elated to find so mair^ of his old friends. After a bit of remuuscencing, each go into speeiallies whidr won them fame over fifty years ago. Miss Newcomb doing an imper- sonation of faer talented father in bis famous "Sunfloweif song and dance. . Messrs. Winter and Thompson, assisted by Miss Le Clair, harmonize "White ■ Wings" in a manner that plants the act for the ensuing specialties. F^l Hamlin docs his "milh'onaire ^ tramp" act, with Miss Newcomb following with - her soflK and soft shoe dance. Thomp- son again discloses his rich baritone \oicc in "Maggie," with Miss Le Qair being utilized to advantage in a senti- mental bit By way of contrast Miss Le Clair Uter does her famSiar "Irish comedy" bit, which made a big hit with the house. \ medley of old time airs, a snappy soft shoe dance by Maud Detty and a dancing ensemble- pot the act over for a bnge hit. The act carries a fait stage special set and Is interspersed witb snmcient diversity to appeal to all classes of en- tertainment lovers. The old folks will revel In the memories of the past, ' awakened by this anique offering, vvfaile the younger generation will have an opportnnity to view the mode of enter- tainment that provided diversion for their mothers,' fathers and grandparents. Aside from its senthnenlal valae. the act oMitams a good deal lA wholesome, witty entertamnient and should prove a box office nagnet for any bill, when properlv ixploited. E. J. B. NEW ACTS AND REAPPEARANCES MARIE CAVANAUGH AND CO. -Hanulton. Style— Da>%cmz and singing, ^aub — Tvattve minutes. Sattinc—/» hoo (special). Marie Cavanaugfa is the sister of La- dlle, a fact which is mentioned during the act which Marie offers, prior to her giving an impression of her sister's ec- centric dance. The act which she is do- ing has beoi written by Bud C Cooper, who appears at the piano in the act, and who also talks the introductions to the varions numbers of the act. A second man. Richard Webb, does the song bits of the act. in a good tenor voice. The entire offering is one of the qniet, dainty type, containing nothing that is show-stopping or sensational, bnt just en- tertaining. It is started by an old- fuhioned dance, which is more of a promenade in the costume than a dance, which is done after Webb has sung a number leading up to the dance. A soft- shoe "jingle and tap" dance follows, and a waltz-dog is the next number to be done. The Lodlte Cavanaogh dance is - the fourth' mnnber, foUowing which - Cooper offers his own arrangement of "Say It vrith Mnsit" ~ Webb sings "Tbn^ o'Oock in the Monung" and a waltz number, whkh oooqiletes the act G. J. H. MR. AND MRS. JIMMY BARRY Theatre—/ffftrjon. Style— Rube Cotiiedy. Time—a) Mitmtcs. Setting—/n "one" (place drop). In their new offering the Bariys pre- sent a realistic little slice of life from the day's routine of an average small- town inhabitant, that is productive of many laughs and certainly big-time ma- terial The locale is Main street, in front of the barber shop, and Barry does the comedy while an unbilled man as the barber, and Mrs. Barry take turns in playing straight. The "Jerusha" song about the girl who came back without the weddin certificate is retained in the new act with good effect The drop depicts the length of the vil- lage street with the door of the barber shop in the drop, as well as a newly painted red and white striped pole. "Zeke." in the person of Jim Barry, is attired in funny looking clothes, celluloid collar, etc He is the village cut-up and wise-guy- and the talk between him and the barber brought out funny re- ntarks by Zeke, who knew all about the champion "Benny Dempsey,'' and similar well-known people. When the talk cen- tered about Tilly, who recently returned to the town from the dty, Zdce bet the barber a agar that he wouM be engaged to her before she left town again. Tilly arrives and Zeke lets on as to how much of a terrible devil he is and when she drops in to see the barber's wife, he sings one of the songs he has written, which proves to be the song mentioned above. When Tilly returns, the subject of marriage is brought up and Zeke works his points, with a' song that started as a duet and ended. with him pulling a funny gag on her. Next he told her all of the town gossip, meantime leaning against the torber pole. Zeke pleads his cause again, and when he flashes the ring, she'apparently thinks it for some other girl and asks who the lucky one is. Also she says something about her departed husband, which is something of a shock to Zeke. She leaves and in a few moments later the barber receives his cigar without a word. Piddng op the handkerchief Tilly dropped, Zeke tenderly places it in his ring, and folds it up in his pocket With a hurt expression on his nee he finally pulls out his harmonica and walks off playing a tune. - M. H. S. FLETCHER CLAYTON REVUE Tbtttn—Proctor's Fifty-eighth Street. Stjlb—Revue. Tiine— Fifteen minutes. Setting— Special. A mixed quartette, evenly divided and with pleasing singing voices, combine to make this offering a diverting feature for the small time. All four, garbed in Chinese costume, open the act in a chorus of a Chinese number. The two boys foDow with a Chinese comedy song and go into a neat . dance. The contralto follows with "The Sunshine Reminds Me of You" and later is heard in a duet with one of the boys. They work up "You'll Be Sony That You Made Me Cry," with the other couple coming on and sympathizing with the supposed quarrelsome sweethearts. All four go into "Coal Black Mammy," getting in some good harmony. "The boys follow with another neat dance, with the girls coming back in old- fashioned costumes for "Sweet Sixteen." A suggestion of the minuet makes an at- tractive stage picture, while a repeat chorus of "Coal Black Mammy" provides an excellent finale. E. J. B. "DOLLY OF THE FOLLIES" TbtMtlB—Regent. Stylo—Sketch. Time— Thirty-five minutes. Sttting—Spccial. The action opens in a Greenwich Vil- lage artist's studio, the artist in smock and tam painting a picture, vocalizing at the same time, while the model stands up-stage center in more or less undraped beauty. Another girl is on the stage at the time seated on a couch. The prevail- ing idea of the sketch is that art is hun- gry and that love is great stuff if you're successful Dolly of the "Follies" is in love with a struggling young artist who has worked six months painting a pic- ture for the Corcoran prize. He has been given a like amount of time. to qualify, under the term? of his father's will, for $50,000 of which his uncle is the custodian. He is also in love with Dolly, who, by her own musical confes- sion, is "Hugging Dose to Thirty." Naturally, unkie comes on from Glens Falls and registers horror at his nephew's mode of living, is deRed by Dolly and has just about put the skids to the fifty grand when a telegrani conies announc- ing that the kid-has won the prize, and on top of this unkie, won by the fight- ing'love of 'Dolly for his nephew, insists that the two get married and gives the kid the check. Hooray, we eat. There is enough material in the sketch to make a musiral comedy, but, sad to say, it is not all good material. In order to put it all in the short time given a vaude- ville sketch they have to hurry the ac- tion, which does not make for good per- forming. Dolly works hard but has no cinch of it. She has been given all the • good lines and situations, but the lines arc more or less unnatural. Her really best number is "When You're Hugging Qose to Thirty," but this is away above the heads of the average vaudeville au- dience. Uncle does some good work also and the juvenile handles his' small part to good advantage. C. C. JEAN BARRIOS Ibtatze—Regent. Style— FemMe . impersonator. Time— Seventeen trunutcs. Setting— Special in one. Jean Barrios is one of the most con- vincing female impersonators that it has ever been our pleasure to see. As a woman he is all femininity, with a real female voice, weak, it is true, but nat- ural. As a man he loses all trace of womanhood, even though still garbed in female raiment The act opens as a reg- ulation piano act, a girl at the piano and Barrios coming out to sing, opening with "Indiana." He follows this with "Cry Over You," at the end of the first chorus of which he pulls the wig, singing the second chorus in his natural voice, a thin, but not unpleasant baritone. The female pianist plays a solo while he makes an announced costume change to an impersonation of Ethel Levey sing- ing "A Little Love Song," following this' with another change and an impersona- tion of Rae Samuels singing "I'm Go- ing to Be a Sheik in Araby." For an encore he does "Rockaway." Throughout the act his costumes are magnificent and in perfect taste. There are some things about the act worthy of criticism. Barrios is of undoubted. Hebraic persuasion and does much bet- ter on his two encore songs than the others. It seems logical to suppose that if he put these songs up early in his act, tried to get over as a woman on the merit of his character singing, and saved the wig pulling for the third number the act would be immeasurably strength- ened. With this done, there seems to be no reason for his not hitting the big time successfully. C. C. ROLLEY AND LAIRD Theatre— Coliseum. Stylt—Blackface comedy. Time— Fourteen minutes. Setting— One (special). Ever since we saw Joe Rolle^ working with Ed Gallagher, now "Mr. Gallagher" of Gallagher and Shean. in "The Battle of Whatstheuse," we've always considered him one of the best blackface comics in vaudeville. The act which be is now doing with Laird is "At Palm Beach," whidi he also did with Ed Gallagher for awhile. Were it not for the fact that Gallagher is a taller man, one would be ready to take oath that Laird, the present straight man, is Gallagher, for he makes up exactly like him. 'When we reviewed Rolley and Laird here, it was Joe Rolley's first date in more than a year, most of the time up to this date having been occupied with commutation between the various hos- pitals in the covmtry. Rolley, during the past year had become a connoisseur in surgical operations. "This fact is not mentioned in the way of making any excuse for any poor work on the part of Rolley in the act For this tall, lanky chap can still appear in burnt cork and get as_ many laughs as any of them. We mention it only to give him all the more credit for being able to go on and be himself after that time. Laird is a good straight man, and holds up his end of the act There are plenty of laughs in the talk, and with Rolley's harmonica bit used for a finish, it is sutiTfire. G. J. H. JANE AYRE AND CO. Theatre— Hamilton. Style— Singing. Time— Twelve minutes. SettiBK—One (special). A short and fairly effective routine of songs is offered by Miss Ayre, with an- other girl at the piano. Jane Ayre is a little blonde, and by way of contrast the pianiste is brunette, which is the cus- tomary "sister-act" matching. Three numbers are used by Miss Ayre, a semi- classic for an opener, "Coal Black Mammy" a la concert and "I'm a Little Waltz" for the closing number. The last includes a medley of production waltz hits, mostly Herbert melodies, end- ing with "While You're Away," from "The Only Girl." One more number would not harm the act at all. Her voice is soprano, con- taining good quality and plenty of (>ower on the high notes, and the enunciation is fairly good. She'll fit nicely in an early spot on the better bill. G. J. H. WALZER AND DWYER Theatre— State. Style— Comedy. Time— Twelve minutes. Setting--/)! "one." An entertaining comedy skit with the girl as the comic and the mau playing straight. Most of the girl's comedy was on the eccentric comedienne order and went over very well. The team opened with a song, which was followed by some comedy bits, and both resting on the settee. Subsequent- ly the man sang a published nunfber in an excellent tenor voice, and the girl joined him again after a change of cos- tume. More comedy, and another song, and a dance closed the act. The girl's stuff is clever and gets across easily, and she is equally versatile ia singing and dancing, which may also be said of her partner. Offering makes a breezy and welcome act for the circuit they arc now playing. M. H. S.