Variety (Dec 1905)

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• • VARIETY. ■ ■—--■—■ ■■ SkiQie/'tlie you nuest, Critic i n the World,Sees the Show at Proctor's. Doesn't Like flurle Oaowell Because She Sang" Mu Old Kentucky Home." ("Skigie" is a boy, seven years old. Hav- ing been a constant attendant at vaudeville theatres since the age of three, he has a decided opinion. "Skigie's" views are not printed to be taken seriously, but rather to enable the artist to determine the impres- sion he or his work leaves on the infantile mind. What "Skigie" says is taken down verbatim, without the change of a word or syllable.) I liked the first act (The Zarbes; Proc- tor's One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street; Sunday after- noon, Dec. 17,) be- cause they went around on those you know things (rings) and I liked that lit- tle actor (Charles Rossow) imitating Sousa, and the other one which came after (The Rossow Brothers) when they were boxing, and the little fat fellow got the worst of it, and I liked the pictures, but I didn't know what they were about (The Rolling Mill). That colored girl (Artie Hall) is all right, but I knew she was blackened up because she wore gloves. That's all I liked. There were a whole a lot of things, but I didn't like the others. I forget how many acts there were. It was a short show and I couldn't get any ice cream soda after, and I'm sore. I didn't like that girl that came out and sang (Aurie Dagwell). I hate that Old Kentucky River (Home) song, and it makes me sick and that's why I don't like her. I liked the last act (Lavine and Leon- ard), the one they juggled in while the machine (auto) blew up, and it was a real machine too. I liked it better than the other one (Harry Tate "Motoring"), but that little fellow that says "Yes, Paw-Paw" made me laugh. I bet I know where they (Lavine and Leonard) got that machine thing from. The Hippodrome where it used to blow up as Marceline left the stage and then Marceline would fall off. That fellow that doubles all over (Toledo and Price) was all right, and then they had a sketch (Tom Nawn, "Pat and the Genii") which was long, but it was funny, and after it is all over the fellow they call Pat sits there as though he didn't know what to do and then he says, "Gee. I guess I've been asleep," and he hadn't been asleep at all. A big fat man (Gus Williams) came out and told something and then he takes a wig off his head and put it in his coat pocket. And I bet you five cents I get that ice cream soda the next time. West and Van Siclen are playing a four weeks' engagement at the Eden Musee. They have other time in and about New York and wi.i stay in the East for the remainder of this and next season. 'als" and 'Humanity. .gain reduced to a one act playlet, "PaV" wRhfHal Davis and Inez Macau- ley, is~one of the features at the Colonial this week. The sketch is a curious com- mentary on the difference between the American and English ideas of what a music hall sketch should be. The central idea of "Pals" is taken from an English act known as "Human- ity," presented by John Lawson, a propa- gandist. Himself a Hebrew, Lawson seeks in his sketches to uphold his race against the Gentile and his perform- ances always show a Christian villain and a Hebrew hero. He has half a dozen sketches with mechanical features, but he has never found a substitute for "Hu- manity," which is always a feature cu the lesser bills. In "Humanity" Lawson plays the part of a banker who has befriended a Chris- tian in hard luck. This latter has taken advantage of his position in the house- hold to seek to undermine the affections of his benefactor's wife. The latter loves her husband, but is piqued at the attention he pays to his business, and in the sketch the psycho- logical moment has arrived when, through hurt pride, she is at last willing to leave her home with the tempter. At the last moment the villain finds that she has not brought with her the handsome jewels which her husband has showered upon her, and he demands that she take them to her. She refuses on the plea that she will not add rob- bery to her other offense, and while they are still arguing the question the hus- band comes in and perceives the situa- tion. In silence he conducts his wife to her room and comes down the stairway. The villain throws a jardiniere at him, smashing the newel light, and this starts a fight, which wrecks the apartment an'l ends with the fall of the hero and vil- lain from the broken stairway to the glass-strewn floor. It is a grim, tense combat between mortal foes, and every move adds to the suspense as now one and then the other appears to be getting the best of it. A huge pier glass is shattered, gas globes fall in fragments from the chandelier, a dining table is overturned and bric-a- brac is smashed at every development, yet these are merely incidentals to the fight. In the American version (written by Edmund Day. who has written some cap- ital sketches and some remarkably bad ones) the comedy predominates, with the result that when the fight comes the audiences are as apt to laugh as to thrill. To them it is on a plane with the plate smashing comedy of Bedini and Arthur and the smashing is more important than the fight. The breakaway stair is so palpably faked that it ceases to be- come impressive, and the men after smashing the stairway hold to the steps instead of falling with the bannisters. They are too careful for desperate men; too anxious that a due share of the set- ting shall be destroyed. The trouble is that in his anxiety to develop (fee comedy end required in America, Mr. Dpy has not given his audi- ence an interest in the story. They know that George Redmond is the husband's friend and that fie loves the wife, but (he sudden development of the situation j.ist piior to the climax d ;es not pdtmit them to change from the stale comedy of the stolen dinner to the tragedy of the new development. Before they have ceased laughing the fight is on, and so poorly have the lines been laid out, they keep on laughing because they have not had their deeper interest aroused. In the English sketch every line is framed for the purpose of developing the incidents leading to the final struggle. In "Pals" the early part of the sketch might be made a farce in itself without reference to the more serious work. This is the difference in idea and devel- opment: One is a serious, well-devel- oped dramatic idea; the other is a hy- brid affair, a comedy with an extrane- ous rough-house at its close. A little benefit might be had through more careful rehearsal, but the fault lies in the sketch and the catering to what it is supposed is the American idea. Mr. Davis should have a sketch written with a less abrupt transition to tragedy and he would have one of the most valuable sketch offerings on the market. As it is the sketch is talky and valueless as a dramatic offering; though useful as a novelty. If you don't like something and want to tell about it, send it here If you think it will interest others. Variety does not assume paternity for any opinions ex- rressed in this column. Items will be printed (if not libelous) whether we agree with the statements or not. It is desired to make this the artists' forum. New York. Dec. 2 >. Editor of Variety. Sir—It is understood that one alleged weak voiced prima donna who has been touring the local vaudeville houses as a headliner in gorgeous gowns (where her talent ends) will find things a little more difficult, in the future, so far as securing future time is concerned, for outside of one date later in the winter the managers have decided to hold on to their four figure bills hereafter, and vaudeville is at a distinct end, so far as lhey are concerned, with the lady who deliehts to sing four notes off the key twice daily. If a few more of these gilt affairs were thrust from their lofty position it would be a source of unal- loyed joy to the public and a heap of mo;ie> in the manager's pocket, every- one will concede. CINQUEVALLI OPENS MONDAY. Cinquevalli, who styl.s himself "The Prince of Jugglers," will make his first bow before an American audience, after an absence of four years, at Proctor's Twenty-third Street, on next Monday afternoon. Since leaving here, "Chink" lias trav- eled pretty well around tin- world, and his press agent will have half a dozen big scran books to work from. He is capital copy, a tfoo<| tall « r, and a man who does things. THE MOST STUNNING LOOKING WOMAN IN VAUDEVILLE. The vaudeville goer who has been for- tunate enough to have seen "Billy" Gould and Valeska Suratt on the stage has involuntarily allowed an exclama- tion of surprise tg escape as Miss Suratt appeared. She is tall, of exquisite fig- ure and on the stage is immediately termed "the handsomest woman in vaudeville." During the week Miss Suratt was in- terviewed by a representative of Va- riety. Miss Suratt was asked point blank what she thought of being "the most stunning looking woman in vaudeville." Almost blushing, she modestly replied, "I don't know. There's Adele Ritchie and Lillian Russell. I have had that said to mc before, though." Miss Suratt was requested to give the correct spelling of her surname, the pro- grams and cards generally being at vari- ance over it. "Spell it S-u-r-a-t-t and V-a-1-e-s-k-a, Valeska," she replied. Upon being asked if she had ever been on the stage or in America before, she answered "No, that is before Mr. Gould put me in the business in London. Then we went to South Africa, and afterward came here. I owe everything to Mr. Gould, and I can never forget or repay him. Have you seen our sketch? Mr. Gould wrote every bit of it, even the words and music of the songs, excepting that coster one. And he has written a coster song himself, something about 'Bob,' that I think is much better. "He's very clever, really. And he taught me everything I know, too. What do you think my ambition is? -Well, to be a real actress. I should like to play in farce comedy. Perhaps, I will some day. Do you think I could make good? I may go back to England soon. I like it over here very much though." Asked her opinion of the women in the different countries she had visited, Miss Suratt, without hesitation, replied 4 The Americans, by all means. Except- ing the French, maybe. They have so much chic and charm in France. And the French seem to do everything so much better. "Oh, my, I almost forgot. Here's a lovely 'notice' of me. Don't you want to take it with you. You might copy out of it. I like that part that says I'm good." STEINER GETS SOME MONEY. While playing Worcester, Mass., re- cently, the Agoust family were served with an attachment by Alexander >Stein- er for commission on bookings made by him for them and which they declined to. fill. The attachment was raised upon the payment of $630. Steiner made a contract with them to appear in the Empire Show for four years, commencing with the opening of the season l!'('3-4. Two weeks prior to tin- opening date tbey wired that they would not come. As' a European contract was used Steiner was entitled to payment for his services rendered and has taken the first opportunity offering to collect the debt. Louis Werba was offered the winning team in the recent six-day cycle race. 'Why?" was his astonished query. "We've got 'em coming anyway." The Grand Opera House in Syracuse, which i< booked on the Keith circuit, has lately played Sunday night con- certs. This is believed to be an ex- p'Tinn-nt. and if successful will be ex tended to all the Keith houses, finally na.'hing the Union Squue in this city.