Variety (July 1906)

VARIETY NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK ^ ^ Initial Presentat'on or First Appearance in New York City. \ NEW AGT« or THE WEEK J Fred Watson and Morrisey Sisters, Klein and Clifton, Keith's. The Healys, rasloi's. Mile. Sousa and Harry Sloan, rastur'ci. Tommy Tompkins, raptor's. Bergere Sisters, lleiulerson's. Florence Lester, llcndorsoirs. . The Bradfords, lleiulerson's. Lillie Thurgate and Company. Pantomime Sketch. Twenty-third Street. "A drama without words," as the pro- gram has it, is perhaps the best descript- ive line for the skillfuly constructed pan- tomime playlet which is presented for the first time in New York. "The Burglar and the Dancer" is the title. It was ar- ranged and staged by E. Y. Backus. Mile. Orise (Miss Thurgate) of the Opera Bouffe returns to her apartments after the theatre with an admirer. A burglar is concealed in the curtains. He remains in hiding durinj.^ a comedy scene, ending in a dance. There is a quarrel and the danc- er's admirer departs. The dancer tries on a new dress and sees the reflection of the burglar in the mirror. There is a struggle and the dancer is rescued by the admirer. ITiis story is brought out with nuirvel- lous detail without a spoken word. Light and shade effects are secured and in the dramatic scene Miss Thurgate makes the actress' horror at her discovery startling- ly graphic. Ilie same playU't is being done by Camille D'AIbert, formerly of the Irving Place Theatre. The whole offer- ing in construction, dressing and acting displays an artisMc smoothness and com- pleteness that suggests French origin. Miss Thurgate and her offering arc destincil to high place. Rush, "Dronza.'* Illusion. Hammerstein's. Aft<'r caiising cDnsitlcraidf talk in Ix»ii- don through announcing; in advance the winner of the English IX'rby race, *'l)ronza," aiu>ther of the mechanical talk- ing ligures. is appearing at llauinicrstein's for the first time. It is a head only, which is set ujton a wooden box, an open space .showing; iM'lwccn the nock of the head and the top of the case, which re- senibles a refrigerator. Tin' front of the box is o|ien and nu'clianism in the interior seems to till it com|»letely, 'Hie head an- sw«'rs 4pi(>stions asked by tlu' announcer or the andienee. The art is well worked and i.s very niyslif.vjjij; to the audioiMe. no convincing solution of how it is operated having pn'sented itself. On the roof mncli of the effect is lost. The act is sai«l to have been invented by Stuart Cecil, an English engineer. mime, Sylvester, Jones, Pringle and Morrell. Singing. New York Roof. Sylvester, .lones and Prin-'le finineilv comprised a trio of dingers who weie warm favorites in the West. Sine*' com ing East they have sung in public very little, owing to the shortsightedness of \audeville managers in general and those in New York in pjuticular who desire an outsitU' guarantee prior to l>ooking. With the a»l(lition of Morrell to the trio it gives vaudeville the U-st singing quartet it ever had. TIh' absence of conu'dy is not missed iind there is no comedian, but there is singing, ami latlling good singing. So gooil that a roof garden aiulieme no- t<uiously averse to "singing acts" refused to allow the l)oys to leave even after all the music had been played. The voices are all excellent and blend beautifully, if a vaudeville manager wishes to give his au- dience the best there is in male quartets he will offer this one. ISimc. Four Brothers Melvins. Acrobatics. New York Roof. After a season with (hrin Bros.' circus in Mexico the four Melvins, comiK>sed of a |M)rtion of the former Melrose troupe and a Bard, are on the New York Roof this week as their first New York ap- pearance. Tlie acrobatics compare with any shown, but lack a certain finish of execution. An improvement might be made by wearing tights. The present costumes, while neat looking, are not suited to this style of work. Two dis- tinctly new tricks are shown, and one, the "double leap," is extreinely pretty and diflicult. This should have Ix'en used for the encore. As an acrobatic act it ranks with the best. Si inc. Morris and Morris. Acrobatic Traveaty. Twenty-third Street. This t«'am come to this side from Eng- land, where they apparently made a close study of Collins and Mart. Their act shows the same general structure, iK'gin- ning with eccentric come«ly stunts and ending with the burlesque handstand work and the wire. The pair has not the sna|» (►f the originals, and before their ollering will be accepte<l over here they will have to work more smoothly and rapidly. IVsides the Collins and Hart contribution the pair have a numlM'r of gcMMl tricks (»f their own. In the early part they employe«l a score or more first- rate comedv features. I{U8h. Edwin Baker and Company. "The Billposter." Pastor's. No one is given credit for the idea (»f "Tlu' Uillposter,'' presented this week at Pastor's for the first tirne by E<lwin Haker, (Jus Inglis and Charles Boss. An actor reduce«l in circumstances and j)ride accepts for the moment a positi(m as bill- poster without the formality of joining the "union." Starting upon the duties as- signed he a<'(piires a "jag*' and lurches into view (►f the audience with a huhler, bucket <»f pjistc. brush and a dark-colore<l bottle. There is a billboard set upon the stage and a street sweeper (Mr. Inglis) working at his vocation before it. Some dialogue, pantomime and confusion follow. A "walk ing delegate"' (Mr. Boss) arri\t's and <le- uiaiulb that the billp(»bter prwlucc his ''union card." 'litis brings the finale in a fracas between the three. The itlea is excelh-nt and can 'Ik' w«)rked into a laugh- jible sketch. Mr. Baker at the present time as the billposter is overplaying. Dul h«! tone down his ]>erfornnince, shorten- ing his single scenes, the act could Ik; more qui'kly improved. He is repeat!j:g in the pant<Hnime, allowing himself to be alone before the audience too long. Mr. In- glis gave a good type of the usual "white wing" and Mr. Boss only appeared for a moment. The sketch is there; its suc- cess depends upon the playing. 8imc, Countess Olga Rossi. Concert Singer. Metrooplis Roof. The Countess is said to be the wife of a sure-enough Bussian noblennin, who is violently opposed to her appearing upon the stage. This is the story that was given out when she first appeared in New- York Uist fall. During the winter the Countess has sung at several concerts, but this is her first look-in on vaudeville. She has chosen three concert numbers of an ambitious sort, which would hardly be expe<*ted to find intelligent appreciation outsiile of Carnegie Hall. She would do better with music of a lower order from the light operas. She has a brilliant voice of evident training and experience, but her great a|)peal is through her dark beauty. She is gorgeously costumed. Hush. Fred Wyckoff and Company. "Plain Folks." Pastor's. A rural sketch is 'Plain Folks." A "try-out" was given it some time ago at the ]K)ric Theatre in Yonkers. Fred Wyckoff gives an exivllent im|)ersomition of an elderly "rulM»" and Frank M. (iib- lM»ns plays opposite to him in a slightly exaggerated similar character. Helen (liristy has the min«»r part with no op- portunities. A song for an encore is lik»»d and the offering is somewhat amusing throughout. . Simc. Rawls and Von Kaufman. Comedy Sketch. Pastor's. Will Bawls and Ella \'on Kaufman, the principals of the c<»medy sketch en- tilled "Mush," sre fr<nn the West, ap pearing at Pastor's for the first tinie this week. Mr. Bawls plays in blackface an<l seldom has a bett<»r ilelincator of the negro cojne into New York. His dry humor while discussing work and food brings the laughs in plenty, and were the act to Ik" stretched out into a straight talking one it would rapidly develop, ]>e- coming prc^bably another vaudeville classic of tlM» Mclntvre-Hcath tvpe. The name ".Mush" needs to l>e changc«l. It might }»e called "The Willing \\orker," but any title is preferable to tlie i»resent one. Miss Von Kaufman is a go«Hl "feeder" and sings a s.)lo which received applause, but furnished a jMJor fmish. The act shouhl Jh' givoM n chanie in Ibc first-class houses. Simc. The Mozarts. ■■ "A Cobbler's Dream." Pastor's. •:. The Mo/.arts, who nuule a s|H'cial trip frinn tlie West for this engagement, are essaying a comedy offering in which Fred . Mozart plays a "Dutch" character, Evji Mo/.art dances, and iKith prame arinind the stage in long tin* sIum's. Mr. Moziirt . has a sweet singing voice, rendering a "yodel" nunilK>r in the oiN>ning which • pleased extremely well. The novelty of Miss MoMtrl'o dancing is not sufficiently well based to Ik' the cause of the "«lreani," and something more substantial should b(< interpolated at this point to carry out the title. The long-toe dancing is well done. Miss Mozart ap|H'ars to better ml- vantage in this part. There is enough merit to the sketch to warrant an early position on a high-grade bill. Sintc. Jeanre and Ellsworth. Songs and Music. Pastor's. The music raises itself above the sing- ing in the act, although Clara Ellsworth secures encores with "Annie Jjnurie." The (q>ening song should be changeil, as it is not suited to either of the singers. Banjos are played in a manner not worthy t)f praise, but there is a real novelty at the finish in a setting admitting of a very pretty effect. Flags are the diM-oration and the instruments include hand bell, a cornet and chimes, beside a steel pla'te ^.arrangement giving a metallic sound. Miss Ellsworth looks well on the stage, but Mr. Jeanre hurts his appearance through the style in which he is wearing his hair. A visit to a fasionable barber would help a wlnde lot. Simc. Zingari Troupe. Singing. Henderson's. In a gyi»sy setting and makeup the Xingari Troupe, composed of three men and liv(> women, give an Kuro|»ean atmos- phere to their jict. which is a gooti one and may be nnide still better. The tallest man has an (>xcellent baritom> voice and there is another with a full round tenor. One voung woman formerlv of the Zin- gari Trio plays the violin at the least |>rovocation, and a soprano sings "The l*jist Bose <»f Summer." The audience at Henderson's liked it. Two dancini; yirls are ke|>t much in the background, and the eighth member is noticeable for his* humorous facial get-up. ,\n early nuiTi- Iter on the bill, tlw act uas cordially r<' ceived anil was worthy of a much iM-tter position. Simc. American Trio. Songs and Dances. Henderson's. Seeming to "open"' the show at Hender- .son's this week, the .AuM'rican Trio, a new act and fornuition. c<»uld suc»'essfully h(dd that position in any company, and was poorly phucd on the Henderson bill. The trio is nnnle iqi of (JIadys Fiseln'r and Higgiiis and Bergnuin. The men dres> neatly and dance well in hard shoes, with out using judgment in sound or taps. They should s«irten the noise. Mis,s l''is<her adds gr«'atly to (he a«*t. She looks well, but may improve in her *«#iK' %7.