Variety (July 1906)

VARIETY Shows of the Week By Sime HENDERSON'S. Whoever placed the bill at Henderson's this week deserves a spanking. It nearly spoils the show, and if one walks in the theatre at the wrong time he will con- clude it is quite the worst thing of the season and leave. The Red Raven Cadets, renamed "The Red Hussars'" for thin eiigagement, head the bill, although the Valdare troupe of bicycle riders are the feature. On the Henderson stage the girls work finely, and the littlest one is developing into a star rider, while the act altogether shows vast improvement and will soon reach the top of its class. The Red Raven Cadets are now a well- trained body of young women. They march in good alignment, but have yet to do the quick-step in soldierly style. The military calisthenics are a pretty piece of work as done at present, and the act has helped itself wonderfully since first produced. Lynn and Faye, now a "sister act" through the loss of Miss Caprice, a former associate, are liked by the audience. A good singing and dancing finish is giv^n which with the comeliness of the girls carries them through nicely. The Holdsworths made a ten-strike with a song at the end. The woman should modulate her singing voice. It is not suf- ficiently melodious to sustain the strain she places upon it. The Five Gregorys in hoop rolling have the beginning of a novelty act in that line. At present tlie boys are handicapped by sore hands, causing misses, but thi^ could be corrected if the hoops were rounded off and .sandpapered. They should also be prettily colored and a harmonious setting carried. The house can not be de- pended upon. This week it is a "wood- land." There is great opportunity here for a big and valuable act. All simple work should be discarded and only intricate throwings in formations sought. The ef- fect is ever so much better. The Four Stewart Sisters should either .give the acrobatic dance to open or close with. To close would be provocative of more applause than they are receiving this week at the finale. The girls dress well and look good, but lack proper direc- tion. So much of the Rice and Prevost work is given by Bell and Henry that their tumbling act cannot stand criticism by itself and McKissiek and Giadney, col- ored, need a new opening song badly. John R. Harty may claim notice for doing a juggling trick which Salerno also does, only Mr. Harty uses a lamp, but it is not new with either, and Blanche Sharp, instead of imitating "stage celebri- ties," sing.s an unfortunate selection of songs, while Burns and Finn in burlesque boxing and bag punching manage to pass because they are playing at Coney Island. The boxing is so palpably "faked" that it draws nothing. One man seems to have an idea of comedy which may be bright- ened up. The Wangdoodle Four, coIoiimI, nie in possession of two too many comediaiM and a baton handler who looks new and lacks smoothness. The large follow is funny and the act goes well. Othfr numbers on the bill are reviewed under New Acts. V _, BRIGHTON BEACH. The only novelty at the Brighton Beach Music Hall this week is the idea of com- mencing the afternoon show at three o'clock. ■■'■: '.■■;'■[ ■.. ■■'■': '',; '. _- ' ..- ■ At that time, after most of the audience who have been in their seats since two are weary of waiting, an orchestra com- posed of fl pianist and violinist appears. Without an overture the bill gets under way about ten minutes later. At least that is what happened on the Fourth. There are seven acts besides the pictures down at the seaside theatre, and the clo.sest approach to the novelty of tlie management is the playlet of Robert Hill- iard's by Campbell MacCulloch. Mr. Mac- Culloch is a first-grade mechanic at play construction. Not alone in "As a Man Sows" (the Hilliard piece) is this evident, but it has happened before. It is purely the putting together of the story that carries it to success. The story of a woman with a past with the adage that '"the wages of sin are death" as the finale holds the audience for the denouement. Mr. Hilliard has the "he-ro" role to throw a sop for the suggestiveness of the plot, and he is out of his element in it. It is altogether too mushy a character for an actor of the Hilliard stamina. He is surrounded by a capable cast, particularly Mary Sunner as the little daughter, and Marie Rawson as his wife, although Miss Rawson subdues her fury at a moment when it should blaze forth. Earl Ryder is held down by his part, and R. V. Percy plays a butler with a funny walk. The audience liked the play greatly, even against the handicap of several outside at- tractions and noises. Kennedy and Rooney are the second ap- plause getters in a different sort of offer- ing called "The Happy Medium." It is not new or nearly so, but Mr. Kennedy is a real comedian and no points are allowed to escape. His personality is so distinct that there remains no doubt he would achieve a success in a legitimate comedy production were he given the opportunity. Miss Rooney is the possessor of a voice difficult to handle in an open-air theatre, but renders valuable assistance in the playing. Much of the matter used is changed frequently. So much so that the whole has an impromptu sound. The Three Weston Sisters with their musical act pass through fairly well, al- though the darker girl will persist in pre- senting an automaton expression, and Taylor Holmes in imitations has made no change. He is in a class with Mazuz and Mazet, who probably will never attempt to vary their comedy acrobatic turn. Mayme Remington and her "picks" did well, and Hawthorne and Burt in their sidewalk conversation, with one as a He- brew impersonator, drew some laughs. A team in a position to insert anything that looks good should at least have one new line now and then, but Hawthorne and r.urt have not, neither now nor then. 'J'he bill played well to the casual vaiidoville goer, but ran long to the regu- lar. The one for next week reads l)etter on paper. ■.:;:• • v..-^S: PASTOR'S. If there is one time more than another when the actor might with justice claim immunity from criticism it is the summer. With the thermometer hovering around the OO's there can not be great induce- ment for the artist on the stage in the glare of the footlights to extraordinary exe-tion when the auditor remaining per- fectly quiet is freely perspiring. Tlie humid atmosphere seemed to leave no mark, though, on the numbers at Pas- tor's this week. Kelly and Kent, who are the headliners in their mixed act, are large favorites down here, and Miss Kent has established somewhat of a reputation in vaudeville with her impersonation of a "tough girl." She is a little mite and looks the character to perfection while playing it with skill. Mr. Kelly has an amount of extern, humor which brings its reward. There are any number of bright lines, besides some good dancing and sing- ing by the male member. The dancing "rough-house" finish by both never fails to bring at least two curtain calls. When Lillian Shaw, the dialect comedi- enne, is singing a "Dutch" song, she might be termed the "female Sam Bernard." As an Italian and Hebrew Miss Shaw is also acceptable. She gives an imitation of Katie Barry singing. While she loses at times the Barry voice, she equals the orig- inal in the song itself and it is accom- plished without the aid of the usual "plant" in a box Miss Barry carried. Miss Shaw's danger seems to be self-con- sciousness. A good act have Demonio and Belle. It is singing, contortions and comedy. Mr. Demonio as the comedian and contortionist works well in both. His comedy at the opening and closing gives promise were he to pay more attention to it. Miss Belle sang two new and good songs. She is possessed of personality, but might se- cure a costume that did not leave the im- pression she wears no corsets. The act as it now stands would go well in the better houses, and Demonio should work it into one of worth easily. Ali, Hunter and Ali are giving too much attention to comedy. The tumbling should be given more play. The boxing docs not amuse every one, and the seltzer bottle with a fly-paper annex is not in the mod- ern school of humor. Smith and Regan are offering a side- walk conversation without enough serious thought having been given to deserve more than passing notice even though two new parodies are sung, and Reilly and Morgan have a "travesty drama" to close for some laughter. Miss Morgan displays judgment iii singing low, and Mr. Reilly might turn his voice into the "coon shouting" variety with advantage. Not to mention Mike Scott, "Ireland's Dancer and Comedian," would be to over- look one of the funniest numbers on the bill, although this unique person appeared second, and Koene, a juggler, also ap- poa rod. ^lay Howard of burlesque fame has purchased a house in Cliicago and will pormanontly reside there when not play- ing- AFTER EDDIE CLARK. "^ All offer it is' understood was made to Eddie Clark this week by Al H. Woo<ls to star Mr. Clark in an elaboration of his present vaudeville offering "The Piker," calling the enlarged edition by the same title. SOL FIELDS WEDS. Sol. Fields, a brother of I^w Fields and the youngest member of the Fields family, and Julia Winston were marriod on July 4 at the home of the Fields, 1K«) East 15Cth street. All the Fields graiid- ohildren, numbering fourteen, acted a.s bridesmaids and pages. A silver sorvic*? of thirty-two pieces was the gift of Low Fields to the couple, who left tho <'ity Thursday to spend their honeymoon at Arverne. BRINGS WESTERN ACTS EAST. J. Theodore Murphy is back as general manager for Freeman Bernstein and Al Onken, representatives for the Sullivan- Considine circuit. He has been travelling for the circuit for four months in the West. As a result of examinations a number of acts which have never iu't'ii seen in the metropolis will come Kast. They may be given time in some of tiio houses on the William Morris Miring. MANHATTAN BEACH ATTRACTIONS. The Primrose show has had its »'n- gagement at Manhattan Jteaeh extended through the fortnight ending Juiy 14. Then comes the Fred Walton show with "Cissie's Dream" in the headline posi- tion. E. E. Rice, who is running the Casino, plans a big revival of "The (Jirl from Paris," with Georgia Caine and many of the original cast. WOULD LIKE TO BE LOCATED. Is Dave Kraus a member of the F^ist- ern Burlesque Wheel? lliere seems to Ik; a difference of opinion on that point. Dave says he is, the Eastern ^^^leel men won't say he isn't, but just shake their heads and smile. With the elder Kraus in the Empire Circuit, however, even Dave is willing to admit that he is in rather an odd position. CRONIN COMING BACK. Morris Cronin and his company of club swingers have boon booked for all of next .season over the Koith and kindred cir- cuits, opening in Bo.ston in October. Cro- nin has not been soon in America for the past ten years. NEW HOUSE FOR LINTON. Linton, Ind., July (5. The Linton Opora House Company, with a capital of .$2.-'),00(), has been incor- l)oratod. A now thoatro will be built by til? company, booking vaudoville and trav- eling combinations. BURLESQUE COMPANY CHANGES TITLE. "Doc" Campbell's burlesque show on the Western \Mieel of Burlesque this year will be known as "rampboll's Nightin- gales" instead of "Daiiily Paris," under wh'u'h litle it traveled last .season. The Bison City Comedy Four i.s pjny- ing Pleasure Bay I his week with a now act. '■ ■ ' '"■" Johnny Wel)er and his wife are taking a vacation this month at I>ong Pond, Mass. ■