Variety (Oct 1906)

10 VARIETY .'C\. Shows of the Week^^^l 1^^^^^^ By Sime THE MAJESTICS. The costuming in Fred Irwin's *'Ma* jestics," playing at the Murray Hill The* atre this week, looks new. Perhaps it is. With the exception of a few who did not appear last season with the show there is nothing not seen before. "Down the Line," "For Girls Only,** Larry McCale, Gus Fay, Gertie DeMilt and Jeannette Lansford are all there, with two "sister acts" in the olio. Even if Mr. McCale is giving the trav- esty on "The Derby Race'* still, he has "cleaned** up the burlesque. He is no longer informed by the school teacher where he may sleep or whom he may sleep with. The elimination might have oc- curred for the New York house only. As with the "Big Show'* Mr. Irwin has paid attention to the chorus' vocal train- ing, with good result. There is some singing among the girls and it doesn't come from the principals, excepting Flo Wallace, who really is a chorister. There are some good-looking girls in the crowd One red-haired young woman, either Maude Harvey or Evelyn Walker, has passed Gertie DeMilt for comeliness. Gertie now receives second money. Gert and Fanny Watson, though, can dance more quickly and better than Harvey and Walker, the other sister team, who sing more—or less. The last-named couple wear silver girdles, one in the form of a snake, carelessly twisted so it must be ob- served. It "dresses'* the act. Miss Wat- son goes through a great deal of manual labor in her dancing. She is no light- weight, a fact admitted by her while step- ping. Gus Fay and Wm. LutE make up the "Dutch** olio act, although "Fay and Far- ron** are still billed. Two parodies, new nnd old, with some rather poor talk and the "quart of beer" encore made a fair showing. Inea and Lorella with acro- batics and Marceline comedy are still talking. That was a fault when they first showed on the New York Roof. Another fault is that the comedian thinks over well of his eomedy. The audience likes the aerobatics. Sam Dessauer has been installed as manager of the Murray Hill and on Wed- nesday evening smoking for the first time under the new management was allowed. JOLLY GRASS WIDOWS. That an actress would appear in a ''spe- cialty'* upon Broadway with copied ma- ferial is not as surprising as the fact of a manager overlooking the original whom he had seen. When Carrie DeMar "did'* the "doir* on the New York Roof last sum- mer her professional friends remarked "great." Whatever credit Miss DeMar re- reived should be turned over to Ruth Everett, now with the "Jolly Grass Wid- ows." Miss Everett has been doing the same thing for five years, and what is more, she does it ever so much better than Miss DeMar, who copied her faithfully, even to facial expression and the "busi- ness" of the act. For ont-and-out theft Miss DeMar takes rank with the Zarrow Trio in the name show. TTils Is a bicycle act, stolen bodily, even to the minutest detail, from Campbell and Johnson. A new drop nnd entrance with a "straight" rider are the only differences. It Is as bold a piece of thievery as the Bedini steal from Karno. -.;■•• ■ The "Jolly Grasa Widows" is a slow moving body, illuminated only by the presence of Miss Everett. She is a mag- nificent appearing woman on the stage, and looks the Frenchy part she plays in the pieces to perfection. There are eleven or twelve girls in the chorus, without the semblance of a voice in the crowd. The volume of sound is so thin it seems to dissolve into the air before passing over the footlights. The only two lively persons in it, Rose Meyers and Marie Gruet, have been placed in a sextet. A number of changes are made. In the first three numbers the same tights are worn, while afterward a couple of com- plete changes occur. The comedians all come out of the olio. Perin Somers leavoi the question open as to what character he is made up for, but Mr. Somers finally works his way into the good graces of the audience. ' ■ • ■ ■ ■ • Al and Jack Gruet, who have an olio act of fair burlesque merit (not consider- ing the soiled costumes), take care of parts of the comedy and worry along. Arthur damage tries to pass with a Johnny Ray style of Irishman, but, of course, he is not Ray and at times he is not an Irishman. There is a dinner scene with some nasty dialogue in "The Frolicsome Widow,** the first part, that is dragged out too long. About the burlesque called "Are You a Lobster?" the program says "original.** Even the title is not that. A great deal of frayed comedy is given. The com- edians appear to enjoy it. Maida Dupree works hard all the time and sings in both the pieces and olio. Tillie Storke has a song, but a voice that does not equal the poorest one in the chorus. Moving pictures have an olio position, and Garden and Somers a1»o appear there with xylophones, pleasing the crowd. Per- in Somers and Arthur damage assist Miss Everett in her act. For a large woman her "doll" is remarkably well done. Fulton and Hogan are the proprietors of the "Widows." They have nothing to boast of. "The Widows" may be of the grass variety, but they are far from "jolly." HAIOIERSTEIN'S. There is a rattling good bill this week at Hammerstein's, winding up on Monday afternoon with moving pictures of the automobile race of the Saturday before. An English farce "Fishing" (New Acts) was the attraction for the "regulars," and it was also the first appearance at this house of Chris Richards, an English comedian. Mr. Richards is unique. Noth- ing like him, either American or foreign, has been seen over here before. Originally intended for a contortionist, Richards has psoapcd that fate, providing plenty of fun in everything he does, the least of which is not his juggling a hat. Richards' feet work like piston rods and he is as light as a feather upon them. On he hold the pace for a longer time than is required for vaudeville purposes, Mr. Rich- ards will be a rich "find" for anv Broad- way manager. Nora (without the "h") Bayes appeared in an elegant Parisian black gown, so ex- pensive that a ground cloth was laid for its protection, appearing to a disadvantage through the wearing of it. One must be in the mood for the Bayes young woman. On the East Side or at Terrace Garden she would be a "scream" always with her German and ''Yiddish" sayings. On Broadway it depends how many national- ities are in the audience. The black dress worn by a brunette of Miss Bayed' pro nounced type gave her a solemn and unpicturesque appearance which her ma- terial could not offset sufficiently to con- vince the audience she was funny. Mrs. Jimmy Barry also came out in a new dress which should have been black and wasn't. Mr. Barry has a new song, not overwhelmingly popular, with an im- personation of Geo. Cohan and an exten- sion of his pantomimic work. The last is well. Were it not that so many others are "doing" and have "done" Mr. Cohan, Barry's imitation of the boy comedian would have carried a question mark. , ■ Selma Braatz repeated her clever jug- gling without a ftlip, and Greene and Wer- ner gave "Babes of the Jungle." Eddie Mack opened the bill with novelty danc- ing, causing himself to be well thought of, and Ralph Johnstone gave the best exhi- bition of trick bicycle riding ever seen in this country. His work is so good that any successful "copy" will be entitled to as much credit almost as the original. There is small danger, however. Mr. John- stone ought to give some attention to his apparatus. It could stand touching up. The trained animals, including a bull, of Mile. De Sarema, held the close attention of the house. Mile. De Sarema is prettily costumed and has a young girl assistant similarly attired. The bull especially evi- dences the patient labor spent, and the entire act ijs of a high grade of perfection in animal training. Three revolving tables and an "unridahle" donkey supply the cornedV. PASTOR'S. For the first time in his vaudeville ca- reer Eddie Girard plays Pastor's this week. With Jessie Gardner, "Dooley and the Diamond." which carries both, is the hit of the show. The downtowners like Girard's Irishman and after you have seen the many grotesque and burlesque imitations that are given of the same character, in and out of vaudeville, you easily like Girard also. Holcombe, Curtis and company, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Hussey, Carroll and Doyle and Annette Duval are under New Acts. Selbini and Grovini on bicvcles w«»re in the bill, and Lavine and Leonard, with the auto, pig, milk bottle and idiotic encore, also appeared. The porker is growing. It is the only indication of progress in the act. The Sharplies with some kind of music and better comedy are playing in the "two-a-day" division, an advancement since the last Pastor appearance, and the DeMutbs have a sketch setting for whirl- wind dancing. Miss DeMuth is dressed becomingly, and it is reported around the theatre that she has six or seven changes. Mr. DeMuth wears evening clothes and altogether the act has a presentable ap- pearance. Were it played in pantomime that illusion would cling, but when the woman says "you done" it's all off. Herbert Bert Lennon has hit upon u happy scheme in his impersonations. ■ Fa- vorites of the vaudeville stage are given. Junie McOee, Jimmie Russell and Billy Van are the subjects. James A. Hernc in "Shore Acres" is taken also by Mr. Len- non for the latitude it allows in the rural character. Mr. Lennon blacks up on the stage for Van, and the impersonation is well enough excepting for the material used. The talk was never good, even when Van himself told it first long years ago. He loses Van's voice at times. The Mc- Oee could be improved both in makeup and slang. The time given to each should be cut down and one or more other celebri- ties added. • Griff Willjams and Vanola Melburn have n new sketch called "Corker's Call" around their musical act. It is a good step for- ward. John C. Creighton as a clown with two roosters looked funny in the openin;; show. He aims for comedv and doesn't miss even when standing still. KEENEY'S. An animal act to close and open the bill at Keeney's Theatre in Brooklyn this week gave a soggy finish to it. Several numbers new around New York were seen for the first time. Hubert Wilke. .luh's Fiovy and Family, with Don Carlos and his dogs are under New Acts. Donat Bedini with a solitary canine opened the show. Mr. Bedini is a better acrobat than animal trainer, although the peculiarly marked mongrel lie now uses ;ioe8 through the tricks well enough. A singing sketch continually changing is that ofGus Edwards' "Postal Telegraph Boys." It could not be in worse sha)>o than it is at present. All excepting (liarles Lewis as "Swifty" are new to the act. The singing is poor and the stage management execrable. A saddening youthful Hebrew comedian has been newlv • placed, and a "boy soprano" with an in- describable voice seeming to come from the roof of his head helps to miscrate ;renorally. The songs are the same as used before they had outlived their popn larity. The uniforms with a few c\- ception.s have been neither restored to their original color nor new ones purchased. Never in the first class, the act is stcadilv falling backward. Chas. Ouyer and Nellie O'Neill arc pleasing the Bedford section mightily with their knockabout dance and Guycr's pan ♦ ominie. After telling everything he knows .lor Flynn would continue without a stop did time permit. The trouble with Mr. Klynn is that he does not know when the audi- ence is satisfied. Did he drop the old ^*tuff he is using, send a parody or two to pasture, and then condense what remained lie would have a good monologue. Ilnlicn and Ilaye.s talk and dan»«> in "one." Some of the talk they now have may have been new in the West when in- trodu(*ed, but it traveled from the East to get there. The comedian's makeup is bet- ter than his comedy, while the "feeder" is away off his feed as a "straight" man. The dancing is better. So much so that with songs and dances only perhaps the talk could be dispensed with altogether.