Variety (Dec 1906)

10 VARIETY Shows of the Week BIG SHOW. From the uncertainty shown by several of the principals in the delivery of their lines it would seem that there are a num- ber of new people in Fred Irwin's "Big Show" at the Murray Hill this week, or that the text of the two pieces has been somewhat changed. Will H. Cohan and Lew Welch are with the company for the first time this season and their olio offer- ing is under New Acts. Good voices are needed among the women principals, although the most is made of the material at hand. Early in the first piece there is a first-rate chorus number with a well-written score. Hazel Kirk, who may have been taken from the chorus, led the song, a good adaptation of a semi-operatic selection with the har- mony skillfully arranged. Miss Kirk fig- ured as leader of several other numbers. A considerable quantity of the comedy business for the opener is supplied by a trio consisting of Cohan, Welch and John Fields. The two first-named are new to their work, but should with continued work develop plenty of laughable business. Cohan makes an acceptable Hebrew dia- lect comedian, following a burlesque method that is realty effective. The eighteen girls of the chorus are built for "the most part upon a generous scale, but display an excellent average of good looks and not a little vocal merit in backing up the principals in the singing numbers. They are lavishly dressed, the changes coming with unusual rapidity. Tights play a considerable part in the dressing scheme during both pieces and pretty much all the principals appear in them during the burlesque. Marie D'Oyle (an ingenious spelling scheme) leads an effective finale to the first part in a strong contralto voice that rather suggested it might be used for good "coon" singing purposes. Pearle Lussier also led a num- ber. John Fields opened the olio with a bunch of topical songs that caught laughs upstairs, followed by the Three Clark Sis- ters in first-rate acrobatic dancing and an instrumental trio for a close. "The Australian 'Rastlebinders'" have built up an attractive military drill. The eight girls are probably responsible for the weighty character of the chorus, but they went through their manoeuvres smoothly and without slips and performed a sword drill with more snap and grace than usual. The olio was pretty long on acrobatic women. The Eight Picchannis (added at- traction) closed with excellent tumbling and two-high work. One of the best in the lot is the girl who does most of the hand-to-hand feats. These were striking tricks and very cleanly done. The team work of the troupe is fast, full of snap and performed with a speed and dash that few rival. A "Buster Brown'' chorus led by Baby Scales scored through the agreeable ap- pearance and manners of the leader, who had a quantity of amusing business with one of the boxes and a number called "Lulu" did nicely, although the principals were rather weak vocally. The automo- bile chorus made an attractive picture and a medley used as the finale rounded out the musical program agreeably. FIFTH AVENUE. The decision to run an intermission at i lie Fifth Avenue from (> o'clock until 7 ;30 lias the effect of running the bill until after 11, but all the acts were held down to as short a time limit as possible and the show passed off smoothly and rapidly. Business is picking up, the Tuesday even- ing audience making a goodly body. Charles K. Evans and company were offered as headliners, backed up by a pro- gram of good average merit. The Evans farce went to a good percentage of laughs, even the opening scenes between the two wives ^Hsing evident amusement. The fast complications of the later scenes pleased also. William A. Inman and company, the "company" being James J. Connors, were effective in a quiet way. Inman's early talk in a semi-tough vein was bright enough, although the frequent exchange of huge rolls of green stage money rather sug- gested the familiar line of burlesque com- edy. Mr. Inman makes his "con" man fairly real, and Mr. Connors develops a lifelike and human characterization. The touch of sentiment at the end is over- played, but rounds out the entertaining sketch nicely. The "Globe of Death" made an excel- lent final number, the spectacular "loop- t he-loop" performance delivering a fine elec- tric thrill, as promised in the billing. The act is neatly dressed and worked up, even the small delays in starting the motorcycle being gauged to arouse a deeper interest. Charley Case kept a jump ahead of his audiences on many of his stories, but in the main his talk scored bull's-eyes. He is awny well at the opening, with a dirge- like burlesque upon the sentimental ballad, and all through keep* away from the dull average of blackface monologue talk. Julia Redmond and company's sketch go<s to the utmost limit in the creation of insane farce situations. Miss Redmond herself is funny in her makeup, but the sketch runs to impossible extremes of bur- lesque. There was a good deal of shifting in the early part of the bill. Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien were moved forward a place or two and pleased with parodies and talk. Professor DuBois and his "monk" made a good comedy number, but the Professor might take time to explain why he in- sists upon appealing in shirt sleeves when the monkey doe.s all the work. If he must decorate his person with white sleeves, how- ever, it would be well to wear cuffs instead el wrist bands. The Lucadol opened the bill with a fair ;•<! involving strong man work, weight lift- ing and balancing, and Lily Seville, who was moved to a more important position than that set down for her on the program, pleased with her Vesta Victoria songs. Wil- lie Zimmerman hns a new entrance through up-centre for each of his impersonations. The act remains unchanged in its essen- tials, although the Ilammerstein imperso- nation at the close has been cleverly worked up with a capital lot of talk. Bailey and Austin and Les Troubadours Ollivotti both did well in importnnt posi- tions, and Maceo and Fox got along fairly, chiefly through the dancing of the man. By Rush JOLLY GRASS WIDOWS. STERN & CO. CRYING. Robert Fulton and Gus W. Hogau wrote the opening piece, the program says, but it is not due particularly to their efforts that the offering is amusing. Ruth Ever- ett, George Guhl and Arthur Clamage di- vide the labors of the principal parts. Miss Everett has a stunning stage ap- pearance and dresses strikingly. Every- body liked her from her first entrance and she held her popularity throughout the show. Guhl in a German dialect part was funny for the greater part, particu- larly in a restaurant scene. This bit is built upon an old burlesque idea, but some of the talk was really good. Gam- age had the conventional Irish part and did well with it. Al Gruet played a "Rube" and at one time did a few steps that suggested he could dance. He didn't, though, until the olio. More of his danc- ing could be used with profit. Maida Dupree and Tillie Storke make up a first-rate pair of soubrettes, Miss Dupree being possessed of an agreeable singing voice well adapted to "coon" num- bers. There are fourteen girls in the chorus, six appearing in Amazonian line at the opening and remaining in tights pretty much throughout. There are frequent pretty costume changes the dressing being particularly lavish for the burlesque. The finale showed one of the prettiest cos- tumes of the piece, an adaptation of the "pick" dress with pantalettes and a blouse effect in white China silk. Miss Dupree opened the olio with a soubrette act. She held throughout to good "coon" numbers and her act passed smoothly. She might put a little dancing into her offering. Gruet arid Gruet, in addition to Al Gruet's capital dance, have a quantity of first-rate comedy talk and business in their blackface sketch "Sam's Substitute," not to speak of their playing on cornet and trombone. The act has plenty of va- riety and makes an entertaining item in the vaudeville section. Miss Everett's mechanical doll was a real novelty. There is an odd mechanical quality to her voice and a laughable fix- ity in her facial expression that carry out the illusion perfectly. George Ruhl and Arthur Clamage as Germans helped out with fairly funny talk and knock- about business that is by no means funny. The best thing they do here is to manipulate the doll. The Zarrows have worked up a quan- tity of new comedy business in their bicycle act, which now goes with even greater speed than before. There is little straight trick riding, but the act opens with a laugh, thanks to an excellent en- trance and the fun does not slacken for a minute. Garden and Somers, "the musical pair," close the olio with xylophone duets. The pair secures a good deal of volume out of the instruments and some strong concert effects. The patriotic medley was the best. The show is without offensive talk or business, the dialogue approaching the danger line only once or twice and then riot very closely. One of the features of the burlesque was the singing of an Italian number by Perrin Somers backed up by the chorus. In a theatrical paper this week is pub- lished an advertisement of Joa. W. Stern & Co., the music publishers, warning art- ists against accepting money for singing songs. The advertisement tells at some length the evils of receiving bonuses for singing songs and makes the foolish statement that some vaudeville managers have a list of singers who accept a cash consider- ation for "booming" a number, insinuat- ing that that is the reason an engagement is ofttimes looked for, without success. Had Jos. W. Stern & Co. no personal axe to grind in the matter, and had not the firm published the list of singers who are using selections published by it, the harrangue might have attracted attention. But among the list given by Stern as artists singing their songs are one or two of the most notorious "hold-up" singers in the vaudeville profession, and if they are not receiving money from Stern & Co. then other satisfactory arrangements probably have been made. Variety some time ago printed several articles on the evils of singing publishers' songs for money only, without regard to the merits of the numbers. That was so at the time and it still holds good. Va- riety had no direct interest in the matter, but Stern & Co. are apparently advertising to coerce or coax singers to accept their publications, placidly taking if for granted (in the advertisement) that Stern & Co. oublish "hits." That will be information to any number of artists besides the public. If a singer uses a popular number it is a matter of indifference whether payment has been made in cash, presents or through promise of free advertising. The latter scheme has been evolved by Stern as a substitute for money. That may be accounted for by some newspapers allow- ing discounts. Stern & Co. in the advertisement claim that there are three publishing firms in the city who are well known for paying money to singers. Every one acquainted with the business will be able to locate the three, and each one this season has had "hits" of no small proportion*. Stern & Co. have been unfortunate in the matter of songs which became popular since Cole and Johnson, the colored au- thors, stopped turning catchy numbers into the firm. THE FAYS THREATEN SUIT. John T. Fay, of The Fays, threatens to sue B. F. Keith for $1,000 damages for each week "The Phays," the exposure act, has been playing over the Keith time. Mr. F\iy claims that the billing of "The Phays" is worded to mislead the public into believing that the originals are to appear, damaging their standing and repu- tation to that amount each time it hap- pens. Mr. Fay has not computed the total sum he will sue for. A decision by the Appellate Division on the appeal from the dismissal of the application for an in- junction restraining "The Phays" from using the originals' names is awaited be- fore the amount will be set. Next week it is thought the higher court will hand down an opinion.