Variety (December 1907)

36 VARIETY ENGLISH ARTISTS AND AMERICAN AUDIENCES By EDWIN ADELER. Tendon, Nov. 30. When the London representative of Variety invited me to write a column or so for your sprightly journal, I undertook the job with considerable misgiving. 1 have read the books of George Ade and I have also revelled in your out- spoken criticisms, and I am well aware that on the other side you have many words and phrases that are not included in our vocabulary. I know what a "stunt" is, and what "selling the goods" means, but, for instance, what on earth is a "lemon?" Further, I have never yet had the opportunity of crossing the pond- though I live in hopes—so that if I com- mit "any dreaafuf 'solecisms*' 1 hope you will put it down to my British insularity and not to any lack of good will or good feeling. Some eight or ten years ago English variety artists were viewing with alarm the invasion of these shores by troops of clever Americans. The invasion, however, did much more good than harm; the Britisher was gettting into a sleepy groove —his smarter cousin woke him up—with the result that now British variety talent is better than ever it was, and further that we have been able to retaliate by sending you some of the pick of our own people. That they have been welcomed with open arms is a matter of professional history. You are credited over there with a dis- like of our typical red-nosed comedian; I am inclined to agree with you. Their humor in many cases is not of the highest brand, and like a once-fermented Con- tinental wine—Won't stand exportation. Similarly, we are over here getting just a little bit tired of your eternal "tramp," he of the multiplicity of shirt fronts and inevitable clothes-whisk. Please do not misunderstand me, it is not the clever artist inside the clothes we object to, but we would like to see him appearing in some less monotonous guise. I remember as a boy roaring over the caricatures hy^gtim" in the New York comic papers. ^Well, the tramp of the stage has realized "Zim's" pictures ad nauseam, and you surely have plenty of other types to introduce to us—but this by the way. There are several English comedians who certainly put plenty of carmine on their noses, and yet should be very suc- cessful in America. Wilkie Bard and George Robey are two, for instance. Both have brains and ability, and a keen sense of a humor that should be international. Robey is popularly supposed to have done a week in New York and beat a hasty re- treat. If that be so, I think he must have either had stage fright or was not long enough with you to get acclimatized as it were. Phil Ray is to my mind \ CARSON AND WILLABD. The above Is h picture of Geo. M.—CARSON AND WII.l.ARD—Jnke, the Oerman comedy team, late Mars of the Shea Amusement Company"* musical production, "A Trip ti> Kgjrpt," arid well known to vaudeville patrons of all the larger cities. Tliey are now In their tenth season of success, having first Joined bands as a team in 1897. The present season they are booked solid on the Keith Proctor and Orpheuin Circuits, and meeting with tremendous success. Next season they will be MOB In a new musical comedy under the direction of J. H. ARTHUR. ELIZABETH M. MURRAY. Miss Murray sings coon songs. A lot of others do that, but Miss Murray •"has a way with her" tliat Ik altogether irresistible. Her attractiveness of person, sweetness of voice and cleverness in singing the darkey melodies has sent her stock a booming. Miss Murray belongs to the "new school" of coon singers, which replaces quiet humor and faithful dialect for noise. eminently adapted to American audiences, his wit is of the crispest variety, he puts into a nutshell an many gags as most comedians spread over an act. His ab- breviations seem to fit in with the quick American method of living. He is really an excellent elocutionist with a fine voice, but must never be taken seriously. Malcolm Scott is another artist you w would like, his patter is too high class— too cultured for manv audiences—but the w alert American brain should surely see through his subtleties. He is a highly educated man and never plays to the gal- lery. Harry Lauder came, saw and conquered; we had no misgivings about him—he is a genius. ECONOMY. /*// Oeo, W. Dai/. The season's short, and so am I. So to save a dollar or two I'll try. And when I take an all-night ride, My Pullman berth is a thing denied. I'll stop at the lowest-priced hotel, To luxuries I'll bid farewell. The journey is finished by and bye, Then I dig the cinders from my eye, And my spinal column gives a crack As I try to straighten out my back. I smell like a herring newly smoked, But I envy my neighbor who is "soaked."' 1 stop at that "dollar-a-day" hotel, Where the melee starts with the dinner bell, My room's on an alley, filled with noise From scullery maid/* and swearing boys, The place is a hum with busy flies That swim in the soup and sleep in the pie.s. There's a crashing of crockery night and day, Still I make up my mind to be ''game" and "stay," For I figure out how much money I'll save On my seven-day journey to the grave. The season ends, and I ha ml my bills To a doctor, who cannot cure my ills. EDNA DAVENPORT. Who for the past two seasons at tlie Bijou Thea- tre, riilladelphla, has produced nil musical num- hcrs. also all numbers for Mr. Kdmund Hayes' show for the last two season*, and for T. W. IHnklns' 'Yankee Poodle tilrls" Company. Miss Davenport is now with the latter com piiny. playing the principal souhrette role, and her act Is one of the big hits of the olio. Miss Davenport Is considered one of the neat est and best of wooden shoe dancers.