Variety (December 1907)

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14 VARIETY BLUE RIBBON GIRLS. Hyde's "Blue Ribbon Girls" is a spe- cialty show rather than a burlesque pro- duction. Nine acts are introduced from time to time during the progress of the action of the two act piece, "Broken Brokers," which name has no very apt application to the plot, and the pieces do not figure as importantly in their rela- tion to the whole entertainment as is the custom. It is very evident that the book has undergone many radical changes since its original production. There is now no more of the plot in evidence than is absolutely necessary to tell the bare thread of the story. The rest of the show is padded out to the required running time by "numbers," comedy "bite" and specialties, particularly specialties. Richy W. Craig is the principal, as he is the sole comedian of the company. He makes the German part funny in his familiar way, but does a good deal too much of the tangled talk matter and to- ward the end becomes extremely tiresome. Barney Williams plays opposite Craig in a second German role, but he gets very little out of it beside feeding the other. Tommy Odell is unconvincing as an Irishman and Harry Niemeyer, who doubled up with the latter for an olio number, was scarcely noticeable in the pieces. That was the roster of male principals, this department being weak both as to quality and quantity. The show is better provided in the matter of women, although the selection could be much improved even here. May Crawford and Dorothy Blodgett make up a sprightly "si9ter" team. Their singing is agreeable and they could dance more than a little if they but tried. They are used merely to lead numbers or to dance and sing alone, having no parts in the pieces worth mentioning. The Weston Sisters do well enough in their specialty. There is endless humor of the rougher sort in the clowning and talk, not to speak of the burlesque box- ing bout, but they are not constructed along soubrette lines, although one was cast for that part. The other played a semi-straight role, which suited her. A yodling song, part of their act in the olio, was one of the best liked things of the evening. Vi. Holmes contributed a solo dance which did nicely enough, but thereafter retired to the chorus and was no more heard of, except as leader of a song and dance or two. Lawrence Crane and Company, illusions, did extremely well rather late in the proceedings. Crane has provided extra- ordinarily rich stage settings for his act. There are three imposing illusions, the stage for ea«h being set behind a drop in "two," while Crane keeps his audience amused with simple tricks and patter, working in "one." He has rea,dy wit and bis talk is amusing enough to keep the number alive throughout. His trunk escape is a perfect illusion, notwithstand- ing its simplicity, although he takes rather too much time in the preliminary announcement. The Four Casting Dunbars are not seen hereabouts as much as they might be. They have a very pretty aerial number with a good applause-getting finish in a double. Craig gave his old phonograph act. • Rush. HAMMERSTEIN'S. A straight variety bill was the holiday week attraction at the Victoria, with Eva Tanguay as the headline attraction. With- out any extraordinary feature to com- mand special attention it ran off smoothly and with an exceedingly good average of light entertainment. Scott and Whaley, colored singers and dancers, opened the show and did unusu- ally well in that position. The comedian has an effective method of dealing his fun- nimcnts and the pair keep their comedy well to the fore. The dancing of both men is clever, particularly the loose eccen- tric steps of the comedian, and the "straight" man is content to do the feed- ing without making any effort at pose or polite pretense. Jimmy Lucas replaced the Murray Sis- ters, the latter being compelled to close owing to illness. Lucas's imitations were well received at the Christmas matinee. He has a snappy gingery way about him that wins the good feeling of the audience, although at his entrance his bearing rather threatens a George M. Cohan impersona- tion and his manner throughout is a bit suggestive of that comedian. Gracie Emmett and Company come around again for their 'steenth return en- gagement. "Mrs. Murphy's Second Hus- band" has lost none of its laughing value by repetition. It is a really enjoyable sketch, thanks to Miss Emmett's admir- able character drawing of the Irish woman without the common grotesqueries. Imagine James J. Morton doing imper- sonations. He did, though, three of 'em. They were even funnier than his ridiculous patter. The last one was the best. He announced "Harry Lauder, the eminent Scotch comedian," and then proceeded with a burlesque bit of dialogue running "If you doan vant her, I vant her!" etc., and the rest of the appropriate ravings. Will Rogers followed. Rogers attains classification as a comedy talking act, with a good deal more certainty than a host of others who bill themselves that way. His incidental remarks are fresh and breezy as can be and the act runs along entertainingly. Rogers affects not to take himself seriously, and therein lies the novelty of his attitude. The Meredith Sisters hold to their famil- iar singing repertoire with the same scene and costume changes, and Felix and Barry scored one of the laughing hits of the show with "The Boy Next Door." Miss Tanguay continues "not to care" with her old enthusiastic energy. Also nothing worries Miss Tanguay—not even public calumny, an incident of which she makes mention in neat lyric rhyme. In- deed there seems no good reason why she should worry as long as vaudeville audi- ences give her such welcomes as that at the Victoria Wednesday afternoon. The Ellis-Nowlin Troupe stole a little of the "cyclonic comedienne's" thunder by having one of the knockabout comedians murmur querilously after taking one of his hardest falls "I don't care." The Ellis-Nowlins closed the show with their whirlwind knockabout acrobatics satis- factorily, and the audience stayed through the Burns-Moir fight pictures, now in their second week at this house. Rush. Fleta Jan Brown, in private life Mrs. Herbert Spencer, has joined tire Witmark staff of song writers. COLONIAL. The first half of the Colonial bill this week seems almost too good to be true after the dearth of good vaudeville floating around New York City lately. Could Dave Robinson, the Colonial manager, had trans- posed the two sections of his program this week the audience would have remained seated, awaiting the next show. Three new numbers, all under New Acts, commencing with Eugene Jepson and Company in a Geo. Ade sketch (No. 3), followed by Laddie Cliff, and conclud- ing with Horace Goldin, who closed be- fore the intermission, were successful. Just before the three appeared Annie and Effie Conley, practically a new "sis- ter" act. The girls, a pretty couple, are billed to sing "story songs." It's good billing, but the Conley girls don't live up to it. The opening number, "Miss Hor- tense," may be a "story song," but the taller of the two sisters should remember that a story to be understood must be distinctly told, and she might drop the operatic attempt for an understandable reading. Also, there is no rule of stage etiquette requiting a good looking girl to wear a "beautiful mark," nor is "Much Obliged to You," strictly speaking, a "story song." The shorter of the two works very nicely after Mabel Hite in a song called "Old Man Moon," similar also to Miss Kite's "Goblin Man," and this younger girl is altogether so pleasing she seems piettier than her sister before the act is half over. Three different costumes are worn, the third by stripping off the green covering for an Irish song, leaving sim- ple, handsome white dresses underneath, while the opening in yellow costumes with hats of same color is a departure for this kind of act. Annie and Effie Conley can have a number to be placed with any "sister" team at the top of the list if they will just exercise some good judgment in the selection of their songs. The opening card was Ollie Young and Three Brothers in hoop rolling, too strong an act for the position. The boys are passing the hoops more swiftly than ever, and stand alone in this division. The music in use is lively, and there is boom- erang throwing besides. More time could be given to the boomerangs. It is interest- ing, and the audience would gladly receive it. The dressing scheme of the Youngs is striking and effective, red riding or golf suits apparently, worn without coats. It might dress the act even more prettily were long riding boots worn, with red swallow tail coats and high silk hats. It would certainly dress up the stage won- derfully. Opening the second half, Rice and Pre- vost scored as hard; the applause held up the act to follow. Jimmy Rice has more new pantomimic business, and is becoming a pantomimist of a fine calibre, giving every expression to his white-coated coun- tenance. Prevost remains the mast grace- ful ground acrobat on the stage, and the act is as valuable to-day as ever. For a return date "The Six English Rockers" found favor. Nellie Florede, who hads, was in better voice than last week at Hammerstein's, but does not do much with "I'm a Regular College Chap" while in boy's dress. Perhaps a different song and dress would help this part, and also perhaps if the girls would disappear through the hanging costumes in the "Modiste's Emporium," it would give a KEENEY'S. "The night before Christmas," and all that goes with it may be all right for some people, but it is certainly a doleful evening for the manager. If the business was bad in the New York houses it is easy to imagine what it would be in Brooklyn, "the city of homes." Keeney's boasted just ten people on the lower floor at eight»thirty, counting the girl who is head clerk of the candy counter. At nine o'clock two men came in and one woman left, making the grand total eleven. They must have looked like a Monday morning rehearsal to the artists. LaMont's Dog and Monkey Drama (New Acts) is the only item on the bill not familiar to New York. Clarence Sisters opened with their neat singing and dancing specialty. The sis- ters are nice looking, plump little misses and nimble steppers. A change of costume and one more singing number would add the needed variety. The Ritchie Duo, formerly the larger half of the Barber-Ritchie Trio, are show- ing for the first time since their foreign tour. Miss Ritchie makes a pretty ap- pearance in a becoming costume of red, and goes through the regular routine of bicycle tricks with an ease and grace most pleasing. Mr. Ritchie is using most of the comedy effects employed in the old offering, and they are still good for laughs. The back wheel with shoes on each spoke aroused about the only enthusiasm ap- parent during the evening. John F. Clark did about all he knew and a little more in his efforts to please the eleven (there were eleven when Mr. Clark appeared), and "got them" with the "extern" song, a "sure fire." Josephine Ainsley is a stately comedi- enne with a wealth of light brown hair dressed in the height of fashion. Her "puffs" would have caused talk if there had been any women in the theatre. Miss Ainsley has a good voice for songs of the lighter order and knows how to deliver them. The young woman's success will depend entirely upon having proper se- lections. Barney Fagan and Henrietta Byron sang and danced in their usual pleas'ng manner. The Smith-Bowman Trio offer a colored sinking and dancing number that pleased. Datth. better finish to the second scene. The manner in which the ending was accident- ally worked on Monday evening should be retained. The girls swung over in the rockers in one-two-three order, all going over for the continuous revolutions after the fifth had joined the others, and it went much better than the usual closing. A "straight" singing act is Spenser Kelly and Frederic Rose, two men with excep- tional voices, one tenor and the other bari- tone, blending well, but their songs are too severely "straight." It is surely enough as it is without concluding with the "patriotic" "Dixie." The Dollar Troupe closed and once in their acrobatic stride, were strongly liked. The ship scene, while a variation of the familiar acrobatic troupe setting, falls down on the comedy, even with the in- sertion of a Hebrew and Irishman. The youngster of the act takes many "twist- ers" from shoulder to shoulder, and his "double and a twister" for the finish is a striking acrobatic feat. Sime.