Variety (March 1908)

VARIETY .*j » xasTH STREET. There is a long, well laid out program which at no times becomes tiresome at the 125th Street house this week. Nance O'Neil and Company are at the honor station and the dramatic playlet, "The Jewess," made a decided impression. A description of the playlet might lead to the belief that it was a trifle heavy for vaudeville. This, however, is not so, if the audience on Tuesday night may be taken as a judge. The story is told in a clear, concise manner and the low, vibrant voice and magnetic personality of the tragedienne, together with her great emo- tional powers, carry it through beauti- fully. ''■'■'■■■■ '■'■•^^-■■^■■- ': ■■-■■^'■-^^ ■•.■-■■ William Gould and Valeska Suratt were the second feature and it is doubtful if they ever went any better. The act has been changed about some since last seen. All the talk formerly used has been dropped and a new line of bright, spar- kling material inserted. Billy Gould is one of the smoothest of our smooth come- dians. He sang several songs, "Put Me Amongst the Girls" being the most popu- lar. Miss Suratt wore Well, she wore a few gowns simply indescribable. She appeared for just a fleeting second as a "Gibson Girl." Her song, introducing a few very short imitations, was nicely done and extremely well liked. The act was a solid hit. Martinelli and Sylvester were on early, too early for an act of its quality. When it comes to comedy acrobatics, the pair take off their hats to no one. The clown may not be as strong a pantomimist as one or two others in his line, but in tak- ing falls it is doubtful if he has an equal. The "straight" contributes some first-rate ground tumbling that balances the comedy nicely, Barry and Hughes also recorded a hit of goodly proportions. There is a quan- tity of bright slang introduced which gains strength through being handled by the woman. She puts it over quietly and eff'ectively, reminding one at times of Eva Williams. The laughs were almost con- tinuous. A burlescjue "Merry Widow" waltz gained many recalls. The Ellis-Nowlin Troupe, with their roughhouse acrobatic offerings, gave the bill a whooping finish. The troupe con- tains two good ground tumblers, who should be allowed a little more oppor- tunity. The comedy, mostly of the slap- bang variety, is always to the fore, and from the way the house laughed, it should be. The "prop" horse afforded no end of amusement. *' Madden-Fitzpatrick and Company were at a slight disadvantajre following Barry and Hughes, as they also depend in a way upon some slang talk of the tougher brand for laughs. The damage was only slight, however, for as the playlet got under way the house warmed to it nicely and the finish was all that could bo desired. Both players have improved since the playlet was first shown and the act as it now stands makes first-rate entertainment. Clement De Lein opened with his palm- ing specialty. "The Black Hussars" have lately introduced a minstrel parade num- ber, by far the best thing in the offering. Jack Hazard is under New Acts. Dash. The Marinelli offices are again booking for the Apollo, Vienna (Ben Tieber, mgr.), and the Hansn, Vienna (Paul Grell, mgr.). THE ROLLICKERS. "No better organized company of en- tertainers has been seen on the burlesque stage in many moons. None of the prin- cipals stands out with particular bril- liancy from his fellows and no one person is forced to the fore at the expense of the general effect, but all hands work to- gether with vim and enthusiasm to keep a consistent entertainment running swift- ly and smoothly with an extremely high average of interest from curtain to cur- tain. Better team work has never been done in burlesque. The result is that there is scarcely a dead minute in the two and one-half hours." , The above paragraph, taken from the review by Rush of "The Rollickers" (Va- riety, Jan. 4) sums up the Mortimer M. Thiese burlesque show. "The Rollickers" is exactly what a bur- lesque show should be. Barring two in- stances, when Will H. Cohen and Jos. K. Watson, as the two Hebrews, have "scenes" there is a koeleidoscopic flashing of the several characters in the farcical two-act skit "B. Dunne Goode & Co." upon the stage. The piece is Yorke and Adams' "Bankers and Brokers," adapted or made over. It just suits burlesque, or should, and if it doesn't, the fault is with the theatre, not the show. Two comedy scenes th6 comedians have are entirely new in burlesque. One when Cohen sends a little cash box into a brass tube, patterned after the cash system in department stores, to have it come out at the other end, striking Watson in the face. This is not overworked, and al- ways brings a solid laugh. In the second act, the other bit is "the diver." Cohen in a diving bell goes down a well to look for a mermaid. A great deal of clean legitimate fun is derived from this by both the Hebrews, while an alligator is exceptionally well taken care of by an unknown. Messrs. Watson and Cohen give a first- class account of themselves every mo- ment. Their laughs arc earned. As a "turn," they sing parodies. There are some good ones, and they go straight to the point. . Ed. F. Morton is another valuable mem- ber of "The Rollickers." How that Mor- ton boy can sing a "coon" song, and what a fine "straight" he is! He has a most pleasant voice, and Mr. Morton becomes a pleasure in acknowledging an encore. His methods throughout the show are most praisewort?iy. A big mark of appreciation goes to this aggregation for not accepting a hand- clap for a "riot" and repeating choruses. There are a couple of weak spots in the cast, and also the numbers, particularly "Monkeyland," as it has been put on. Sadie Lamar is a neat little toe dancer. She leads the "ponies," a bright working bunch of seven youngsters, who can dance, and look well. Alfred Hall is mak- ing something of an eccentric part, and looks another Al I^ech, while Eddie Barto seems to be held in restraint by his role, although leading well in a couple of num- bers. Of the women, the attention goes to the Pearl sisters, Katheryn and Violet, the former leading lady, and the latter sou- brette. Both are new in burlesque this (Continued on page 29.) MOpNUGHT MAIDS. The Empire Circuit Co. is directing the "Moonlight Maids," a lately organized troupe on the Western Wlieel. It has taken an old and well-known title. The first report of the new show said it would be called "The European Sensation Com- pany." If this name was in mind, it was wisely dropped, for there is nothing "sen- sational" about the "'Moonlight Maids," nor is there anything '^European" in it. The "Moonlight Maids" belongs in that class of tiresome burlesque shows, so prevalent this season on botB^ wheels. The lateness of the season when it opened is a mantle of charity covering many of the shortcomings, and there are enough to re- , quire several mantles. "What Happened East" is the first part piece, described as "positively 99 Fahren- heit." It started nowhere, ended in a vapor of nothing, and never rose above the zero mark. The opening costume of the ten or eleven choristers was also the closing one. In between there were two or three changes, of rather pretty but inexpensive material, while at all times the girls wore the same cheapest of black cotton tights. The comedy consists of a "card game" called "bridge" to remove it from the usual run, and a great deal of play with a "snap-back rubber." There are no voices among the women to attract even moder- ate attention, while the only young woman possessing a degree of good looks is May Nash, "the soubrette," in program bill- ing only. "What Happened West" is the bur- lesque. Revolvers are the best and noisest actors in this. As they are the noisiest, judged by the standard of this particular calibre of burlesque shows, they must be the best. After one has heard a few pistol shots, heard one man tell another to stand on his head under pain of being shot, and then heard the other, who meanwhile secures the revolvers, demand that a girl stand upon her head also, the remainder may be safely guessed at, and the show is over. The principals, with the exception of Miss Nash, are all in the olio. Dick Brown, who might better work in black- face, is leading comedian, having his name in capital letters. He is probably working with what has been provided him, as is John Bragg, who does not scintillate as a "Dutchman." Abner Ali plays a "straight" part, "oissyifying" it for a few moments, and not helping his work. Eddie Tanner and Clare Gilbert open the vaudeville in a "kid" act. Tanner has a much better voice than his partner, while the incidental music by the orches- tra is a likable portion of the number. Mr. Tanner makes up after the style of Patsy Doyle, but goes no further. A vocal and instrumental arrangement is tendered by the Banta Bros. Quartet, who sing conoertedly much hotter during the opening piece than in the act. Their olio number is poorly pieced to;:ether, but could be developed into a first class vaude- ville card. The drummer might be told that noise isn't always inusic, nor because he claims to give an imitation does the noise he makes become an imitation. Spicy parodies are the strength of Brown and Bragg, who go as far back as "Good Bye, Little Girl, Good Bye," with some jokes which antedate the musical (Continued on page 29.) GAY MASQUERADERS. Take Billy Hart out of the show and there would be no Gay Masqueraders. The comedian is on the stage almost continu- ously from the rise of the curtain. Mr. Hart is funny—at times, screamingly bo; but every now and then he allows a bit of suggestiveness to creep in, which all but kills his better and cleaner moments. In "Dr. Dopey's Dippy Den," the bur- lesque, all the comedy is allowed to rest upon the comedian, and he manages to keep things moving at a lively pace. Ther* is no one else of any consequence in the first part, and the need of a lively sou- brette, which is felt throughout, is most apparent here. Jessie Hayward leads one number, a song out of which much might have been made if properly handled. She sang it in a listless manner, however, and it was an opportunity lost. In its pres- ent shape the show can't afford to over- look any opportunities. Only two other numbers were introduced, "Harrigan," fairly well done by Tom Smith, and m catchy number by Hart and six of the girls. The finale "She Was a Grand Old Lady," with the customary ease-me-some- noise trimmings, was but fairly sung by Harry Armstrong. .■-;..',:' In the olio S^ith and Baker made the big hit of the evening with their first rate singing and dancing specialty. The pair have modeled their act somewhat after the old sailor turn of Montgomery and Stone. The eccentric dancing of the taller man is of the top-notch order. More of the dance and less of the talk should be the answer. Hayward, Pistel, Hayward and Com- pany, in "The King of Blackwellis," did but fairly. Harry Hayward makes a good foil for Lou Pistel. Jessie Hayward seems better satisfied with herself in the skit than she does in the pieces, and con- sequently her work is greatly improved. Stewart and Raymond should begin to realize that trick playing on musical in- itriiments is just a shade behind the times. Both seem capable of making good music, and a straight offering would bring better results. Susie Fisher and the "Eight English Roses," who furnished the greater part of the chorus, made up the balance of the olio, not forgetting the Burns-Palmer pic- tures, which were worth little more than forgetting. The afterpiece is a sort of a second act to the first part, although there is very little connection between the two. The thread of the story is lost early and never recovered. Mr. Hart is still the main comedian, although Smith gives him a battle for first honors. The latter plays a "Dutchman," giving little attention to the character. He is able to extract a quantity of fun through his ability as a dancer and contortionist. The musical numbers are few and far between. Eva Bryan leads one, wearing tights and look- ing well. Besides the "English Roses." there are five other girls in the chorus and the stage has a skimpy appearance at tiincs. They make a fairly good looking crowd al- though handicapi)cd by poor wardrobe. One pretty costume only is given them, and this is spoiled through not having shoes and stm'kings in accord. Dash. .•--^j r-tV ,^?