Variety (October 1908)

VARIETY EVA EYA TANGUAY THE BROOKLYN TIMZS, Miss Tanguay la miklnf this week's attraction OM of the that has been offered at this boose this season. Bra's original rtslon of Salome la surprising. It la surprising bscaaae there la aboolstely no vulgarity to It. There la a lot of whirl- ing and rnnolng about the etas*, ponderous music and strong scenic effects, hot nothing that la either suggestive or offensive ha hypercritical. THE BROOKLYN OTTLEEN, Sew Tanguay at the Orphsam la "A Tlatafi of Brooklyn playgoers. had a cbaimlng gllmpee of " " Mday. It waa really Miss Bra Tsngusy whom they ssw, In Biblical garb—or what there la of It—and If the real ^hter of Herodlaa waa aa cute and pretty and lltheaome aa her latter-day Imitator, why, then the little lady can't be blamed far a goad many things that are charged against her. It Isn't exactly the Biblical dance aha executea nor la It the same that has prompted Mand Allan to Imitate aomebody aa that aomebody else mistake her; It's "Bra Tanguay's Original Version." Imagine a beautiful stage setting with the head of St. John peeking ont of the wall; than imagine the cyclonic one In pearls and gauao la the f oregro u nd, and a blood and thunder storm In the background, with all the musicians bang- ing away aa though they were playing the overture to the day of Judgment and. In front, the audience going wild with a eea of opera glaasea trained where they> win go the moat good— and yon hare the star feature of yesterday's Orpheom ofii. It's worth while If anything la any vaudeville house over v»as worth while. Incidentally, Bva aang several of her stormy No wonder that girl la popular. 8TANDARD UNION, SEPTEMBER 89, 190S. Fine Vaudeville, with "Salome," at Orphean. Bva Tanguay and her "Vision of Salome" came to the Orpheom Theatre yesterday, and her advent waa sufficient to arouse the greatest Int er e at . la theee days of divers "Sslomes" there la much variety In the presentation of the THIS CRITICISM fgg* "Doesn't Bother Me" ■ • T~ •■■-»- _. wicked daughter of Herodlaa. hflna Tanguay's Impersonation differs from all others save In the one respect of abbreviated costume—and In this ..he comedienne la governed by the dictates of historical accuracy. The "Salome" of the rollicking Bva la worth seeing, If for Its novelty slone, and bar John the) Baptist head with phosphorescent eyes la interesting, to say the least. The Tanguay songs are also aang In the Tanguay style. A BROOMU« ROAdT BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE, SEP T EMB ER 19, Bva Tanguay's "Vision of Salome" disclosed at the Orpheom Theatre last evening la remindful of nothing aa much aa the war dance of aa apache «r the fetish of a Booth African sav- age. Beyond the erase for "Salome" of ovary brand aad variety there la not the slightest legitimate reason for Miss Tanguay's effort. The dance la merely aa sccentuatlon of the actress's peculiar step, by which her songs are Invested with the quality of perpetual motion. If not of harmony. Bra Tanguay .not alone has not the slightest conception of "Salome," from either a Biblical or Oscar Wilde viewpoint, but had aha such a conception It would bo Impossible for her to give expreesion to It, for the very good reason that aha knows next to nothing of the art of dancing. The singer has capitalised a popular if not a laudable public fancy, bat aa to artistic results there are absolutely none. The number la described ss sensational. This area la an exaggeration, aa apart from the fact that the singer manages to dispense with wearing apparel to a point Just within the baa of the law, there Is no appeal to eenauousnesa In the dance, and the final effect la merely ludlcrona and grotesque, rather than sensa- tional or Impelling. A considerable expenditure of money upon scenic effects and additional musicians la disclosed, the reason for which Is no more apparent than la that for the dance Itself. Sailing* to-day (Oct. 3), after a pleasant and successful engagement in London, WITH CONTRACTS FOR RETURN ENGAGEMENT, commencing Juno 14, 1900 "Wm. Dillon, the man of 1,000 songs, la dis- tinctly amusing."—Dally News. "Another excellent entertainer Is Wm. A. Dillon, an American composer. He la an excel- lent light comedian and won his way quickly Into the hearts of the Tlvoll audience."—The London Stage. eBsaammasaBS "For bis second week at the Tlvoll Music Hail, Mr. William Dillon, the American come- dian, submits a new number or two, but still clings to 'Playtime.' which is quite the pret- tiest chorus song of the moment. Mr. Dillon's next successful effusion is 'I'd Rather Have a Girlie Than an Automobile.' Apart from his songs Mr. Dillon is something of a sartorial surprise. An enormous opera hat of a atrange deoign. a huge cravat, a tight waistcoat with leg of mutton sleeves, and trousers shsped like balloons, go to make op one of his costumes, while a second, in grey, is fastened up the beck with a skirt coat which amuses the ladles immensely. Mr. Dillon cultivates a restless disposition, strolling up and down throughout bis songs.- He has a particularly strong charm of p ersonality, and his performance is welcome aa a novelty."—London Music Hall. "William Dillon, the American comedian, who is reported to have written a thousand songs, and la appearing at present at the Oxford, would seem, like Teufelsdroch, to attach great importance to clothes; but, while the German recluse could only see In clothes a deep moral and political significance, the comedian has discovered In them an inexhaustible store of humour. Some of our English comedians have pretty conceits in costumes, but their drollest ldess fall far short of Dillon's creations. 'Creations' la used advisedly, for there la real genius expended on the Invention of some articles In Dillon's wardrobe. In the main they may be described as caricatures of the lat- est modes in men's apparel. The close-fitting waist theory is exploited in a manner that caused the ladles In the audience to shriek, and the nether garment la of such ample pro- portions as to suggest that the wearer Intended to take Id paying guests. An enormous black cravat tied In the Puritan style, and an opera bat of a bygone age complete a get-up aa fan- tastic ss It Is possible to conceive. The cor^dlan's "combination" suit, the coat of which la buttoned up behind a la the Princess dress, is another remarkable conception. It would probably make the average tailor gasp and drive him to drink. "It la somewhat difficult to trace the rela- tion between these two fantastic costumes, and the comedian's songs. In fact, they do not 'match' at all; aad Dillon probably never Intended that they should. The 'costumes' suggest comedy of the broadest type, but the songs which their wearer sings are character- ised by a subdued tone and a lightness of touch thst are quite rare In our comic songs. Dillon's beat effort was 'Playtime,' a tuneful little ditty with a delightful lilt, and sung with artistic restraint. It would not be sur- prising if this song were to figure in some of our Christmas pantomimes."—News of the World. OXFORD. "The newest torn at this popular bouse of en- tertainment is supplied by Mr. William Dillon, who Is believed to have written 1,000 songs 'all by himself,' as children say, and nightly sings a selection from them to the great delight of audiences at the Oxford. His specialty at present Is entitled 'Every Little Added to What You Have Got Makes Just a Little Bit More.' Another good song he calls 'Playtime.' he singer was enthusiastically received last night."—Dally Telegrapb. "The greatest novelty is the singing of the American comedian. Mr. William Dillon, author and composer of a thousand songs. He does not sing them all. but his selections receive the warmest welcome. His 'Playtime.' and 'Every Little Added to What You Have Got Makes Just a Little Bit More' were capitally aung, and became favourites at once."—Weekly Times. "A pleasant newcomer at the Tlvoll Is Wm. A. Dillon, an American artist who proved him- self to be a very capable and humorous come- dian. Only a matter of a short time and ha will be one of the hall's brightest novelties." —The Referee. "Mr. W. A. Dillon, an American comedian and vocalist at the Tlvoll this week, Introduces a new style in both singing and dress which is very pleasing to the audience."—Daily Chronicle. "An Amerlcsn comedian, Wm. A. Dillon, made a decided bit In hla peculiar atyle of dress and dsllvery."—The Advertiser. Opening for WM. MORRIS, October 12th Orpheum, Boston) When onicering cdvertitemenU htmH§j mention Variety.