Variety (November 1908)

10 VARIETY LONDON NOTES VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE. 411 iTJLAJTT, w. o. (Mall for Americans ami Europeans In Eoro|K If addressed mrc VARIETY. «« nbovt, will be promptly forwarded.) LONDON REVIEWS. London, Oct. 28. Ike Rose is out with another announce- ment. He says "I don't care to be an agent." What a title for a song! Carlisle and Baker, a colored act, opened at the Palace and just about slipped through without making any noise. Alfred Butt had the Maud Allan's en- gagement at the Palace insured to pro- tect the management against loss. Since Mist Allan retired the hall has not been half filled at any performance, and the Palace has collected accordingly. The Palace has been without its big feature for a week or so, Maud Allan haying been a sufferer from a sprained ankle*. The business dropped off consid- erably. Miss Allan may reappear about Monday. In the meantime Margaret Cooper is the top line feature. Upon the news reaching here that Frank A. Gotch was coming over, quite a stir was caused. In certain circles Qotch's defeat of Hackenschmidt has not been for- gotten, but the opinion is the real sport- ing people will receive Gotch with all the respect due him as champion wrestler of the world. Ikey Moe is a very small Hebrew co- median, about nine years of age. He played at the Canterbury last week. From his deportment one would imagine he had been on-the stage for more years than he looks. The kid has a pleasing appear- ance, tells as many and as good stories as any of the Hebrew acts over here; also is possessed of a nice singing voice. Ikey Moe, through his size, is going to be a riot over here, but aside from that he does a talking act. GOVERNMENT GETS COMMISSION. Chemnitz, Germany, Oct. 25. Meier and Mora, the American team, which is just closing a successful engage- ment at the Central Theatre here, have a tale of woe to tell for the benefit of fel- low artists visiting this country. While they were at the Deujtsches Theatre, Munich, they were summoned one morn- ing on a visit to the local officials. There they were required to show their eon- tracts, and the authorities calmly inforjned them the government would take a. ten per cent, toll of the entire salary. s 7 see some of her own countrymen rave about her. Miss Victoria is singing two new songs which she will probably use in America. One is a new "widow" number, perhaps a little swift, but will pass all right. The other is "Now I Have to Gall Him Father," causing the big laugh of the evening. Vesta was a "riot," and they can't blame it on the "Yanks" this time. Devon and Earle open the bill with a good dancing act. Gus Harris and Regan and Ryan do well in early positions. Queenie Essex is a singer with a good voice, and is quite popular. But Queenie should change the way she wears her hair, --aforher clotfceeT— Jordan and Harvey certainly do things to 'em in Holborn. Jordan handles all the comedy now, and he gets away with it nicely. That is, the audience thinks so. Rapoli is a very good juggler with heavy stuff, but there is one fault. The fault does not lie alone with Rapoli but with any number of jugglers carrying as- sistants to follow the ways of the one Cin- quevalli has. In the act of Rapoli's the Cinquevalli comedy routine is followed almost to the finish. But then they will do those things over here. Topsy Sinden is an old London favorite, and she could go on "faving" for some time to come if she would stop singing and stick to the dance. Topsy is there with much good foot manipulation. The Kirbys please much, the man being a very bright comedian in his very own little way. Ernest Shand will continue to hand out laughs at all times and places. He has a monolog just brimming over with clever- ness. Through the extended time demanded by the audience of Vesta Victoria, two acts could not appear at the first show Mon- day night, and it looked as though Ar- thur Rigby (New Acts) was cut short in the closing position. John Lawson and Co. "Pigs in Clover." Holborn Empire, London. This sketch, or a "Racial Retrospect" as it is billed, is full of thrills and then some besides. There seems to be a moral to the tale on inter-marriage between Gentile and Hebrew. Mr. Lawson handles his part very well, but the act seems to be one of the impossible kind. The piece is probably the most complicated affair on the music hall stage, but Mr. Lawson being the "Big Fav" may save the play- let. Arthur Rigby and Co. "The Isle of Ooma" (Operatic). Holborn Empire, London. Anyway Arthur Rigby made a good try. He has pieced a very small comic opera, the story resembling any number, but he lacks a support. About eight good look- ing girls, never intended for the stage, and also some male actors who may be regu- lars some day, participate. Mr. Rigby is a very fair comedian, but in this piece won't do. HOLBORN EMPIRE. r London, Oct. 27. Vesta Victoria tops tjie bill this Week. It looks as though she would do things for the house. The first show on Monday night was packed to the doors, always a fair sign of big business throughout^ the week. And with it all Miss Victoria was-, the pet. She sang three songs! and coiild ilave done three more. It is a good oppor- tunity for some of the people over "here who have laughed at American audiences for making this girl a success to go and LONDON COLISEUM. London, Oct. 28. Last week at the Coliseum there was a fair bill, but Odette Valerie was gone and that helped some. Alexander and Hughes deputized for Cardow's "Merry Yachtsmen." The sub- stituted number evidently pleased. The comedian's line of work, together with his funny style of delivery, had the house in a roar continually. Miss Lillian, a cyclist, does a Lalla Selbini on the wheel, but there is nothing startling in the num- ber. Edward Lauri, May Beatty and Go. pre- sent a "protean melange" called "In Her Boudoir." The piece is long and the action slow. Lauri did some fair com- edy at odd moments. The Delevines have an act in which the "slap-stick" is most prominent. A "scare-crow" dance is well performed although wires are used, and the couple attempt to "fake" it. George Lashwood is probably the neat- est and best dressed artist, pn the foreign music hall stage. Lashwood also has a good voice and songs, outside of "The White Man" selection, containing the "A Day in Paris." Ballet (Five Scenes). Empire, London* It might be the most elaborate stage • setting* -ws&up*? sad-.the gyodJaok™* people that will account for the big suc- cess of the new ballet at the Empire, but right next to that comes one Fred Far- ren. As a comedian and dancer for pro- ductions of this kind another like him could not be found. He was cheered from start to finish, easily taking the honors for being the recognized star. Mr. Farren also staged most of the dances. The ballet itself is near wonderful, Frenchy in costuming, with very catchy and bright music. Mile. Kyasht, the little Russian dancer, is not given much to display her talent, of which she has a great plenty, but was overwhelmingly received after each of her three dances, the Russian number securing the most applause. Phyllis Bedells is a very pretty little girl, a remarkable dancer and was treated well by the audience. The Sousloffs are a music hall team, appearing as a spe- cialty and come away with plenty of the "kind applause." An "Apache" dance is introduced by Fred Farren and Miss B. Collier, a sure enough riot. The dance was shown at another London hall last week, but didn't startle anyone. The Empire probably will be responsible for its coming popularity in London. The ballet ran one hour and forty minutes. It could have been even longer. "El Amor en Espana." Spanish Dancing Act. Palace. This is the headline act at the Palace while Maud Allan is recovering from a sprained ankle. If anyone likes to see the real Spanish dance, this is the act that has the goods. Two men and a girl do the dancing, while two play the guitar and mandolin. There seems to be a story concerning the men dancing for the girl's hand. One showed his skill as a dancer, doing some real "tap stuff" on a table. It is a question whether the act will draw here for the next few weeks. "red fire" thing. Lashwood would get away just as big if he dropped this num- ber. In conjuring Herman Melot is simple, but he is funny, and that pulls him through to quite an amount of applause. Cissy Loftus is still on the. bill, along with "Visions of Wagner." ^ild, Willie and West are a fair sort of acrobats who would have done better had they not opened the show. "Lancashire Singers" (18). Coliseum, London. Equally divided as to sex, these eigh- teen "Lancashire Singers" seemed to im- press the Coliseum audiences last week. The act plays in "one." Not a singer rao;6o"«*Lileim~&ei,ifege. The'voice! are excellent, but the act might have been framed up originally for a church enter- tainment instead of a music hall. "Union Jack Boys." Canterbury, London. A number of kids with high boyish voices make, up a singing act called "The Union Jack Boys," at the Canterbury last week. There is some dancing, but not enough to mention. The voices are far too shrill. While the number may pass in some halls, it will not do for the better ones. The Three Gartis. Canterbury. Three men in a straight singing and dancing number make a novelty in Lon- don. The Gartis are going to do well here. Each is an excellent singer and two are first-class dancers. Opening with a "coon" song, the trio work a "clog" into it. Were the buck and wing used instead for the opening, the act would secure a much better start. Hubert Darnley and Co. "The Brigands of Tarragona." Canterbury, London. The offering which permits of "The Bri- gands of Tarragona" is called "A Spanish Musical Comedy," but only by the author. Had he been in frdnt last Wednesday evening, several suggestions would have been made him as to what it should be named. The big "slap-stick" is on the job all the time excepting a few min- utes taken up by dancing girls and a singer. Even then the rough work was almost preferable. There is one feature in the act, however. Charlie Bell, former- ly with Fred Karno, is a "kid" in the piece. His rough work is remarkable. But he is in wrong with this act, for it is nothing more than the same author's "Skirmishers" under a new title and with a few new girls. The Three Meers are now in Paris. They may sign for a six months' tour of South America. ! ' Mike McNulty said this week that if all the people from Syracuse who had mi- grated into the show business had re- mained at home, Syracuse would, have been a regular city.