Variety (November 1908)

VARIETY 15 "The Police Inspector." Dramatic Sketch. ao Mine.; Pull Stage (Interior). Kecney's. In producing a dramatic sketch Joe. Hart has gone somewhat outside his fa- miliar field of effort. 'The Police Inspec- tor" is not wholly successful, although there are a few points in it which display admirable stage management. The trouble is that it is machine made and there are frightful breaks in the logic of the story. Ralph Jordan (Arthur Rut ledge) is an in- spector of police, presumably in New York. To please his wife he has supported an expensive establishment and at the open- ing of the sketch is deeply in debt. Also he has failed in a difficult piece of depart- ment work, and dismissal stares him in the face. As if this were not enough trouble, one Dutch Leary (Percival Len- non) he was instrumental in sending to prison escapes and comes back for revenge. The convict and the police official come face to face in the centre of the room un- der the strong light of a hanging lamp and in this shining circle all the real ac- tion of the piece takes place, while the rest of the stage is in the shadow. It is an excellent trick, a bit of sleight-of-hand that went a good way toward making the big climax of "The Witching Hour." But the opening of the piece, dialog between husband and wife (Bessie Overton), is very dull and much roughly written. There are repetitions and superfluities without number. After the arrival of Dutch Leary there is an exciting moment or two when the pair face each other, and the fight at the finish, an extremely well managed af- fair, gives a thrill. Of course the wife breaks into the room and shoots the bur- glar with her husband's revolver, for which the two men are struggling. The fight is interesting, but scarcely worth wading through twenty minutes of tire- some sketch to reach. Ruth. Mirsky Gynt. Boy Soprano. ix Mine.; One. Lincoln Square. If the Lincoln Square program be truthful, Mirsky Oynt is a "marvelous boy soprano, discovered in the London alums by Caruso." Without disputing program billing, never a model of modesty nor veracity, the facts seem to be that Master Gynt is a rather nice appearing youngster who wears his hair like a petted pianist and slippers instead of shoes with Ids velvet knee pants suit; and besides has a voice which while a soprano, when ec is shrill, becoming almost a wail in the highest tones reached with a palpable effort by the boy, who is most indistinct when going upward. This is noticeable in "What Might Have Been" and "What the Rose Said," the first and third selec- tions, each too altitudinous for the youth. With "Rainbow" Gynt seemed to strike his vocal level. The lower register of this number brought out and displayed the pleasing qualities of his voice, not "mar- vellous" nor unusual, but just about fit- ted for simple little popular melodies. If Mirsky has a voice capable of cultiva- tion for higher attainments he is strain- ing it at present. Gynt should be taught stage ease and the proper use of his hands. Just now he resembles a "dramat- ic tenor" and there is no figure on the stage to be dreaded more than that. Sime. Emelia Hose. Equilibrist. 13 Itias.; Pull Stage. Colonial Emilia Rose has youth and a comely appearance. To say her work carries out the good impression of her appearance is speaking very highly of the act. Hand- balancing, head-balancing and pedal jug- gling, the latter rather novel for a woman, are shown. In hand-balancing the woman is the equal of any male performer. The usual routine, including the single hand- stands, is run through in excellent style. The pedal juggling Miss Rose makes quite attractive through using good judgmenet in selecting her incidental music and the eaee and grace with which she handles the objects. Two trick dogs are intro- duced for the final trick, the whirling of a long pole on the feet with the animals seated in baskets fastened to the ends of the pole. The equilibrist wastes no time in unnecessary bowing, but goes right after her work in a businesslike manner which gives the specialty speed and ef- fectiveness. Closing the bill at the Colo- nial this week Miss Rose is a success. It is some two years since Miss Rose ap- peared on this side, and then only in the West. Dos*. Mira Martell and Co. (a). M A Grecian Girl." ao Mine.; Pull Stage, xasth Street. Mira Martell and Co. in "A Grecian Girl" is all the program says. There are two men besides Miss Martel. If the act were worth while, which it isn't, one should have his name in big type, for the piece depends entirely upon him, Miss Martell being the smallest part of it. Just what the sketch is about is • not clear. It involves "ten thousand dollars" and a "picture of a beautiful actress" and "an old man who loved the actress" and was to give the "Ten Thousand" to a young artist for the "picture." The actress being in love with the artist wanted to get the money so they could marry. They "frame up" a "deal" on the old man to get the ten. The elderly gentleman grows wise and gives them TWENTY THOUSAND instead. The act is twenty minutes of talk with a line here and there that may have been vainly designed to bring a laugh. The two men did very well as far as their opportunities per- mitted. The sketch is opening the show at the 125th Street house. Dash. The Kyasyas. Strong Act. xx Mins.; Three (C. D. P.). Hammerstein's. The Kyasyas, foreigners, playing for the first time in New York, have a novel arrangement for a "strong act," commenc- ing with their appearance, the young man and girl being slight in build and appear- ing more like a song and dance team than athletes. Each dresses in civilian garb, and the setting is a parlor. The man does his strong work with his teeth, swinging the girl while seated in a pre- pared "basket" around in a circle, and lifting an upright piano from the ground for a second. The girl lifts with her hair, which is in two long braids. Attaching weights (including a cannon) by steel chains near the bottom of the braids, she lifts with apparent ease, also swinging in a circle. Some of the weights are open to question as per placarded an- nouncements, but this is immaterial. The act bills itself as "Unconcerned New Style Athletes," and they affect a nonchalant manner in entering, exiting and while on the stage, but this pose does not impress, although the act does as something dif- ferent—very much so—in its class. The closing position of the bill at Hammer- stein's does not seem suited to the number. Sime. out or TOWN Frederick Musical Trio. Musical. aa Htais; Pull Stage; Close in One. Haymarket, Chicago. Two men and a woman comprise the act. Mr. Frederick, formerly of Fred- erick Broe. and Burns, handles the mm- edy agreeably. A nicely arranged set- ting with a good display of instruments gives the opening much splendor. The instruments used are saxophones, cornets, trombones and a novel plate glass device from which charming music is derived. This latter is new. The trio finish in military attire, with drum, cornet and trombone. They are competent musicians and the selections were liked, aa evidenced by the generous applause. Frank Wietberg. Porter J. White and Co. "The Visitor" (Dramatic). aa Mins.; Pour (Interior). Temple, Detroit (Week Oct. a6). In 'The Visitor" Porter J. White has a splendid vehicle and made a good im- pression Monday. The playlet tells a story of a district attorney who is trying to convict a man for the murder of his wife. During the night a shabby look- ing visitor gains admittance. To the attorney he confesses the murder. A maid behind the screen hears the confes- sion. The visitor tells the story of the crime and declares the murder took place while the murder victim was in company of a woman whom the attorney recognizes as his wife. The visitor then says his story is false, and in amazement the attorney cries, "Who are you?" "I am the new attorney for the defense," returned the visitor, "and to-morrow my client shall plead the unwritten law, which you have declared to be a perfect defense," is the answer. The climax is very strong. Mr. White and his company, which include* John Carrol Connery and Adelaide Fair- child, were obliged to respond to several curt an calls Leo Letter. Walter C. Kelly opens at Keith's, Bos- ton, Monday, having been shifted from the Colonial, New York, for that date to offset Harry Lauder at the Boston Or- pheum. Mr. Kelly will play twenty weeks on the United time wh n he will return to England, having contracted to appear over there annually for the next few years. Joe Boganny (Boganny Troupe) wants to return to England. Matinee and night shows over here allow of no time for practice, according to Boganny, who pre- fers the "twice-nightly" system of the old country. WAITING FOR PRODUCERS. With everything in readiness for an early beginning of operations, the mana- gers back of the proposed musical comedy circuit are waiting to hear from producers. Many have been named aa probable appli- cants for a franchise, among them Morti- mer M. Thieae. "Nothing can be done until we have the right sort of producers," said a man in- terested in the scheme this week. "The whole scheme rests on the basis of proper attractions. For years the producing man- ager has been saying that if he could only get the house, he could make a suooeea. Now here's the chance. A fair number of good men have already signified their will- ingness to enter the project, but until we have a sufficient number there will be no great progress. Everything else is settled. We have the houses and the money, and we are waiting upon a response from the creative managers of the country." PAY PROMPTLY; MORE CONTRACTS. The White Rats has received the fol- lowing form of letter, sent out to acta by VerBeck & Farrell, of Oil City, Pa., who, on their letterhead, aay they are tue booking agents for the "Inter-State Vaudeville Managers' Association." On the letterhead also are given the addresses of branches in New York (US Central Avenue, Brooklyn); and Chicago (119 La Salle Street). ^^ The letter which indicates a commis- sion of ten per cent, direct baa be en charged acts, of which the house man- agement withholds five for the agents, bears strongly upon the fact the firm will furnish future contracts only* to those who remit promptly for the other five. The letter says: Dear Sir: 0U Cl "> P * If you will read jour contract. 70a will see that 70a if reed to pay us 10 per cent, commission It slso state* on the contract that 70a are to remit us eacb week 5 per cent. In addition to the 0 per cent, manager aenda In. thereby maklnn? the 10 per cent, mentioned abort. * Yon are now In arrears amounting to $15.00. for which we wlab 700 woold aend money order. and In the future remit each week oa Saturday or at the Ter7 lateat Monday, if you remit promptly your nam* la entered on a Hat sad yon are one of the flrat ones routed, In other words. coo tracts are aent out according to remittances received, ao If you want more contracts, set roar money In promptly. * * We are put to considerable expense la order to keep you going st times, for It Is necessary to keep a man on the road looking up now houses and Ailing In split weeks when one boose drop? out, sod we use most of the shore money for this purpose. It alao enables us to secure new towns and make 7our Jumps shorter then It woold had we to depend upon securing then through tbe mall. •««•■ Please mall remittances promptly each week. Tours trul7. VEBBBCK 4 PABBJDLL, Per O. H. VerBeck. Winsor McCay, the cartoonist, will have a new subject to sketch when next appearing in the Keith-Proctor houses. It will be of a young couple in a cafe who slowly acquire a "souse" within view of the audience. Victor Williams returned to New York last week. He will make his father's office in the St. James Building his head- quarters. George Fuller Golden is billed for the American next week. The Six Burg Sisters, Gracie and Rey- nolds and the Mitchell Sisters have been engaged for the "Cosy Corner Girls" by W. B. Watson. Joseph MacMorn is playing "Becoming an Editor."