Variety (November 1908)

10 VARIETY LONDON NOTES VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE. 411 ITBAVS. W. & (Mall for American! aod Europeans In Europe If addretaed ctre VARIETY, •■ aboTe, will ba promptly forwarded.) London, Nov. 10. The father of The Great Lafayette at Baden-Baden is not expected to live the week oat. Marie Dainton moved into the Palace last week, and la more than making good at the big "hall." The Hippodrome, Oldham, opened yes- terday. This hall is the latest addition to the De Frees Circuit It has been stated that Horace Goldin and The Great Lafayette have placed their bookings exclusively with the Water Rats Agency. Moran and Lieser are getting along well at the Palace. Moran the comedian is securing more than his share of the laughs handed out there. Houdini is in London showing st the Oxford. He is doing the "straight-jacket" along with the "milk-can." Houdini knows how it should be done on the stage. At the New Cross Empire, where Frank Gotch is playing, moving pictures are shown representing the match between Gotch and Hackenschmidt in Chicago. -Monte Bayley has resigned from the V. A. F. He was the secretary. Several rumors are afloat as to the reason. No official statement has been made. The Grand, at Blackpool, formerly a legitimate theatre, has been converted into a music hall. The house will run vaude- ville until after Easter. Rltter and Foster are closing the show at the "Met," going very big in this po- sition. They have without a doubt the snappiest dancing act in the halls over here. Bert Levy drew a picture of the next President the day after election, but it did not stir the Palace audience. Some say Jim Jeffries would have taken much better. Paul Murray, of the William Morris office in London, has placed the Otto Brothers on the Barrasford tour for eight weeks next year. Tom Wbotwell, who was at the Metro- politan last week, is there when it comes to picking a song. He sings one of those "Keep It Quiet" songs that is going to get him away big before he finishes with it. Callahan and 6ft. George at Belfast last week just took the house by storm, it is reported. Jim Callahan's true Irish character seemed to hit them right, as did Miss St George's singing and harp playing. The Empress Hall (advertised as the largest ballroom in the world) opened Nov. 5. The hall is situated at Skirls' Court, under the management of Frank Bostock. There is also a skating rink in the ball. Tom Clare (Pavilion) is handing over some real good stuff at the piano. He only deals in the cleaner material, and the contrast works out beautifully, for his songs will be hard to beat. At the Oxford this week Helen Trix was introduced into the West End for the second time. Miss Trix had new songs and also a new gown. Helen easily won out with her songs, the "coon" numbers- going especially big. Paul Schults, the continental agent, has been in London for the last few days. Mr. Schults, when asked about conditions on the Continent, said the business at most halls was not lively. He seemed to think the trouble between the I. A. L. and the managers was the cause. The Poluski Brothers are going strong with a burlesque illustrated song at the Oxford. This team have more laughs up their sleeves than any other act of its kind on this side. They may be seen three or four times a week, but the material is always changed a bit. And very good it is too. Ida Rene is "pulling" a new one at the Pavilion this week in which she does "kid" one Maud Allan to a finish. In fact it seems to be too much of a "kid." Miss Rene's b* a travesty on the "Spring Song" dance. In the early part of the act Miss Rene is singing one of the red-fire songs. It is funny how even the good ones will fall for that stuff once in a while. Eddie Reynolds also appeared last week at the "Met" in a farcical sketch with incidental music entitled "A Modern Venus, or Adonis Out Too Late." Miss Reynolds (as the score card says) was supported by Harry A. Gribben. Poor Harry. Eddie acts, but she plays the violin and fiddle also. 'Tie said the sketch is having its initial showing. Tis also said . Bernard! Palace, London. The original Bernardi is giving a forty- minute act at the Palace this week, his, first appearance in London. Bernardi is not original, as he uses a little bit of everybody's material, but his changes are fast and the work has an extra amount of ginger all the way through. Bernardi opens the act by portraying employes, managers and artists around a music hall. Following he gives a music hall enter- tainment unassisted. It is well done, but not novel. The impersonation of Loie Fuller was especially very good, the light- ing and scenic effects following the original closely. Bernardi impersonates sixteen different characters. The act is put on elaborately. To cover expenses Bernardi will have to demand consider- able money. NEW CROSS EMPIfeB. London/ Nov. 10. The New Cross Empire was packed to suffocation last night when Frank Gotch, the American and champion wrestler of the world, appeared. The English people liked Gotch, but didn't care for his sketch. The Americanisms flew over their heads. The audience was distressingly silent when they should have laughed. Taking a curtain call, Gotch has the house with him, although a few boneheads in the gal- lery "booed." A couple of clever people are Shirley and Ransome, costers. The man makes a very good comedian with some acting in his composition. Harold Human depu- tised for Alf Holt in the same style of act. Human is about the average. Pat Rafferty, once a famous comedian over here, had a place on the bill. Pat retains the old-school methods, but T^uli get along all right if he would chop the clos- ing song about an old Irish pensioner, who tells what he has done before and what he would do again. A "girl act" with some pretty music and a pretty sickening tenor was headed by Marie Santoi, a rather bright girl. It is a "sight" act more than anything else, although the finish has the Japanese Em- peror's daughter declaring peace with an officer of England's navy. If Parliament would give some of the music hall artists the official right to settle the diplomatic entanglements there would be less inter- national trouble and more applause in London. They could also handle the un- employed question very nicely along with the rest. Campbell and Barber, with their com- edy bicycle act, grabbed off nearly all the evening's laughs. J. W. Hall and Walter Wade are comedians. It's useless to argue the point. A party of friends in the stalls seemed to occupy more of Madge Crichton's at- tention last evening than the audience, which was not interested in the three extra verses of a song Miss Crichton sang. She may be all right, but will have to show when the manager is looking and insisting that he receive his money's worth. DAZIE'S EUROPEAN TOUR. The announcement that Dazie contem- plates a trip abroad at the close of her present season with F. Zeigfeld, Jr.'s "Fol- lies of 1908" has aroused widespread in- terest in Europe. Dazie prior to her sen- sational appearance here as "Le Domino Rouge" was better known in the Euro- pean music halls than at home. W. L. Passpart and Ike Rose have of- fered to direct Dazie's foreign tour and H. B. Marinelli has cabled the dainty dancer that his personal attention will bo given her while abroad. The tour, Dazie states, is to be a very brief one, combining pleasure and travel with her professional engagements. Her jublic appearances will, in all likelihood, be confined to four cities, Berlin, Paris, Vienna and London. The reappearance of W. C. Fields will be at the Alhambra next week. Allie Clarke of the Three Electric Clarke Sisters, presented her husband, George W. Ryan, with a baby boy on Nov. 8 at the Sloane Maternity Hospital, New York City. GERMAN NOTES By OLD NICE. Berlin, Nov. 0. John Ringling and Max C Anderson have just left for Paris. Ringling has engaged some very good acts for next sea- son with his circuses. They have not played in America. Ike Rose, the hustler, impresario and guide, introduced Messrs. Ringling and Anderson to the "Bauern-Sohenke," which made a hit with the Americans. The price of "Rice and Zimmet" has gone up, considerable having been taken out of the market by several large Yankee exporters. The Circus Schumann to to put on a big pantomime next A number of leading comedians have resigned from the I. A. L. and several protest meetings aimed against the action of the Loge have been held. The Directors ("Vernaband") meet here Nov. 18. It is hoped the differences be- tween the managers and artists will then be finally settled. The November program at the Winter- garten is first-class. It opens with the Bros. Martin, xylophone (American); The Sleeds, black art; The Kratons, hoop roll- ing (American); Goleman's Dogs; De An- gelo's Living Statues; Berzac's (Wood- ward's) Sea lions; Louise Blot, Parisian singer; Cleo De Merode, dancer; Lalla Selbini; Andos Troupe of Jap Jugglers; and La Belle Titcomb, who sings while rid- ing' a horse. None of the turns requires special mention. They are all good and well known. The Original (American) Kaufmann Troupe of Cyclists, after an exciting trip around the world, left Durbad, Africa, on Oct. 3, aboard a coaster bound for Cape Town. During a terrific storm, a sailor was washed overboard, and the delay caused the act to miss the Sawon for Southampton. It arrived in London one week late, but had to open at Hamburg the next night (Nov. 1), which it did, although through missing connections the troupe arrived in Hamburg four hours late. The program was altered, and the act went on at ten o'clock, one hour after the train arrived, and after four weeks of contin- uous travel. As usual they made an im- mense hit. Frankie, the great "safety" rider, made his debut in Germany. Many offers followed the first performance. Others on the Hamburg program are Car- pos Bros., acrobatic; Lizzie Glenroy, Scotch dancer; 3 Arleys, gymnastic; Morton and Elliott, paper tearers (American); Belle Davis and "picks" (American); Berthe Bersina, songs; Hanako, Jap sketch; Dr. Bueckle and Loie Fuller. Both Morton and Elliott and Belle Davis are going fine. AUDITORIUM INCORPORATES. Cincinnati, Nov. 10. The Auditorium Theatre Co. has been incorporated for $10,000. It operates the Auditorium, which plays vaudeville booked through Gus Sun. The incorporators are F. Chandler, Geo. P. Kerl, Charles Van, Thos. L. Michie and August Kolsea.