Variety (November 1908)

VARIETY LONDON NOTES VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE. 4ii stoahd, w. o. (lUtl for American* and Europeans In Europe if addressed care VARIETY, as abore. will to protnpttrforwarded.) THE WOMAN IN VARIETY London, Not. 17. Bert Levy expects to sail for home Dec 5. Alec xjauder, a brother of Harry, has a sketch and would like to visit America with it. Hayes and Wynn are tearing up things outside London. All the reports since they left have been extremely favorable. Reports from the provinces say Radie Furman is very successful there. She is playing at Leeds this week (Moss-Stoll Tour). An announcement has been sent out by Bransby Williams that he is about to publish a book of the people he has met, on and off the stage. Maud Allan is expected to return to the Palace next Monday. Manager Butt is holding his thumbs for Miss Allan's absence has been severely felt. The Water Rats and Federation Book- ing Agency is sending out circular let- ters to managers containing the open time of all acts on the books. A couple of American juggling acts are having a set-to over -the "boomerang hats." Moran and Wiser and The McBanns are the ones. The McBanns claim the rights to this "hat" juggling, and they started the argument. Both acts are now using the hats. This much is known over here; that The McBanns when they appeared at the Palace did not employ hats in the act, but did later on at the Holborn Empire—and before Moran and Wiser played the Palace, where the latter team used them from the first, they being an important part of their turn. The McBanns do not make the hats prominent. As far as memory and information go, the origination of this form of hat juggling on the stage should be credited to the Juggling Bar- retts, the eldest member of whom is still playing in the States with a young part- ner, Barrett doing the comedy. Either Moran or Wiser, or. both at one time worked with this Barrett, and upon leav- ing him put together the present act, playing last season with . "The Casino Girls." They were booked direct to Europe from that, show, shortly after it opened in the West. The McBanns as far as known never used this hat business around New York City. BEDFORD PALACE. London, Nov. 17. The Bedford Palace of Varieties is of the cheaper grade of halls, but last week a very good show for its class was pro- vided. The headline was Rameses, the Egyp- tian conjuror. He held up the position, having illusions well worked and a nice stage setting. A "boy soprano" named Denis O'Neill has an excellent voice, and was well liked, but he has outlived the "boy" billing. Hettie Lee no doubt be- lieves she is a soubrette, and Jack Hamil- ton probably is resting likewise under the impression his mololog is all right, nevertheless Hamilton gets away through a catchy song. All the knockabout comedy ever for- gotten, before and since the war, has been resurrected by the Bros. Lang. Even the funnier one of the two would have to take laughs away from kindergarten kids with a gun. Maudie Haile, on the pro- gram as "a dainty comedienne," sings songs and wears tights. It is thoughtful of Maudie, those tights. The "raw" ma- terial in use by Reg Beauchamp will keep him out of the better houses, although he is genuinely funny at times, going in for the female impersonation makeup. Bella Belmont, "the girls with the fire- proof voice," got away well in a late posi- tion. Bella is disbursing a ballad and a "coon" song with some stories sandwiched in. "The Cert," a well-written sketch with plenty of good comedy, is played by Boden and Ford. Harry Boden is the custodian of the fun-making, and he understands the care of it perfectly. The piece opens with husband and wife at breakfast. Hubby has a grouch on against the world because he's broken. A letter arrives saying a rich uncle has sent him $500. This removes the chill, and the husband commences giving money away. From the daily paper he selects six horse?, one in each race, placing $50 on the first horse, and "building up," it being neces- sary for each selection to win for him to collect. Each does, and he is entitled to $300,000. but then discovers he had for- gotten to place the money on the first horse. The "business" bv Boden after the result of each race is handed him kept the house a-screaming. There are six characters in the sketch. It will be a big laugh anywhere. Joe Peterman's "Singing Servants" seem to please quite universally. The idea of the number is servants singing a bur- lesque on melodrama. The voices are standard excepting a high soprano, who doesn't aim right at times. Clara Alexander claims to have lived among the "darkies" and studied the type. Clara otherwise is all right. The Menzies in "The Suffragette" are at least current, and go through on this score, there being a man in the piece who could not plead guilty to being a comedian with- out commiting perjury. Phillips and Bristow, buck dancers, have the goods, and a couple of other acts showed. A theatre party of Elks (Lodge 1, New York) attended the Lincoln Square Wednesday evening in honor of Amelia Bingham. The party was arranged by Loney Haskell. BY ANNA MARBLE. Talk about the undress of Maude Odelll To really behold the ultra-refinement of beauty unadorned commend me to Valeska every time. Not even the Seldoms clothed in whitewash and a smile, can compare with naughty, naughty Miss Suratt in her "Three Weeks" costume—Three Min- utes, it ought to be called. When the curtain rises, disclosing the sinuous Valeska reclining upon her tummy and a purple velvet couch (it was orchid-colored in the book, but what care we?) well, it do make us sit up! Both the sheath dress and the stunning white liberty walking skirt with long coat of silver cloth are spoiled by the black boots, or is it half- hose (one can't tell from front) which cause her ankles to appear anything but trim, and give the ugly effect which al- ways results when hosiery and footgear do not match. Has anyone realized what a very re- markable imitation of Nazimova is that which Juliet? is giving? To those who are familiar with the throaty though se- ductive utterance of the Russian woman, the exactitude of the mimicry is particu- larly striking. That of Miss Barrymoro is likewise excellent, while the Vesta Vic- toria is quite as convincing. Juliet? imi- tates people's bodies as well as their voices. That funny, stocky walk of Vic- toria's is by no means an indifferent characteristic, and therefore adds much to the imitation. An imitation of Nazi- mova in "The Comet," with the weird gray drapery affected by that actress, would be still more striking. Then, too, Juliet? is young enough to take her en- cores with a trifle more girlish depreca- tion—or pretended deprecation of her own worth. Juliet? can get a pointer or two in this direction from Miss Billie Burke, or Miss Eleanor Robs on, or Miss Maude Adams, or even Sarah Bernhardt, Voilal Marion Bent is on my list of well- groomed girls in vaudeville. Her hair is always beautifully coiffed, her lingerie is always dainty and so, too, are her shoes and stockings. She has, moreover, a live- ly manner without being belligerently The Daleys, from the west, singers and dancers, appear at Perth Amboy next week, their first in the east. Zona Vevey. Songs. Palace, Camberwell (London). In selecting this act Zona Vevey hit upon a novel idea. Miss. Vevey does u singing act with a special stage setting that starts her off finelv. She has three people assisting; one, an accompanist, de- serving special mention, Max Erad, who is responsible for the songs. Miss Vevey o|K»ns with a Scotch selection having a real Scotch piper in the chorus. She then sings with church bell effects, containing the prettiest chorus of all her numbers. The Irish song at the finish was also a gem. In this a very pretty girl dressed as a colleen is employed. There is a change of costume with each song, one prettier than the other. The success of the act over here is assured, and it will probably be playing at the London halls for some time to come. gay, and her speaking voice is pleasant. This last counts for a great deal. She is blessed with the quality of magnetism, which of itself insures the hearty "hand" that always greets her on her en- trance. Her new directoire frock of white chiffon cloth with wide band of liberty at the hem and silver garniture is very fetching, but I like her in pink better than in any other color. The real connoisseurs of the audience are the gallery gods; don't make any mistake about this. If you can get the gallery, you are pretty sure to win out elsewhere in the house. They know all about clothes, too. Women's clothes, I mean. They may not know the Empire styles from those of the Elizabethan period, but they pass quick and sure judgment on the "ensemble" just the same. The way the gallery boy whistles through his teeth when a pretty and swagger gowned girl makes her entrance is the highest (the word is used literally as well as figuratively) compliment she could have. These are the chaps who "sense" good acting, too. They may guy the maudlin tears of the heroine in the dramatic sketch, but if they do you may be sure it is because she can not make them feel that her emotion is "on the level." If she is a good enough actress to do so, they will be quick to respond. I have watched what is known as the "toughest" vaudeville gallery in New York, and I have never known them to go dead wrong on their estimate of an act. Did you know that the "bang" has re- turned to its own, and is the very latest vogue in hair arrangement? The newest "fringe" is much more "skimpy," however, than that of our school days. It Is really a fringe this time, and a stingy one, worn straight across the forehead, about an inch and a half in length and having only the suspicion of a curl at the ends. Of course, Miss Suratt is wearing the new style, and therefore I was prone to regard it as a Parisian affectation more or less, but the swagger girls in a Fifth Avenue 'bus astonished me by displaying the same fashion, so it really must be here to stay for awhile. The remainder of the coiffure is worn a la Grecque, low in the back and extending way out to the farthest edge of even the largest hats. The inevitable Barrette finishes the puffed and curled extension. TIPS: To those who have written to inquire about the "Rhyming Dictionary"—Certain- ly there is such a volume. Any first-class bookseller will order it for you. To Maud Earle, with Julius Steger.— My dear child, you really must modify those unpleasant staccato notes in your speaking voice if you hope to succeed. To Phyllis Lee, with "Commencement Days."—That's a pretty opening song you have. What is it about? To only a few of you. Don't run away with the idea that soiled satin slippers do not ahov" "from front."