Variety (November 1908)

14 VARIETY BLUE RIBBON GIRLS. The recent addition of Hilda Carle and her "Red Raven Cadets" to the "Blue Ribbon Girls" hai very likely upiet the burlesque of that performance, at it wtt played before the aet'e entry. Mbs Carls and her girla now dote the burlesque and the show, in their very nice drill, includ- ing change of eottnmet. To permit of thit and hold the enter- tainment within a reasonable time limit, th* burbeque teems all torn to pieces. It it "The Raw Recruit," by Allen and Bur- nett. The "special" songs written for the pieee are not sung, t William Keller soores the hit of the burlesque and through that the hit of the show in a comedy way. As "the raw re- cruit" Keller had his comedy with Billy K. Wells and Harry Ward. A scene in "one" during the burlesque was stretched out until it seemed the men were "stall- ing," but there was good "army" business in it, and previously there was some real fun (also new) between Wells, Ward, a policeman and a mail-box. Hie reason for Keller scoring is most simple. Wells'as a Hebrew and Ward as a "Dutchman" each appeared in the first part, olio and burlesque with hardly a change of clothing, let alone dialects or make-ups. Though perhaps the audi- ence did not know it, they had grown tired of both characters. Ward is a fair sort of "Dutchman," much better in that character than Wells as a Hebrew. Wells is a'careless worker, forgetting the dialect often, and has failed to live up to the promise he showed a couple of seasons ago. In WelTt singing monolog (olio), he has a few parodies and a copy of CUff Gor- don's political speech, including in this copy even some talk Gordon has used now and again. On the other hand Ward, during the specialty of Ward and Raymond, shows some of the prettiest dancing which has been seen in a very long while and es- tablished the set as one of the big suc- cesses of the show through this, although good judgment should tell him to drop most of the talk, a sample being that his wife is "one" and he is "nothing" in the family, making "ten" in all. This is quite as poorly chosen as the program line about Weils which reads, "Every- body is so sick, I'm glsd to see the ink well." A great deal was not expected from Wells after reading that. Miss Raymond dances fairly, but is not dressed likewise. Possibly appearing before a street drop induced her to wear the cloak at the opening. It is not becoming. Strip- ping to tight pantalets after, she dances a clog under the spot-light. Keller and Jimmy Lsbm have been drafted from the original company which appeared in vaudeville playing 6earl Al- len's "The Traveling Man." Three scenes have been made of the piece: the interior of the Grand Central, the exterior of the train sheds, and the interior of the Pull- man. In the latter most of the action and business takes place, Florence Mills play- ing Phoebe Snow, and Billy Evans, the drummer. They secure a great deal from the final scene, although it is too long. Messrs. Keller, Evans and Lane all play swiftly, bringing lots of laughs, while Miss Mills is a pretty woman, with a not over- strong voice, albeit a pleasant one, and she should have something more than the bit of song given her at the opening. The opening of the first part is one of the best ever seen in a burlesque show. It is worked in much the same way that many a finale of the first or second act of a musical comedy has been. There is constant action and change of leaders, Pauline Moran, Miss Raymond, Miss Mills and the comedians being concerned in H. During the opening pieee renamed "Hie Blue Ribbons En Route" (and which carries a logical story) the chorus girls are on the job. They have been well trained, and wear some pretty costumes. Their dancing isnt merely a movement of the feet. There seems to be no soubrette. Every- one in the show, male and female, with the exception of the Misses Carle and Mills, can dance. If there is a soubrette. Miss Moran is it. (She is a smiling girl who works hard all the time, and gets some- thing out of it. In "I Could Learn to Love a Girl Like You," which Miss Moran led, she secured five legitimate encores. Five—count 'em. This isnt like telling it yourself. In "A Minstrel Show For Mine," if Miss Moran would not try to sing quite so much, her voice will last longer. The Three Perry Sisters are semi- principals, furnishing the comedy of the first part with the comedians through a swinging door, the girls looking for a husband, dog and parrot respectively, all bearing the same name. It is not an un- usual farcical situation. The sisters made up the third and last olio number with "In Chorus life." "T%e Wedding of the Nightie and the Pajamas," a song capable of considerable effect, is lost by the girls. They should have two verses, and some one should teach inci- dental business in connection with it. 'The Red Ravens" drill well, but al- though girls, the small number (nine) do not compare them favorably with the boys who do this same sort in quantities of fifteen or more. The early indications were that "The Blue Ribbons" would be about the best show which has played hereabouts. It isnt, but still is first class entertainment. Five of the principals do not appear in the olio. The management has sacrificed much for the "Traveling Man" of the first part and Miss Carle's act in the bur- lesque. When in addition to this one rec- ollects the repetition of Wells and Ward, the good results obtained by the company are a little short of remarkable. Sime. THE ROLLICKEKS. Some few changes have occurred in the organization of "The Rollickers" this year. William 3. Patton is in the straight part formerly played by Ed Morton and Nat S. Jerome has Jos. K. Watson's role op- posite Will H. Cohan, , Hazel Sanger,. |the prima donna, is also new to tip cast. Otherwise the company is the same and the vehicle (an adapted version of "Bank- ers and Brokers") remains in use. Jerome does not make as good a part- ner for Cohan as Watson did. This is probably not Jerome's fault, but rather because of his methods. There are times when he overworks in an effort to get his "fat" lines over and the pair do not play up to each other as did the old combina- tion. This is not said in disparagement of Jerome's work, for he handles his Hebrew with a good deal of certainty, slipping only when he tries too hard to secure laughs. This Is Cohan's second season with the organisation. He has the work well in band, placing his comedy to good effect. Both he and Jerome get the big type. One of the best bits of trick work that has been shown, in burlesque is the en- trance of the two comedians. Everybody in the show works it up through a fast chase and at the finish the pair make a quiet appearance. It won perhaps the biggest laugh of the first part. Hie busi- ness with the shackles that followed got another laugh, thanks to a funny walk, and the five minutes they held the stage was solid laughter. All through the two- act piece they had scenes of just about the right length, never tiring, and their parodies introduced during the second act held the show up. Patton made a decidedly satisfactory "straight," a happy variation from the general burlesque rule. He plays with re- pose and talks easily and naturally, be- tide which he sang very agreeably. Al- fred K. Hall is back in his old part with a funny catch line which he is a bit in- clined to overwork, but which made an immense hit with the audience. The principal women have been happily selected. Violet Pearl, rather more Tan- guayesque than formerly, is all over the stage. She gets more action out of her songs and dances than two ordinary bur- lesque soubrettes, and wears clothes that are bright without being flashy. She has plenty of them, too. Miss Pearl has improved vastly in the past year and gives promise of going steadily ahead. She has good ideas and the ability to put them through. Her "audience" song was splendidly handled. Miss Sanger was suffering from a se- vere cold last week and her singing found her at a disadvantage. She is of gen- erous proportions, but handles herself with a good deal of stately grace and in the matter of clothes almost rivals the soubrette. Her duet in the first part was perhaps her best and she did nicely with the finale of the same part. Grace Patton contented herself with looking well, with- out attempting to sing and offering very little talk. She did look very well, too, and thereby fulfilled her mission. The Thiese production adds another affirmative to the debate as to whether the burlesque olio has not seen its best day. What simple little specialties are ueed in the show are introduced inciden- tally during the pieces. These include an excellent dance by Patton and Hall, Al Hall's "Empire Pony Ballet," Cohan and Jerome's series of parodies and Daisy d'Cuesta with a toe dance. Between pieces Madeline Cfordon, at other times a humble chorister, delivered the surprise of the evening, with a series of capital songs. The turn was designed to fill in the gap for stage setting pur- poses, but it proved a decidedly enter- taining ten minutes. Miss Gordon has the gift of handling dialect songs, and needs only a better stage bearing and someone to show her how to wear clothes. The costuming of her single act was a travesty. A shabby skirt with a fringe of stray threads hanging down, a shabby pair of slippers and a seedy looking waist, emphasized by an unbecoming way of arranging her hair, gave her a sort of forlorn appearance, but ahe had scarcely got through her -first chorus of a "coon" song when everybody was at attention. Miss Gordon should have a song in the pieces. Much valuable material is lost while she remains in the chorus. The sixteen choristers are divided into show girls and "ponies," the latter being a neat lively octet of workers. They took five encores after singing "Taffy" and at all times helped the stage picture with their animated presence and good looks. All the girls are nicely costumed, there- being rather more than the average num- ber of changes, all bright and pretty. A good deal of care has been put into the "production" which is well above the bur- lesque uverage in all its details. The company is strong in the presence of good male voices. Beside Patton, Har- ry Hewett in an unimportant part and Matt Taylor did uncommonly well with their songs, and four male voices, com- bined into a quartet, sang off stage for the opening of the second act, giving a very pretty touch to a quiet scene. The more or less consecutive story of the old Yorke and Adams' piece is re- tained. The comedy plot holds the action together without becoming obtrusive and a constant succession of musical ensembles and various "bits" holds interest closely. "The Rollickers" holds easily the place it gained last season, its first on the Western Burlesque Wheel, when it was conceded as second to none as a clean, modern burlesque entertainment. It is entirely free from suggestiveness, but one minor violation of good taste was the frequency with which the principal come- dians resorted to the use of profanity for a laugh. This should be curbed. They can be funny without it. Rush. LINCOLN SQUARE. Those who watch theatricals with an eye singly upon the box office results are rather inclined to regard things with the conical attitude that justifies successful showmanship without considering the means which make it successful. The re- sults only count. Which observation is occasioned by watching the exhibition given at the Lincoln Square this week by Maude Odell. You couldn't well call it an "act." Exhibition is a better term, and you are permitted to take "exhibition" in any of its manifold shades of meaning. "Salomes" we have had without number, and other things that offended what is left in us of the Puritanical, but Maude Odell has it on all the other so far that ordinary language languishes and typewritten ad- jectives retire abashed. If this isn't sufficiently plain, let it be said at once that the English "beauty's" open flaunt of crude nakedness is as bold an affront upon American decency as has ever been attempted outside a handinga. The managers may prate about "demon- stration of physical perfection," "artistic display" and all the rest of the bromides, but Maude Odell is at the Lincoln Square this week because she has been found to arouse an attraction that is potent because it is risque —and risque isn't the proper term either, because it expresses the clever veneer with which the French manage to soften their worst outrages. This is blunt, crude, British nastiness. We all understand that mere nudity is