Variety (November 1908)

VARIETY 15 not offensive, indeed it is the opposite when it is in its proper surroundings. The offense in the Odell instance is in the intent. In no esse that has appeared in New York vaudeville has the deliberate purpose to pander to a disagreeable taste been more apparent. You who saw Miss Odell during the earlier days of her opening week may take exception to it, but this week's Maude is not the coy and statuesque creature. Some of her earlier poses are rather pretty, but there can be no excuse for the final "exposition." So called "showmanship" must stop some- where. The desire of the manager to "make talk" and start public discussion must have some limit, or where are we going to land? But why further; let us dismiss a disagreeable subject? The rest of the show is satisfactory with the possible exception of Josephine Ainsley. Miss Ainsley followed Adamini and Taylor, who made probably one of the best opening turns that has appeared hereabouts in a long time. They have a splendid layout of instrumental and vocal music, and earned more applause in their disadvantageous place than sev- eral of the other numbers that worked under better conditions. Miss Ainsley's songs following this act were cut down to two, and, although she retired to fair applause, the handicap was felt. D*Arc's Marionettes (New Acts) fol- lowed and scored a substantial hit, while George. W. Day ("No. 4") more than matched it in volume of applause. Day has a trick that is all his own. After eight or ten minutes of pure comedy pat- ter he works in a bit of well balanced sentiment that is immensely effective. Then for an encore that is as certain as clock-strike, he comes back with more nonsense and does a laughing finish. The scheme recommends itself, both as a first rate expedient to engineer laughs and as a skilful arrangement to throw comedy material into relief. Barnold's Pantomime closed the first half to im- mense applause. After the intermission came Maude Odell. Most of the audience, it may be presumed came to see Maude, and it needed a pretty fast number to follow. Josephine Sabel, who has not been seen a great deal hereabouts lately, had the job. Miss Sabel got to the audience with a catchy "coon" song and followed it most effectively with a burlesque on the "Odell incident" (another refusal to call it an act). Amelia Bingham closed the show, and if anyone tells you again that a dramatic sketch (for such is the classification which must include Miss Bingham's offering) can never close a show containing fast entertainment and a lewd "sensation," tell them about "Big Moments From Great Plays" this week. The preceding bill had apparently said the last word in vaudeville amusement when Miss Bingham took the stage. Ap- plause had been uncommonly enthusiastic and laughter had run riot. Nevertheless the legitimate star held her audience un- til her final moment. Ruth. There will be another concert at the Circle to-morrow night. There was one last Sunday at which a very appreciative crowd gathered. That is to say, they made up in noise what they lacked in numbers. FIFTH AVENUE. A high grade show is on view at the . ■*. .1 Fifth Avenue this week, bolstered up greatly by two new and excellent offer- ings, both on the novelty style—for vaude- ville—one (Annette Kellerman) decidedly so. Miss Kellerman with the other, "The Patriot," under New Acts. There is just enough comedy on the bill to give it the requisite flavor, bal- anced nicely by the variety injected into it. William Rock and Maude Fulton make their return, after a short absence, to this house, with the act last offered at Hammerstein's, Miss Fulton having re- placed "The Shop Girl" number with % "coon" song, rather a poor substitute. Mr. Rock does his usual excellent work as "The Devil," even though the audience finds it hard to accept him seriously, and the number scored as well on Monday evening as it ever did. It is no light show to follow. The further down an act was located the more difficult it became, which speaks well for it becoming necessary to close Julius Tannen's turn by the lights and orchestra announcing the next—and last—act. Mr. Tannen has a great deal of new and laughable matter, mostly "panning" Lon- don, but well worded and is well deliv- ered. A couple of "dental" stories are really clever, and Mr. Tannen, to keep the laughs on these apart, shifted to the "Venetian Blind." At least he is credited with so doing, for he could not intentionally have used that time honored "gag" otherwise. The "Bill's Letter" recitation is hardly worth the while, though it secures a good-sited laugh, but Mr. Tannen has no complaint. In the hardest program spot, he was one of the biggest hits. "The Star Bout" closed the show. This "boxing act" has not changed for the better since first presented. The portion in "one" is of lesser account than then, while the sparring does not compare with the exhibition first given. The act pleased, but it is far from what it should be after playing so long. Foster and Foster were placed for the difficult job of following the successful singing sketch ("The Patriot") but won out handily. It was also the third act, hand-running, to introduce patriotic airs, Foster and Foster having one for their introductory music. The other was the "No. 2" number, Ruby Raymond and Co., the "Co." con- sisting of two boys, one in blackface. It is a very good act of its sort, combin- ing three styles of dancing, acrobatic, loose and hardshoe, Miss Raymond being the acrobatic dancer. The act needs to be brought together by the dropping of the opening dialog, also more harmony prac- ticed in the trio singing, the shorter boy (James Graham )having an extraordinarily discordant voice. Miss Raymond is a pretty girl of youthful looks, with much animation ,and an excellent dancer in her line. James M. Hughes, blackfaced, might go even further in his loose dance, a big applause winner. A couple of odd incidents occurred through the make-up of the bills. Two moving pictures were run through in the center to permit of the setting for Miss Kellerman's second section, while Foster and Foster were obliged to give their act wholly in "one," with one of the partners remarking to the other "sit down," though no chair was in sight. Sime. Though the bill at Keeney's this week is far ahead of anything the house has held re c ent ly, it did not cause any great difference in the attendance. Tuesday night the nearly half a house, for a cold-blooded crowd, had the world whipped. The pictures may have, pleased, but if they liked anything else on the program, they have one grand original way of showing it. And there were no less than four acts fully deserving of a little bit better than being a hit. Clayton White and Marie Stuart may be credited with going as well as anyone. "Gherie" is there. It is one of vaude- ville's surest, and when the bright snappy lines and excellent work of the principals fail to arouse more than a few titters, it's almost time to either get or hire a new audience. The one thing in the act that really went well was Miss Stuart's French song; they knew they didn't understand that. Mr. White's slang should have been a riot by the same token. "Anna Laughlin and Joseph Howard" the program reads now. "My Sister's Big Beau" hasn't changed the slightest. Miss Laughlin simply steps in and fills the vacancy left by Mabel Barrison. One charitable change wrought is the omis- sion of Miss Harrison's song, "What's the Good of a Pair of Trousers if They Haven't Got a Man Inside." Miss Laugh- lin may have "kicked" on that; she had one coming. The value of the act has not been decreased any. Both girls do exactly the same style of work and Miss Laughlin has learned to say "yesh" just as cutely and prettily. Mr. Howard has now only to ssk Mike Donlin for his tailor's address. Charles Semon, a guaranteed laugh de- liverer, had to be contented with a few flftful outbursts of applause and several scattered giggles. He referred once or twice to the audiences in Portland. Mr. Semon need never mention that town again. Besides his value as a laughing number, Semon furnishes music of a bet- ter brand than many acts who depend entirely on musical ability. Spenser Kelly and Frederic Rose, after they had rid themselves of several selec- tions evidently chosen to suit themselves, managed to secure as much as the rest through a medley. Marion and Heins do a two-man min- strels. There is an interlocutor and end man. The end man works in blackface, sings a couple of "coon" numbers and looks like Lew Sully. The interlocutor sings two ballads. They were "I Don't Want Morning to Come" and "I Never Cared for Anyone the Way I Care for You." It isn't just right to keep the writer's name a secret. The Three Ernests closed the program with a first-rate comedy bar and trempo- line act. There isn't anything prettier in the acrobatic line than the horizontal bar work when it's good. The Three Ernests are all of that. The comedy plays an important part. Ned Nye and Ida Crispi and Roland Travers and Co. are under New Acts. Daah. Sadie Jansell ate some untrained oysters last week, and had an attack of ptomaine poisoning. It's foolish to eat these wild animals without a health cer- tificate attached to each one. COLONIAL. Mr. Williams seems to think lightly oi the drawing value of Maude Odell at the Lincoln Square this weak, for in place of iU big "sensation", which the Morris establishment flaunts to the public, Mr. Williams offers a show of even merit, unassisted by a "drawing card." There are no extraordinary attractions at the Colonial, absolutely nothing to draw the crowd except a very entertaining vaude- ville show, with its values distributed. Nat M. Wills gave the bill a good fin- ish. The show was most jerky and un- certain in its playing, and it was not until W. C. Fields appeared No. 3 that the applause reached proportions that might be considered as measuring up to a successful bill. Julius Steger and his company of play- ers first touched the particular chord that responds to intelligent sentimental ap- peal. There is no getting away from the fact that "The Fifth Commandment" works an immense influence upon a vaudeville audience. Its sentiment is well calculated to. awaken emotion without becoming maudlin, and throughout the presentation is adequate and convincing. Closing the first half Steger held the at- tention of his audience completely, and at his well-devised climax won rounds and rounds of applause—indeed, enough to jus- tify even the supporting company in taking a bow or two. Wills got the house immediately upon his entrance. He has returned to the old system of making his start with the operatic medley. This is a good move. There is a distinct question whether Wills is not funnier as a singer of parodies than as a talking comedian. In any event, this week's audience at the Colonial found him extremely funny in either depart- ment. His was a large success, although he was in his usual difficult position— next to closing the show. W. C. Fields makes his first appearance since his return from the other side. The comedy juggling act remains entirely un- changed. Fields is still the peer of the funny jugglers. Winona Winter calls herself "The Lit- tle 'Cheer Up Girl,'" a catchy title and a particularly applicable one. Miss Win- ter does only a short bit of her ventrilo- quial specialty, for the rest singing sev- eral songs in her own most attractive person and doing an impersonation or two which were not quite so attractive. Miss Winter exerts a large appeal through her youthful beauty and girlish manner. She is an altogether delightful picture in a modish frock of pink. A couple of pretty songs in her agreeable voice—a curious suggestion of rich boy soprano—clinched a substantial success. "Commencement Day," with Phyllis Lee, opened the intermission. The com- edy of the Jack Mason act is not very convincing. The presence of a tongue- tied youth and a "cissy" among a body of West Point cadets is a pretty long stretch of imagination. The singing went nicely, however. The Vindobonos (Nev Acts) and the Hassan lien Ali troupe of Arabs, closing, were the others in the last half, while Marino, Navaro and Marino opened the bill, followed by The Kemps. Ru*h. Annette Kellnnian holds over at the Fifth Avenw ru-xt week.