Variety (March 1909)

16 VARIETY HAVANA. James T. Powers is featured heavily over the Shubert musical comedy "Ha- vana" playing at the Casino, to large business. Mr. Powers has a most con- genial role, and merrily holds up the bill- ing, for to those who like Mr. Powers, he is ever arousing, and particularly when supplied with the "material," which is in abundance at the Moorish patterned play- house. The music is the big part of "Havana" as the tunes of a musical piece should be. The author of "Florodora," Leslie Stuart, supplied the score. As Mr. Stuart created the famous "Florodora Sextet," so will he make widely known the "Havana Octet" eight young girls, who stamp them- selves immediately upon their appearance in the first act when singing "Hello Peo- ple," the "Hello People" becoming a "catch line" in the number, uttered in a "kiddish" voice. Three of the girls make the song through handling the four words "Hello people; People hello." One brunette in the octet with chiseled features is a stun- ner in the good looks department. "What Shall I Do With the Rest" is another tuneful melody, and Mr. Powers has a good topical song in "How Did the Bird Know That," although the lyrics run to bad jokes on common subjects, instead of current events. The story tells in three acts of a short lived revolution in Cuba, the plot taking its comedy from "mistaken identity" or farcical situations. The story runs smoothly, supplies plenty of fun with Mr. Powers and Percy Ames, the chief come- dians, although Ernest Lambart has one of the light roles. Mr. Ames plays opposite Powers, and is one of. the best of "straights." He is an English steward on a yacht, and a "pal" of Powers, the Bo'sun. Ames may be English by birth, for his accent is as per- fect as Lambart's is natural. Not once does Ames smile through the show, and is apparently attempting to illustrate the belief in an absence of humor in his coun- trymen. The more seen of Ames the bet- ter he is liked. Among the women, Eva Davenport as the pretender to the throne, brings about laughs through her size and playing. Edith Decker and Clara Palmer have roles which fit, Miss Decker's so, as a Cuban girl par- ticularly. Daisy Green, Viola Kellogg, Mabel Wells, Vi Gerard and Edith Kelly are listed for principals. Miss Kelly is one of the "Octet" selected to "assist" in "Way Down in Pensacolu" aimed for a "coon" number. If Mr. Stuart wrote it, he had better stay at home for his song ideas, for it is way down in the list of "rags." The poor costuming schemes of the chorus at two or three different moments; the horrible make-up by all the women in the show, and the prize collection of the worst bunch of chorus men ever allowed to pose in front of An andipnce are in evidence. A peculiar item of the large cast is that there is not a real dancer in the show. Simc. There were two emergency acta on the Fifth Avenue bill Monday. Harry Gilfoil took the place of Bessie Wynn, wMlc the Fitz Gibbons-McCoy Trio substituted for Frosini. Both acts retired on account of illness, according to announcement. KENTUCKY BELLES. The trouble with "The Kentucky Belles" this season seems to be the book or ma- terial the principals have to work with. It is a two-act piece called "The Hood- lum's Holiday." The second act is prac- tically the "burlesque," but the changes in a few characters are explained in the dialog. The dialog is the main fault. It is not aimed right for amusement pur- poses, and flies a trifle high in phrasing with too much talk occurring often. The piece itself is a "Dr. Dippy" thing, with tho first act laid in the "sanitarium." Everyone believes the other crazy, and so forth. The principal comedy is derived from a "duel." In the second act there is some comedy on a sofa, while Adele Ranney, a very pretty girl, handles an undressing bit decorously. Jim Diamond follows this with a burlesque upon it, in which a corset becomes the chief exponent for the laugh making. The songs have been especially written, and there are thirteen in all, besides the finales. One "fishing" song has a line in the chorus, repeated by the girls while holding fishing rods over the heads of those in the front orchestra chairs. It is "Bite, bite, you sucker, bite." One thing in the show entitled to credit it- the number of costume changes, even though the dressing itself isn't always pretty or expensive. There is a change for every number from the start to the finish. About the prettiest costume is that in the "Daffy Dan" number. The girls would look even better did they not wear the hats at the same time. "Daffy Dan" is also a character, played by Geo. O'Malley, who does something with his role. O'Malley is helped through make-up. Percie Martin, as an old maid grotesquely made up, brings herself into prominence, and would be just as promi- nent if she did not wear a travestied "sheath" skirt. Diamond is the principal comedian, but the material is handicapping him greatly. Dave Martin as "Dr. Dippy" plays in a very subdued and dignified spirit, while J. Grant Gibson as the "straight" carries himself well. Mr. Gibson wrote the book, words and music. He and Miss Ranney have a talking anjd singing act in which Mr. Gibson has written some matter which takes very well. The two have a "hus- band and wife" spat. If Gibson ever de- cides to coarsen the talk for his act or a book, he will probably reap unexpected results. His ideas are all right, but too politely expressed. O'Malley and Golden open the olio with a singing and dancing turn. O'Malley is the act. Esther Golden looks very pretty in a red dress, and has a part in the pieces. The Melrose Bros, do considera- ble, ground acrobatics, going through nice- ly for a "two-act" in this line, and Dave ond Percie Martin have a rural sketch during which they play upon brass in- hlruiuenU. Mi»s Martin as a stranded soubrette is acceptable, and Mr. Martin is a rather likeable aged "rube." The in- troduction of the brasses hand9 the story a wallop though, for it then seems the entire piece has been designed to give oddity to a musical act. The music helps, however, but no encore should be taken for either of the instruments. Mr. Diamond has a singing and dancing number assisted by four of the thirteen chorus girls. His loose dancing is liked, THIRD AVENUE. The benefit of the "third show" can not be noticed at the Third Avenue. As the second performance ended on Tuesday evening at the Third Avenue, about 9:30, but few left, .and no newcomers arrived. During the "third show," which then com- menced, the audience, a very good one in size, thinned out until Hayes and Alpoint, the big laughing hit of the bill, appeared before almost empty seats along towards 11 o'clock. Beside the printed bill this week, a new single act was added to the program. A bearded or "tramp" makeup covered an acrobat, singer and high kicker. He also disposed of a short line of talk. The supposed feature "Frontier Life" (New Acts) did not make any noise, while The Piottis, who followed with a char- acter singing change act, were a "riot," the man repeating the chorus of "My Brudda Sylvest" five times (without "plugging"). He has three good songs. The woman does little, playing a waif and an Italian girl. It is the man's character work as the Italian that caused the rather remarkable demonstration at that time, and with a "hold over" audience. Hayes and Alpoint finished their act at the second show in a gale of laughter when Alpoint rode the sofa bareback. He is new in the turn, formerly known as Hallen and Hayes. There is little change. The present dwarf is about the same size as Hallen, and gets the laughs as surely. A ring act, The Harringtons, opened the program, giving a neat number of its kind, and John Elliott sang a couple of illus- trated songs. Coulter and Wilson offer talking, sing- ing and piano playing, Coulter taking the comedy end, doing well with it and han- dling "White Wash Man" with lyrics ex- ceptionally well. Wilson is the "straight" and also the pianist, without "trick stuff." They were well liked all through. Sime. and Diamond in the -second act brought many encores to "My Sweet Pajama Girl" through his comedy with the chor- isters. There were many points left unex- plained through Chooceeta, a "cooch" dancer, closing the program. Chooceeta is no cheater. At the Bowery on last Satur- day night, she gave a "cooch" that was right, and Chooceeta can certainly "cooch" some. Chooceeta came from Chicago. She started something out there last summer, and if she's, around New York long, she will start something here. Chooey is somewhat pretty, with a face made up to remind one of a sketch in which the artist gives to a small, piquant face much expression through the eyes. Chooceeta said before opening the engagement at the Bowery her dance might be cut after the first show. If the one on Saturday night of that we«k had been toned down any, the Monday matinee performance must have been a screamer in "cooching," for Choo- ceeta has everyone who hns shown about here pushed off the wiggling map. Sime. The Lincoln Square announces through its program that in the future the admis- sion price at the theatre will remain un- changed. The motto of the house is from now on "Where the prices never change." COLUMBIA. Business continues to hold big at the Columbia. Tuesday night at eight o'clock the S. R. 0. sign was out for the balcony and a half hour later admission was all that could be obtained for the lower floor. The bill proper is a first-class one for the house. Ali, Hunter and AH get the large type and at the Columbia they deserve it. They overlook nothing in their rough comedy efforts. The seltzer bottle leads, with the fly paper pushing it hard, the lemon pie gets to the front a couple of times and the slapstick is always in readi- ness to take up the running when the others begin to lag. At the finish for about a minute the two men in the act do some capital tumbling. A straight acro- batic act with just the two men employed would perhaps get them further than the present offering, which is a "riot" in Brooklyn. Single acts are not liked at the Colum- bia, especially those using talk. Sam Stern did as well as any single act can hope to over there. The comedian is attempting too much. He first does a conversational Hebrew, then an Italian and then back to a Hebrew boy, using no makeup. One of the Hebrew characters should be dropped. The Italian is rather well done. A good opportunity for an Italian song has been overlooked. Stern has some funny business with the spotlight that got over nicely. A medley of popular songs made a very good finish. There is a chance for improvement in the talk throughout. Carlo's Animals put up a very pleasing performance. Ponies and dogs are used ex- clusively. The animals are very well groomed and require very little urging to put them through their routine. Carlos, or whoever handles the animals, also makes a very good appearance. He shows sev- eral good feats in hand-balancing also. A colored assistant is employed but there is no attempt at comedy. The act works quickly and smoothly and should be a card for the matinee trade in Brooklyn. Charles Leonard and Ethel Drake did very well. The act consists principally of imitations by Leonard. The usual run are given, including the little chick, the dog fight, drawing soda, etc. All are very w r ell done. Miss Drake does not show until late in the specialty. Some talk of an ancient vintage is then indulged in by the couple, after which they do a number which al- lows the introduction of several of the imitations. This takes them off in good style. The Zarrow Trio closed the bill with their comedy bicycle act, which did not do as well as might be expected. There seems to be a new comedian in the act, and he has not found himself as yet. Yacklay and Bunnell got through all right as far as their music was con- cerned. This was due in a measure to the low speaking tones of the comedian. The Cubanola Trio, colored, three girls, did very well with their opening number, an Indian song in costume. The act went to pieces after this. The singing is right enough, but some dancing is necessary to give it variety. Da/th. Anna Marble, Percy G. Williams' press representative, who wrote "In Old Edam" for Sara Chip and Mary Marble (Anna's sister), will present "Maggie Riley." another sketch, at the Green point next week.