Variety (December 1909)

10 VARIETY London, Dec. 1. Harry First returns to London this week at the Empire, Shoreditch. After this the comedian starts a four weeks' run at the London Pavilion. From the Pavilion Mr. First will play the rest of the Syndicate time. r "The Palace Girls" have returned to the Palace, London, again. The act doesn't come up to the one last put on there. The Tiller girls look well in costumes, cut after the peculiar style of the one worn by Alexia. Ametn, the fire dancer, is at the Pal- ace, with t'oe usual effects. She is doing fairly well there. Yvoneck, a folk song singer from Brit- tany, opened at the Palace last week, get- ting away in fair shape. Another artists' club will be opened about the middle of December at the cor- ner of Lisle Street and Leicester Place. The well-known "Willie," formerly of the German Club, will have charge. Willie says he has a fine place and will make the German Club go some to keep up. The German is around the corner from the new one. The new club has billiards, smoking, ladies and card rooms on its three floors. Quite an interesting state of affairs has just come to light regarding the future booking of artists over here. It has been said that all the big stars in England are receiving offers from the Gibbons Circuit for bookings commencing when they are free, up into 1919—and then some. These stars are given special printed contracts to look over. All call for thirty weeks a year. It seems like an attempt to corner the Star market. A report says two of the foremost artists in England have signed these far ahead contracts. An agreement with a star artist in England up until 1919 would mean about $160,000 worth of dates. Dorothy Kenton, after a long stay in the Continental cities, will return to Lon- don Dec. 5 for a long engagement at the Empire. Beatrice Collier, who has been absent from the Empire ballet, will shortly re- appear there. Frank Le Dent, originally booked at the Alhambra, London, for four weeks, will be* held over for at least two more. Barnold's Dogs have been prolonged in- definitely at the Empire. George Abel will present for the first time in England "Town Hall Tonight" at the Euston Music Hall Dec. S. The act has been made thoroughly English. Dr. Bodie, it is reported, is about to try his luck again, going into non-college towns and keeping away from London. Foot-Gers, a French artist, opened at the Tivoli last week, passing in good shape with imitations of Fragson and Caruso. He also does a burlesque "Apache" with a dummy that is funny. His imitation of Fragson Is more of a travesty, and ought LONDON NOTES (Mall tSff A VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE. •II RBAMB, W. a •Di Bwopaaas In Berope If addr—— 4 ear* VARIETY, a* store, will scenic production employing sixty polar bears. to be a go with any audience that has remains there, and the engagement, no seen Fragson. doubt, will beat all records at this house. It is the wonder to a lot of people if Lloyd and Lane ever thought about ob- taining a new sketch. The pair are at the Tivoli and Oxford a good share of their time. It wouldn't be a bad idea for them to try a new one. Vesta Victoria is topping the bill for Barrasford at the Hippodrome, Leeds. La Sylphe is on a run at the Coliseum, London. Maud and Sydney Wood have been working the London, Shoreditch. 4 Odette Valery is touring the Provinces as a top-liner for the Stoll Circuit. Moran and Wiser go from the Hippo- drome, London, to the Empire, Sheffield. The burlesque of Dr. Bodie's act called "Dr. Awful Bodie," is still topping bills around the Stoll Circuit. Hayden Coffin is again in vaudeville, the singer appearing at the Metropolitan. Lyons and Cullum were in town recent- ly, playing Gibbon's Camber well Palace. The Kramers have gone to Ireland to Fragson is touring the Provinces, play- play an engagement at the Empire, Bel- ing the stoll ^^ M the bjg attraction# fast. Rather an interesting incident in con- nection with the Marinelli London office and the Alhambra has come out. It seems an act called the Maria Li Los Pictures was booked into'that house by the agency for an extended engagement. When the act appeared the management discovered it was the same playing one of the Gther West End halls recently under the name of "Felice Loraine's Dresden Tableau." The engagement was immediately can- celed. There is said to have been quite some argument between the management and the agency. Callahan, just back from Ireland, will return there to play the Theatre Royal, Dublin, in two weeks' time. Derenda and Green, Madge Temple and Farr and Farland are the newcomers to the Coliseum. The Russian Orchestra still There has been great discontent lately among the artists at the London Hippo- drome. Almost every act that has ap- peared there during the last two months has had some complaint in regard to the audience, which wasn't there. Business at the hall is expected to pick up around Christmas time when there will be a big LEON ZEITLIN. Commencing at an office boy for KHNltl OROS at the old METROPOLITAN MUSIC HALL. LONDON. LEON ZEITLIN worked steadily upward, finally engaging In the agency business for one year, when be was called to succeed WILL COLLINS as the BOOKING MANAGER for tbe "SYNDI OATH HALLS," a position now held by him to tbe eminent satisfaction of everyone concerned. MR. ZEITLIN understands taudevllle Inside and out ami Is Immensely popular. Sophie Tucker will most likely come to England for a try at the music halls in a few weeks." Bellman and Moore, it is believed, will split as a double team in about two weeks, at which time they will have com- pleted their bookings on the Barrasford Tour. Lottie Moore will then appear again as a single, working the London Hippodrome week of Jan. .'t. HOLBORN EMPIRE. * London, Nov. 24. The lack of good attractions at the Hol- born last week made the usually very lively audience there seem quite gloomy at the first show. Kate Carney was selected to top the bill, but the reception did not warrant the position. Helen Mohr opened the show and struggled with a song and dance fur a few moments. Helen ulmost got the decision over the dance, but the song had her beaten at the end of the first round. Ted Waite, as a comic singer, shows a fine style and is a good laugh getter, but some of his verses would never go well at a benefit for the church. A pure Scotch musical act is shown to good advantage by Barton and Franklyn. There are two men and a woman in the act. Scotch music throughout. The act ought to get away very good anywhere. Julian Mack received a few laughs with a monolog, but most of the snickers came through his handing out some material that isn't his. In his finish he has taken a parody of "Waiting at the Church" from Barclay Gammon. Jordan and Harvey are putting over a new monolog with good results. The act should stick to their old "Solomon" par- ody instead of trying a new one. The new one is on "Sullivan." Dolly Elsworthy was only given a few minutes, but looked good for a "single," and with the proper time on a bill Dolly would be among the best in singing the spicy songs. It rested with Russell Bradnow, col- ored, to pull down one of the two 'hits of the show. Bradnow is a fine eccentric dancer, and if he dressed a bit neater would prove a valuable turn over here. Gladys Nelson, "child wonder," was quite a hit with some of the audience in her imitations. They were a little better than the average "kid" would do them. For a finish she does an imitation of Irma Lorraine in a "Salome." This is all a mis- take, but still if she gave a good imita- tion of Lorraine she wouldn't be working hard. Harry Champion, still working' the "Boiled Beef and Cabbage" number, scored, as lie will for some time to come. Harry is certainly the speed fellow. Miss Cancy. with her songs and the rough-house production running around the edges, did not seem to go as big as usual. The curtains were a good deal fewer than customary, and there were not many of the funny encores. "Nine Juvenile Follies," presented by Madame Holt, are a bunch of little girls and hoys who sing and dance. The only hope seems to lie in their dancing, Which they do very well.