Variety (December 1909)

18 VARIETY FIFTH AVENUE. The "specs" were glad to let go ofMhe best orchestra seat*, at house prices Mon- day night, and well they might be; fpr when the audience was all in there were town nnd parts of rows empty all over the lower floor. The crowd was an almost stoical lot, really warming up for but two numbers—Helen Grantley and Co. and Camille Ober. Kven the dash and verve of the Six Cuttys' splendid musical act failed to get more than enough to come back on. All through the evening the gal- lery produced most of the applause. Paul Le Croix, in opening position, had to wait for his dexterous handling of sev- eral hats, toward the finish of his act, be- for the silence was broken. His retreat was made to enough applause to warrant a bow in acknowledgement and then Orth and Fern took the stage for their familiar "Sign the Book*' pianolog, singing and comedy. Their song in "one" got them past with credit. Helen Grantley and Co. (New Ac«sj stirred the biggest nolfte of the night and it looked then as though the audience was out of its lethargy. Vastly benefited by Corinne Sayles (the program, in minor type, read "assisted by") J. Francis Dooley he\& the stage for a considerable period, the spec- tators being kept at attention by the fre- quent appearances of the girl. A corking good "Yama Man" finish compelled the audience to noise up a bit, but not to what the act deserved. The quiet methods of Imro Fox, that clever conjuror and "deceptionist" of the old school, provided leverage for no more than to pry his act into mild evidences of appreciation; much of his clever "patter" went astray and his entire act merited vastly more than it received in the line of applause. Counting grace, style and ease of execution Fox runs up a heavy score among necromancers. The broad travesty on "Caesar and Cleo- patra" which Richard Anderson and James and Sadie Leonard presented brought laughs for points and they were rewarded with a sincere recall when their sketch bad reached its curtain. Camille Ober followed with her phenomenally high pitched voice, to appreciate the range of which a musical education would be required. For the pur- pose of entertainment and to the minds of the audience she was all there and it seemed a wonder that such a frail engine could master such a giant task. Her dress- ing was ideal and she would cut a fetching figure even if she couldn't sing half as high. Eighth on the bill the Six Musical Cuttys brought their act through with its accustomed neatness and dispatch, the pretty girl at the 'cello scoring the hit. The song diversified the specialty and their playing of brass should have stirred the audience to greater enthusiasm—for the Cuttys can certainly blow music out of liorns. There was a disposition to leave when Ihc George Konhair Troupe took the stage for their "Hisley" work, but they hadn't turned a whole trick before the restless ones sat down to enjoy the acrobatic treat which was in store. Three misses by the big fellow innrred the work in the double throwing, but when the triples were started matters progresses with great pre- cision and the act, as a whole, marked the Inst word in "Ribley" expertness. Walt, AMERICAN. William Morris designates this week's bill as a part of his "annual vaudeville festival." There are six £cts big enough in name and merit to headline almost any bill; and yet, wiping out the names and throwing in five other acts for good meas- ure, an inveterate patron of vaudeville would say that the show is slow in spots, good in places, and brilliant only in a few instances. The first half, despite the talent ar- rayed and the money invested, runs with- out any distinguishing flashes of bril- liancy; there seems to be an overplus of quietness without the dash and snap which makes a good vaudeville show out of an ordinary collection of acts. Three numbers immediately following the inter- mission make the latter half stand out in sharp contrast to the earlier hours of the bill. Zimmer opened while the ushers were slamming down the seats, but gained ap- proval for his dexterity in manipulating rubber balls, hats and other objects. Sec- ond on the bill came Sharp and Montgom- ery (New Acts) with the only dancing and ginger the first half contained. They could have gone further down with benefit to the first section. Dorsch and Russell's musical turn brought them their just share of applause, and the act still holds good entertainment for vaudeville audiences. In fourth posi- tion Kate Elinore and her cross-fire with Sam Williams produced laughter, but it was not until the eccentric finish' that the upplause came in any particular abun- dance. The act scored with its finale strongly Brengk's "Parisian Models" (New Acts). Lucy Weston reapears in vaudeville with her songs somewhat Americanized. It didn't help much. She opened with a typical New York song and used two more until "My Husband Has Left Me Again." The real hearty laugh was there when she hit the chorus of "My Hus- band's Gone Football Mad." or something like that, and then she won her way. Her costuming and appearance is of the same dainty order, and Miss Weston is person- ally just as magnetic, but she seems to have localized not to an advantage. Closing the first half Sidney Drew, with the artistic assistance of Nellie Malcolm, brought "When Two Hearts Are One" to a laughing finish. In following intermis- sion "The Georgia Campers," a double quintet of singers and dancers with talent fairly tumbling out of their shoes, started slam-bang to give reason for applause. Applause came. Cecilia Loftus was next to "The Camp ers." She followed their noisy act with tier interlude of artistic imitations, and was compelled to l>ow her appreciation time and again. Away down the list and at almost 11 o'clock Montgomery and Moore put the cap-stone of entertainment on this many thousand-dollared show. They "cleaned up" and came right back and did it again, scoring the most substantial and unani- mous hit of the evening. There was not an inch of the stage that both of these human ginger-cans didn't touch, and when t'ney had done the house would have been glad to sec them start all over again. On Alice Loretto's dog act the quiet of a surfeit of entertainment settled, and although it held the attention of most of PLAZA. It looked as though the Morris Office wasn't exactly sure of George Lash wood (New Acts), the headline re at the Plasa this week, from the layout of the bill for they placed a good show around the Englishman. The program Monday night looked a bit better than it played which in part may be laid to the audience. There was a good site one in, but a rather frigid bunch. A show never seems to run right unless the audience unbuckles once in a while. There were three or four real hits on the bill, too, but none of that big stuff— riots and things. The Four Mortons back at their old act were about the biggest winners. The quartet are just as able to keep an au- dience good natured and entertain them now .as ever. Sam Morton has no peer as an Irish comedian. Mrs. Morton in divided skirts still shakes her foot with the rest of the family. Clara has taken on a little weight, but she hasn't lost any of her chicness and cuteness. Paul as the dandy little stepper is there, although not doing as much dancing as all would like to see. Nellie Wallace did very well in the first half. The Englishwoman is a bit prone to stretching out. She is funny for the first couple of numbers, but becomes a trifle tiresome towards the finish. Her work lacks variety. The first three songs are quite similar and as she depends in a great measure upon make-up the first three cos- tumes are too much alike also. She might be termed a female Tom Mc- Naughton. Her make-up is similar to Mc- Naughton's and a couple of funny walks she does are identical with the English comedian's. Ralph Johnstone didn't have trouble, al- though he was close to the Mortons for ap- plause at the finish. Johnstone goes all the sensational bicyclists a trick or two better in his work. For an act of its kind he sure does go the limit. A serious accident might have followed had Johnstone not noticed that a ladder he was about to ride down was broken. It seemed gross, care- lessness on someone's part. Nicholson and Norton fared very well with "Ella's All Right." They have any number of good laughs, and know how to send them ofer. It isn't so much the piece as the people in it that are liked. Harry Jolson was on "No. 2." It seemed to make him a bit peevish for he referred to it several times in undertones; bad form. Three-quarters of the vaudeville audience don't know what difference it makes whether an act is "No. 2" or "12." Jolson, however, has little to complain of ■with "position," for the stuff he is doing this week. He is not talking at all, although he did stop long enough to use one of George Evans' lines. Tyler and Burton were moved from opening to "No. f>." The act is a pretty one of the skating variety and pleased, even though it didn't receive a great deal of applause at the finish. Blanche Sloan opened the bill making a very good start. Miss Sloan does several long swings on the flying rings that are right, and she held the audience with her. The Aust : n Bros, closed the program. Dafth. the audience she lost a great many per- sons who would not wait. Her beautiful white setter did the best posing of the night, and there was some posing by the Parisians. Waif. HAMMEsonors. The bill at Hammereteln's this week doesn't hit its stride until the second half of the program, where each of the three acts scored solidly. Before the interval the bill was draggy. The small audience 1'uesday night was not prone towards en- thusiasm. Albert Chevalier is the headliner. He did well, even though the size of the house did not recommend him as a drawing card. The character singer sang five songs, the last being "My Old Dutch." For the big all around hit of the bill the honors go to Jim Thornton. The nomologist was at his best and the laugh- ter at times simply came out in shrieks. There were one or two of Jim's best ones that went wild and Hammeretein's is just the house where they should do their worst. Their hit, however, was apparent. Thornton can feel with safety that he has many more years right in the heart of the city that breeds the*"live ones." Flo Irwin opened after the intermission with "Mrs. Peck ham's Carouse." Miss Ir- win was a real delight in the Geo. Ade playlet. It is an exceedingly good farce played by an excellent company. Miss Irwin looked stunning in a gown of blue topped off with a nifty white bonnet. "The Quartet" was the other act in the second half. The boys would hardly be recognized as the same four that were on the roof last summer. The singing sounds at least one hundred per cent, better down- stairs. The selections have been entirely changed for their return to Hammerstein's and the quartet have fallen upon a happy bunch of songs. Closing the bill at the -I2d Street house is not the softest spot in the world, but they managed to hold most of the house in and got through beauti- fully. Gillihan and Murray were on too early to do either themselves or the show much good. The pair are dressing the act better than formerly, although there was never any kick on their dressing. The "straight" now wears dandy fitting evening drenn and he carries it nicely. The comedian has a couple of new dresses for his "wench" bit, the second one, a startler. They are doing a very good act, and it is strange they nre not seen more often here- abouts. Hal Davis and Inez Macauley didn't get very far with "The Unexpected," rl- though it is a good sketch, Kdmirably played. The Great Ringling, and Cook and Lor- renz, New Acts. Dash. SOME BILLING! There ap]>carcd in the New York agen- cies one day this week a dignified middle- aged man and sent a card into the l>ooking department which bore among the other things the information that he was R. Shields-Aslachsen. F. II. S., "late Univer- sity of Durham, President of the New York Society for Philosophical Quizzical Research, the science of optics, projection and acoustics, pursuivant of arms and searcher of heraldic records." (This is only half of the descriptive matter.) The owner of the card stated his business was the booking of a female impersonator from the west.