Variety (February 1910)

VARIETY 15 Ann Crewe tad Co. (a) "My Lady Baffles" (Dramatic Sketch), ao Mia.; Full Stage (Interior). Fifth Ave., Jan. 30. Miss Crewe has written an interesting, if largely improbable, sketch. A man whose wife has deserted him five years before because, at a masque ball, she had discovered his propensities for intrigue, is disclosed in his apartments, just returned from still another masque ball. He soliloquizes sufficiently to make this ex- planation, refuses an invitation by tele- phone to go out with some male com- panions to finish the night and after ex- amining some Oiristmas purchases he has made (including a dress he has bought for his sister) he falls asleep before the fireplace. Awakened by a noise he dis- covered a masked prowler in the room. Donning his own mask he confronts his visitor, revolver in hand, turns up the lights and discovers, through the voice and figure, that his visitor is a woman. Subsequent dialog develops the fact that the woman is a thief of much clever- ness, for she ha*, while dancing with him at the masque ball, captured his watch and connected with his diamond cuff-links. Believing that he would spend the night at his club she has come to his apartment to get the large "sparkler" which he wears in his shirt front. "Lady Raffles" takes it for granted that the clubman would come home to leave the diamond stud where she could get it; in any event she took chances on picking up enough loose plunder to make the visit worth while. During the parley and by-play the man passes off as a Pinkerton on duty to guard the jewels; the woman*believing, in spite of this assertion, that he too is a burglar whom she has surprised at work. Finally getting possession of the woman's revolver, he makes her change her eve- ning clothes for the dress he has pur- chased for his sister. Gun in hand, while the lights are low, he compels her to make the switch and then discovers that he wants a kiss. She holds him at a dis- tance until, by strategy, he kisses her tearing off her mask at the same time. I.o. and behold! It is hi* own wife. Co- incidently he removes his own mask. When the couple are disclosed to each other, there is some heavy acting. The fact that a child has been born is made known and the man consents to see that it is cared for. He acts as any man prob- ably would under the unusual circum- stances, bids the wife go her way after she has won a home for the child. Hus- band calls the wife back, tells her he is all to be blamed and they kiss and make up in time for the curtain. As entertain- ment it is made possible only through the effect of skilful acting on the part of Tlarry Gibhs. who plays the husband, and some of the work of Miss Crewe. Walt. Arlington and Helston. Songs and Dances. 12 Mine.; Full Stage. Majestic. Neat dressing, frequent changes and an ability to come through with some good and lively jig and reel steps gives this act a snap and dash which adds greatly to its effectiveness. The man is a particu- larly good eccentric dancer, and the pair have a lively finish which sends the duo away with a good average. Walt. Denman Thompeon and Go. (4). "Joanna Whitcomb." ao Mine.; One (10); Full Stage (xo). Fifth Avenue. Denman Thompson needs no introduc- tion to .theatre-goers or artists in any part of this country. "The Old Home- stead" is familiar to everybody of this generation. The character of the lovable old farmer he, of course, brings into vaudeville is a vehicle which he chooses to call "Joshua Whitcomb," which was his earliest prominent effort. The act opens in "one," a street scene, the "house drop" being used. Thompson as the old farmer meets with several types familiar in the lower portions of New York, although any other city would have done as well. There is bright talk and plenty to laugh at in the first ten minutes of the piece. Joshua becomes interested in a little girl who is selling papers. The girl tells of her troubles and the old man goes home with her to a squalid attic room, in which the mother of the child is dying. The mother dies While the farmer is with her, he giving the woman his word to look after the little one after her death. As the old man and the girl kneel in prayer by the death bed in comes the step-father drunk. Joshua takes him in hand throws him through a window and re- sumes his prayer to a slow curtain. There is a fourth character, a newsboy. The sketch is well put on and very well acted. Nothings need be said of Mr. Thompson's work; he is the big-hearted farmer. The supporting cast is very good, the little girl having the lion's share of the work and carrying off the honors, next to the star. Dash. "Maids and Middies." 17 Mins.; Full Stage. Hudson, Union Hill, N. J. Edward E. Pidgeon is the presenter of a new mixed octet that afford very pleas- ing, clean entertainment. The offering opens in "one." The deck of a ship is shown on a well-painted drop and the act starts with three midshipmen and the captain singing a very good number of the light opera type. The three midshipmen are anxious for a lark on shore. In or- der to get the captain to join the party they have to give their word that there shall be no skirts mixed up in the frolic. The quartet then repair to the garden of the Army and Navy Club. The scene here shifts to the full stage and very pretty Japanesy setting is shown. The men gathered around a table each ordering tea. The tea is served by four dainty Japa- nese maids, who figure in a pretty, quiet number with the male quartet. The next drink ordered is beer, and this is served by four German girls and another num- ber goes with the beer. In this way the girls arc introduced in several different costumes. A little cornedv is introduced through the old captain's effort to keep out of the clutches of the girls, but he finally falls harder than any of the vounger officers. The costumes of the girls are all pretty, and the numbers are pleasing. The music has an unfamiliar ring. This is Edward Pigeon's maiden effort as a producer, and it is to be hoped that he will not stop here. "Maids and Middies" was not a ''knockout" at Union Hill, but did very nicely. The act would do a hundred per cent, better in any New York house. Dash. J. C. Mack and Co. (x). "A House Wanning" (Comedy Sketch). 18 Mine.; Full Stage (Interior). Majestic. Carroll Fleming is the author of a sketch which employs J. 0. Mack and a clever and attractive woman. Why she is not named in the billing of the players is a mystery, for she has Mack backed off the boards as an artist. She 'has good looks, a splendid grasp of farce and reads her part delightfully. The sketch is one of those "I'll humor him" arrangements where each player thinks the other has gone daft. The comedy in the lines re- sults from the arrival of a doctor when a piano tuner is expected, and again when a rich relative presents himself ahead of the expected time. Both are mistaken for somebody else. Mack "doubles" both the male characters, and if he could play farce with the same degree of proficiency he displays in the matter of make-up and disguise, there would be twice as many laughs resulting. As it is, he does not match up to the woman who plays op- posite, and consequently the full value of the excellent sketch is not secured. Walt. Bixley and Fink. "The Hobo and the Hebrew." 16 Mins.; One. Greenpoint. Bixley and Fink are making their bow to vaudeville as a team. The men are both well known in burlesque. They were with Miner's "Americans" earlier in the season, practically holding that show to- gether. The pair will have no trouble getting away in vaudeville for each is possessed of sufficient talent and versa- tility to frame up an offering with action and comedy galore. In their present frame-up the comedians are depending in a great measure on their singing voices, and it may be said with safety that two better sets of "pipes" in a comedy act would be hard to find. Bixley sticks to his high-class tramp character, and Fink is the starved-looking Hebrew. Beside the singing, which consists for the most part of burlesque grand opera, the pair have a short line of bright, snappy talk that is extremely funny, made more so bv the double cornedv manner of handling. A dance in tiie middle of the specialty is just a bit too short. The men show abil- ity in the line and the stepping might be extended. They will stand as it is for the best time, and should pull to the front among the comedy acts in "one." Dash. Adeline Francis. Songs. 12 Mins.; One. Union Square. An Irish song is used to open, and then Miss I'lMiicis Roes into a couple of ditties, f lightly spiced, and all well rendered. She has a ui«" appearance and a pood, whole- some Hinging voice, enunciates with much distinctness and gets her specialty across in commendable fashion. Her work pleased the Union Square audiences immensely and she should have little trouble to keep going. Walt. Cordua and Maude. . Hand Balancers. xa Mins.; Full Stage. American. Conspicuous cleverness marks the dis- plays of hand-balancing by Cordua and a pretty face and stunning curves make Maude a delight to behold. While her mission is mostly as an assistant, Maude adorns the act to such a marked degree that the spectator rates her as equally important with the skill and grace Cor- dua contributes. Two wires, stretched parallel, recalling the paraphernalia of wire walkers, are used in opening the act. Cordua balances himself in a hand-stand at the butts of four billiard cues, the tips of which rest upon the wires. Later he makes the same stand on a brace of army guns, the bayonets of which are at- tached to metal prongs which rest upon the wires. He makes hand-stands on par- allels which surmount the platforms at both ends of the wires and gives other displays of strength and adroitness in hia special line of work. For a finish he mounts a rigging upon which he balance* in a hand-stand while supporting, with teeth hold only, a bicycle upon which Maude is seated while she makes the wheels go 'round. Placed to open the show, the act was practically wasted; a most fortunate circumstance, for it la worthy of a showing where its many ex-, cellent points can be appreciated by the greatest number. Walt, Delila. Posture Dances. 10 Mins.; Full Stage. Circle. The young woman is discovered upon ft raised platform, the stage being other- wise bare. She begins with a number of postures, worked under a spot light. Then, descending to the stage, she starts ft series of glides, bends, twists, curves and "dances" which display suppleness and grace, delightful to behold. The closest bending is accomplished with apparent ease. At one point she goes to her kneeo and then falls backwards upon the stage, every part of her body lo the back of her head being flat upon the boards. From thia posture she rises to her feet, without tombing her hands to the floor. There are other examples of skill, and the act ia strong in a "sight" way, for Delila is a pretty girl and knows what she is about. Her act was warmly applauded. Walt. Rastus and Harrison. Singing and Dancing. 14 Mins.; One. New York Roof. Hast us and Harrison (colored) are a new combination. Kastus has worked about the metropolitan theatres before, either singly or with another partner. The woman of the present team does not do much, but handles her light labora neatly. The feature is the dancing of Kastus. He takes high rank as a stepper, both in straight and eccentric work. The woman open* with an agreeable, light "rag" song. Rastus follows with an eight- minute routine of dancing and the pair finish with another series of stepping. Hastns' hard shoe dancing moved the New York audience to applause for the first time in the evening and the pair finished strong. Rush. {Continued on Page 17.)