Variety (March 1911)

VARIETY 31 THE PASSING PARADE. Id "The Passing Parade" Gordon & North are offering a burlesque enter- tainment, which while not quite up to the standard that they Bet for them- selves in their other productions is so far advanced over the ordinary run of Western Wheel shows it gains mightily by comparison. The show is in two acts without an olio. The book is by Don Roth and carries a consistent story which un- folds in a plausible enough manner for burlesque audiences. The lyrics and music are by Ed. Ray and Leo Edwards respectively. Just how many of the original numbers remain would be hard to state. Here and there a popular song has crept in and does its part toward making the entertain- ment a delightful one. The show carries the usual number of girls divided into three classes, five "ponies"; four "mediums"; and seven "show girls." All work hard and wear stunning costumes, which are many and varied. Four boys fill in in the capacity of chorus men, aiding to develop a clever singing aggrega- tion. The strongest feature of the per- formance is comedy. From the very beginning there is laughter in huge quantities, and the fun-making is not restricted to one or two characters. Even the chorus have a few moments that aids in the comedy effect. As far as the production goes it is unusually heavy. The first act has four scenes. The first is a pretty interior, followed by two scenes in "one." The first is the ticket office of the new Pennsylvania Station and the second a train effect. The final setting of the act is the dining hall of the summer home of one of the characters at Long Branch and Is prac- tically massive in appearance. The last act is the boardwalk at Long Branch. In the first act there are ten num- bers, all lively, prettily costumed and sung. The major portion are led by the soubret, Flfl (Mae Rose). She is a clever little girl who looks well in knee length costume and works hard. Her singing voice is nothing to boast of but her personality makes one overlook it. Another of the women who handles quite a share of the vocal acrobatics is Cecela Sylvester. She carries the lead role of Gwendolyn and manages to give an altogether pleasing per- formance. Her costumes place her in the running with any of the women on the Western Wheel and the only feature about her that would warrant improvement is her style of hair dress- ing. At present it is altogether too plain. The several numbers that she sings won hearty applause for her. Her "One Sweet Little Girl" with a female quartet "plugging" from the front of the house earned repeated encores. Helen Norris and Marion J. Ben- son, the former as Mrs. Mayer and the latter as Lady Insomnia both man- aged to fill In with comedy lines which received laughter during the first act. Of the men the chief comedy role naturally was given to Sam Sidman, the featured comedian with the piece. Sidman worked hard throughout both acts and the laughs resultant should have satisfied him. Dave Conroy plays opposite to Sidman and is a delight- ful foil for the German in an eccentric Irish role. His "souse" is quite a natural bit of work and he manages to get it over at all times without offending. Ben Byron is the "straight" and manages fairly well. Another of the male characters, that of a Duke, falls on the shoulders of George Dur- gin, who leaves room for improve- ment. There is one feature about the first act that might be bolstered up to ad- vantage. That is the finale. It is a pajama number in which all of the company wear silk pajamas and four giant see-saws have the chorus seated on them, swinging. The num- ber is called "Pinkie Pajama." The manner in which it was performed on the night the show was reviewed left much to be desired. The tempo was too slow for the closing position and the hurrah ending was lacking. The finale of the first scene called "The Lady Godlva March" was a dis- tinct novelty with the chorus clad in cloth of gold tights and was accorded repeated rounds of applause. In the final act there are several good numbers which were put over in clever fashion. The first was "Neath The Old Palm Tree," carried across by the chorus doing comedy. Here one of the "mediums" proved herself a "comer" by interpolating a bit of an imitation of Anna Held. Another •number that earned applause was an American "Apache" called the "Gue- rilla Grab." For the finale Helen Morris, who looks stunning in tights, led "Yankee Doodle Love" which got over in corking shape. The entertainment is one that will serve to add to the fame of Gordon & North and incidentally make the name of that firm when attached to a burlesque show of value to the box- office. Fred. MISS NEW YORK, JR. "Miss New York, Jr." is quite a different Miss from the one shown a few years back with Chas. Burkhardt and Dave Ferguson at the head and later with Abe Reynolds in Burk- hardt's role. The costumes may be the same, but that is all. The show has been entirely changed. John J. Black is responsible for everything. He wrote both pieces as well as staged them, he also plays in both as well as in an olio, which he also wrote. So Black is a busy little party around the New York Miss. For writing, Black gets little credit. He has evolved nothing even advanced in the burlesque field. He has in fact saddled himself as well as the other principals with top-heavy mate- rial under which they are staggering to the end. The producing end he can not be blamed for. The show has been given so little in the way of a production that it would be im- possible for the best producer in the world to make it look like anything. The two sets are most ordinary. The costumes of the choristers are in keep- ing with the settings. There isnt a pair of silk hose worn by a chorus girl during the entire performance. The producers could have at least given the girls silk hose and the girls deserve it. The usual sixteen in number are as good a looking bunch as any this season. The numbers, though lacking in life, have been well put on and are nicely handled by the girls. Life is what the show lacks mostly. There is not enough in the comedy nor in the num- bers. Two or three pretty numbers went down to defeat for this reason although they deserved some recogni- tion. A "Kid" number, very well led by one of the chorus, was the best and secured some return. A mixed octet promised well but was left unfinished, receiving three encores where it should have had a dozen. There are several very good voices amongst the chorus girls and with the aid of the men principals the show could have been made a good singing organization if a little judgment had been shown in arrangement. In principals the show is in fairly good shape in the male end at least. Like almost every other burlesque show that has fallen down this sea- son the fault lies in the absence of a good soubret. This show goes fur- ther, it hasn't a good female prin- cipal at all. The female roles are consequently not important, probably working and lack of ability have made this so. Black's name heads the list al- though he gets no larger type than the others. Black, in the opening piece, at his entrance, sings a song, but is almost forgotten for the rest of the piece. In the burlesque he is a "rube," probably his character, for he also plays the role In his sketch in the olio. As the Rube he does nicely although he has very little ma- terial to handle and the character is more straight than comedy. Billy Newton as the hotel bellhop, has quite some to do in the first part, besides leading a couple of numbers. Newton seems to be able to dance and bristle. In the burlesque he should do more of it. The show certainly needs it. When he did a couple of steps the house began to see the funniest character in the show and it was the big laugh of the eve- ning. It is a hairlipped train an- nouncer. Will H. Cohen works very hard in both pieces trying his best to get something out of the material. Cohen is a good Hebrew, putting some life into the proceedings. One or two other men figure but without attracting attention. A four- act olio made up of principals goes along with the rest. "Miss Xew York, Jr." needs con- siderable fixing to make it resemble real entertainment. Da ah. "ROCK OF AGES" A PLAY. Rowland & Clifford, proprietors of "The Rosary," and lessees of the Na- tional theatre, Chicago, are in New York arranging for Kuropean and Australian productions of their drama. J. C Williamson, the Australian the- atrical magnate, will probably secure the rights for his country. In the spring Messrs. Rowland & Clifford will produce a new play by Edward E. Rose, author of "The Ros- ary," to be called "The Rock of Ages." OBITUARY Jamet* D. Blade, for many years financial editor of The Public Ledger of Philadelphia, died Feb. 22, aged f>0 years. Mr. Slade was a well known and capable dramatic critic. He left a collection of portraits of players, extending back more than a genera- tion and is accounted to be the largest of its kind In this country. Death was due to a complication of diseases. Daniel J. Ward, once an actor and dramatic critic, and one of the best- known characters in Worcester and the surrounding country, died Sunday morning in his apartments at the Ho- tel Parker, Worcester, aged 65. For the past fifteen years, Mr. Ward had not been active in the theatrical busi- ness. David Edwin, a member of Margar- lllington's Co., in "The Encounter," died In Toronto, Feb. 17. The inter- ment took place the following day at Mount Pleasant cemetery. Edwin was forty years old and had been com- plaining for some time. The mother of Ban jy Toy (Ed- wards) died Feb. 16 at her home in Brooklyn, N. Y. Frankie Kmmett died at her home in West Hoboken, N. J., Feb. 21. In private life the deceased was Eliza- beth Francis Bannister. Frank Danz, aged r><) years, pioneer orchestra leader in the Twin Cities, died this week at his home in Minne- apolis. The mother of Louis ("Musical") Beimel died Sunday, Feb. 26, at her home, 340 East 87th street, New York. K. A. LeFebre, the famous instru- ment maker, who died on Washing- ton's birthday, was buried last week in Brooklyn. Music was furnished by the Four Saxolians at the request of the deceased. Frankie La Murr, formerly of Grif- fin and La Marr, died at Syracuse, N. Y., Feb. 19. She was a relative of W. Herkenreider, manager of the Auditorium, Philadelphia. Interment was made at Syracuse. Fannie Walters, in private life Mrs. J. A. Skelly died In Chicago, Feb. 24, following an operation for appendici- tis. The deceased was a sister to May Duclo of Roble's "Knickerbock- ers" and Charles Walters, manager of "Happy Hooligan." The mother of Zara (Zara Carmen Trio) died in New York last Mon- day. W. J. Scan Ian of the Hal Stevens company at present on the Orpheuni Circuit, died in St. Mary's Hospital, Minneapolis, Minn., Feb. L'r>. of pneu- monia. Mrs. Frank Walker, ag<d 67, mother of Mrs. Henry Clive, died at her home in Chicago Feb. 28.