Variety (April 1911)

VARIETY 17 Millar, Zohmar and Co. (2). Dramatic Sketch. 20 Mlns.; Four (Parlor or Library). Millar, Zohmar and Co. have a sketch that the W. C. T. U. should finance. And when the Temperance Union finds its surplus gone, the Pro- hibition Party ought to send it into all the "wet" towns. The plot sur- rounds a bottle of whiskey, on the centre table. The leading figure is a senator (either state or national— state preferred). He is so close to whiskey, at home and in the Senate, that his wife doesn't mind slipping him the information about a general report spreading that he is also pretty close to the "Whiskey Trust," (there may be a Whiskey Trust composed of other people besides bartenders, but the news hasn't reached Hew York yet). The Senator does like his booze. He has drafted a bill to legal- ize the sale of it. No title nor any de- scription of the piece was programed last Sunday. The locale may have been in state with a "dry" thirst. The wife hatches a scheme to bring her husband to a realization of the awful danger of a prom, politich, standing up for run. An old friend of hers is still an old friend, and yet the merci- less opponent of the booze booster. She jobs her hubby through the O. F. He had previously objected to the at- tentions the O. F. had been casting around when his wife was about. He did it to stand off the kick she made about the whiskey law. The wife was certain her hubby's future was cinched if he kept up the legal-liquor crusade. The old man remarked that her O. F. had been thrbwing the harpoon into him politically for some years. Still the wife connived with the O. F. to change her husband's mind about le- galizing the whiskey traffic. That's why she went to the ball hubby made a holler about. That was last night. A dark scene—and it is this morning. Enters the wife. Husband wants to know where she was. He had called up her mother's, but she wasn't sleep- ing there, according to report. The wife retorts that without apology she will admit that one wifey got soused right—on whiskey—and with the O. F. After that deponent sayeth not, although recollecting that she awoke this a. m., in the bachelor apartment of the O. F. Hubby is stunned. To think that whiskey could souse like that, or mayhap because it was the O. F. He takes a revolver from the writ- ing desk. Enter O. F.—very timidly. Conversation. Whiskey is the destroy- er of the world. O. F. says Hubby's wife's father died from the D. T.'s three months before wifey arrived in the world. It should have been a warning. Avaunt the booze—save the wife—hang onto the future. Hubby thought it was pretty good advice. O. F. exits without having been shot or asked to have a drink. Wifey confesses to the job. Hubby tears up measure to protect booze sellers. Curtain. Some applause. Good act for the small time. Purely dramatic. Three of the prin- cipal parts with corking actors playing them could put this sketch over prop- erly. Perhaps the W. C. T. U. has three corking actors hanging around headquarters. But then it would be too expensive for the value. Sime. Abe Attell. Monolog. 10 Mlns.; One. Fifth Avenue (April 0). Abe Attell, featherweight champion boxer of the world,, is making his vaudeville debut as a straight monolog- 1st. Nattily attired in English walking coat, pearl grey trousers, patent leath- ers and a silk hat, Abe handed his friends a surprise, and won all the way on appearance. Jim Corbett was the first of the fighters to put over a turn without any boxing, but Jim is a big, good looking fellow, who can wear dress clothes with Hackett, Faversham or any of the matinee idols. With At- tell it is different. Abe is a little chap. When he first mentioned vaude- ville as a regular,-those who think be- fore they leap, were a trifle doubtful on the appearance. Attell, however, has dispelled all that. He looks well and has a likeable manner. With a few weeks playing he will be perfectly at home addressing an audience. The present talk is funny, has points, and Attell gets them over, but is not just what the champion should have been handed. It is a monolog written for Hammersteln's. There it will be im- mense, but take Abe away from a sporting center with it and the audi- ence will be high and dry most of the time. Kid Broad is the chief topic of the talk. To anyone knowing the Kid it Is funny enough, otherwise it is just mere talk. Attell should feel encour- aged at his first attempt. With proper material and his name as a draw, he will be able to travel easily. Dash. Jean Alwyn. Songs. 17 Mlns.; Full Stage. Fifth Avenue (April 0.) Jean Alwyn would do nicely for an English program where one song only is required. She looks fine, and it is a pleasure to watch her in her Kilties while singing a Scotch song, but after the one song, it is simply repeat—and Jean is lost. In the parlor Jean should be a big hit singing a Scotch song. She has a very good idea of the dialect which covers up her lack of voice. Four songs, each with three or more verses, keep Jean working long after the au- dience had decided there was really nothing to it. Good looks will go a long way on the stage, and it certain- ly gave the singer attention which she could have secured in no other way. With a male partner in a sketch struc- ture that will allow her to sing one of her Scotch songs, the girl would do beautifully. As a "single" she hasn't a chance. i) as h. Williamson and Jones. Sieging, V2 Mlns.; One. Working in true rathskeller fashion, Williamson and Jones are becoming popular w^th their song numbers in the "pop" houses. They open with "Pa and Ma Have Left Me All Alone" and then each sings a Hebraic number. This arrangement hurts. The boys finish strong with "That Beautiful Rag," although some of the side re- marks to the audience will not al- ways get them the returns it did on Fourteenth Street last week. The singers work well together. Mark. Musical Berrens. Winter Garden (April 0). Several musical turns had preceded the Musical Berrens at the Winter Gar- den last Sunday night. Their music did not make the impression it other- wise might have, owing to this. But when one of the players removed a wig after his second selection, disclosing that he was a female impersonator as well as a violinist, the applause was tu- multous. It was a complete deception. The couple with but a career of a couple of weeks or so in vaudeville de- ceived everyone in the house, not ex- cepting the vaudeville experts. The female impersonator garbed himself modestly, and gave the impression of a foreign woman, of a Spanish type. One of the two young men is a pianist. Although having a heavy hand or touch, he does extremely well at the instrument. The impersonator can "rag" on the violin. During one se- lection there is some "business" with a man in the box. The lights did not work well at the Garden for this. Neither had the boys supplied them- selves with a "plant," which is nec- essary. It helped along the delusion, however, and brought a larger laugh at the remembrance afterwards. This Berren boy who impersonates belongs to a new school, the simple kind, without frills. It may be more effec- tive than the other. At any rate it is, for the purposes of this act, which be- comes a valuable one (In addition to its music) from the gown-dressed boy. Sime. M. Armando and his Boxing Kangaroo. Winter Garden (April 0). M. Armando appears as a clown, leading a monkey. Probably at the Winter Garden, closing a Sunday night concert at about 11.40, the foreigner decided to clip considerable off his act, the monkey merely walking in with him. The turn as shown consisted of Armando boxing with a kangaroo. There is another "boxing kangaroo" somewhere around. Armando's, how- ever, is much the better. It has been trained to slap the man on the head with its two forepaws. This Is effect- ive for laughs. The other animal had a dangerous habit of using its hind legs to kick with. As the strength of a kangaroo is there, it was a hazard- ous pastime for the other trainer. Ar- mando's assistant uses his forepaws only. Although making considerable fun, the act is small, and fit for the small time. Sime. Joe Kelcey. Songs. Joe Kelcey is a "single singer," said to be an importation from the west. Mr. Kelcey leans almost wholly to- ward "coon" songs. The exception is where he does a bit as a "cissy," sing- ing something about being a "brave man." It is the best thing Mr. Kel- cey does. Kelcey is a tall, good look- ing fellow, appearing in evening dress. His present turn will keep him in good standing upon the "small time." It can't place him in the larger houses. He could better himself by using a different "rag" than "Steamboat Bill." That is too palpable a steal from "Ca- sey Jones," and "Casey Jones" is all through around here. Sime. Charles Ross, assisted by Zeffle Till- bury. "Any woman and Everyman" (Duolog). 10 Mlns.; Five (Parlor . Winter Garden (April 0). What was expected to be a travesty, in words at least, of or on "Everywo- man," developed into a very heavy du- olog Sunday evening at the Winter Garden. It ran ten minutes, without a smile contained anywhere. The au- thor apparently had read the book of "Everywoman," then used for this piece what had been neglected there. The talk did not even hold the inter- est, nor could it centre attention. At the very best, the piece would be voted dull, with no possible chance for it In vaudeville, unless rewritten for com- edy only. As "Everywoman" is some- what lightly drawn, to travesty it w)U be a task. Mr. Ross was' "Everyman/ and gave a dramatic reading of lines. Mi88 Tillbury, a leading woman from the legitimate, carried forward the im- pression conveyed by Ross's delivery. The playlet may have received a shock through the opening ribald bid for a laugh, with an oath in it. Sime. The Stanleys. Marionettes-Shadowgraphs. The Stanleys have something of an odd turn, very amusing for small time audiences, and quite good enough to open a big time bill with, especially for the larger houses which have heavy children matinees. There is quite some real entertainment in watching the antics of the little fig- ures. The turn Is on the order of a marionette-shadowgraph-Punch and Judy show. A screen on a dark stage is lighted from the rear. Across the lighted space (about three by ten feet) a series of figures walk or move. The figures are very small, really marion- ettes of their kind, but might be ac- cepted for shadowgraphs. The fun is mostly knockabout with the little ob- jects. A finale is made somewhat strong by two gunboats approaching each other. The one bearing the U. S. flag sends the English flag bearer to the bottom. It's a small act, but not a bad one at all. The Idea it contains may be found to hold the possibility of its extension into a much larger one along the same lines, with large figures. Sime. Sharp and Baker. Songs and l>ances. 10 Mlns.; One. Hammers tein's. Not only on but off before eight o'clock, these two boys didn't receive half a chance. There may have been a hundred people in the house at the conclusion of the turn; probably less than half that number at the opening. Their work, in the main, is along the lines of the better two-boy dancing acts that are nearly always to bo found opening the show jit the Vic- toria. Still they have some original steps and placed on a program any time after Sir, would "make good." Join. (Continued on page 19.)