Variety (April 1911)

VARIETY 13 LONDON NOTES VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE 5 OMEN 8TRBBT, LEICESTER SQUARE. JAMES W. TATE, Representative. TOM CASE, Correspondent Mall for American! and Europeans In Europe, If addressed care VARIETT as abore will be promptly forwarded. London, April 11. EUallne Terries appeared in quite a new role last week, when the much discussed creation of "Joan of Arc," was produced at the London Coliseum, under the personal supervision of Seymour Hicks. The legendary char- acter was splendidly portrayed by El- laline, who seemed quite as much at home in a dramatic part, as a musi- cal comedy role. The play is beauti- fully staged, and has evidently been well rehearsed. Oswald Stoll has made application for a music and dancing license at Bristol, where he proposes to build a new hall at a cost of $180,000. The Sicilians, who made a big hit at the Shaftesbury some two years ago, open at the Hippodrome April 24. Mile. Leonora, fresh from a Conti- nental tour, opened Monday at the Alhambra, as "Femina," in the ballet of that name. A Spanish dancer, Mattias, has been engaged for the Spanish scene. Claire Roinaine has been engaged to play principal boy at the Lyceum in the Xmas pantomime. Fred Griffiths, St., of the Griffiths Bros., has been ordered to take a rest, having sustained a bruised strain. The London Pavilion is busy build- ing a new Bioscope, and this, as soon as completed, will form one of the features of the program. This is the first time they have introduced pic- tures here, except at special matinees. Marie Lloyd returned to town Sun- day and opens at the Tivoli Easter Monday. The Ladies' Night at the Vaude- ville Club last Sunday was an immense success. Joe Elvin's pet scheme, the Music Hall Benevolent Institution, will re- ceive a well deserved flllp May 23, when the directors of the Oxford have kindly loaned their theatre. Tom Case. The various street musicians of London turned up strong at the Apollo, April 3, to show the public how good they really are. The mati- nee was organized by H. G. Pellssler of the "Follies" and Herman Finck of the Palace. All but one have gone back to the curb. The vaudeville "Follies," a troupe organized by H. G. Pellssler, of "The Follies," have been booked by the Variety Theatres Controlling Co. for a tour of their Circuit. Cyril Mande is taking off "One of the Dukes" from the Playhouse where the piece has not been a success. He may possibly play a few weeks in vaudeville before producing a new play there around the Coronation sea- son. Mrs. Langtry, who should have been at the Hippodrome Brighton last week, has been released by the Va- riety Theatres Controlling Co., in or- der to appear in the Drury Lane re- vival of "The Sins of Society." She will play her date at Brighton after the run of that piece. Sidney Brough, one of the best character comedians of the English stage, died last week. His father was the even more famous comedian Lai BTough. The funeral service was impressive and elaborate with Hay- den Coffin as principal vocalist. The fight scene in Seymour Hick's new play "Th« Winner" at the Hippo- drome Is another example of his ver- satility. The i\nK' bout that he puts up is really creditable though the piece itself Is not too strong. It is believed that Paviowa returns to the Palace Easter Monday and if so, the danseuse will have an enor- mous reception. Adele Ritchie, who opened at the Palace Monday night, certainly con- vinced the audience that she had a great personality but the selection of her songs left much to be desired. American single women should un- derstand that the class of songs that the Palace crowd like are those of fV, e type that Clarice Vance made so popular. "Straight" numbers are of no use. George Graves will do a tour of the vaudeville theatres between now and the next Drury Lane pantomime. He Is at present with the Variety The- atres Controlling Co. at the Alhambra, Glasgow. Walter King, a very popular Eng- lish comedian of the "doleful" type, died last week. King was never known to fail on a program, yet some- how he never succeeded in getting far above the average rank of come- dians, from the salary point of view. Cartmell and Harris have been booked by the Variety Theatres Con- trolling Co. for a tour. BARRON LEAVKS WITMARK. Chicago, April 9. Ted Barron, who for the past fif- teen months has had charge of the Chicago offices of M. Witmark & Sons resigned Saturday. Barron will go to New York. nM^BBM^MMa PARIS NOTES BY HOWARD O. KENDREW Paris, April 10. The present vaudeville program at the Olympia will finish at the end of April, and will probably be the last at this house under the direction of V. de Cottens and H. B. Marlnelli. The latter is now very anxious to be able to devote the best part of his time to the agency, and after June will attend to no other business. Dur- ing May and June the Olympia will remain open with moving pictures only (possibly a few singing acts), with the Cinema-Phono of Louis Gau- mont as the attraction. This of course is the principal headliner here at present. Prices will he lowered to 1 fr. promenade (instead of 3 frs.), stalls and balcony at 3 frs. and 2 frs. respectively (now 8, 6 and 6 frs.). The house will be closed July, and reopen under the new management (Jacques Charles) at the end of Au- gust. The April program (Olympia) is excellent, with the addition of the Philip Sisters, who opened at the Sunday matinee (2nd) without re- hearsal arriving from Copenhagen, and Jennings BTay, "illusionist." This latter has the same business entirely as Charles Aldrich, and I thought it was Charley back in Paris for the first few minutes. Bray is said to be a former member of the Morley tioupe, from Berlin. He speaks Eng- lish and a little French In his act, and is evidently a German-American. But he has Aldrich's act imitated to a nicety. Remainder of program same as last fortnight of March. At the Concert Mayol there is a youngster aged nine, named Barberin, who gives a good imitation of the other artists on the same bill, includ- ing the manager himself. The idea of the act is excellent. Little Willie Ferreros, the child conductor at the Folies Bergere, is however, the prod- igy of Paris at present, albeit his work is somewhat mechanical. Tom Hearn is making quite a hit at the Folies Bergere in a political skit. He is largely advertised as the "celebrated American artist." Tom, as a matter of fact was born in Paris, though of English parentage. The Moulin Rouge is jogging along, wait- ing impatiently for the summer. Nor- man French has introduced a new act at this bouse, while Gibard, a French performer, is also giving a series of clever imitations of Cleo de Merode, Otero, Isadora Duncan, Lit- tle Tich and Sarah Bernhardt. The Casino de Paris was opened April 5, under the direction of its former manager Albert Callar. "Lysls- Rata" is not a great catch, however, and apart from Mania Routchine, Mme. Barsac and Harry Arbell, the potpourri is indifferently played. The music introduces all the popular dit- ties, past and present. Only three unpretentious vaudeville acts: "Ballet Russe" (naturally) by tho Tutus Mlg- nons of Daynes-Papurello; De Vallia, eccentric dancer, and Pollst, animal imitator. "New" topical piece at the Gaite Rochechouart is entitled "J'te pince Monseigneur," by M. Carre and A. Barde, the same as that given un- der another title last September at the Theatre Marigny. The story is amusing, and Therese Cernay is great in the role of an adventuress posing as a rich American girl (formerly played by Germalne Gallois), with Gaston Sllvestre as a false prince, and Girler as the detective, who took these parts at the Marigny. It is possible that the Varletes music hall at Marseilles may be taken over by a company next season. This es- tablishment is at present under the management of its owner, Emlle Bes- siere. Business is said to have been somewhat poor during the past few months. The Palais de Cristal remained open this week, in spite of rumors to the contrary. There are no American acts at present in Marseilles. Robert Bertln, the quick change ar- tist, is the attraction at the Alcazar. It is reported that the new man- agement of the Varletes, Brussels, is only accepting contracts signed by Meer prior to Dec. 10 last. An operette by Fonson and Wich- eler (the happy authors of "Le Mar- riage de Mile. Beulemans," which is such a success this side) was pro- duced at the Galeries last week, but Is not equal to their comedy. The troupe playing at the Alcazar Brussels, in the "Divorce de Mile. Beulemans," by Tricot and Wapers, is to visit Paris in June. It appears that Waux-Hall will re- main open this summer, though 1910 was said to be the last at these gar- dens. Musical selections by the or- chestra of the Monnaie will again constitute the program, for which 350 francs per day and ten per cent, of profits will be paid to the musicians. Francis Robin has taken the al fresco theatre of Pre Catelan (adjoin- ing the restaurant by that name) in the Hois de Boulogne, and will give short pieces, it is already anticipated that the weather will be more pro- pitious for open air amusements this summer than was the case last year. A ballet by Mme. Mariquita and A. de Lorde, "Le Cocur de Floria," at the (laite-I-yri'iue. in being n.'hearsed. This music by <;. M'-nier. The prin- cipal n>le.. will I",: held hy Miles. Sta- eia Nnpierkowska, Monno, MM. G. Wague and R. Qulnault.