Variety (June 1911)

i8 VARIETY NEW ACTS NEXT, WEEK. Initial Presentation. First Appearance or Reappearance In or Around New York Churlotte St. Elmo, Hammerstein's Hoof. Johnson und Walker, Hammer- stein's Roof. (•il and liillian Brown, Henderson's. Alarms and (lartclle, Brighton The- atre. Percy Knight. Songs. 14 Mins.; One. Hammerstein's. Percy Knight is an English come- dian. He first appeared oveV here in 'The Arcadians." Mr. Knight scored a hit in that show. He will register l.kewise in vaudeville —if remaining and observing. Knight is not the usu- al "single" who sings. He dresses in a style to recall Wilkie Bard, his com- ic compatriot singer, and is not alto- gether unlike that comedian in deliv- ery. America has not seen Mr. Bard. In songs, Mr. Knight places more de- pendence upon lyrics than other items connected with his turn. He does not change costume, nor pose, nor deliv- ery. Yet his delivery aids the lyrics, not naturally, either. After Mr. Knight has observed vaudeville for a time, he will understand that the "variety" used in connection with the entertain- ment he is now a part of, covers as well a singer sb it does the program. His repertoire runs to too much simi- larity of numbers. As a matter of fact, two of his songs have a "horse" verse each. He opens with the best song of the lot, "Little By Little." fol- lowed by the next best, an odd num- ber with a catchy finishing line to each of the verses. The first two stanzas, however, are the only ones worth us- ing. The "mother-in-law" and "flsh" verses are not worth while. These let the song and singer down, al- though his start was too fast for the pace to be kept up with the numbers employed. "Ghost" and "It Doesn't Matter" were the concluding songs, neither of special holding power. Fault might be found in the orchestra- tions. Nearly all had some peculiar- ity of arrangement that was neither distinctive nor humorous. And after all that, Percy Knight is a very good vaudeville act; he is something dif- ferent, has class, attracts attention to himself from the outset, and is dis- tinctly worth while for vaudeville to cultivate. Mr. Knight must have a score of other English numbers. If he will select a repertoire that builds up instead of tearing down, the front lights will be pleased to emblazon Per- cy Knight is within. The eccentric dress an 1 pose assumed should not be changed. Neither should Mr. Knight lose sight of the fact that in depend- ing upon lyrics, he has an idea that is away from the American singers who look for melodies preferably. Hut tin- husky singing voice of Mr. Knight is not required, either for the sonus or t It*- character, unless it is a physical permanency with him. Sime. Lolo, the Mystic. Thought Transmission, Ate. 24 Mins. Full Stage (Special Drop). Fifth Avenue. Lolo is a full-blooded North Amer- ican Indian girl, which aids materially in generating "atmosphere" for the act. It is further enhanced by a few lantern slides at the opening. When the picture curtain is raised there is disclosed a special back drop repre- senting an Indian encampment, with the regulation tripod holding an iron kettle, under which a Are is burning. All this haB nothing to do directly with the act. It is simply done to "dress" the presentment. Beiore Lo- lo makes her appearance a "lecturer" in a "spiel" that almost ruined the performance before it began, made a most lugubrious announcement. Lolo then enters in full Indian garb, fol- lowed by Mr. J. R. Cotton, the g rl's foster father, and who was "until re- cently Indian Agent at the Pine Ridge reservation in Dakota." Ti.e major portion of the act is one cf "thought transmission," similar to that shown by the Zancigs for many years. Lola Is blindfolded, Mr. Cotton goes through the audience accepting cards, coins, lodge emblems, etc., promptly identified by the girl. This done he returns to the platform and Lolo, still blindfolded, pours a dark liquid into an empty glass filling it to the brim without spilling a drop. Then she does some rifle shooting and finally some arrow shooting, all the time appar- ently deprived of her sight. With proper circusing the turn might be worked up into a big drawing card. It created interest at the Fifth Avenue Monday evening. Jolo. Olive Briscce. Songs. 19 Mins.; One. Colonial. Olive Briscoe enters vaudeville with a regular act. Even if Miss BTiscoe did not have a regular act, vaudeville audiences would accept her just the same, for she has a smile that's worth more than all the songs and dialog ever turned out. When smiling, Miss Olive displays a row of teeth that would make a dentist think life is not worth living. She also wore a couple of gowns Monday evening that were attractive. Miss Briscoe can wear clothes and she is a dandy looking girl. Her opening number gives her a chance to do something right off the bat. It is of how the different style girls would make love; much better than it sounds. The second number, a "coon" arrangement, is her weakest, but is not at all bad and shows a Stella Mayhew style of "coon" singer that makes some of these "rag" per- formers look like amateurs. "Things Were Not Like That in 1861" is the closing selection, it is along the lines of "Grandma's Days," but a new idea and has plenty of solid meat in it. Miss Briscoe handles the song and the Intervening business beautifully, get- ting bully contrasts. Her use of slang is perfect, and she puts it over as very few women can. Miss Briscoe is there in all directions, she has an act that should be in demand anl her name should become familiar to vaudeville audlencis In a short time. Dash. Henry Fink. Sengs and Talk. 13 Mins.; One. Hammerstein's. Henry Fink is now appearing alone. When first entering vaudeville, he had Edgar Bixley as a partner. It was Bixley and Fink then. Evidently a firm in the show business is not as substantial a building as in commer- cial lines, although it has often been proven in theatricals that a playing team, need each other so badly that to separate is a mistake. Sometimes the error is rectified. Whether Mr. Fink or Mr. Bixley will suffer from their vaudeville parting remains to he seen. Neither may, and both might. The act came to vaudeville from bur- lesque. Whoever told Mr. Fink his -present turn would be sufficient to up- hold him on the big time misinformed the young man. He has a good voice; and some poor talk, barring one joKe. Appearing as a Hebrew impersonator, Fink does little impersonating. Of his songs, the only one worth while is the operatic medley at the close, and this merely because it permits his voice to be brought out at its best. To test himself as a "single," Mr. Fink will require new selections and better jokes. While his reception at Ham- merstein's Monday evening was stren- uous enough to make Mr. Fink believe a speech was necessary to quell the noise, all the latter came from a col- lection of friends gathered in one large party. They thought extra well of the singer after he mentioned "Phil Katz" in his best story. That there was a Phil Katz among the crowd was easily guessed at from the sudden craning of necks by the party to cast envious glances at the honored one. Sime. Four Soils Brothers. Musical. 15 Mins.; Three. Ham nierstein's. The Four Solis Brothers are Miram- ba players. It is the Mexican instru- ment they use, playing the "high brow" stuff. The nearest the quar- tet reach the popular fancy is when rendering "Amina." Until the Soils' learn that with any kind of a musical instrument in today's vaudeville, the more popular all the tunes are, the better for the act, they will not ad- vance themselves. With a proper repertoire, there is no reason why the brothers should not reach the place where other Miramba players have before them. Sime. Eddie Foy. 12 Mins.; One. Hammerstein's. Eddie Foy is presenting himself in a Ringle act this trip, in a more enjoy- able turn than he has previously ap- peared in. Opening with a couple of "kidding" songs about New York and New Rochelle, Mr. Foy passes a cou- ple of minutes In "two" with a brief travesty of "Hamlet," turning to "one" for a finale dance. He carries his own leader, and an assistant in the graveyard scene, which is surrounded by tombstones inscribed to draw laughs. With his game and present act, Mr. Foy will get over. Sime. James J. Morton. Announcer. Folies Bergere. As the announcer for the Cabaret Show (from 11.20 p. m. until 1 a. m.) at the Folies Bergere, James J. Morton seems to have made good in his new Job. In becoming the human stage card, James' chief duty is to promote a friendly and good-natured feeling among the audience. This he does from the stage, appearing be- fore and after every turn, telling the house what is coming next. Mr. Mor- ton is given discretion in the employ- ment of other remarks. This discre- tion Is not abused by the monolog- ist. His aim is not for the comedy of the "Amateur Night" speaker, who could say "Dingle and Dongle, a couple of young men who dance— and they are some dancers," with the emphasis on the "some" as he closes an eyelid. Not so with James J. His spoken fun at the Folies must be the wit of the humorist. When first pre- senting himself, Mr. Morton informed the audience that the people who run the theatre had hired him because the printers were too busy to attend to the work. He told those in front that they could keep right on eating and drinking, but might look at the show now and then to encourage the actors, and if they thought of it, there would be no objection to applause. There was a man who applauded Mon- day night, Jim said, and they had his address. Mr. Morton cast away for the Folies his monollgistic manner of speaking, only retaining from the "act" his exit walk to music (changed with each exit). In describing the Amoros Sisters, Jim mentioned they were foreigners, although one spoke English and the other was married. Along about the third turn, Mr. Mor- ton commenced to attract applause for his own account. Many of his quips brought out peals of laughter. He is decidedly a most pleasant diversion in the Cabaret performance. Just what Jim may think of his newest Job maybe another matter. He certainly has tackled a harder proposition than he found as a regular vaudeville act. As an "act," James J. appeared once an evening. At the Folies Mr. Morton Is almost as constantly before the diners as are the waiters. Wearing a frock coat, with' other clothes to match, Jim looked pretty good up there on the stage. Of course, one appealing fea- ture of the engagement to Mr. Mor- ton is that the Folies is located but two doors east of the Vaudeville Com- edy Club. Sime. Leona. Vocalist. 10 Mins.; One. Leona is a singer with a regulation concert voice that ought to prove val- uable for a certainty on the "small time" and has a good chance to con- nect on the larger time. In the three songs that Leona renders, she uses a high note that could make many freak singers leave the business. Then at times the soprano breaks into a con- tralto that almost changes her billing. She starts with a ballad and sings a bit of "The Chocolate Soldier," finishing with a Spanish song. Leona needs to be watched. .Iv*s.