Variety (June 1911)

20 VARIETY THE FRIARS' FROLIC The Friars' Club started its coun- try whirl last Sunday night at the Amsterdam theatre, New York. The troupe (excepting a few of the per- formers) giving the New York per- formance will travel—and it is some troupe. By this time, the company is in the middle west. An organization, organized for pleasure-giving moments, such as the Friars delivered for this, their Fourth Annual Frolic, could keep to the road or New York indefinitely, even at the price per orchestra chair, $6. The show is a great big five dollars' worth, full of stars and Friars, with every- one contributing to about r the best "freak" show ever gotten up. The Fourth Friars' Frolic is only freaky in its assembly of names and people, impossible of presentment in a regularly ordained travelling com- pany. Otherwise the Frolic is dis- tinctly a "performance," placed to- gether for fun, comedy, humor, enter- tainment, neatness and despatch. In all of these, the show qualifies. Never has there been a "freak" combination to compare with it. Sunday night the program rolled along as though greased, and was over at 11.46. Those concerned In ,the management and direction of the immense show are entitled to unequalled credit for their labor. Starting with a minstrel first part, with three sets of interlocutors and end men, came an olio containing three "acts in one'' and three sketch- es. One of the sketches, "The Pull- man Porter Ball," was a whole show in itself, with Julian Eltlnge featured as a female colored "pussun." The gown Mr. Eltinge wore was a riot all alone. He never received better sup- port, with William Collier, Raymond Hitchcock, Fred Niblo, Vaughan Com- fort, Tom Lewis, George Beban and Robert Dailey in the "line-up, besides a corps of assistant porters and por- teresses. Geo. M. Cohan and William Rock had a dancing number, other than some solo "levee" dancers. Among the latter was a loose-Jointed fellow. No one in the house knew the "loose" one. From the way he drew himself and legs about everybody "guessed" he wag Fred Stone. But he wasn't; Just Tom Dingel, from the west, who, with Ben Ryan, form a vaudeville team. Mr. Dingel gave the best exhibition of loose dancing New York has ever seen; he was "made" on the spot, and became one of the big hits of the night. There were other big hits, plenty of them. When Jos. M. Weber and I^ew Fields appeared in their old act make-up, as a turn in "one," the reception continued for thirty-three second. It was the first appearance in public (theatre) of the two supe- rior "Dutch" comedians since they separated. They did the "choking scene." Waves of laughter shook the house, repeated when Willie Collier joined the duo. Messrs. Collier and Cohan were an- other of the "one" acts, before a spe- cial drop representing the entrances to the "Cohan" and "Collier" (Com- edy) theatres. They were billed as "Two Hot Potatoes." In song each "kidded" the other about having a theatre of his own, concluding with a song and dance, having some dia- log referring to theatrical conditions, during which Mr. Collier informed Mr. Cohan that Lee Shubert was in the Amsterdam, disguised under whis- kers. Mr. Cohan and Mr. Collier were prominently concerned in all the prin- cipal doings. Mr. Collier was the "tough nigger" in "The Pullman Porter Ball," written by Mr. Cohan. Willie said that Georgle wrote the song they sang in their "act," and much of Mr. Cohan's handiwork could be detected throughout the perform- ance. As to himself, he was most modest, appearing in the dance with Mr. Rock (dressed as a wench) with- out his identity being known until his dance steps closing the "levee" were recognized. The only times bis name was mentioned were on the program, and when his father, Jerry J. Cohan, as the third interlocutor, Introduced his boy as one of the ends. Dave Montgomery was the other. Mr. Co- han passed the Joking buck to Mr. Montgomery, contenting himself with singing for his portion. One of the "acts" was "The Friars' 'Piano Bugs,' " credited as a travesty upon Jesse Lasky's "Pianophiends." Jean Schwartz (at a baby grand), Ernest R. Ball, George Lodge, George Botsford, Tom Kelly, Les Copeland, Harry Williams, Ted Barron and Irv- ing Berlin were the upright pianists. This "act" held enough material for a full evening of songful joy. Messrs. Berlin, Williams and Ball supplied two songs. Williams and Berlin mak- ing a "two-act" of themselves, with Irving Berlin attending to the singing mostly, while Harry Williams did an acrobatic dance to close that dis- closed he's not as stout as he looks. With the music and the songs, the skit was a huge success. Sev- eral of the piano players could have continued the score with songs. Geo. Evans had a monolog to open the sec- ond part, nearly all new for New York. In the minstrel first part Mr. Ber- lin delivered "Ephraim" to several encores, with the united voices of the blackface troupe behind him. One of the biggest hits of the minstrel di- vision was when Fred Brown (Brown and Blyler) sang "Whlp-Poor-Wlll." The other soloists were John J. Nes- tor, Mr. Ball, Frank Coombs, John King, Robert Dailey and Matt Kaefe. Each "put it over." On the benches behind were J. M. Welch, Francis X. Hope, Walter J. Moore, Harry Wil- liams, Elliot Foreman, Maury L. Ash, Ralph Bingham, Les Copeland, Wm. J. Counihan, Charles Wuerz, A. J. Voyer, Harry Bailey, Ben Ryan, J. I. Hart, Fred Brown, Harry Romer, Kenneth McGaffney, James P. Gilroy, Richard J. Hatzel, Leo Donnelly, Har- ry J. Kelton, Reginald Bryan, Joseph B. Click, J. J. McCrossIn, Jacob Isaacs, Fred Block, Martin Enright, Tom Din- gel, Ralph Harlow, Joseph T. Man- ning, Tom Hoi man, Dick Hale, Theo. W. Barter. The other two sets of "ends" and interlocutors were firstly: Fred Nib- lo (in whlteface) with Tom Lewis and Harry Kelly; Emmett Corrigan (white face interlocutor), Raymond Hitchcock and Richard Carle. All of these end men were funny. Mr. Hitchcock was a real "coon," and did more good work in the "Ball" sketch. Mr. Lewis wanted to know why a mouse was like a load of hay, and then had difficulty in recalling the answer, which finally came out as "Because cat-tie eat it." The forget- fulness was a neat bit of "end busi- ness." Mr. Carle did a short, laugh- able burlesque boxing bout with an imaginary opponent. Andrew Mack sang his "Moon" song, and several repetitions of the chorus. A dramatic sketch with a comedy finish was the finale. Characters were taken by Earle Browne, Emmett Cor- rigan, William Collier, Sam H. Har- ris, Fred Niblo, Raymond Hitchcock, William Rock and several club mem- bers. Mr. Harris was a manager, who had an emotional role in a next- season production he could find no American actor for. Mr. Corrigan had "framed up" with Mr. Browne (before the play commenced) to illus- trate that mental suggestion was not a fallacy. The piece is named "The Great Suggestion," written by Ber- tram Marburgh and Bennet Musson. Corrigan commences an argument with his fellows over mental sugges- tion. A wager of a round of drinks is made (scene in the Friary). Mr. Browne is called In. Corrigan recites how David Warfleld was assaulted and robbed on the fifth floor of the club house two hours before. Browne confesses to the deed, explaining his method Of proceedure in obtaining Warfleld's $400 and the reason why; Collier, a skeptic, is amazed. Mr. Harris, the manager, wants to wager that Browne really did beat Warfleld up. Then Corrigan explains it is a "Job"; he merely wanted to bring to the manager's attention that Browne could take that part; and Browne could—his emotional work in the scen e also proved as much to the pro- fessional contingent in the front. A. L. Erlanger is the director gen- eral of the Friars' Frolic tour. Klaw & Erlanger donated the theatres en route. The proceeds are to go toward th e Friars' Building Fund. John W. Rumsey, the Friar Abbott, is the busi- ness manager. Charles Gebest is the musical director, leading the Friars' orchestra. James Gorman directed the production of "The Ball." R. H. Burnside and Samuel Forrest are the stage managers with the troupe. The performance represented their labors fully, with nothing required to be added. The itinerary of the Frolic Friars in- cludes Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Cleveland, St. Louis, Chi- cago, Detroit, Buffalo, Rochester, Al- bany, Boston, and back to New York, all "one-nlghters." Sime. Marcel and Boris open on the Or- pheum Circuit at Spokane June 2, placed by the Marinelli agency. HAMMERSTEIN'S. It was a hot night and a poor show at Hammerstein's Monday. The men in the balcony and gallery removed their coats. The weather wilted the audience, but the bill ran along as listlessly as were those in front. Perhaps the week before the Roof opens is unimportant, but neverthe- less the one enjoyable part of the performance was the great big crowd present to swelter with each other. The afternoon house had been nearly capacity also, speaking big words for Willie Hammerstein's policy of "17." Eddie Foy (New Acts), was the headlined feature. Among others were some turns qualified for any "Old Timers' Week." One of these, away down late (Haines and Vidocq), was the first to draw the bunch out of its summer lethargy. The absence of any women up to "No. 13" (Sam J. Curtis and Co.), was as peculiar as it was noticeable. A good looking girl on a warm night will do a lot to refresh our tired busi- ness men, perhaps showing customers the town and dropping in at Hammer- stein's because it is so near the Sub- way. Mr. Curtis was down too^far. There had been much ahead of him that did not get very far. The indentations by the weather were felt early. The Welt Trio and the Asaki Brothers were the two first numbers (New Acts). Those not new were Luciano Lucca, with his soprano voice, and Ward and Curran, with more singing. Henry Fink (New Acts), kept up the vocal exercise, with th e headliner ar- riving in about this section. "The Devi], The Servant and the Man" closed the first half. It's not a bad sketch for some houses, but needs the atmosphere. It's a dream in the action, and that it was only a dream in acting couldn't be forgotten at "The Corner," where the best laugh Nat Haines got was panning Philadel- phia, with Charlie Dooin and four of his Philly ballplayers in a box as the guests of Harry Mock. DooLn liked the panning, for in the afternoon the Philly crew put one over on the Giants. Another "Old Timer," Snyder and Buckley, opened the second half, get- ting away extremely well through a new encore. It is a "two-man band," far ahead of any of their late encores. With a shortening of it, not playing quite so many instruments apiece, the standard comedy musical turn will be in excellent shape. There is good fun during the new portion through the German comedian's usage of the big drum. Percy Knight (New Acts), appeared after the couple, with Haines and Vidocq next. Then came the Curtis "School Sketch," followed by Max Hart's "Six Steppers." If Max could only tack on the billing that he can book clubs, it would be soft for Maxy. The act gets away with It, because it is a dancing turn of six people, prob- ably held at a figure. Valentine and Bell (New Acts), closed the show. No pictures—and no one kicked (only eight left who could have). Sime.