Variety (August 1911)

VARIETY 17 NEW CENTURY GIRLS THE MAJESTICS "New Century Girls" has a two-act burlesque by Tom McRae, called "The Two Pikers." The author is featured with Lydia Jopsy. The lady of the peculiar name comes in for featuring in the billing only, however. Mr. McRae is the star at all times, and deservedly so. The book is sat- isfactory in every respect. While there is no more plot than is usual in a burlesque show, things work out log- ically, and there is at least a reason for the various bits. Comedy is the show's stronghold. Several unfamiliar bits introduced are exceedingly funny, besides some busi- ness that is familiar, but given with a new twist that makes it at least different. The method of getting laughs is to be highly recom- mended. It comes easy and the comedy might be termed restful. The production end, as all other ends, suffers in comparison with the com- edy. The two sets used, exterior and interior, are not elaborate. The in- terior is at least up to the average. The costumes go with the sets. In the first act the dressing of the chorus is frankly poor. There are but one or two changes and these amount to little if anything. In the second act the dressing takes a strong turn for the better. There are several pretty combinations, all running to the "tights" order. Each set of draperies carries tights of its own. All are new and bright looking. One or two of the costumes are distressing. The opening dresses of both acts look badly. Those in the second part are so unbecoming they could well be dis- pensed with, even if some costume had to be worn for two numbers. Twenty chorus girls are carried. They aver- age up well. Inability in the dancing line prevails and is readily noticeable in a couple of the numbers. This is probably no one's fault, as the man- agers had to take them as they came this season. The difficulty might be overcome in this case by allowing the "pony ballet" now used to become a travesty affair. There are a couple of good natured little fat girls in the crowd, who could do a whole lot for the numbers in a comedy way, if al- lowed to extend themselves. The numbers is where the show falls. Not because of the staging, but through poor selection and the lack of "pep" by the girls. In the lat- ter part of the show, "Oceana Roll," the best of the numbers selected, went off with but two encores, when it should have drawn five or six. The girls could not get the "rag" at all. The two encores came through the bully swing of the music, with the work of Mr. McRae and Petite Mar- velle at the head. A baseball number with a burlesque baseball game along familiar lines given by the principals got through nicely, although much ap- plause came from the names of the various teams on the shirts worn by the girls. "Won't Go Home Until Morning," in which the chorus girls are utilized by McRae, one at a time, comes more under the head of com- edy than number, and is a very good bit. Among several other numbers, none gained especial distinction. An "Amazon March" looked- well, but the girls should have had the full stage. A cramped interior with twenty girls manouvering hurt the result. A good finish is utilized for the first act, when the entire company appears in jockey get up and go through a race descrip- tion. The company looked particu- larly well. "Dances of All Nations" will not prove as big a winner as prob- ably anticipated. The number is slow moving and grows tiresome. The dan- ces have very little merit, and the whole thing should be gingered up. The verse before each dance, after re- peating five times, becomes annoying, although well delivered by Miss Jopsy. Mr. McRae is a different comedian to the usual run. He does a cross between a hairlip talker and a fellow who has lost all his front teeth. His speech is funny and still understand- able. He has a quiet, easy way of working that is effective. At times his facial expressions and pantomime work go far ahead of the material he has handed himself. Joe Madden works with him, playing a very good "straight." His rushing bulling meth- ods making an excellent contrast to the quiet easy manner of the other. Madden looks the part and Is a strong figure in the best end of the show, the comedy. Tom Nolan does a "Rube" of the better sort and gets something out of it. He fits in nicely and works well with McRae and Madden. Nolan might drop the beer incident. It is the only bit that gets anywhere near the off- color. Ed. Stewart plays a straight and has little to do but look well which he does. Wm. F. Allen also has a minor role. At times his voice can hardly be heard, even in the front rows. Miss Jopsy is the main spring of the three female principals, with little more to do than the others. Lydia is a jolly little ingenue, with a capi- tal singing voice far ahead of the bur- lesque standard. A smile a yard wide is one of her best assets. Miss Jopsy wears a couple of pretty gowns, al- though her dressing is not elaborate. A very capable Miss and a good at- traction for the show is Lydia. Mabel Leslie, a tall statuesque blonde, with a tremor in her voice, fills in very well. She looks splendidly in her sev- eral gowns, and is some figure at the head of "The Amazons." Miss Marvelle does an eccentric country girl, going the extreme in dressing so much it detracts from the comedy which the role might af- ford. She does well in the role, not a heavy one. The olio holds three acts and is not strong. Davis and Marvelle have a dancing offering that is not there. The Runaway Four, a quartet, who help the singing in the show, are but a fair singing organization. The Three Musical Stewarts pass very nicely with a clean straight singing specialty. The "New Century Girls" will be classed generally as a good evening's entertainment. With two good num- bers inserted in each act, it will be graded as a first class show. Dash. It is not necessary that "The Ma- jesties" should await the report of the Eastern Burlesque Wheel Censor- ing Committee. At the Columbia, Monday, It looked as though the en- tire first part of this season's "Ma- jesties" will have to go. The bur- lesque, also, a rewritten "Get Rich Quick Wallingford" needs rearrange- ment. After that, the numbers, with- out exception, must be restaged. About the only things J. Ooldenberg will not be called upon to look after are the costumes (not over plentiful, but suffi- cient), settings, and some of the songs. Mr. Goldenberg this season is oper- ating the former Fred Irwin show. Dave Gordon Is manager. Mr. Oold- enberg has gathered a large group of principals, men and women, without averaging up the work between them on an equitable basis. The show is called "Rouge De La Mode." The opening act was in use by Mr. Irwin. There's not enough to it. Frederick Ireland, Joe Emerson and Geo. Stevenson have been handed the burden. The two latter men are conventional tramps, playing "crooks." Mr. Ireland is the chief crook. There is nothing in the comedy nor the dialog that did not tire long ago, nor do any of the comedians give it a fresh twist. And before forgotten, it should be mentioned that "The Majesties," in at- tempting to be "spicy" just becomes nasty. All the double entendre stuff should be dropped instanter. The effort became so constant Monday eve- ning that it all palled. No doubt Mr. Goldenberg will be surprised to know that he hasn't a well staged number in his show. One, "The Trombone in a Ragtime Band" led by Margie Catlin, may have fool- ed him, but the encores demanded for this "rag" dance came partly from an over enthusiastic patron in a box, and the absence of any real liveliness in numbers before it. Otherwise it would class as merely ordinary in the nowaday "Grizzlys," although a couple of chorus girls did work up the "Band" quite well, if not elegantly. The applause throughout was mainly from the gallery. In the first part "Burglars" with Messrs. Stevenson, Emerson and the "ponies" carrying hand searchlights, was given on a semi-lighted stage, kill- ing all the effect. "I Was All Right in My Younger Days," sung by May Walsh, and "Charlie's Place," by Miss Catlin (as an olio contribution) are not the best lyrics in the world for a "clean" show. Several of the other songs could be made good with ginger in the chorus girls, and some further coaching. The numbers, as well as the comedy, are all too deadly conven- tional. In the changes to come, Mr. Golden- berg may hang onto his settings. Prob- ably he will also retain the principals. Besides those mentioned is P. W. Miles, who plays excellently in both characters assigned him. Then there is James Nugent, who does but little outside of dancing with Mr. Stevenson in an olio turn. As this is the only dancing, really, of the show, the act got over rather well. Another olio act with dancing was Marshall and King "sisters," but they were placed wrongly, and barely scraped through. Their act is newly costumed. Among the leading women are the Misses Walsh, Catlin, Nell Capron, and Cecilia Weston, the latter doing but little besides her "act." Edna Rob- erts is given program prominence, though relegated to the "ponies," and not even permitted to display her abili- ties as a stage "kid." Miss Walsh has the most numbers, and for dressing, she stands alone in the show. Miss Walsh is a kaleido- scopic vision of "clothes," wearing no less than six dressy gowns throughout the performance, and easily taking the lead among the females in every way. Miss Walsh handles her songs. well enough, but has no support. Miss Catlin is a good looking Spanish hotel proprietress in the first part, singing "Madrid," an utterly useless number. Miss Capron is almost a lay figure, excepting when at the head of a march In tights. The opening of the show runs through four musical numbers before the performance starts. This was an Irwin plan. There is little costume changing for the choristers in the early part. In the burlesque, there are a few changes. The chorus girls are dressed well, but they are far from being lav- ishly clothed. If Cohan & Harris do not object to "The Majesties" version of "Walling- ford," the best thing that can then happen to it is for the burlesque and the olio to be separate divisions. Now the acts are In the piece, continually breaking up the action, and spoiling the sequence. In this, besides Mr. Ire- land, who plays a first class "straight" throughout the show, is Miss Walsh, who, as an aide to the con man handles the dialog allotted to her most skil- fully. Messrs. Emerson and Stevenson are still the tramps, and the story of the first part, in a way through this, is continued into the burlesque. The setting of the second part (ho- tel exterior) together with some of the lines, are closely suggestive of "The Trocaderos" final act. The "Ma- jesties" is following that show over the "Wheel." Miss Weston sang "The Frisco Trot" and was at her best when handling "rag" songs, so much so Miss Weston should chance nothing else. Particularly should that imitation of Sam Bernard go out. The Four Mc- Nallys gave their combination act, in- cluding a little of everything most often seen in a vaudeville show, with preference extended to wire walking. It made a good olio number, but should have its finish strengthened up. Three of the McNallys play principals in the burlesque. A couple do quite well with their little roles. Mr. Goldenberg has engaged plenty of actors. Now he should see that they give a show their numbers and Teputations entitled him to; but the manager must help himself and them by furnishing material to work with. ISime.