Variety (November 1911)

VARIETY 17 "JHcid for Ransom" (11) Melodramatic Sketch. 89 Ulna.; Foil Stage (Special Set- ting*). Greenpolnt. "Held for Ransom" Is unabashed melodrama in tabloid form, such as was in demand in the popular priced theatres a generation ago. It is in four scenes and a scrim "vision" and has sufficient material and cast—and scenery—to easily elaborate It into a full grown evening's entertainment for those who delight to cheer the brave hero and hiss the villain. Count Zeveli—a dress-suited Italian—is the leader of the Black Hand society in New York. He is in love with Helen Alcar. an operatic singer who has placed her affections with Bob Grant, a police reporter on the trail of tho Black Handera. The count has writ- ten a letter to Grant warning him to leave town under a threat of death. The brave young reporter only laughs. But he has a detective who is his friend. The latter is disguised as a "sandwich" man and constantly trails the intrepid youth. The leading lady has an Irish maid (comedy character) also a German music teacher, (an- other comedy character), the latter a close imitation of Louis Mann's man- nerisms and dialect in "The Girl from Paris." The count's sub-villains are Giovanni, an Italian organ grinder, Levita, his wife, and Hess, an east side tough. The count proposes to the singer and is rejected. He plans to have his lieutenants pretend to kidnap her and her maid while he, posing as a brave hero, shall rescue them. This comes off per schedule. He conducts the two women to a room in a studio building just off Park Row. the window of which overlooks News- paper Row. There the others are sent away so he can seize the girl and attempt to kiss her. She sings to him, the lights are dimmed and in the rear is disclosed the hero at work in the newspaper office. His dis- guised detective friend rushes in, pantomines that the kidnapping has occurred and as they are about to rush away, the singing gives him a clue as to his sweetheart's whereabouts. The police break in through the doors and windows, point their guns and the vil- lains are foiled. Picture and curtain. Paul Armstrong, with his prestige as the author of "Alias Jimmy Valen- tine" and "The Deep Purple," is an- nounced as the author of the tabloid melodrama. It Is doubtful if almost anybody else would have received ser- ious consideration at the hands of vaudeville managers in proffering such a vehicle for modern two-a-day assimilation. The cast Is adequate to the demands set by the respective parts. Catherine Calvert is starred in the role of the heroine. Annie O'- Keefe is the maid, Ben J. Piazza the organ grinding villain. Carl Harbaugh the music teacher, William H. Elliott the count, Anna MacDonald the organ grinder's wife, Edward C. Howard the rough-necked assistant villain, A. F. Walsh, the heroic police reporter, Wil- liam O'Neil the disguised faithful de- tective friend. The scenic investiture is effective. The stage hands assisting In the transformations should be clad In dark raiment to conceal their spec- tral flitting*, folo. James Leonard and Co. (5). "Kid Hamlet** (Travesty). 16 Mlns.; Five (Special Set). Fifth Avenoe. In "Kid Hamlet" James Leonard has a very laughable travesty, with the main fault Monday evening the laughs arrived too early. At the finale there were none, for the finish is weak. It needs to be altered, and also, the author James Horan, who has turned out a skit full of laughable travestied lines might take the hint obtained from the early part, rewriting the dia- log to hold all the principals upon the stage the more. The "hesitate" line or "gag" should be dropped right away. Surrounding Mr. Leonard is a good company of capable travesty art- ists who get it all over. The trouble dates from Mr. Leonard's entrance. After that, his "Hamlet" has little to cause the rlslbles. Rather Leon- ard is nearly always playing "straight" for the dialog of the others. The first action is where Prince Hamlet insists upon delivering the soliloquy. King Claudius upon hearing the commencement of the "To be or not to be," arises from his throne, saying "Heavens! Is he going to pull that again" and departs from the scene, followed by the Queen, and after by Polonious. At the finale Ham- let agrees to waive the murder of his Queen-mother, if she will Induce the King to listen lust once to the "To be" thing. The King consents, and Ham- let commences. But they can't stand it, falling to the floor one by one as he proceeds, with Hamlet finally toppling over upon all. The slang Is well chosen and nicely spread. At the Fifth Avenue the act was placed to close the performance, a hard spot, following Willie and Eugene Howard. There was nc denying the laughter it brought during the running, though it did pass away quietly. The setting is a credit- able one. Blme. Anna Kent. Songs and Talk. 14 Mlns.; One. Colombia (Oct. 90). Anna Kent was formerly of Kelly and Kent. In her present single turn, new to vaudeville, Miss Kent has re- served for the finish of the act, the Bowery girl character she assumed In the Kelly-Kent turn. The change is made to this behind an oval opening In the special drop In "one." The audience sees Miss Kent transform herself from a brightly dressed young woman into the unkempt spieler. With a few dance steps and a continuation of her opening song, "Nothing To Do Till Tomorrow," Miss Kent concludes her act. The final half is the best liked, although a short monolog In Irish brogue with a few good points at the beginning was well taken. An imitation of a female baritone, also a soprano, got some laughs. Miss Kent looked very nice in a dressy pink gown, but she may find It more profitable to remain in the Bowery dress through- out, using but the meat of her turn as shown Sunday, and perhaps adding to that other material. While tho present act needs to he de- veloped considerably for the '\blg time," It could do nicely In an early spot on the small big time, although it might be greatly Improved by a partner, male or female- Bime. Regal and Wlnsch. Talk and Sonic. 18 Mlns.; Open Full Stage: Close One. Murray Hill (Oct. 29). Regal and Winsch are probably more or less new to vaudeville. They have shown good sense in taking it seriously, for there is every indication that they have spent both time and money upon a rather neat idea that will need the help of a knowing hand before it will get them what they de- sire. A pretty woodland set is shown at the opening; Miss Winsch is seated in a tree, Regal enters over a broken down step. The couple go into a quantity of back and forth patter that is the act's greatest weakness. The talk amounts to little more than a play upon words, gags or punning. Both principals look far too intelli- gent for the very ordinary talk and give marked evidence of being capable of handling much better material. The couple close in "one." Miss Winsch appears in the window of the special drop, with Regal serenading from be- low. (This is a finish used by Qavin and Piatt.) The pair have appear- ance, good style and personality and a good idea for one of those neat spec- ialties that please without being riots. What they need is about five minutes of bright patter for the opening. Whoever gives it to them Is going to be responsible for a very good act on the big time. At the Murray Hill, Regal and Winsch easily cleaned up on the show. Dash. Schwartz Brothers (3). "The Broken Mirror." 15 Mlns. Hippodrome, London. This is the act about which I have written several times as exemplifying the amount of robbery that is going on in Europe. Some time ago the Schwartz Brothers regenerated the old mirror business and hit up a big suc- cess in Germany. Immediately the copyists were busy. The consequence is that there are now playing four sep- arate acts on the same lines. The one at the Hippodrome, a copy-act "Early Morning Reflections" at the Palace, one run by the-Schwartz Brothers In Paris, and the fourth may be on the Orpheum tour, also under the name of "Early Morning Reflections." The story is that In the course of the strug- gle between a maid servant and a manservant a large mirror is knocked over, and the glass smashed to atoms. The master of the house, who Is an actor, is suffering from the effects of a late night. When he goes to look at himself In the mirror he sees what he thinks is a reflection of himself, but which is actually his manservant. Tho movements of the two are identical, the only appreciable difference being that the manservant is by no means so gcortlooking as his master. Finally the master tries to kiss the maid, an 1 the manservant in his jealousy knocks the mirror over, leaving the impres- sion that it has been newly broken. It Is a dialog piece, but the best things in it is the pantomime between mas- ter and man. "Karly Morning Reflec- tions" is an inferior article. Haifa nl. "The Great Suggestion" (Dramatic). 16 Mlns.; Three (Interior; Special Set- ting.) Colonial. "The Great Suggestion," a feature with the Friars Frolic last spring, is a welcome addition to vaudeville. This dramatic sketch with a comedy finale is a gem of the first water. Earle Browne, who played the princi- pal role when the playlet was orig- inally produced, is doing the "sub- ject" on whom the mental suggestion is tried. Browne keeps the role w.th- in bounds and his emotional bit was capitally done Monday night. While the opening portion of the act drags somewhat through a conversation that tacks action and interest, the piece swings into stride when Browne gets Into play. The jaded nerves of any vaudeville audience will receive stim- ulant from "The Great Suggestion." The sketch may not fill a long-felt want, but its novel idea in vaudeville comes at an opportune time. Mark. De Fra, Equilibrist. O Mlns.; Full Stage. Alhambra De Fra—De Coe; there is a simil- arity, isn't there? It may be simply coincidental but the fact remains there is as much likeness in the acts as is the names. Harry De Coe some two years back sort of startled the natives with his balancing stunt on the back legs of a chair atop of four tables. De Fra is doing the same stunt, although naturally some of the startle has worn off. De Fra goes De Coe one better In a couple of his tricks. His first balance is a hummer. He places the two back legs of tho chair on a broom- stick laid across two rows of tables, four high, and does the balance. It is a good trick well executed. The remainder of the routine is along the same line, at times three and four chairs being used piled on top of each other. De Fra has a foreign appear- ance. He works in a white flannel suit going about his balancing In a deliberate manner. Too much delib- eration is used making the nine min- utes seem like twice as many. Open- ing the bill at the Alhambra he did nicely. He should be able to hold a similar position around the circuit. Dash. Ted and Corlnne Breton. Songs and Cross Fire. 15 Mlns.; One. (Special Drop). 23rd Street. Mr. Breton is a good comedian who knows how to l*\nd his material, which Is very original and up to date. He has a keen sense of travesty values with comedy, clean and bright. After several minutes of cross-fire, his part- ner exits, when he puts over some well written parodies to the music of tne latest popular songs. One in particu- lar stands out as a classic. It tells the story of a tatooed woman describ- ing her bodily India ink adornments, to the melody of "Alexander's Band," and Inviting folks to "come on along" and look her over. During this por- tion the girl changes to a red toreador costume, carrying a mandolin. They finish with a song and dance. This act would be certain in an early position on any big timo program. Jolo. (Continued on page 19.)