Variety (November 1911)

22 VARIETY NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK Initial Presentation, First Appaaranca or Reappearance In or Around New York Rube Dickinson, Hammerstein's. The Zoyarros, Hammerstein's. Nevins Sisters, Hammerstein's. Blanch Walsh and Co., Fifth Avenue. Moore and Hanger, Fifth Avenue. Carolyn Franklyn and Co., Fifth Avenue. Mary Elizabeth. Fifth Avenue. Morecroft and Conroy, Colonial. Three Lessoe, Colonial. Kaufman Sisters, Orpheum. Pendleton Sisters, Bronx. In news and Ryan, Bushwick. Harry Jolson. 41 Piano-Act." 15 Mlns.; One. Columbia (Nov. 5). Harry Jolson, the blackface come- dian, has arranged a nearly new turn, shown for the first time Sunday at the Columbia. The opening is quite new. and as good. The assistance of a pianist who has a pleasant singing voice, is also a part of the new act. There is some conversation betweeu the couple in the center, when both get into a yodle number, that Mr. Jol- son formerly did alone, he closing with his operatic travesty. This landed a very big score for him at the finale. A little of the talk needs changing about. Even Mr. Jolson audibly re- alized that his "Three Little Maids" "gag" was a bad boy to handle around New York. The opening of the act finds Jolson having trouble with the orchestra, which will not follow the music cues. The leader claims the cause is through non-rehearsal. Jolsou denies this, and belittles all the mu- sicians. Attempting to continue the song, the leader lays down his baton, asking his fellow musicians what they think of Jolson. Thereupon Jolson retorts, when the leader tells him any man in the pit could do better than ue at |2 weekly. Working it up very well, the leader is informed by Jol- son they all can leave, and they do. As the leader Is disappearing Jolson reproves him for making the $2 state- ment before the audience, and calls upon the leader to come up on the stage to show his ability. The leader deprecates, says the remark only ap- plied to the musicians, but Jolson in- sists, whereupon the leader (who is his pianist) enters into the act. It gives Mr. Jolson a very good opening, perhaps a better one than any "piano- act" has shown in around here, besides pushing the turn off to a lively laugh- able start. With Jolson's voice, his assistant and the other material (re- quiring but little improvement), he will have an act that is going to be liked wherever it appears. Sitne. Walter Brown. Singing and Talking. 10 Mlns.; One. (■rand Opera House (Nov. 5). Here is a dandy talking act with sonic singing at the finish. The talk has to do with his married life. He has a corking voice. Sunday night Mr. Brown had the audience in an up- roar. With the running time cut down a little, he should get over, even "No. 3" on a big time bill. Jess. IOC Dae to the number of New Act reviews printed by VARIETY of turns on the "Small Time/* the reviews are now separated. Those referred to by VARIETIES reviewers as possible for the high class vapdeville houses are placed first after the New Act heading. The division Is made for the convenience of managers and agents indexing this department. NEW SHOWS NEXT WEEK Initial Presentation of Legitimate Attractions In New York Theatres. Ronair and Ward. "Ocean Breezes" (Songs and Talk). 14 Mins.; One (Special Drop). Colombia (Nov. 5). Ronair and Ward have been in the west for a year or more. Sunday night they had a neat little sketch in "one," written by Mack and Orth. It tells of a flip young city chap, who has answered a matrimonial adver- tisement. The appointment made is for the seashore. The drop resembles either the Long Beach or Atlantic City boardwalk. A flirtation with a young woman met there by Ronair after- wards resolves itself (on the girl mak- ing her third change) into her reap- pearing veiled, as the marriage aspi- rant. The songs sung, "The Only Way" (as a solo by Ronair), "Wild Waves" and "Feel Like Having Just a Little Bit of Lovin'" (duets), are catchy little airs, and well fit into the skit. Mr. Ronair is a likable light comedian, just a trifle too fast in his work for Miss Ward, who looks well, wears pretty clothes, but will need some playing yet before she can equal her partner. The dialog might be built up to better advantage around the center. It sags off a couple of times. The talk at the opening, about fish, gets over nicely. Mr. Ronair sends all his matter over easily. The act will do in the New York big vaude- ville houses in an early spot just now. At least they have a couple of new and good looking faces to recommend them to the big time. Sitne. Carlton. Comedy Magician. 17 Mlns.; One. Majestic, Chicago. Carlton, one of the recent importa- tions from the other side, is a come- dian and a magician, mostly a come- dian—and a good one. Fortunately he has had an opportunity to study the American audience before tack- ling the more important engagements in the east, since he toured the west- ern end of the Orpheum Circuit first. Extremely eccentric in appearance and quite as much in delivery, he carried off a huge hit Monday afternoon in a hard spot. Carlton's stage appa- ratus consists of a chair and a roll of carpet. He works much like Griff. His patter is practically the same in construction. He occasionally called attention to the shrieks Of silence and insisted over and over again that he was "deucedly clevah." Opening with a routine of card palming, the long magician went through some card tricks finishing with the disc casket trick. For his finale Carlton works with a confederate, a nimble contor- tionist, who acts as his subject in a bit of burlesque hypnotism. It is well worked and full of comedy. The lanky Londoner will meet his real test in Hammerstein's. where he Is sched- uled to appear in a few weeks. At any rate on his Majestic showing he will "The Dandles" (5). Singing and Comedy. 22 Mlns.; Full Stage. Majestic, Chicago. "The Dandies" are English, decided- ly so, with a routine of misplaced material that would evidently bring expected results on this side of the pond if slightly altered in delivery. For an act of its kind "The Dandies" work overtime. They could chop out six or seven minutes and still have a good comedy turn. They have played the Orpheum Circuit and are still very much out of order. Their past performances probably warranted them being placed in Oe "No. 1" spot at the Majestic, a bad position in any house, but worse at the Majestic. Of the quintet, three are women. One spends all her time at a grand piano. Opening with a Jively song and dance "The Dandies" looked like a sure thing, but from then on they slowed up and Qnished rather weak. A solo later on, closely followed by a duet (both ballads) went exceptionally well, as did a bit of comedy in which four of "The Dandies" represent a music hall audience on the other side. Two chairs are placed on a table to represent the gallery in which two of "The Dandies" sit impersonating cos- ter characters. Directly beneath are two of the English aristocratic ele- ment. A little talk between the pair ensues and while the males give a corking good idea of the characters they represent, the few present at 7.40 were too busily engaged arranging their wraps to take notice. The bit rolled by unnoticed. A laughing song is used for a finale. "The Dandies" should use their opening number for a finish and eliminate the song now used. One of the other numbers could be taken but or better still, the bari- tone could drop one verse of his solo. The recitation bit is passable, al- though not overstrong. Could "The Dandies" figure on a fifteen-minute routine of their best, there is every reason to believe they could get over. But even then they would have to dodge the opening program spot. Wynn. Four Kumas Family. Magic and Equilibrists. IS Mins.; Full Stage (Special Setting). Hammers tein's. The special setting carried by this Japanese quartet is worthy of a bet- ter act. Three men and a woman in native Japanese garb go through fif- teen minutes of conventional stunts, such as throwing out streams of rib- bons, then gathering them up and transforming them into the American flag. A feature trick is to have the woman walk up a ladder of edged swords In her bare feet. Jolo. strike New York with the odds in his favor. He made good here. Wynn. "The Littlest Rebel'* (Dustin and Wm. Farnum), Globe. "The Three Romeos," Globe. "Vera Violetta," Winter Garden. Grace Cameron. Character Singer. 12 Mins.; One. Majestic, Chicago. Little Grace Cameron should be la- beled "The Hero of the Bill" at the Majestic this week. On one of the best programs the house has ever of- fered, the character songster appeared in next to closing spot, following Frank Keenan in "The Oath," a dra- matic affair that had the whole house mourning for the dead son at the cur- tain, where Keenan is shown kneeling down with a Rosary in his hands, praying to mournful music. And tneu the orchestra struck up a lively tune for her opening, a chorus girl's ex- perience told in lyrics, which allows her an opportunity to test her vocal abilities. This was followed by a French number, a poor selection well delivered, but one that doesn't belong in the Cameron repertoire. Then came a kid song called "I'm An Or- phan Child From Reno" or something along that line. Of this only one verse was sung. It turned the tide in Miss Cameron's favor and following with three character numbers in com- edy costume, she scored one of the afternoon's hits. "Help, Help. Help," "Heaven Will Protect a Working Girl" and a suffragette number labeled "If Adam Had Never Been Introduced to Eve" completed her comedy offerings. At the finish Miss Cameron had the audience entirely weaned from the Keenan characterization. Naturally the first two songs went slow. Miss Cameron is probably one in a hun- dred who could hold the spot. It was a severe test. The result makes her a candidate for any bill, anywhere, anytime. Wynn. Evelyn Sisters. Singing and Dancing. 8 Mins.; One. Hammerstein's. A conventional "sister" act, fairly neat steppers, pretty, but poor sing- ers. Their dance steps earned a lit- tle, not much in opening position a few minutes after eight o'clock. The girls might be good support to some comedian or male coon singer, but by themselves dc not class in the two-a- day. Jolo. NEW ACTS IN "POP" HOUSES Thomas and Coates. Songs and Dances. 13 Mins.; One. Two colored boys have a very de- cent comedy singing and dancing act. The "straight" man is a good acrobatic- dancer, and the comedian is there with an eccentric style. The talk is funny, and the two rank well up with double-colored acts. Jess.