Variety (April 1912)

VARIETY 21 MAJESTIC, CHICAGO. Chicago, April 10. Despite the early arrival of base- ball weather and the introduction of competition through Martin Beck's personal invasion of the Windy City, the Majestic shows no evidence of a fall in patronage. This week with Thomas Jefferson holding down the headline in an adaptation of Charles Dickens' "The Cricket On The Hearth." business seems to be hovering around its customary winter mark just as though the circumstances were made to order. The Jefferson vehicle was a disappointment (New Acts) but the star's name seemed sufficiently strong to gather a near-capacity house Mon- day evening. Opening the show the Dare Broth- ers, a team of gymnasts, go a long way toward showing that personality in an acrobat is a real live possibility. Both the brothers have it in abund- ance, in fact they showed more per- sonality than skill. The routine con- sists of ordinary feats, but the boys have them well timed and show their abilities off to a striking advantage. Perhaps a plush drop would improve appearances. The house set was a drawback, but still the brothers pulled sufficient applause at their finish to warrant their entrance into the "hit" column. Harry Puck and Mabelle Lewis held down second spot with a singing and dancing specialty in which the singing runs second to the dancing. The couple open in "one" and go to "two" after the initial song. Here the offering drags a little. ' "Spooks" rendered by Miss Lewis could be better done under a spot. The dancing finale pulled the pair past the danger mark however, but the early section of the turn could stand improvement. Jarrow scored a surprise in an early position. It took him about two min- utes to get the audience started; from then on to his finish the magician worked to a laughing crowd. He gave the performance a flying start, prompt- ly taken advantage of by Bert Leslie in "Hogan, The Painter." Leslie's suc- cess was a surety from the first line. Sam B. Wilson who portrays the mash- er character, might get the comedy out of his character that Leslie probably expects. His idea of a "nance** is not drawn out enough. However, the slang- 1st covered all the openings with his line of slang, of which none better has ever been brewed. The skit pulled a big hit. Juliet started off nicely with her shop girl patter, but is losing a chance for a heavy score in "Flirting," which, because of the facial expressions, should employ a spot light. Her Lauder number at the finish cornered a safe hit. The evening honors go to McMahon and Chappelle in their little talk fee t called "How Hubby Missed The Train." The couple pulled a laugh with every line and finished the bill's best by a big margin. Unfortunately the "choos- ers" have treated Chicago to the ma- jority of McMahon's best material, but it sounded quite different through their novel and perfect delivery. Molasso's "The Rose Of Mexico" (New Acts) closed the show. Wynn. PALACE. CHICAGO. Chicago, April 10. Among other things the Palace Is giving Chicago a portion of the pure and unadulterated "cooch" dance this week, such as only the most artistic wiggler can execute. Toots Paka 1b distributing the wiggles in addition to a musical act that scores an individual hit by itself. As for the dance it calls for a chorus of Ah's and Oh's. Still the fairly large gathering enthused, so regardless of individual opinions it must be artistic. As for the remainder of the bill, it goes toward making one of the best programs vaudeville could offer. The Initial spot was picked by Roehm's Athletic Girls who wrestle, fence and punch the bags, not to men- tion some posing and a few rounds of the manly art. The offering bears a striking and suspicious resemblance to a similar one presented by the Bennett Sisters. While the latter may not be the originators they surely offer a bet- ter turn than the Palace tenants. The routines are practically the same, but Roehm's Oirls are mild in comparison to the Bennetts. Evidently some one has been choosing ideas. Carl M'Cul- lough did nicely considering his early position, but the young man seems to be going backward. His offering this season shows a noticeable weakness in comparison to his turn of last year, but this is not the fault of the ma- terial. He might have shown to ad- vantage in a better spot. Brenner and Radcliffe have deviated from the beaten paths of double sing- ing acts, surrounding their little skit with a sensible theme. The girl is ex- ceptionally clever and might taboo her closing number for something up to date. The present song used has had its day. At that, the couple carried away a safe hit. The honors of the show were safely and easily tucked away by Conroy and Le Maire with their burnt cork patter. They packed away the majority of the afternoon's laughs, and finished after several well earned bows. Immediately following, Ray Cox, assisted at the piano by Joseph Wood- ward, satisfied in every particular; it was a hard spot and one less ex- perienced would have fallen, but Miss Cox had the situation mastered after her opening number. The flrlsh in a miniature monoplane settled ail doubts and she closed a big hit. Incidentally a few words of praise are due her ac- campanist. The youngster had his hands full keeping in time with the singer, but managed to carry his task safely. The John Tiller Company offered a new pantomime this week entitled; "On the Wall." It shows an improve- ment over the one of last week, but as before, the majority of the work fell to his comedian. Tuesday the matinee carried a pretty heavy house considering the •weather and election day, although there were a good many unoccupied orchestra seats. Theodore Roberts (New Acts). Wynn. THE WAIL OF THE HICK. BY JOHN J. O'CONNOR. (Wjran.) "Well, Bo, of all the lobs that ever flagged a trolley, me and the Cribbage Kid takes the gravy. 1 used to be pegged for a half human sort of a bloke by the Harlem mob, but my thinkery slipped back a coupla cogs when I hooked up with this Turkey outfit. "They didn't want no comedians at all. They was lookin' for a coupla jani- tors. After they fed us a little bull about their plans for next season, why we just took the bait like a coupla mullets. Now they got us just where they want us and it's a case of do the slavvy act or starve, and believe me, kid, we got some appetites. "The latest wrinkle they introduce gives me the idea they're playin' us for a coupla fourteen karat boobs. Yesterday after the third rehearsal the manager drops around and informs me that after a chat with all the boys they decided to elect me to the position of 'props.' The way this guy puts it to me I thought.it was a swell job and 1 was beginnln' to puff up when the Dutch comedian orders me to dig up two kitchen tables and a bucket of soft soap for his barber shop scene in the second act. "Then Kalisch, the guy that plays Irish in the opener and does a Jew in the burlesque tells me to hustle out and find four good portable slapsticks and to make it more binding, he wants them painted green before every per- formance. "I thought it was bad to be in vaude- ville, but take it from me kid, they ain't no Purgatory missing from this end of the graft. The other day a coupla high-browB from the head of- fice blew in and told the manager he'd have to get some comedy in the show or it'd be thrown off the Wheel. They got me an' the Kid doin' all the vaude- ville houses in town lookin' for suit- able material for the comedians. That takes up my afternoons. In the mornin' we rehearse from eight to one and then the troupe grabs a feed for the afternoon ramble. After the show I gotta get back and clean up all our props and hang around till it's time to set the stage for the night job. "And talk about junk. Why this layout is carryin' over two hundred pounds of excess without countln' the cookin' utensils. Next week we get our chance to do some actin' where the audience sees us and take it from me bo, there's goin' to be another property bloke elected. "I ain't sayin' a word you under- etan' but wait till me and the kid springs our bit. The soft boiled simp that guides this troupe around will be hikin' back to give us the mitt for I'm dead sure we're his one best bet after lookin' over the mob. And after we sprint on, watch me snare that queen I was gassin' about last week. I got her signed for my stable for the rest o' the season, but she's a Missouri dame and wants me to -show. Says she don't wanta mus around with a la- borer, but if I'm there with the laugh snatcher, she's my doll. I'll tell\a about the openin' gallop next week. Lets float down to the vestibule and seize a coupla high ones." ••THE SKUtT" SAYS SPEAKING'OF WOMAN, MOSTLY. The Easter Parade at Atlantic City wasn't so much. Lots of people, but no "clothes." The dressmakers there even forgot their spring finery. The crowd was mostly made up of a lot of yokels who came down to Bee the sights. They were the sights. Sun- day was the windiest day of the week at Atlantic. The people stood the weather in the morning, but when the sun hid itself and the rain came along in the afternoon Atlantic City was about as pleasant a place as Long Branch is in the winter time. So you can guess Easter at Atlantic City did a delightful flop. Many said "Never again!" and I don't blame them. The only fun around was watching the yaps trying to maneuver themselves into the moving and newspaper pic- tures. You have to be away from home to see things. There are two telephone booths in Young's Hotel, Atlantic City. I was in one when a girl came prancing into the other. She had been summoned to answer a New York call, leaving one of the gayest tables in the cafe. I had to listen to the conversation, and the opening bars certainly did Interest me. This is the way the one-sided talk ran, spoken by the girl In a hospital voice: "Yes, dearie, I'm feeling a little bet- ter." (other end of phone). "I just came from my room. It's the first I've been down here in two days." "All right, I'll take good care of myself, dear. I think I'll go right back to bed." "It's my head—just splitting. And I get a little chill every now and then." "Oh, you can't come down. I'm so sorry, and I was just waiting to see you." "Well, it's too bad. Now 1 will have to stay in my room all day to- morrow." "Good-bye, dearie; I'll be careful." And then the sickly (!) little thing did a two-step back to the table, where, from the laughter, she proba- bly repeated the conversation and the rest laughed at the chump in New York. But he's not the only chump. It was almost a sad spectacle on the Boardwalk last week to see a vau- deville man, who, with his wife, was in a party of five or six, act as sort of valet for the bunch. He was allowed to carry the coats, and always trailed behind. The wife appeared to be en joying hern^ir immensely, without the asHistance <>l her husband. It was moat discouraging, from a matrimo- nial point, of view, I should Judge, to any unmarried mm about who knew the people.