Variety (April 1912)

14 VAklETY NEW ACTS NEXT Initial Presentation, Flrat Appeurance or Reappearance In or Around New York David Hlggins and Co., Hammer- stein's. Kdward Abeles and Co. (5). •*Waiting at the Church" (Comedy). 81 Nina.; Full Stage (Special Set), .fifth Ave. This vaudeville trip Edward Abeles is being presented by William Collier and James M. Allison in a sketch staged by William Collier and writ- ten by William Collier and Edgar Sel- wyn. The playlet has been well staged. A very attractive interior set is shown, simple and rich. When the curtain goeB up a Chinese servant Is making cocktails for his master who has made a night of it and is trying everything to come back. Enter irate father and would-be brother-in-law. They have been waiting at the church with the intended bride and her fam- ily. They manage to arouse the sleep- ing would-be groom who has forgot- ten it is his wedding morn. Bride and mother-in-law (''would-be" is pre- fixed to all the titles) also enter and the party wait patiently for the hus- band to come forth. Up to this point and for the remainder of the time all the cast remain on the stage, the piece makes bully good comedy, but as soon as the brother, mother and bride de- part the action starts to lag and the sketch lets right down to the finish. It develops the bridegroom, although in love with the bride "laid down" to please her, believing his fiancee in love with someone else. The cere- mony was part of an arrangement of a will wherein the bride was to shsre in the estate of her father. It all finishes happily. The piece gives Mr. Abeles plenty of opportunity as a light comedian, he getting plenty of laughs with the material at hand which for the most part is very good. The big situation, and it is a corking laugh provoking moment, is where the four members of the bridal party await the entrance of the groom. The action should be speeded up from there to the finale, and were the end brought along with a slam bang, it would then mean a corking fast comedy sketch with plenty of reason. Charlotte Lander gives the star first aid and does splen- didly, although not having the oppor- tunity afforded her in Mr. Abeles' for- mer sketch. Hughie Flaherty, Thos. C. Hamilton, John B. Adam, Eliza- beth Qoodall and George Splevin all go toward making up a very classy cast. "Waiting at the Church" cut to twenty-five minutes will be a dandy. Dash. R. A. G. Trio. Rathskeller Act. 12 Mlns.; One. Hammerstein*s. Three men, in smartly cut evening clothes, made of alpaca or brllllantlne, singing their own compositions with one playing the piano, another the banjo. A good act of its kind. Jolo. Wilton Lackaye and Co. (8). "Quits" (Dramatic). 16 Mlns.; Interior (Special Set). Hanunersteln*s. For Wilton Lackaye's debut in vaude- ville he offered a remarkable test of his sterling qualities as an actor, la) y devoid of all superfluous dia- log, in which every line counted. It is entitle 1 "Quits," by Hall McAllis- ter, and in the almost record time of s xteen minutes told concisely an in- tensely gripping story. A wealthy man has married a woman who told him she had had a past with a blackguard who had betrayed and abandoned her. The husband accepted this story. He tells her he has invited to dinner an actor who has Just registered a huge success. Mentioning his name, the woman declares he iq the one who wronged her. The husband is aroused and says that he will disfigure the villain facially so he will not lure in- nocent women in the future. The ac- tor is announced, husband is called to the phone and the woman pleads with the actor not to expose her—that she has struck it rich and that the husband is about to settle a fortune upon her; that if he will not tell the real story she will divide the spoils. He refuses, husband returns and the wife goes off to dress. Husband at- tempts to brain .the actor from be- hind, but is confronted by a revolver. Actor then proceeds to prove to the deceived man the woman Is an adven- turess; tells husband to lay prostrate on couch. He overturns things, shoots revolver once; woman rushes In; ac- tor declares he has killed the hus- band. Woman yells: "Good, now I'm rid of both of you. I've got his for- tune and you'll go to the gallows"— or words to that effect. Husband rises and confronts the woman as the actor remarks: "Allow me to introduce you to your wife." It is doubtful if al- most any other actor but Lackaye could have gotten away with such a situation in vaudeville without re-* sorting to heroics. But never once, in the role of the actor, did he raise his voice, at the same time sending across the footlights a feeling of pow- er and strength that was gripping in its intensity. At the conclusion he was greeted by thunderous applause and throughout the audience was heard calls for a speech. E. Kingdon, as the deceived husband adequately enacted the role, and Miss Lorimer, as the wife, was excellent. The fourth role, that of a servant, had but a couple of lines. Mr. Lackaye and his sketch can remain in vaudeville indefinitely. It is a brilliant exception to the aver- age recruit from the legitimate stage. Jolo. Four Coles. Wire Act. 11 Mlns.; Full Stage. Hanimerstein's. Three girls and a man, presenting a novelty in acrobatics and wire walk- ing. Neatly dressed and classy throughout. The principal trick is a back somersault on a board held on the shoulders of two others standing on the wire. An attractive turn for opening position on any big time bill. Jolo. Matthews and Alshayne. Songs and Talk. 17 Mlns.; One (Special Drop). Academy of Music (April 81). Bobby Matthews, who for many seasons was coupled with Herbert Ashley, has returned to vaudeville with a young, natural Hebrew come- dian named Alshayne. The new com- bination is a strqng one. The first half of the act is given before a street in Chinatown, where Matthews as a "dope" meets Alshayne in evening clothes. On the opening Matthews has a pretty song about dreamnight in Chinatown. Following bright repartee and a doplsh monolog by Matthews, Aishayne turns loose a few song num- bers. He is of the Willie Howard type of comedian, with a splendid voice of high range, funny facial expression and unaffected manner of working. Matthews has a "find" in this chap. For the finish, Matthews reappears in evening clothes, and the men whip up to a strong finish. After an operatic arrangement which gives both voices full play and Alshayne a chance to in- terpolate some capital comedy, the men do a "rag" for an encore. At the Academy the team was on just before closing, following a long show of singing and talking, but they "cleaned up" and could have worked longer. Matthews' "dope" characters are well known In vaudeville, and with a versatile comedian like Al- shayne to keep the comedy pace hot, this new frameup will find a sure-fire welcome. Mark. Fanny Brice. Songs. 13 Mlns.; One. Hammersteln's. Fanny Brice, originally hailing from burlesque and later recruited to Ziegfeld's "Follies," is unquestion- ably "the goods" for vaudeville, but her act at present Is badly put to- gether. She starts slowly with two songs, out of which she gets com- paratively little, then puts over a "wallop" with a "Yiddish" ditty that makes most of the present day sou- brets who essay that kind of material look foolish, and finally spoils it all by changing to a silly costume con- sisting of white satin trousers of ec- centric design with an equally incon- sistent red coat. Had the young wo- man confined herself to a single gown and sung just one more number of consequence either before or after the "Yiddish" ditty (preferably before) she would have landed with both feet. Miss Brice is chock full of unction and has a keen sense of travesty. But the last two numbers are inane, and the first two not worthy of her talents as a comedienne. Jolo. Prince Kar-Ml and Co. (2). Hindoo Magician. 18 Mlns.; Full Stage (Special Set). Prince Kar-Ml is a rather good looking, pleasant appearing, swarthy individual, attired in native garb. He speaks broken English and offers in a new way a routine of illusions and magic tricks that amuse and enter- tain an audience. The paraphernalia is bright and attractive, and the man is a good showman. It's a good act of that sort. > 0l0 p Ralph Stuart and Op. (8), : '\ *"!^ "Mr. Hamilton of New York" (Com- edy). 22 Mlna., Full Stage (Interior). Majestic, Chicago. In "Mr. Hamilton of New York" Ralph Stuart of "Wallingford" fame has selected a mighty poor vehicle for a continuous stay in the two*a-day houses. For the current engagement at the Majestic it probably alls the bill, principally because Majestic patrons have become accustomed to expect very little, if anything at all (other than personality) from "legiti- mate" visitors. And a personality sums up everything Stuart offers. In "Mr. Hamilton of New York" StuarL is simply "Get Rich Quick Walling- ford" lifted into vaudeville. His per- fect Impersonation of the type of man created by CheBter is practically the one redeeming feature the affair pos- sesses. Here Stuart, of course, shows the people another character, but his "Wallingford" traits predominate, and fortunately so, for otherwise the vehicle would roll backward. As it is, It runs pretty slowly, and halt tho time stands still. The scene is thrown somewhere in Russia, in the home of a very pretty young girl with 01 gu Petrovltch for a name. Her brother has insulted a Major in the Ruseian Hussars and has been challenged to defend his life via the duel route. The brother very wisely takes the back door road to safety and disappears. The Major and hlB Lieutenant are about the premises looking for him. The Major is very found of Olga and provided she will marry him, he will forget the affair. Olga refuses ar.d Mr. Hamilton of New York steps Into the scene, promptly falling in love with her. He looks very much like the brother and very gallantly takes his place. The duel takes place In the room, Hamilton coming out first. It seemed rather queer that the Major and Lieutenant could gallop into a lady's apartment unannounced and do It repeatedly, even in Moscow. How- ever, they do. The Lieutenant car- rying more than a temperate man really should, flopped in awkwardly whenever he cared to. Eleanor Parker was Stuart's chief support, pretty, well dressed and made to or- der for the part. Stuart, of course, looked the role, but was badly handi- capped by his material. Messrs. Les- tina and De Long were tho other two. both playing as well as might be ex- pected. The big moment was lacking. The duel scene was probably Intended for it, but barring a few laughs manu- factured on the spot by Stuart, this bit slipped by without helping much. Wynn. Le Feydia. Illusions. 12 Mlns.; Two (White Curtain). American Roof. Le Feydia is an attractive blonde woman with pleasing physical propor- tions, who stands in tights in the cen- ter of an ordinary white curtain and has varicolored lights thrown on her. It's a pretty act, and some very pleas- ing pictures are made with Le Feydia as the central figure. It's a good act for the "pop" houses, and would at- tract attention on a "big small time" bill. Mark.