Variety (July 1912)

16 VARIETY London, July 17. George Ley ton has almost com- pleted his preparations for the pro- duction of "Scotland Forever," which is to be seen for the first time at the King's theatre, Southsea, July 22. The cast of the Drury Lane pro- duction of "Everywoman" on Sept. 12 will include Alexander Carlisle, Kate Rorke, Gladys Cooper, Clara Beck, Patricia Collins, Eileen Creuford, Jes- sie Winter, Vera Beringer, Fred Lewis, E W Royce, Austin Melford, Ian Swlnley, Henry Wenman, Howard and Russell and John Tresahar. Alfred Brydone has been engaged to play one of the chief parts in "A Scrape of the Penn," Graham Mof- fatt's play, destined for the Comedy theatre early in September. A hereditary baronet who is an ac- tor can hardly be expected to be a great actor—that is why the efforts of Sir Valentine Grace, Bart., were not expected to set the Irwell (Manches- ter's alleged river) on fire. That he did less than was expected is rather a pity—from the point of view of the management principally. He made his music hall debut at the Manches- ter Hippodrome in "Mrs. Hilary Re- grets," a little piece which provided a vehicle some years ago for Sir Charles Wyndham and Miss Mary Moore. In the hands of Sir Charles and his leading lady, Hilda Dick, it was probably a passable trifle for a London audience; in the hands of Sir Valentine and his leading lady it proved to be worthless for any kind of theatre audience. The shareholders in some music- hall concerns have to put up with re- markable "bunk" from the directors. The Manchester Tlvoll, one of the old- est houses in England, lost over $5,- 000 last year and they are in a bad way. The report contained this pas- sage: "The directors have every rea- son to believe that at an early date, through the closing of a number of variety theatres in London and the provinces as a result of unreasonably large salaries demanded and paid to artists, they will be able to secure artists at salaries that will leave a margin of profit for the sharehold- ers." Poor shareholders! Will Collins has had two misfor- tunes lately. He has lost the sole booking of the Grand Theatres Cir- cuit of South Africa and the booking of the Brennan-Fuller Circuit of Aus- tralasia. In the former case Messrs. Hyman, of the Empire, Johannesburg, bought up the Grand Circuit, and in the future the bookings will all pass through the London office of Sydney Hyman, Ltd. It is stated that Mrs. Rickards is now in South Africa and that an endeavor is being made to bring about a combine or trust of the leading vaudeville and picture houses of Australia and South Africa, which would mean a big thing for artists as well as the promoters. Collins has been making a good deal out of the South ^African and Australian under- takings. Collins forwarded to me a copy of the cable sent from the Grand Theatre management. It read: "Have I LONDON VARIETY'S LONDON OFFICE 5 OBEBN ST., LEICKSTEB SQUAHK. (OABU "JIMBIJCK, IXHTDOH.") W. BUCHANAN TAYLOR, Ri>r~»utw,. (BAYARD) Mall for Americans and European* In Europe, if addressed care VARIETY, as above. will be promptly forwarded. amalgamated with Hyman. Present arrangement Hyman sole booking, with understanding give you first preference of acts." Collins and Hy- man are not the best of friends, so the prospects of Collins getting a pref- erence seems remote. My reference to Monty Bayley and Plppifax and Panlo Has produced this reply from him in the Era: "Variett'b English correspondent calls me down with regard to my squib anent Plppi- fax and Panlo. It may interest that writer to know that Pipplfax and Pan- lo created the title of Humpsti-Bump- stl in 1905 and it is duly registered as their property. That there is a similarity as to some of their routine is agreed, but —and there is a big but—'it is not the name that makes the act, but the "act" which makes the name/ " By all people who know anything of vaudeville and who have the slight- est conception of justice, it will be seen that Bayley seeks to justify Pip- plfax and Panlo in their theft. It be- comes such a champion of copyists to indulge in plagiarism, for the very phrase in which he would justify the robbers of the Rice and Provost hen- coop is taken by him from Jim Dono- van, of Donovan and Arnold. This is the second time he has used the phrase in the Era without acknowl- edging the source and putting it up as his own invention. It Is very in- teresting in view of his desire to be- friend sneak acts that he is the Eng- lish representative of Das Program, the official sheet of the International Artistes Loge, which is affiliated to the International League of Artistes, pledged to do all in their power to discourage copy-acts. The Alhambra Revue has been greatly improved in appearan? and in dialogue. A number of specialties have been brought in, including Mau- rice and Florence Walton, who come from the Olympia, Paris. These dan- cers are right In the atmosphere of the revue and are a solid success. Ethel Cadman has succeeded Alice O'Brien. Poor Dundas Slater who shot him- self in a taxi a fortnight after being dismissed from the management of the Coliseum, left a pathetic epistle behind. It read: "On the Rocks (un- derlined). No hope and no daylight. God forgive me for this act, but I am hopeless. If there is any one among my English and American friends who still have a friendly thought left for me, let them show it by doing what they can for my poor, faithful wife. I have lived a white man'B life, but this is a degraded dog's finish. I am heartbroken, but not insane.—C. D. S." It was stated at the inquest that Oswald Stoll had arranged a ben- efit performance for Slater, but that Slater had not been apprised of the fact. George Foster went into court to recover commission upon an engage- ment of the Joe Boganny troupe at Hanley. Foster got the engagement for the troupe in 1909 and the oflk-3 contract was to the effect that com- mission was to be paid on a re-en- gagement. The re-engagement came off and Boganny would not pay. The defense was that in the first engage- ment the Bogannys played "The Lu natic Bakers" and in the second "Scenes in an Opium Den," and that as they were not the same act he was not entitled to pay on the second one. The judge gave Boganny the verdict. This is an important ruling for agents who insist upon the re-engagement clause. For the circus at Earl's Court C. B. Cochran has engaged, through A. Braff, the Nine Proserpis, in a Rus- sian troika act; Seven Flying Hen- gelmanns, aeriel; Kremo family, over one hundred horses from a German circus and twenty black horses owned and trained by Herr Orlando, of Stockholm; also a company of clowns representing all countries. Mike 8. Whallen after working two weeks in England, had to return to the States post haste owing to the death of his sister at Pittsburgh. Walter C. Kelly will return to America in August to start on the Or- pheum tour. Since giving up his eight weeks at the Palace he has been doing a deal of society entertainment. Among the private houses he has at- tended is that of the Grand Duke Mi- chael, who Walter found to be a "Jol- ly nice fellah." This last is a sample of the way Walter swears these days. Alfred Butt told me the other day that he is determined to make his part of the music-hall business clean and fit for any man, woman or child to witness. He is giving an example of how great and clean vaudeville can be at the Victoria Palace this week, where he has Charles T. Aldrich, Hill and Ackerman, Jack Pleasants, George Bastow, The Grotesques, Colley and Scott, Robins and Collier Trio, The Colberg of Musicians and Leo Stor- mont in "N , G ." In regard to this latter, Fanny Ward, who is now in London, states that Stormont took the idea of the sketch from her and she has been to the Victoria Pal- ace twice In the week, probably In the hope that something dreadful would happen to Stormont. Fanny, by the way, has tried in vain to get booked in London. PARIS NOTES. By E. O. Keadrew. Paris, July 16. July 14 is the great national fete of the country, and the people are ac- customed to free entertainment, as in the days of Nero. Fortunately they are a little more gentle, and to a cer- tain extent more rational, consisting of free shows at the theatres and t.1 fresco balls on the public highway. The state and the municipality con tribute for the former; the cafe own- ers care for the latter. In these dog days the man who has a wine shop has every advantage in installing a free dance at his door. This year was no exception to the rule, and about twenty theatres admitted the public without payment for the matinee Sun- day. The queue at the Opera began to form before daybreak for the per- formance, commencing at 2 o'clock, the doors opening at midday. Alexander Segal 1, manager and house agent of the Aquarium, St. Pe- tersburg, died July 2. Gabriel Faure's opera "Penelope" will be produced at the Opera Co- mique, Paris, in May next, soon after Its creation at Monte Carlo. Rousse- liere and Lucienne Breval, who will sing in the creation, are also listed for the Paris production, but Delmas will be replaced by Vieuille. The Apollo is reviving "The Merry Widow" July 24. The "Saltim- banques" is withdrawn, but "Lea Cloches de Corneville" will remain on the summer bill and alternate with "The Widow." Richemond will mount a comedy, "L'Enjoleuse," by X. Roux and M. Sergine, at the little Theatre Femina next season. Henry Roussel is en- gaged for a part. The death of Gourdon is reported, at the age of 83. He was at the Op- era Comique for thirty-four years In small roles and only last season played in "Manon." Frank Klaus Is sparring, as a vaudeville act, at the Jardln de Paris for one week. Business has bright- ened up, due to the hot weather and this sporting number. ROUGH STUFF LADS. Chicago, July 24. Lou Payton, a local entertainer, is suing the Morton Steamship Lines for $5,000 damages. Payton recently rode to Benton Har- bor over the company's line. While on the water he helped make the trip enjoyable by singing several popular songs. One of the crew, who evidently did not like his voice, decided he would look good in irons and accordingly sent him below, handcuffed and shackled, where he was invited to amuse the stokers for the balance of the trip. Payton claims the damages because of this treatment. Nellie Falon is at the Affiliated Vaudeville Agency.