Variety (December 1912)

VARIETY 17 ■B IB Hale Norcross and Co. (2). 'In the Suburbs" (Comedy). 19 Mint.; Interior. Fifth Avenue. Here is a clever little comedy sketch, with three characters about evenly di- vided in strength and with no neces- sity for starring or featuring anyone. It has a few new twists to a hack- neyed theme and is designed to make audiences scream with laughter over a series of ludicrous situations. A half- soused husband enters his suburban home by way of the kitchen early in the morning, having been out all night playing poker. Usual taking off shoes* stepping on tack, etc. Servant having left the day before, wife enters kitchen to get breakfast. Usual attempts to "square" himself—he had just arisen "to take the goldfish out for a walk." Finally confesses he has been out play- ing cards. She makes him disgorge his alleged winnings and puts it into her stocking, which he refers to as "the first national bank." All this is pretty ancient, but from then on mat- ters begin to liven up a bit. Hubby is sent to grocery store. Policeman enters and mistakes wife for new ser- vant girl. "So you've got Freda's job, eh?" Tells wife husband flirted with former servant girl and rouses her to jealousy. A series of fast farcical sit- uations are thus developed between the three, winding up with a quick finish. Hale Norcross is the policeman, Vir- ginia Milton the wife, and George J. Elmore the husband. Either the au- thor wrote this act some years ago or is not up on the modern slang. A few new "gags" would materially strength- en the vehicle. The cast is adequate. 1 Jolo. 'The Flower of Bagdad" (10). Oriental Pantomime. 17 Mine.; Full Stage (6); One (3); Full Stage (8). Special Settings.) 125th Street. The "author" of "The Flower of Bagdad" probably had two or three careful "looks" at Reinhardt's "Sumu- run." The three scenes bear a strange resemblance to the German made pan- tomime. But for a vaudeville present- ment "The Flower" is a pretentious one, so far as stage settings are con- cerned. In its present shape, if it can command a salary large enough it should be a desirable acquisition to the big small time; but for a big time, as it is undoubtedly designed, it will require a more competent cast. Scene one is the interior of a showman's booth; scene two, in "one," in front of the Caliph's palace and the third a Harem scene. The principals are the Caliph, his favorite wife, the chief Eunuch, the Showman, black attend- ant to Showman, Watchman, and the dancing girl (who is probably "The Flower of Bagdad"). The showman's dancing girl is coveted by the Caliph and is kidnapped, rolled up in a rug and carried to the Harem. There she does an oriental dance. Showman rushes on, attempts her rescue, is be- ing throttled by the Caliph when the dancing girl stabs Caliph in the back. The comedy, of which there is a large quantity, is of the slapstick variety. "The Flower of Bagdad," suitably casted by pantomimists, would make a fine "flash" on any big time bill. Jolo. Fitch Cooper. Singing, Talk, Imitations. 14 Mins.; One (Special Drop). Fifth Avenue. Fitch Cooper is just about betwixt and between. He's not a riotous hit, nor yet a disappointment. At mo- ments of his turn he is one and at other times 'tother. This is probably due to the late arrival in town of his act. The program is authority for the statement that Cooper is the origin- ator of the musical hand saw. Whether he is or not, he plays it better than others who have gone before. Attired in a "rube" suit of clothes and a red wig, he first gives the impression of another Jimmy Barry. His turn con- sists of imitations of animals, steam- boat and railroad whistles, using a saw, a violin, guitar and his mouth. Throughout he keeps spouting a con- stant line of bucolic comedy talk, de- signed for characterization, but none too bright. The act is somewhat of a novelty. Jolo, New Ads in "Pop" Booses "The Love Trust" (9). Musical Comedy. 25 Mins.; Full Stage (Interior). 116th St. "The Love Trust," with three prin- cipals and a chorus of six girls found a ready response in 116th St. It's tab- loid musical comedy, with a come- dian. Daisy Byrd and six girls have formed the love trust, only to be broken when each, of the girls receives a proposal, as one of their number has had an aunt die and leave $100,000 to her on condition that she live up to certain rules laid down about her mar- riage. Of course Miss Byrd's sweet- heart is there as a sort of a hangeron, but it is a long-legged chap with a whitish makeup who does all the pro- posing. Incidentally he does a song and dance with Daisy, who dances lit- tle better than any of the other girls. Perhaps a corset and tight shoes handi- capped her work. The big specialty is a base ball number, somewhat out of season, but put on well enough for the pop houses at any time of the year. Another good number would help and unnecessary dialog might be chopped. Another capable male principal wouldn't hurt. Mark. Jack Allman. Songs, 9 Mins.; One. Grand, O. H. (Dec. 8). Jack Allman is a tenor. He looks nice in evening clothes and has a sweet voice of excellent range. Allman per- haps could not be rated as a phenome- nal tenor, yet his top notes are suffi- cient to make him a valuable member of a quartet. His popular program is just the sort any pop house would fall for with loud acclaim. Mark. Six Imperial Dancers. 11 Mins.; Two. 86th Street. Six young men, wooden shoe step- pers, in very much the same sort of act usually offered by teams, excepting that for the last change they wear Spanish costumes, though still doing American hard shoe tapping. A first class early act for any bill. Jolo. Leightner and Jordan. Piano and Songs. 10 Mins.; One. American. It's a "sister act" (Miss Leightner was formerly paired with Miss Gates). The girls made a good start by singing a lively number. Their double re- cital about "Married for Love" didn't boost their stock any. The piano girl also struck a stone wall with her "I Never Know How to Behave When I'm With Boys, Boys, Boys." The girls double on "And the Green Grass Grows All Around," and fail to make the most of their opportunity. Songs with any play for comedy do not fit with Leightner and Jordan. For the finish they offer "My Ever Lovin' Lit- tle Sugar Babe" and favorably impress with it. Jfar*. "The Garden of Song." Operatic Quartet. 15 Mins.; Full Stage (13); One (2). 86th Street. A mixed quartet, opening with an operatic vocal selection, the men at- tired in pale blue knickerbockers of silk, with lace furbelows, women in modern evening gowns. Later the men change to Tuxedos. Stage is dressed wixh two large stands of arti- ficial flowers which when the house is darkened are illuminated by tiny in- candescent globes. That is the only excuse for the "Garden of Song" title. There are solos by the soprano, an- other by the baritone and they close with the "Lucia Sextet." For encore in "one," a short medley of popular airs. The soprano is of the coloratura brand and when she soared, it brought down the house. Despite this, the act is merely a high grade v amateur vocal offering. The people lack stage pres- ence and have nothing distinctive for vaudeville. Jolo. Farro. Shadowgraphist 10 Mins.; Full Stage. 116th Street Farro is a young man who makes everything from a bunny's head to Romeo and Juliet balcony scene with shadows on a curtain formed by the hands. While Farro has about the same routine as some of our best lit- tle shadow figure artists he should be able to get all the pop time he wants. Mark. Sylvester. Magician. 17 Mins.; Full Stage. 125th Street Good sleight-of-hand performer who endeavors to supplement his stage offering with a running fire of "com- edy." The "talk" is monotonous. Jolo. Florence Mascot. Songs. 15 Mins.; One. 116th St. Florence Mascot is a buxom miss who offers several character impersona- tions. She hasn't much of a voice and shows no adeptness in the art of mak- ing up. Her act seems to have been shaped for small time. Miss Mascot needs wardrobe and other things to help her. Mark. Maley and Wood*. Songs and Talk. 15 Mins.; One. Grand O. H. (Dec. 8). Maley and Woods offer a conglome- ration in their act with the "nut antics" of the man going over big at the Grand Sunday. The male portion is also the stronger on the singing and he scored heavily with two Italian numbers. For the finish they have some "Texas Tommy" surefire steps for the pop houses. The man is not a bad come- dian and has personality. Maley and Woods would pass nicely on a large small time bill without any trouble. The man shows all sorts of possibilities. Mark. Hoyer and Boggs. "The Girl Behind the Lunch Counter." 14 Mins.; Full Stage. (Special Drop.) 125th Street Scene in a lunch room of a small town. Hungry actor enters and jol- lies the girl, sampling all the food with- out buying. The "jollying" is made up of ancient gags, but the characters are well drawn. But it had to come at the finish—or rather for a finish. He said: "How would you like to become an actress?" So she answered: "Oh, I acted once at our church social." Ta- ra! (Music cue). Meantime he makes ready for two character impersonations —Mephisto and Fagin's death scene from "Oliver Twist" A good big small time act. Jolo. Held and Sloan. Songs and Talk. 16 Mins.; One. (Special Drop.) 86th Street Man and woman meet in front of drop depicting a railroad station. Woman is about to join troupe; man has just returned from the organiza- tion and tells her they are not paying salaries. She is disappointed, where- upon man says: "Let's rehearse our old act." Songs and crossfire, with woman doing the straight Fairly good big small time act Jolo. Harry Hyman. Singing and Talk. 16 Mins.; One. 86th Street. Man in dress suit—opens with "rag" song, then a Dutch number, followed by a topical song, "Things You Can Get a Lot of Money For," in which he burlesques and imitates regulation, vau- deville turns, principally the "hyp- notism" stunt. Finishes with "When I Get You Alone Tonight," first in English and then a verse in "Yid- dish." An acceptable big small time single, if only he didn't ooze such an abundance of personal gratification over his efforts. Jolo. Emily Sisters. Trapeze. 10 Mins.; Full Stage. Grand O. H. (Dec. 8). The Emily Sisters, a girlish-looking pair of trapeze aerialists, closed a long show at the Grand Sunday and made an excellent impression, few walking out when the bars were displayed. The Kirls l'ave nothing new in their catalog of feats, and work too slowly, but will do well in the pop houses. Mark.