Variety (May 1913)

VARIETY LONDON'S MUSIC HALL SHOWS NEARLY ALL DOI NG BUSINESS Hippodrome and London Opera House Leading With Ragtime Revues. Coliseum Drawing Big Business With Straight Vaudeville. Empire Revue Catching Only Regulars, Alhambra and Pavilion Getting Fair Returns. (Special Cable to Variety.) London April 30. The remarkable influx of American revues and ragtime here appears to have almost revolutionized for the time being, the music hall business. Those houses not already committed to the American ragtime and kindred attractions are wildly scrambling for something of that nature. The London Opera House Revue "Come Over Here" is still the talk of the city and doing capacity at all per- formances, including matinees. Jack McArdle, late of the Alhambra, re- placed Arthur Deagon Monday. Dea- gon is now just leading musical num- bers in the show. The Hippodrome with "Hello Rag- time" is still doing a tremendous busi- ness. Pavlova is the big feature at the Palace and business there is enor- mous. At the Empire business is as good as usual, the poor revue "All for the Winners," holding it down when it should be'doing capacity. The Alhambra is playing vaudeville this week, the features being Annette Kellerman and Herbert Lloyd's new minstrel show. Business is only fair. They are endeavoring to get the new revue open Saturday night. Wilkie Bard is drawing good business at the Tivoli. He is also appearing at the Oxford where the bill includes Neil Kenyon and Mike Whalen. At the Palladium the headliners are George Robey, Albert Whelan and Clarice Mayne and they are doing big business. The Pavilion is playing to its average business with Charlotte Parry as the topliner. The Coliseum has the best possible kind of a vaude- ville show. It contains Marie Stud- holme in a sketch which has proved popular in the Provinces. This is its first appearance in London and went fine. Then there is Albert Chevalier, George Graves and "Everywife". That the London theatre-going public is ragtime mad is evidenced by the fact that George W. Lederer, the pioneer review producer in America, received no less than three cables the past week asking him to present in London an American review. Lederer says that he will shortly pre- pare one, in conjunction with Gustave Kerker, composer of "The Belle of New York." and their joint work should prove a sensation in the Enplish met- ropolis. WOODS' FOREIGN MOVES. (Special Cable tn Vartfty.^ Berlin. April 30. A. IT. Woods' theatre hrre continues to do an excellent business with feature films. The seatinur capacity is 700 nrd he is payinir an annual rental of $37,500 It is the first time that pictures have been shown at a regular playhouse in this town. Edw. B. Kinsila, who pro- moted the deal, and the Goldsalls also are interested in the venture. By next season Woods expects to have 15 houses on the continent playing vaudeville, most located in Germany. His plan may be to establish a circuit of "pop" vaudeville and pictures similar to those in vogue in America. SUMMER HALL OPEN. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, April 30. The al fresco music hall Ambasso- deurs on Champs Elysees, opened for the season April 27 with a vaudeville program comprising local vocalists of repute. KITCHEN WANTS BIG MONEY. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, April 30. The Alhambra management is ne- gotiating with Fred Kitchen for Revue work. The comedian is asking tre- mendous money. OLD ACT GETS OVER. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, April 30. Conroy and LeMaire's former sketch "A King for a Night", with Will Strong in the comedy role, was pro- duced Monday and proved a laughing hit. ONLY FARCES AT STRAND. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, April 30. At the Strand "The Chaperons", a farce, was produced and voted a suc- cess. Hereafter farces only are to be done at the Strand. TRAIN EFFECT IN PARIS. (Special Cable to Vamety.) London, April 30. The engine and auto effect in "Come Over Here" at the London Opera House has been placed for a Paris the- atre, but nobody knows which one. It will be seen in other Continental cities also. The Thurston-McCormick Co. holds all the rights to the scenic effect. GROSSMITH'S GOOD REASON. In the Hotel Cecil in London the other day George Grossmith was tell- ing a small luncheon party of his re- cent departure from New York on the very heels of an offer of $3,000 per week to join Marie Dressler's show, which he refused. "But why didn't you take it? some- one asked. "Because Marie owes me $7,000 for rent for my theatre over here", he .inswered. NEIGHBOUR'S NEW HOUSE. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, April 30. The papers were signed this week by E. H. Neighbour for the 60-years' lease of a plot of ground belonging to the Assistance Publique (board of pub- lic charities) between the Rue St. Lazare and the Rue Mogador. Neighbour is the manager of the Paris Alhambra, and a similar first class vaudeville theatre (but a little larger) is to be built on the site, which is within 200 yards of the Opera, and the centre of the city. The ground is at present occupied as an annex of the "Printemps", the large dry goods store, and the lease falls out in 1914. It is stipulated the building shall not cost less than $195,000, but more will be spent, according to the plans already prepare:! The Variety Theatres Controlling Co. will be interested in the new enter- prise. Alfred Butt and Walter DeFrece have been looking for a site to build another house in Paris for the past year or so, as already mentioned in the Variety. It can now be stated with a reasonable certainty that Butt has ab- tained an option on a site in the Mont- parnasse quarter for the erection of a music hall. No title has yet been chosen for the Neighbour enterprise, but it may be known as the Mogador Palace. This has nothing to do with the "Orpheum Continental Circuit" proposed by Chester P. Crawford, reported awhile ago. It is recognized that there is money to be now made in Paris with clean vaudeville, and the first will get it. "LAWS" OPENING DATE. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, April 30. The opening date for the London presentation of "Within the Law" is May 20, at the Haymarket, with Beer- bohm Tree playing Joe Garson. TWO STARS IN ONE HOUSE. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, April 30. Mile. Polaire is announced to appear in the Folies Bergere Revue. Anna Held has been engaged for the same place for the summer. REVUE IN MARIGNY. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, April 30. The Marigny opened as a music hall April 30, with a Revue as usual, signed by Andre Barre and Michel Carre, which was beautifully mounted and nicely received. A scene of New York harbor pleased immensely. Leo Pouget remains as manager of this music hall. Among the Artists appearing are Miss Campton, Mado Minty, Jane Pierly, Moricey, Girier, Gabin, Tiller's Girls. No vaudeville acts engaged this year. "LE BOSSU" REVIVAL HIT. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, April 30. Lucien Guitry finished his season at the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt last week and on April 29 the management made a successful revival of the popular drama "Le Bossu" with Joube in the famous role of Lagardere, the hunch- back. He is well supported by Marie Louise Derval, Dean and Decoeur. SAILINGS. Reported through Paul Tausig & Son, 104 E. 14th street, New York: April 29, Gautier and Co., Marco Bros., Mr. and Mrs. Otto Stoeckel (Pottsdam); April 30, Ferdinand Mar- tini, Constance von Veckendorf, Elsie Gardner, Bertha Walden (Kr. Aug. Vic); May 1, McDevitt, Kelly and Lucey, LaToy Bros, (previously re- ported sailing postponed) (Celtic); May 3, Paul Durand, Elsie Boehra (Lapland); Howard Bros, (banjos), Fay, 2 Coleys and Fay, Francesca Redding (Coronia); Lena Halliday, Koenig Albert, Mr. and Mrs. Chris- tian Rub, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Mar- low (Minnewaska); Martin Beck, H. B. Marinelli, Albert deCourville, B. Obermayer, Gaby Deslys, Mme. Caire, Harry Pilcer, Nick Kaufman, son and daughter, Henrie Berrill, Louis Blu- menberg, Arthur Voegtlin, Pearl Evans, Mort Singer (Olympic). May 1, Rosa Crouch, Geo. Welch (Baltic). May 3, Lee Shubert, Ferika Boros, Douglas Fairbanks, Ruth Allen, Mrs. Sam H. Harris (Olympic). May 6, Sylvia Hahlo (Kr. Wlm). May 9, Mr. and Mrs. Dad Frazer (Minominee). April 29, Frances Alda, Caruso, Gatti-Casazza, Mary Garden, Geraldine F^rrar, Arturo Toscanini, Antonio Scotti, Emmy Destinn, Charles Dal- mores, Freida Hempel (Kai. Wlhm. II). April 30, Pini-Corsi (Cecilie). (Special Cable to Variety.) London, April 30. May 3 (for South Africa), Minnie Mace, The Delevines, M. Stradini, Carl Demarest (Kenilworth Castle). Reported through Pall Mall Ex- change : April 30 (for New York), Charles Baum (Kr. Cecilie); Dr. Cummings (Majestic); May 3, James Cotter (Campania); May 4, Gerald Griffin (Geo. Washington). April 30, Harry Taft (Kr. Cecilie). (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, April 30- (For South America) (Sequin Tour), Durant Bros. (Ninonina). San Francisco, April 30. April 29 (for Honolulu), Robert McGreer, G. B. Crapsey, Fred Doug- lass (Lurline). May 3 (for Honolulu), Billie Reeves, Fred Wilton. Chas. Cox, Rose Stutz (Mongolia). TREE AND BEECHAM'S OPERA. (Special Cable to Variety.) London, April 30. Sir Herbert Tree and Thomas Beecham have secured the rights to Richard Strauss's opera, "Ariadne in Naxos." It is to be presented at His Majesty's theatre for eight performances, com- mencing May 27. "PANURGE" FAIR. (Special Cable to Variety.) Paris, April 30. "Panurge," the last opera by the late Jules Massenet, was produced at the Gaitc Theatre April 25, and met with a fair reception.