Variety (September 1913)

16 VARIETY NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK Initial P rc^ m ditlon, FInt Apptannc* or R«ipp«umiic« In or Aroond New York Lee Harrison, Union Square. Francoli Troupe, Union Sq. Stort, Goelets and Lafett, Union Sq. "The Lady from Oklahoma," Fifth Av Howard Ratcli£f and Co., Alhambra. Nora Bayes and Co., Colonial. Julia Curtis, Hammerstcin's. Ethel Levey. Songs. 22 Mins.; One. Colonial. Preceded by a short reel picturinj^ her arrival aboard the Cedri«," Klhel Levey's return to American vaudeville (for one week only) was aoccjnipanied by a demonstration Monday afternoon little short of surprising. While llie openiuK performance was considerably short- of capacity, llie number present, mixing loyalty, sentiment and applause, made the home coming event a joyous affair. Miss Levey had four numbers, the first, "There's a Girl in Havana," (in English, German and French), fol- lowed by "How Do You Do Miss Rag- time?" (announced as Miss Levey's song hit in the London revue "Hello Rag- time") and then came "Sahara Belle" with a popular number for a finale. An array of gowns nothing short of mas- terpieces back-grounded the songs. At the finish Miss Levey worked with a slide, carrying the chorus of the local number, to which she turned for re- peated encores. To anyone but the publisher involved this might appear rather crude for such a refined offer- ing; at any rate it removed the neat edge from the impression gained earl- ier. An enthusiastic admirer requested "(jood Hyc Flo" but the artiste reneged, rendering instead the same old chorus, although the request indicated the uni- versal reluctance of the audience to ac- cept a rather raw piece of song boost- ing from a hig'.i class headliner. Still, for one week only, it's a nifty business arrangement for the publisher if agree- able to Miss Levey, and after all the pul)lic soon forgets. Wynn- Fiske and McDonald. Comedy Sketch. 15 Mins.; Three (Interior). 12Sth Street. Just what Fiske and McDonald started out to do is problematical. The act runs into a serious channel with a drive for the pathos, and then jumps with all fours into farce of the broad- est type. The man has a penetrating voice, while the woman talks as though she had been accustomed to play cer- tain roles in stock. There's talk about • beer which is used in the baby's bot- tle, and various articles are used solely to reel oflf a slight pun. They appeared to enjoy the act at the 125th Street. There's no point to the sketch—no head inn tail, with the main attempt to squeeze out what comedy they can witii the jioor material at hand. The skit will mver carry P'iske and Mc- Dtjnald off the i)op Innise time. Mark. Prances Clare and Her Ei^ht Little Girl Friends, with Guy lUiwton. "Just Kids" ("Girl Act"). 28 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set; Ex- terior). Lincoln Square. Frances Clare and Guy Rawson with their former two-act sketch extended into a full "girl act" have been play- ing outside New York for almost a year. By accident they are at the Lin- coln Square this week, for the first showing in the big town. "Just Kids," as made popular by the couple, is now elaborated into about the best "kid" turn in the business. Miss Clare, al- ways a dandy girly girl, has improved greatly, vocally and in mannerisms, while Guy Rawson shoots to the front as a youthful comedian. The act has several novelties in it, besides eight choristers, who look the kidlcts in- tended, with one exception. The ex- ception is a tall, lanky girl. She com- pletely knocks out the alignment. The opening and closing numbers embody "audience work." The first is hide and seek business, the youngsters going in- to the orchestra and hiding behind chairs, Miss Clare "finding'' them there, all returning to the stage amidst much noise. The finale is a football song, with the football delivered over the footlights in a basket of roses. It is kicked into the auditorium nicely and gracefully by Miss Clare, who is some little' kicker. In between are numbers, with a solo ("Ella") by Mr. Rawson, also duets by himself and Miss Clare. They "harmonize" in one of these, a Remick song, and another Remick song sounded new, while other Remick songs may have been there. Anyway Remick himself and Mose (nmiblc were on hand,* but they ap- plauded only two songs. If the others belonged io them there was no way of ascertaining the fact. Mr. Rawson makes his entrance from the audience, after the first number. He carries a fishing rod, drags along a prize "mut," and shouts "Hello, Mary," as he walks down the aisle. Mary answers him, and then they dialog, with stories, sometimes called "gags." Later they do the "pathos" from the old turn where Guy tells what a fine mother he has and Frances tells what a fine old souse his father was. This pathos stuff must be there. It lets them act, so let them act if they be- lieve it. It only adds four or five minutes to the turn, and the turn only runs 28 minutes now. Miss Clare has several nice costumes, looking excep- tionally well in a black tighted suit, and extremely pretty in a greenish bathing dress. Her girl friends appear neat and trim all the time, barring the six-footer, who seems all legs. The .'etting is a woodland with a hammocl^ tliat could be used for a bed couch in a furnished apartment. Rut even if Rawson and Clare won't cut down thoir act to 22 minutes, they still remain the leaders among stage kids, and have produced an act that will get them over everywhere. There is lots of life to it, much singing, some dancing, good comedy—and Frances Clare. Sitne. If you TotrrTdvTrtuSTn'vARIBTY^on'i ndvertlM at all. Fritzi Scheff. "Piano Act." 18 Mins.; Four (Parlor). Palace. | Fritzi Scheff sang three songs upon her vaudeville debut at the Palace Mon- day afternoon. During these numbers the prima donna wore the same dress, a street costume, its green skirt hav- ing a somewhat high slit up the front, also but one hat. Miss Scheff had plenty of time to change, if she had cared to, while her accompan- ist, Eugene Bernstein, played two solos on the concert grand piano. The pro- gram says Miss Scheff uses the Knabe piano exclusively. This program lib- erty might have been permitted to pre- vent the name of Knabe appearing on the side of the instrument. To those who want to see Fritzi Scheff and pay the vaudeville price, she's probably worth the money. Otherwise her act is a classy straight singing number, and Mr. Bernstein doesn't matter either way. Monday matinee Miss Scheff re- ceived a light reception on her en- trance, closing the first half of the per- formance, and was favored with suffi- cient applause to take the encore with the third song. But the women will look for "clothes" with the Scheff name —and all they will get is song. Sime. NEW SHOWS NEXT WEEK Inldsl PrcMouitlon of LtgldmsM Attnicdont In Now York The Roser*8 Dogs. Animals. 20 Mins.; Full Stage. Bronx. Roser's Dogs replaced Nederveld's Monk at the Bronx, falling into a con- spicuous spot well down in the first division of the bill. The turn carries a man and woman, the latter merely as assistant and five animals. Four are in evidence throughout, while one is placed in a box and remains there un- disturbed. There is no reason for this move. Two fox terriers are the star performers. Both are well trainee! and Roser has wisely kept aloof from the usual canine routine, showing only a number of tricks, almost any strong enough for a feature. Walking a slack wire unassisted is perhaps the best. The dog act is a big time number. It was a big hit at the Bronx. Wj/nn- Skaters Bijouve. Roller Skating. 7 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Floor). Union Square. The Skaters Bijouve (boy and girl) on rollers are dressed becomingly in the usual style. They roller skate in the usual way also, until the finish, when the girl does "the neck swing" that has grown so common among Tur- key trot dancers on the stage. This gets them off to much applause. It does appear to be a very difficult feat on roller skates. Previously their spins were the best. The turn is attractive in appearance, but too much use is made of the spotlight without regard to the colors, and the young woman should tone down her make up. The act looks strong enough t(^ open any show, and could handle a weightier spot on a small big time bill. Sime. "Sweethearu" (Christie MacDonald), New Amsterdam (Sept. 8). "Who'a Who- (William Collier), Cri- terion (Sept. 8). Harry Tighe and Co. (8). "Taking Things Easy** (Musical Com- edy). 36 Mins.; Full Stage (Exterior; Special Set). Union Square. In his latest "college act," Harry Tighe has a bright bit of vaudeville property, something that should carry him over the circuit easily. Eight peo- ple beside himself have a consistent farcical story to hold them together in nonsense and song, and there is some humor in the tale itself (author not programed). During the action a quar- tet and a quintet break forth vocally, while Mr. Tighe alone, and with Lor- raine Lester have songs to deliver. Tom Callahan as the Irish cop does very well. Jack Ryan makes a good "grind," and Redfield Clark in a straight role is of considerable assistance. Miss Lester is the only girl of the three in the com- pany with an opportunity. The set- ting is an exterior of the college camp- us and nicely represented. The act could be cut down, but it's amusing and barring that Mr. Tighe overworks his laugh, he is about solely responsible for this good turn. Hime. Jean Le Bonita. Xylophone. 12 Mins.; One. Union Square. Jean Le Bonita shows nothing out of the ordinary rut among xylophon- ists. They all run the same, with about the same routine. One instrument'may be higher pitched than another, or even better, but the effect doesn't vary enough to be worth while growing technical over. Le Bonita plays a clas- sic, then some old rags and winds up with a tender touch strain. He did well enough at the Square before a hol- iday audience, in an altogether tqo im- portant spot for him. It looks as though single xylophonists unless having something extraordinary to offer will have to be content with small time. Le Bonita doesn't seem enterprising enough to have current rag hits in hi>» repertoire. Sitne. Emlye Sisters. AeriaL 7 Mins.; Full Stage. Alhambra. The Emlye Sisters opened the Al- hambra show Monday night. The holi- day crowd seated early and the sisters got attention. Their work on the dou- ble trapeze and the single balancing strap has all been done before. One sister does all the holding and handling of the other, either with hand or foot holds. Turns and holds common among the circus trapezists and bar art- ists are used by the Emlyes. The "sis- ters" do well accordingly. With a new trick or two and bordering along the almost impossible the Emlyes would do much better. Mark.