Variety (September 1913)

20 VARIETY BRONX (Estimated Cost of Show $3,100.) Ju>t why the powers elected to head- line Rush Ling Toy, the illusionist, above Elizabeth Murray, or in fact J headline Toy at all, particularly when (Jiin^' Ling Foo, the opposition's big card, is not playing in the immediate neigiiborhood, is quite a little illusion in itself. Monday night (a holiday and the season's opening date) found ■parely a half house assembled, even it il:j reduced prices, but of course f'.r this the blame-must also be equally shared between the balance of the bill, the conscientious booking agent and the good name of Mr. Keith. Still, one naturally expects better than a 50 per cent, break on the opening night's business, especially when the opening night and autumn's best little holiday arrives simultaneously. The absence of a prominent feature, the lack of nov- elties, which after all is the principal ingredient in vaudeville's formula, and the presence of repeaters, made the opening affair rather dull. To the Bronxites, Toy was just a regular member; he came, did his little bit and went away again. In his rou- tine of illusions there is nothing beyond the ordinary, while his list of fill-in tricks included some that have long been discarded by the more progres- sive small time magicians. Composed of the stereotyped cabinet and trunk illusions, his offering might be termed "flat" for a headlines To the credit of Miss Murray it might be recorded she was handed a reception at least, but unless self-con- sciousness has entirely eclipsed her good business sense, Miss Murray must realize she is slipping backward. And after carefully weighing her routine of iTumbers, the cause is very appar- ent. Considering that Miss Murray at one time was quoted as a singer of exclusive songs with exclusive ability to deliver them, the presence of such numbers as "In My Harem," "Malin- da's Wedding Day" and "Jinny's Jubi- lee," not to mention another coon ditty used for an opener, is sufficient evi- dence that something is wrong. There is too much of a sameness in her rep- ertoire, a bad fault in itself, but with numbers that are impossible, either be- cause of age or bad lyrics and jnelody, the characterization becomes monoto- nous. For one with her ability and experience, not to mention vaudeville •cputr tion, each negligence is hardly 1 .irMouable and the reaction, which in this case has already set in, is almost a certainty. If Elizabeth Murray would uphold what honors she has already earned, an immediate revision of her entire repertoire is advisable. The Great Richards opened the bill with dances, divulging his sex after the third change. Richards displays some prett> clothes, exhibited a fairly good falst'tto, but broke all precedents by retui: tng to the female garb after dis- closing his identity. Burley and Bur- ley, contortionists, worked in "one" ta unusi illy good results for the second ?>r< t The comedian is especia'ly nim- ble They were the hit of the first section without competition. Roser's Dors (New Acts) replaced Nrdcrveld's M^nk in third spot. Hunt- ing and Fr.mci« following and pre- ceding "The Villain Still Pursued Her." The former couple- have de- veloped their talkfest into a bright lit- tle offering, away from the beaten path, and able enough to make capital out of any old spot. Miss Francis car- ries an endearing personality that makes it doubly easy for Hunting, who, incidentally, is rather a distinct comic. They scored with case. The melodramatic travesty, with some new faces, shows no improve- ment through the change in cast, just about registering a hit, with nothing to spare. There are several good kicks in the comedy division, but the dialog could be shortened to advan- tage. The Vans followed intermission and were readily recognized, while the Juggling Mowatts, a speedy quintet of club handlers, closed the show. Wpnn. slavery." The act has bigger possi- bilities and should have a stronger fin- ish. Brice and Gonne got over with their whistling and dancing. George B. Reno and Co. closed, a bad spot on this bill of too much comedy, but held them in. Mark. ALHAMBRA. (Estimated Cost of Show, $2»975.) All the ballyhooing done up Harlem way about ripping the admission prices wide open at the Alhambra for the new season didn't materialize Monday when the house resumed business for the winter. At night the entire lower floor was one dollar. Labor Day was on and should have turned 'em away. But it didn't. There were many va- cant seats in the rear downstairs. For the opening no big act was carded. In the lights outside were only "re- peaters." Nine acts were offered, and they ran as programed. The show ran wholly to comedy, with little novelty thrown in. In fact, if the funmaking had been strung out more, with more instrumen- tal music or something different sand- wiched in, the bill would have main- tained a better balance. As the crowd can be classified a holiday one, the show passed on its comedy points. But there was an overdose. The old Alhambra crowd was dis- appointed and it did not think it got its dollar's worth by a long shot. There was little evidence the tran- sients were there in the majority. Billy B. Van and the Beaumont Sis- ters topped the bill, but it remained for Joe Jackson to walk away with the laughing honors. The Van offering of "Props" was enjoyed, but it was the grinning, pantomimic cycling co- median who knocked them a twister. Billy Gould and Belle Ashlyn found the audience pretty well laughed out when they appeared, but they did nicely in the next to closing spot. The Florentine Singers, after inter- mission, passed nicely, but their "Dix- ie" finale didn't feaze that bunch of uptowners. Morgan, Bailey and Mor- gan, in second position, following the Emlye Sisters (New Acts), were an cleanup, the raggedy music turning the trick. Dinehart and Heritage in "Just Half Way" got over on the holiday spirit thing, but the turn as a whole does not measure up to the big time standard. Una Clayton might have developed quite a "punch" with the idea if she had worked it out with a tint of "white COLONIAL (Ettimated Cost of Show $5,400.) The presence of Ethel Levey (New Acts) brought over from London to celebrate the opening week of the Col- onial, gave the event a touch of impor- tance, but despite this and Monday as veil as the opening of the season was a holiday, the occasion did not carry that display of sentiment that always marked similar openings at the same house when under the old management. Monday afternoon the orchestra while rot capacity was well dressed, but the balcony was shy on attendance. Barnes and Crawford were second contenders for the afternoon's honors. Although handicapped through the yresen<fe of a conflicting member in the Stanley outfit, Barnes and Crawford tinally commanded attention and breezed through to a big finish. The Stanley affair while well founded doesn't make good connections and l?cks class for a house of the Colonial r?nk. The best part of the turn is lost to everyone except the lower floor, the comedian doing most of his work in the auditorium. In a great many theatres this would be impossible. The straight man could improve on delivery and a few of the gags could be choked out for something better. The finish on a bounding net brings it to the acrobatic classification, but as a comedy vehicle, i doesn't run high on percentage. Beyer and Brother with unicycle and cycle tricks opened, a two-high on the former vehicle acting as a feature. Strong enough to open such a bill as the Colonial carries this week, but con- sidered individual, it runs close to the average with nothing exceptional. Mack and Williams with a well-bal- anced routine of dances, in which the numbers play a secondary part, held down the second notch, gathering sev- eral bows through their pedal efforts. The Courtney Sisters seemed con- tent to make only a fair mark with a repertoire of time worn songs. With their numbers and delivery as their on- ly asset, it's a wonder the girls don't look around for either exclusive mate- r'al, or something modern in the way (if songs. A love ballad used near the finish brought the best results and is really the only number that should re- main in the act. Francis McGinn and Co. in "The Cops" were a safe hit after the surprise finish. Although a rather inconsistent climax, the sudden turn at the close an- swers the purpose and rounds off a cleverly played skit. Hershel Hendler pianoed through d ma/e of classic, arriving at his med- ley just a few minutes late to corral the reception waiting for him. Hend- ler could inject some "ragtime" to ad- vantage. After the headliner. Work and Play closed with an acrobatic ex- hibition. Wvnn. PALACE. (Estimated Coat of Show, $6,750.) The opening of the season at the Palace Monday afternoon (Labor Day) brought a capacity house, of the usual holiday calibre, that liked everything and remained until the flnish, that is, the vast majority, although many who left during the interval between the two parts did not return. Others walked out during the running. These must have been the regulars, for the show (ten acts) did drag horribly, from the start until the flnish, with the ex- ception of Minnie Dupree's sketch, the only one in the program. It is Alfred Sutro's "The Man in Front" and would have gone over nicely had Miss Du- pree any kind of support. Her pres- ent company is very bad. John Lyne- han is now leading the large orchestra at the Palace. . His overtures were liked. The show started at 2.15 and ended ai six, with Horace Goldin (New Acts) closing it. Goldin was programed for two parts, but declined to separate the turn, according to report, piling his long, draggy act onto a long, draggy bill. Instead of Goldin closing the flrst part, Fritzi Scheff (New Acts) was given the position. It did seem as though the bill was being rearranged while it ran. Any number of shifts from the program order were made. The only comedy was thrown together in the second half, Julius Tannen and Melville and Higgins (the latter next to closing) following each other, both acts in "one." Opening the second half were William A. Weston and Co. in what may be supposed to be a novelty com- edy musical turn, but it holds neither novelty nor comedy in reality. There is a "Dutch" comedian in the piece one must sit through to get to the "novelty" portion, but the audience didn't take to either. It was only a rag on the xylophones in "one" for the encore that got the turn anything. Another act with comedy supposedly concealed in it was Clara Inge, a single, on third. Miss Inge has some matter that might do for burlesque. The Palace patrons repudiated her "audi- ence" work, leaving Clara without ap- plause for her closing number, that she apparently depended upon. This "au- dience work" had better be eschewed for "refined vaudeville," not to men- tion "supreme." A bear story told by her was also unnecessary, and a rag, "Floating Down the River" was only another steal of some other song, leav- ing Miss Inge with nothing but her "peach" selection at the opening. Miller and Mack opened the show. They were there too long, but one of the boys made very good with accen- tric dancing. Julius Tannen also stuck around long enough to leave a sober house through a useless recitation. Frank F'ogarty started this recitation thing for monologists—now they all think they can or should do it. Rather leave the audience sober than laugh- ing, eh? Tannen got a hundred laughs out of the holiday crowd, but he want- ed to show them. Laddie Cliff had better dances than songs, and the stepping put him across. His English fop number may be thrown away. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Wilde, New Acts. Sime,