Variety (September 1913)

24 VARIETY COLUMBIA The first "Sunday Show" of the seftson at the Columbia Sunday drew a very light house for the matinee. The nine acts formed a fairly good bill that ran through before 4.30, hav- ing started after 2.30. This made the program fast. The longer one watches vaudeville, the mure one is impressed that vaudeville's uthcr name should be speed. Feiber & Shea have the operation of the Sunday bill at the Columbia again this winter, with Jack Shea %s the master of ceremonies. Jack has a new hat and perhaps some acts, but none showed on the first program, not even English and Redding. Can it be that Jack's brother, Marty, turned him on this show? A good deal of the audi- ence was composed of Sheas. Besides Jack was Joe, the Newport manager, and Harry Shea, the agent. Then there were Joe Wood, living a whole day with- out his swagger stick for companion- ship, and a couple of stenographers from the Putnam Building angling around for a supper date. The show was opened by Dalbeane and Co. in perch and wheel work. The finish was a stair climb, with the straight rider jumping off to a table and then to the floor, remindful of a Ralph John- stone trick. The act could stand more comedy, but does well enough as a small time opener. Comedy was short in Rice, ^Imer and Tom, on the bound- ing mat. They closed the performance. There are a clown, a rube and a chinaman in the bar turn, but the fun making is light. The bar and mat performances pass, and if the trio could work into some strong rough comedy they would make themselves a desirable big time number. Closing a small time program isn't hard for them though, but the act's finish is light after some of the work preceding it. Jean Weir and Co. presented their "crook" sketch, which hasn't a great deal of weight. A dual character is played by the principal male support. He is quite stagey, and fails to con- vince as the "crook." His best may be said to be the changes, and the best thing in the act is the setting. This is a parlor, and very elaborately done. It should be enough in itself to get the piece over on small time, for that is the act's limit. H the lights could be held low on the setting throughout it would be preferable. Many "locals" were indulged in by Morrisey and Hackett, who had to talk in "one" while the pianos for the Melo- dy Monarchs were being rolled across the stage behind them. It visibly an- noyed Mr. Morrisey. They would have been much better received with quiet- ness around them. Miss Hackett is a pretty girl. The act was formerly Morrisey and Hanlon. The Melody Monarchs and a Maid have gone back quite some since seen on the big time, but will do in the small division. Different numbers with more life in either the singers or the selections might bring them back. The leader of this act appears to be aping Cecil Lean. It isn't getting him anything. Lockett and Waldron, Nevins and Gordon, Bankoff and Girlie, Arion Quartet, New Acts. Sime. If jroa doBt MlTertlM In VARIBTY. don't •dvcrtlM nt all. FIFTH AVENUE. (Estinuted Cost of Show, $2,625.) This week's Fifth Avenue offering is a poor entertainment, both as to selec- tion and arrangement. The show opened Monday night with two dumb acts, both men, there was not a gin- gery dancing woman in the show and the comedy was administered in homeopathic doses. The early pro- ceedings needed a laugh badly, for it was not until the acrobatic antics of Bowers, Walters and Crooker ("No. 5") that the audience had a valid ex- cuse for a single Ha Ha. Half a bill without a giggle! What wonder that the audience was frozen stiff. Julie Ring and Co. were probably depended on to supply a lighter tone to the early half. If they were, they fell down lamentably with the new sketch, "The Man She Met" (New Acts). Digby Bell and Co. were next but one to closing with "It Happened in Topeka," which helped the comedy and Frank Fogarty had the following spot. Both turns did well, Fogarty especially so, but with no discredit to them, the comedy values of the whole show were extremely short measure. It was by no manner of means a big time entertainment. Downstairs the house was very light, probably about 60 per cent, of capacity. Azard Bros, opened with a capital hand-to-hand routine. The boys look exceedingly well and get down to their feats without undue parade or stalling. Louis Stone, "topsy turvy" dancer (meaning that he does it standing on his hands) had "No. 2." Doubtless this performance is vurry vurry difficult, but it is not especially graceful and a very little of it goes a long way. Fol- lowing the Julie Ring flivver and the pretty singing turn of Ed. Miller and Helen Vincent (New Acts), Bowers, Walters and Crooker got a reception and enlivened the proceedings, which, heaven knows, needed enlivening bad- ly. The rubes were a real hit and divi- ded honors with Fogarty in the even- ings running. From this point on the entertain- ment was better. Billy Rogers won attention and a fair measure of ap- proval for his really striking vocal imitations of musical instruments and familiar street sounds. Rogers is a nice looking young man and handles his lit- tle incidental talk effectively. Hunt- ing and Francis "A Love Lozenge" won a small laugh or two, mainly be- cause the audience was seeking an ex- cuse for anything to laugh at. Cor- rine Francis was the only woman in the show who essayed a dance and she confined her efforts in this direction to a rather casual bit of stepping. Carlos Caesare, heavy weight jiij;- gling is not particularly inipri'ssivf and most of the turn was given with the audience in retreat. Hush. UAMHERSTEIN^S. (Estimated Cott of Show $4,775.) No more night shows on the Roof. If there is one regret that hundreds of variety turns feel it is that they had to play Hammerstein's Roof. Many an act has gone bravely to its "stage bier" atop the Victoria. Business Monday night was not a sell-out. It's apparent the drawing powers of Evelyn Nesbit Thaw in her seventh week are waning. The man- agement has no kick. The ex-wife of the Matteawan cut-up exceeded the fondest dreams of the Hammerstein family as a money-getter, and if this week and next (her last at the Corner) do not measure up to fulness no tears will be shed. One would think to look at Miss Nesbit and Jack Clifford dancing that the former would hav<e her hair done up on the top of her head rather than have it flying loose over her shoulders. Evelyn's hair is entirely too short for this kind of a display, and the public knows she's older than she tries to look. Miss Nesbit will do well to keep practising. She shows unmistak- able signs of. leg stiffness which many dancers overcome by constant rehears- al and exercise. The show was no laughing riot. Neither did it turn loose any great applause; moreover, the greater part of the bill went off without a ripple. Brown and Hodges (New Acts) opened. Carson and Brown showed improvement over recent appearances hereabouts, but they were barely noticed. Loughlin's Dogs brought the first big laugh when they tore around and over one another on the revolving table. Benn Linn was fourth and withdrew with little applause. The Arnet Brothers swung the show into favor with musical acrobatics and a whistling encore in "one." Miss Leit- zel, assisted by Jeanette, pleasing turn. The Cabaret Trio did better than on a previous visit. The "Lucia" selec- tion by the blind pianist was the most enjoyed. After Mrs. Thaw and Jack Clifford came intermission. George McKay and Ottie Ardine worked in "one," full stage and "one." It's Mr. and Mrs. McKay, keeping the money in the family now. Atiss Ar- dine's forte is ballet and her stepping will improve after she has worked awhile. McKay dances with his old vigor. The Bcrrcns were on late for their style of act, but once the boy removed his female wig the house was all attention. Work and Play should have closed the show, although many remained to sec Twisto (New Acts). Mark. May Robson is rehearsing her own company at the Bijou preparatory to starting her annual road tour. Miss Robson has accepted the manuscript of James Forbes* Comedy, "A Rich Man's .Son" renamed for Miss Rohson's pur- pose. This play had its New York premiere at the Harris theatre Nov. 4, 1912. K. C. STRAIGHTENED OUT. Chicago, Sept. 17. Kansas City has been straightened (Ut as to pop vaudeville. The Lyric, turned over to Jim Matthews to book for Jim Butler, will go into pictures at once. The acts contracted by Mat- thews for the house will be taken up by Dave Russell, who is booking the Talbot Hippodrome ((Jardcn) there. The Krug, Omaha, also goes into pictures and leaves the Pannages Cir- cuit books. UNION SQUARE (Bstmiated Cost of Show, $2,000.) If Harry K. Thaw isn't paying hand- somely for the privilege of having his side of his legal entanglements placed favorably before the American public through the medium of the moving pic- tures now being exhibited in the Keith theatres, it will be at least one instance where he got something without paying for it. Placed in the center of the pro- gram at the Union Square, interspersed with pictures of the various jails, court- houses, judges, lawyers, etc., Thaw is shown in his cell being interviewed by Hal Reid, "the eminent playwright." Throughout, Thaw, with the assistance of cut-in captions, is placing himself favorably before the public, showing emotion at the mention of his mother, and at the finish his bust picture in moving film is shown, concluding with "All I ask is fair play." This was re- ceived Tuesday evening by a comming- ling of applause and hisses. The show at "The Square" this week is mostly of big time calibre. Three English Girls (New Acts) opened, with Porter and Sullivan second. In a later spot than second, the singing, talking and dancing turn would have fared bet- ter, but still they have no serious com- plaint to make. The management had to separate them as far as possible from Mack and Walker. Porter and Sullivan have a sustained story for a "kidding act" in "one," with a finish somewhat similar to Mack and Walker's. Their dialog is bright and there are a couple of original conversational lyrics. The girl is pretty and both dance neatly. Lorraine and Dudley, with one assist- ant, scored a big hit with their farcical protean sketch "The Finish." The sur- prise denouement seemed to be totally unexpected to the audience. Florence Tempest (New Acts). Mack and Wal- ker have a couple of new songs which freshen up the turn a bit. "Liz," a comedy-dramatic playlet, featuring Fredrika Slemons in the title role. (New Acts.) Barry and Wolford, with their pat- ter songs and crossfire, next to clos- ing; LaToy Brothers nicely concluding the performance. Jolo. I REPEATS GROWING STALE. Chicago, Sept. 17. Every time the Jones, Linick &. Schaeffer people throw a fright into the camp of the W. M. V. A., an- nouncement is made that "The Asso- ciation" will build new houses in differ- ent parts of the city. It has been an- nounced almost a dozen times of late that the association would build a house in the vicinity of the Wilson Avenue theatre to cgmbat that play- house. This time someone dug up a picture which was printed in one of the Sunday papers. It is announced that the house will seat 2,000, but with the ways the streets and alleys are laid out in the vicinity of Wilson ave- nue it is impossible to build a house that will seat more than 1,500. Another thing, the location, as given, is too near the lake, and is not nearly .so well situated as the Wilson Avenue, for the North Side patronage.