Variety (September 1913)

18 VARIETY NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK Initial PrMentation, First Appearance or Reappearance In or Around New York Tyrone Power and Co., Fifth Ave. Le Roy, Talma and Bosco, Fifth Ave. Conly and Webb, Fifth Ave. Johnny Cantwell and Rita Wallcer, Fiitii Ave. Coogan and Cox, l-'ifth .Xvc. Hunter's Statue Dogs, I'ifth Ave. Nichols Sisters, llaniincrstcin's. John Bunny, Hainnicrstein's. Yorke and Adams, llaniincrstcin's. "Temptation," Hammerstein's. Ernette Asoria, Union Sq. Tracey and Stanley, Union Sq. Schwartz and Co. in "The Broken Mirror," West Fnd (Thaw show). New York. Thomas A. Wise and Co. (3). "Like Father, Like Son." 20 Mins.; Four. Orpheum, New Orleans. New Orleans, Sept. 24. Son loves a dancer and wants to marry her. His father objects, but re- lents after the young lady dances for him at his home. It is a very weak plot and hardly worthy of Thos. A. Wise's talents. The supporting com- pany mediocre. The act was accorded scant appreciation Monday evening at the Orpheum. 0. M. Samuel. George Damarel and Co. "The Knight of the Air" (Operetta). 45 Mins.; Full Stage (Exterior; Special Set). Palace, Chicago. Chicago, Sept. 24. "f^he Knight of the Air," as title would indicate, has to do with aerial navigation, and in this instance it is by the way of a dirigible balloon. It is hilled as a Viennese operetta, by Leo Stein and Bela Jenbach, with music by Herman Dostal. Charles Swickard adapted and staged it. It is an elab- orate act, with seven musical numbers. The music is not catchy except in one or two instances, and the whole piece is rather quiet, although the plot should give it some little bustle and action. Mr. Damarel, who has some little fol- lowing in Chicago, is assisted by Charles Wright, fat and fast. He bounces around the stage like a rubber ball and is well cast. Myrtle Vail is pretty and vivacious and sings well. Leola Lucey has a good share of the singing to do which she does nicely. The act is rather eloborately gowned, and the gay dresser of the party at the country estate, taken with the smash- ing Hungarian uniforms of the flying squadron make a pretty picture. The turn seems a bit too long, and does not lend itself readily to vaudeville. Very little applause was given it Monday afternoon, and there was very little laughter, for there were but two or three lines where laughter could be wrung out. It is quite possible in its original state, the skit might have been on the risque order, when it might have had some appeal to European audi- ences. Reed. If 7oa don't kdvertlM In VARIBTT, don't •dvertiM At alL David Bispham. Baritone. 24 Mins.; Four (Interior). Palace. It's a far cry from the uplifted plat- form of the concert world to the frayed and frazzled edges of the U. B. O. vaudeville stages, but David Bispham, the eminent baritone, must have a good reason for making the jump. No one can deny Bispham can sing, for he certainly can, to the great satisfaction of those who put the muse in music. Bispham doesn't fill any long felt want in vaudeville, but anyone hearing Bis- pham in the "two-a-day" will appre- ciate him all the more if they have had a run on popular songs and ragtime prior to his appearance. Bispham sang three numbers and appeared in good voice, although his high tones didn't have the lustre D. B. has shown on previous occasions. His low notes were there every second. But one thing is certain, Bispham can sing and his success in vaudeville will be made more secure when the variety regulars learn he's singing foreign operatic numbers in English. Bispham did a little talking about the importance of the highbrow stuff in English that " helped. He rendered the Julius Caeser lament from Handel's "Scipio," and followed it with the Dancing Master's song from Mendelssohn's "The Son and the Stranger." His third selection was the baritone prolog from "Pag- liacci," which scored more heavily than the others. His encore was "Danny Deever," and it stirred the audience up a bit. This "Danny Deever" number is better suited for vaudeville than the others. Bispham gives classical class to a bill. (Class is more becoming to some variety bills than others.) Still it may be a little rough on the great baritone if some week he plays a house where he must follow an Italian oper- atic trio in costume of the week, and the audience ask the management why he didn't bring a tenor^and a soprano with him, but on the Orpheum Circuit it should be different. Oh, you Mar- tin Beck, would you rather have a Beethoven sonata yourself than a Ber- lin rag."* Honest, now Martin, honest! Mark. ^•^ Johnny and Ella Galvin and Co. (13). "Little Mu8 Mix-up." Musical Tabloid. 35 Mins.; Full SUge. Crystal, Milwaukee. Milwaukee, Sept. 24. Condensation of former show of hour and a half, with new songs and business. Built on unexpected arrival oi uncle to visit nephew whom he has been supplying money under the im- pression the young man was married. Two different women introduced as wife, with attendant confusion. With- out any effort to straighten things out a Cabaret entertainment is staged for the benefit of the old man, but the Cabaret closes the tab and leaves the situation way up in the air. Miss Galvin has some freak costumes. Other women dressed with better ef- feot. Songs are good and ensembles well handled, and tasteful scenery is carried. Some good comedy, but mucli is worn. Quartet of male voices will pass. Good flashy act for small time, where it will land easily. Morgan. Menlo Moore's "Rah Rah Boyi" (5). Musical Comedy. 22 Mins.; Full SUge (Special Set). City. If "The Rah Rah Boys" is a fair sample of others of Menlo Moore's musical comedy stock, the rest of his many productions are welcome this way any old time. The Chicago pro- ducer has undoubtedly made a practical study of the better grade of small time and in "The Rah Rah Boys" he has Uft little undone, always considering it for that particular brand of theatres. Moore has measured his expenditure to a nicety, throwing the bulk of his expense on the scenery, but behind the production department one can eas- ily discern the work of a practised stage director, for the action, although car- rying but a cast of five, has been staged on regular musical comedy lines. The entire song repertoire is of exclusive numbers, all pertaining to the book and theme. This in itself afforded a relief from the stereotyped "girl acts," pro- duced on a shoe-string supplied by a music publisher. The quintet revolve around a sensible little story on college days, distinctly original and never tir- ing. Several appropriate costume changes are introduced, all pretty and of good material. For a finale Moore, in this act, turns to the airship busi- ness, swinging the car over the audi- ence. It rounds the act up nicely. Lorna Jackson is ahead of the others jn the cast, being supported by a quar- tet of collegians, all men, good sing- ers, fine looking chaps and well trained. Miss Jackson is pretty, has a good idea of number leading and wears some pretty clothes. Six songs are used. The act ran 22 minutes and walloped out a big hit. Compared with the aver- age small time production, Moore's outfit is in a class all by itself. Wynn. Lasky's "The Spring GirL" 30 Mins.; Full Stage. Orpheum, Harrisburg, Pa. Harrisburg, Sept. 24. A farce comedy with music, border- ing on boisterous hilarity. The scene is laid in a water cure sanitorium built over a spring which gives its name to the piece. Mae Busch, as Minnie Wa- ters, is mistress of the establishment. From the action of the playlet, the scene might rather be a lunatic asylum than a hospital. Allan Brooks is Bil- lie French, a Broadway dude, border- ing on delirium tremens, and brings forth the comedy. The turn cpntains several catchy songs, but the plot is not very well worked out. The piece is not as elaborately staged as the for- mer Lasky acts, and there is no change of costumes for the four girls. The music i.s by Robert Hood Bowers, and the act written by Mary Roberts Rine- hart and Cecil DeMille. /. P. J. Gordon's Comedy Dogs. 18 Mins.; Full SUge. Union Square. A very entertaining, simple animal act is Gordon's Comedy Dogs, showing a neat routine of tricks without any sensational feature, but a well ordered general .jgn of material. The purps work quickly and willingly. The tiainer looks well in evening clothes and does little or no talking. A capi- tal opener. Ru»h. NEW SHOWS NEXT WEEI Initial Pwaantadon of Lagltlmata Attncdoiia In Naw York Theotrea "The Will" (John Drew)—Empire (Sept. 29). "The Aucdoneer" (David WarSeld) (revival)—Belasco (Sept. 30). "The Sorpent of the Nile" (12). Dancing. IS Mins.; Full Stage. Pantagea, Spokane. Spokane, Sept. 24. Bothwell Brown presented Monday (Sept. 22) this pantomime, which re- sembles his own old act The part of Cleopatra is taken by his cousin, Frances Young. An Oriental setting is used. Eight girls in harem cos- tumes open with well drilled tambou- rine dance. Phyllis Lambert, as the Queen's Messenger, does a splendid sword dance. Cleopatra appears and performs an incense number. She is statuesque and looks beautiful, doing her work capably. Messenger brings news of Antony's death. Cleopatra calls for snake, does death dance, re- leasing veils; expose becomes start- ling. At close Cleopatra removes wig, showing name should be spelled "Frances." Act is showy, well lighted and competently staged. Pretentious enough for any popular price bill. Royce. Menlo Moore's "Stage Door Johnnies" (6). Musical Comedy. 22 Mins.; One (3); Full Stage (19) (Special Seta). YorkviUe. In "The Stage Door Johnnies," Menlo Moore, has gone a step or two ahead of his efforts in "The Rah Rah Boys," adding an extra drop, as well as a comedian, a chap in black-face with some original characteristics that help his comedy lines over. The turn opens in "one" before a stage door drop, showing four "Johnnies" in evening clothes. Trix Oliver appears and the quintet after a few numbers retire to full stage, a restaurant scene. The cork comedian handles the role of waiter, adding a hard-shoe dance. All the numbers have been written spe- cially to fit the act. The whole affair has been staged well, particularly the finale, where Miss Oliver arises from a monster champagne bottle, set in an active fountain. It's a nifty little finish and gives the touch of class that seems to make Mooi'e's production look bet- ter than the average. Miss Oliver dis- played some pretty clothes, the men wearing the evening dress throughout. "The Stage Door Johnnies" is big for the better grade of small timers and should find plenty of time hereabouts. Wynn. Zeno and MandelL Piano, Singing, Dancing, Talk. 11 Mina.; One. 23rd Street Man and woman, both tickling ivo- ries, kidding, mugging, labored step- ping. Small time act. Jolo.