Variety (September 1913)

22 VARIETY BARBARA WORTH Chicago, Sept. 24. After being dark for some months, the Studebaker was lighted Monday night, and Edwin Milton Royle's dram- atization of Harold Bell Wright's novel, "The Winning of Barbara Worth," was revealed to an audience that filled the lower floor and balcony. The audience, however, was strange- ly apathetic, and sat through the pro- log and three acts without showing any signs of interest. This may have been because the play is not vital, and that the players seemed more like puppets passing before the scenery than they did like human be- ings. The only real applause of the evening came when a stage hand ex- tinguished some blazing bunting, not in the play. Charles Frohman, Klaw & Erlanger present the piece. The story concerns Barbara Worth and the influence she has on the lives of two men, her foster father and the young man she finally weds. There are numerous scenes in which Mexicans appear, and there is a mob scene, where a lot of laborers demand their money and set fire to numerous buildings because they do not get it. The last act shows the valley under the flood. The people are clinging to house tops, and are waiting for the young engineer to come to their res- cue. In due time he appears, and by and by the hero and heroine are left clinging alone on the top of a church, where they plight their troth and the curtain falls. Edith Lyle, a pretty young actress, is seen as the mother in the first act, and as Barbara in subsequent ones. Claude Gillingwater, Ralph Theodore, Frazicr Coulter, Robert Dcshon and Richard Gordon are some of the other players. The novel from which the play is made has been very widely read. It is quite possible the drama will go well in one-night stand dis- tricts. if««*. SE VBN KEYS TO BALDPATE An enthusiastic and appreciative au- dience, made up in the main of theatri- cal folks, attended the New York pre- miere of George M. Cohan's dramati- zation of Earl Derr Biggers' story, "Seven Keys to Baldpatc," at the As- tor Monday night. The piece started slowly and fin- ished unsatisfactorily. In fact when the tableaux curtain dropped before the epilog the audience began to file out in the belief it was over. Had it been, the audience might have been better satisfied. Despite these drawbacks, "Seven Keys to Baldpate" is a success. It is rather a new idea in the treatment of melodramatic farce, marred principal- ly by the finish, designed to deceive the audience. Theatre-goers resent be- ing imposed upon. They insist on be- ing taken into the confidence of the plot, no matter how many of the char- acters of the piece arfe kept in the dark. When an author dares to transgress the rules of playwrighting in this regard he takes a long chance. It's all about a popular novelist who writes books that arc read by (as the star says) "the tired business man's wife." He has a wealthy friend who wagers he cannot write a complete novel in 24 hours in a summer resort hotel atop a mountain in the middle of winter. Barring the finish, in which it is re- vealed that everything transpired be- fore the audience was in reality the novelist's farcical treatment of the melodramatic story of murder and bribery he had pounded out on his typewriter throughout the 24 hours, the first half hour of the piece, devoted to lengthy explanation, was tiresome and partially unnecessary. , True, it is a bit unfair to judge the worth of the leading actor, Wallace Eddinger, who had just recovered from his recent automobile accident. It may account for his lack of "lightness," but certainly does not palliate his lack of virility in the melodrSimatic portions. The remainder of the cast could not have been better selected by the incom- parable David Belasco himself. But one of a coterie of secretive visi- tors to what each believed to be a de- serted summer hotel, noted the pres- ence of a blazing fire in the grate. With the quickening of the "prolog" and the introduction of more "incisive- ness," "Seven Keys to Baldpate," at, the Astor, may have a very long run. A big hit it unquestionably is. Jolo. PALACE (Estimated Cost of Show, $6,025.) Heigho, ye lads, what next? With the bookers as a last resort forced to drain the concert stage for talent to fill up their rapidly thinning ranks of headliners, there's no telling where they will harpoon their next fry. The Chautauqua platform is the last straw with William Jennings Bryan as a pro- spective candidate for vaudeville honors. (Where has Willie Hammer- stein been?) Once the marathonic Presidential aspirant and long-distance orator hits the sheets, look out! And President Wilson liking vaudeville, too. Holy Moses, Willie, get on the job. The dragnet has landed David Bis- pham (New Acts), and just what good it will do the eminent baritone remains to be seen. It's doubtful which is the hardest up, the concert stage or the United. Bispham had some of his gang with him. He got a big hand when he walked on and unmistakable proof bobbed up when several yelled for "Danny Decver" as an encore. LaToy Brothers gave the show an excellent start. John Geiger fiddled in "No. 2." Geiger's shirt and pants look worse than any of our hardest work- ing bricklayer's misfits. He might also get a different wig. Geiger's apparel was out of place at the Palace com- pared with much evening clothed be- fore and after. William A. Brady's '"Beauty Is Only Skin Deep" was "No. 3." For a mat- inee bargain the women are getting a run for their money. Monday night they showed unusual interest in the way they do things in a modern "beauty parlor." The skit (a condensed version of Jessie Bonstelle's "Lady from Oklahoma") runs mostly to com- edy, with a touch of pathos thrown in to make it harder. Ward Bros., fourth, were entertain- ing. After Bispham had sung the cur- tain down for the intermission the Hess Sisters showed their wares and wardrobe. The girls attempt too much singing. They have looks, dresses and dancing ability that should carry them along anywhere. The Russian dance was their biggest bet. The Stan-Stanley Trio, which the \j. B. O. bookers overlooked in the pop houses, got a chance in the seventh position and made the most of it. Sam and Kitty Morton had everything their own way. They are sporting some pretty white and green outfits for their encore number. Gus Edwards closed with his "Song Revue," that seems to have been in vaudeville forever. Mark. UAMMERSTEIN'S (Estimated Cost of Show, $5,660.) Eighth week for Evelyn Nesbit Thaw, and Monday night the house had hoMing standees wherever allowed. It was surely the much newspapered name that drew the business, for the program did not hold anything else that could be considered an attraction. The general bill, however, is good. It framed up as a smooth running, speedy vaudeville program that got its start at 8.15 and went skipping along until after 11. The pictures of the Gaynor funeral, which took place in the morn- ing, were shown and held the greater portion of the house seated. Miss Thaw closed the first part and went through the series of dances in silence. As long as they come, how- ever, Evelyn need not worry about ap- plause. There were three or four substantial hits on the program. The Courtney Sisters were of the fortunates. The harmony of the girls, which seems to be a natural blending of their voices, carries them beyond the best of vau- deville's sister teams. A couple of old songs might be dropped. "Apple Blos- som Time in Normandy" has been served too often and "Bumble Bee," although particularly well done, should give way to something else. McMahon and Chappelle got a hit. Tim has inserted a few new quips which go as well as the old ones. Recommendation enough. The audi- eiice was quick to grasp the brand new ones, and besides the laugh, they caused a little stir. Frank Fogarty did very well. His stories and the number with the stage hands used at the finish went like wild- fire. Fay, 2 Coleys and Fay made a great opener for the second half. They started away slowly, but when they got down to the "nut stufT' were go- ing fast and kept the pace to the fin- ish, doing just about enough. Great idea, that doing just enough. Morgan, Bailey and Morgan caught the running next to last. It was a tough spot and the trio had hard hoeing. They hur- ried through their specialty and passed evenly. Alexander and Scott held their own nicely. New costumes keep up the appearance of the act and there are still many who are not aware of the female impersonation. The surprise is helpful. Brice and Gonne did well. Lillian is a little too cocksure at the corner. Her manner gets almost fresh and it de- tracts from her cuteness. The Bert Williams impersonatioii by Brice is not as good now as when he used one of the old songs. His eccentric dance still remains the feature of the act and the real point of merit. The Glockers offer a fairly diverting juggling stunt. As an opener it might do for the big houses. The comedy should come without any talk at all. Neither is able to handle dialogue. Lloyd and Tarber, dancing and singing boys, opened the show. Dress suits and a couple of songs. E. J. Baisden closed the show with a comedy bicycle stunt and is lucky this week for he will get an audience because of the funeral pic- tures. Dash. UNION SQUARE (Estimated Cost of Show, $2,300.) An audience that occupied less than half the seats of the Union Square wit- nessed one of the best shows that house has disclosed in many months Monday night. The offering was first class vaudeville, with big comedy val- ues. Although there was no sensa- tional feature nor drawing card, it gave satisfaction by its general aver- age of entertainment. This despite the fact that there were four new acts in the nature of unknown quantities. Houan Yuen (New Acts), the closer, did a spectacular flop, and gave the bill a bump. Flo and Ollie Waters were rather weak in the "No. 2" spot The middle of the bill was most interesting. Gordon's Comedy Dogs (New Acts) make an excellent opener, with a sim- ple routine of animal work. The Wat- ers Girls are youthful and pretty and dance gracefully, but are light for a place on a big time program.. J. K. Emmet, Viola Crane and Co. (New Acts) spread the sentiment on pretty thick, but the Square clientele seems tc like it that way. Eddy Howard, with the old Howard and North act, "Those Were the Happy Days," shifted places with Dugan and Raymond, for what reason was not apparent, both acts being in "one" and pretty evenly divided as to laughing value. Perhaps it was better to have the singing women of the show spread more evenly over its running time. With Bert Snow as assistant, Howard has an effective vehicle. Miss Raymond displays a narrow skirt of pink silk that tops the list for dia- phanous diaphanousness. There is nothing subtle about its revelations. When she sits down it clings like wet paper. The audience sat up and noticed when she made her appearance. Du- gan's funniments were effective, al- though some of his "quick stuff" sailed over the Union Square audience, which is not very keen. Toots Paka scored a substantial hit. The old straightaway specialty ar- rangement of the Hawaiians has been replaced by a light sketch structure, but in the staging of this judgment has been used so that it does not interfere with the native songs and dances, which are the real strength. Two spe- cial sets enhance the "atmosphere." Toots' dance as usual held up the act. One of the male Hav aiians sang "The Curse of a Broken cleart" in deadly earnest. Deadly is right. The sketch feature was Paul Arm- strong's "Woman Proposes" (New Acts), a capital bit of light compost-