Variety (January 1914)

VARIETY 13 ALL FOR THE LADIES About Women—Mostly By PLAIN MARY (Vesta Powell) Anna Held is at the Casino with her all-Star Jubi- lee after a long tour of one-night stands. The show looks a typical one-nighter with the shabby scen- ery and costumes. Something could have been done to brighten things up for New York, but perhaps it wasn't thought worth while as the show closes this week. The 12 chorus peo- ple added to Miss Held's act didn't help so you could notice it. Anna Held is surprisingly youthful in ap- pearance. She looks nearly as young as her daugher (Liana Carerra).. Miss Held has W. A. Martin and Roland Bottomly as principals and a chorus of 24 in her miniature musical comedy, "Mile. Baby." There is little to the act apart from Anna Held and her eyes, although the two male assistants are capable. Miss Held sings "Roll Those Eyes" an<J a couple of other numbers surrounded by an ordinary- looking chorus of girls in cotton tights (soiled besides) and some "pretty" chorus men. Anna wears some flashy gowns, but why go into late detail? Every one knows Anna, anyway. Francis and Florette did some ball room dancing—shqwing little not done before. Miss Florette is neat in a white cbarmeuse gown with a red girdle. Ward and Curran did portions of "The Terrible Judge" act and "The Stage Door Keeper." They were favorites at the Casino. George Beban and Co. in "The Sign of the Rose" were well received. Mr. Beban is extremely clever in this character (a poor Italian) and the illusion is perfect, even to the tears. Hirschel Hendler, pianist, does good work and became popular, although on late. His affected for- eign dialect is irritating at times, though he succeeds in deceiving until announcing it is assumed. I wonder what would happen if he didn't receive enough applause to take an encore. The audience might never, never know that he is not a foreigner. Last, but by no means least, came Charles Ahearn and his Cycling Comedians. The act improves every time it is seen in New York. The new scenery and Props now in it help a lot. Looks as though Charlie had given much of his time to building new wheels while on the one-nighters. I must tell the truth, he was the laughing hit of the bill. The young woman in the act is rather nice looking and clever on a wheel, but he has never been able to get a girl to look as well as I did. (Some opinion—perhaps). Charlie, why don't you buy a new costume for the girl? The present one doesn't look well. The Pekinese Troupe of Japanese acrobats opened the show. "The Darling of Pags" is one of the best features at the Palace this week. Some of the principals have been changed, otherwise the act remains the same as of yore. Mario Molasso and Anna Kremser are featured. Their dancing is the best. They are a good- looking couple and work well together, especially in the whirlwind dance. Miss Kremser is such a slender, deli- cate-looking little woman it is a sur- prise to see her throw Mr. Molasso around the stage with such apparent ease. Miss Kremser is wearing a be- coming and rather odd looking dress rf gold cloth. The chorus girls make a good appearance in their first gowns, but the Grecian costumes need atten- tion. They are several inches apart in the back. Hooks and eyes are plen- tiful. The Ramsdell Trio have a neat dancing act and did well in a hard po- sition Monday afternoon. The girls have good ideas of dress and are very clean looking. One girl is wearing a soubret gown of flame-colored silk and velvet while the other is dainty in a white chiffon dancing frock. They make several changes. Tony Hunting and Corinne Francis are doing an act in "one" that Is full of laughs. Mr. Hunting sells love lozenges, saying whoever eats one is sure to fall in love with some one. While he is selling his love makers, Miss Francis sings songs in a pretty little voice. She has a lavender chiffon frock and hat and looked well in them. Chris Baker made his American debut Monday afternoon, doing fairly well. He is English (al- though the program doesn't say so). His songs were too long and draggy for America. Blimey, old chap, don't you know these Americans crave speed? Vernon and Irene Castle were shown on the screen executing their dances. The Palace orchestra de- serves mention for the time kept with the Castles. It is difficult to follow dancing on a screen. Frederick F. Daab is the conductor of the musi- cians. "We Are Seven" (Maxine Elliot theatre) is a farce by Eleanor Gates. The story tells of Diantha Kerr, a rich young woman, who has studied and is very much interested in the raising of healthy families. She insists upon visit- ing poor women on the East Side, giv- ing advice to those about to become mothers. Diantha lives with a maiden aunt who strongly objects to her niece mixing with the common people, and tells her it is not safe to make the visits alone. They decide on a male bodyguard for her, but Diantha insists he must be denf and dumb as she couldn't speak freely to poor women on the subject of motherhood with a man listening. They call in a friend of the familv. a lawyer, and ask him to locate a reliable mute. The lawyer's nephew is a youne college, cut-up. He hears of the affair and posing as deaf and dumb, gets the job. Many amusing situations arise while these two people arc making their visits on the East Side. But the chap falls in love with the girl, confesses to her his deception, is for- given and they marry. The play is very pretty in spots and, besides, is a sure cure for the "blues." Diantha is supposed to have such a strong feeling of motherhood she has seven imagin- ary children, each one named and its future planned. That will appeal to most women who see the play. Bessie Barriscale is sweet and gentle as Diantha and plays so well you forget it is make-believe. The role of Peter Avery (the mute) is well taken care of by William Raymond. Effie Ellsler and Jane Peyton capably handle the other two important feminine roles. Miss Barriscale looked her best in a simple pink charmeuse gown in the second act. Sam Howe's "Love Makers" was at the Columbia last week. One or two principals and some of the musical numbers have been changed, but the show remains the same as when seen last summer (even to the wardrobe). Florence Bennett is still leading lady and is exceedingly attractive. Miss Ben- nett plays a French girl and is sup- posed to speak with an accent, but unless carefully studying the program you would never guess what she was trying to put over. Miss Bennett looks well in her last costume, a black satin gown trimmed with black and silver beaded net. Vera Desmond has the second role (American soubret). Although programed as a soubret, she doesn't dress for it, wearing long gowns throughout the show. Miss Desmond leads a couple of numbers in rather a weak voice, but the chorus girls help her out, for they are a hard- working, lively lot of girls (especially the "ponies"). Miss Desmond wears two becoming gowns. One is Nile green charmeuse and cream lace, and another is a pannier of pink taffeta over a skirt of soft satin. Stifi Ander- son is striking in a Spanish costume of yellow satin, over which is draped a cerise shawl. The chorus girls' cos- tumes are for the most part shabby and unbecoming. Harry Prescott, juvenile, has not improved much since last seen. Perhaps it is because he devotes too much attention to girls in the audience and not enough to ,his work. Bessie Wynn (Colonial) as usual is showing some pretty clothes. Her first dress is rather odd, white chiffon with many ruffles. At the first glance, it doesn't make an impression, but after Miss Wynn has finished the first verse and chorus of her song, you have forgotten about the dress and find yourself wondering if Miss Wynn hasn't worn hats more becoming than this little black velvet affair. (I think she has.) But it's the style, and we must be stylish, no matter how we look. The second gown is more be- coming, of green and gold. Her last \i the prettiest of all. The skirt is white chiffon prarrfully draped over a lace underskirt and the corsage. A short wired overskirt is a glittering mass of crystal. Touches of old rose velvet are on the corsage, and the over- skirt is edged with rose buds. An old fashioned taffeta gown is also worn. The Gardiner Trio, formerly of Churchill's cabaret, are in vaudeville. The art is the same that they did in the restaurant, but it doesn't look as well now. There are so many ball room dancing acts these days that to attract any attention one must show something new. The girls dress'neatly but it doesn't look the proper thing to see baby curls hanging down the back while wearing low cut evening clothes. If the idea is to appear youth- ful, why not wear clothes to corres- pond with the curls? Mile. Talma (Le Roy, Talma and Bosco) is a clever little woman with a very attractive manner. When not helping her part- ners with an illusion she is making coins disappear or dancing around the stage. Mile. Talma is full of "Wim and Wigor." The only thing that isn't nice about her is the dress, not at all be- fitting, and wide spangled skirts are quite out of date, don't you know. Mrs. Gene Hughes and Co. (Ham- merstein's) present an enjoyable sketch entitled "Youth" by Edgar Allen Woolf. Mrs. Hughes plays a grand- mother who is trying to keep young. In the sketch are a daughter and granddaughter looking older than she. Mrs. Hughes shows them how to dress and act youthful. When the piece opens the daughter and granddaughter have on old fashioned awful looking dresses and their hair dragged tightly back, but when the grandmother is through, they are transformed, which only helps to prove that old saying "Clothes make a difference." Mrs. Hughes wears two pretty gowns, one gold and green, and the other light blue, both becoming to the wearer. Adele C. Potter is the granddaughter and Addie S. Alva, the daughter, Eva Shirley, on the same bill, is pretty in a simple gown of peach satin, over which is a tunic of green chiffon. George Barry and Maude Wolford are singing some new parodies and telling a few new jokes, but wind up with a sort of kind applause song about the "grand old timer." or something on that order. Miss Wolford is neat in a black velvet gown. O'Brien, Havel and Co. have a very funny act about a Monday morn- ing rehearsal in the green room of a vaudeville theatre. To those familiar with back stage, it )s a scream. Mr. Havel is head usher, staee manager, scrubman and several other things. Arthur Havel is call boy and Miss Valeska, a soubret. Bert Errol is wear- ing a new gown this week, a wonderful creation of deep pink silk, with skunk fur, and draped with crystal and black headed net. OARARETTERS IN STOCK. Business at the Garden theatre was not encouraging the opening night although the management looked for a pickup after New Year's. The com- pany includes Godfrey Kenny. Fred Baldwin, George Youne. Edward Car- ter, W. Catterlin, Jennie Davenport, Charlotte Quinccv. Alice Gilmore. Bianca Robinson. John Madison. Next week, "TTcr Fa1<=e Stop." Cab- aret singers are working between acts this week. The program cards the house staff as follows: E. A. Hamilton, manager; V M. Drurkman. business manager; Warren Catterlin. stage director. If yon don't ii<lvertl*f In VAIUKTY, don't H«l»er1lM» nt nil.