Variety (January 1914)

18 VARIETY WHIRL OF THE WORLD The Shuberts had to do one thing with this new Winter Garden produc- tion, called "The Whirl of the World," opening Saturday night last. They had to make New York forget "The Pleas- ure Seekers" with its mob of Jew co- medians and unfunny comedy. They have done itl it was expensive. The new show is extravagant, in people, production and dressing. And the comedy hit is a Jew comedian, which is almost a paradox. But this Hebrew comedian is a come- dian who can commede and sing. He is Willie Howard, as far removed in class from those with "The Pleasure Seekers" as that show is now distant from the Winter Garden. "The Whirl of the World" is strong in men and weak in women principals. Besides Willie Howard for laughter, there is Walter C. Kelly, who did his "Virginia Judge" specialty in the ship salon scene, to unbounded laughter and applause. On top of Kelly's hit cai ,e Willie, with his impersonations, and sent over another equally as strong. Mr. Howard was a hit throughout the evening, when talking or singing with his brother Eugene, or alone or lead- ing numbers. Willie Howard is not a machine-made comic, nor is he alto- gether a comic. Eugene Howard led the big number of the show, near the closing of it, called "Ragtime Arabian Nights." 'Gene did it well, better than the pro- ducers, who in this number copied the staging from "The Darktown Follies," the all-colored show that was at the Lafayette. The "copy" was bad. In one other point did the Winter Garden follow another production. This was sending elaborately dressed show girls over the runway, an idea (not the runway) taken from the London opera house first revue, but the Lord knows, the opera house over there "pinched" enough material over here, and was not the only London house to do that For original effects which will be again stolen on the other side, "The Whirl of the World" is quite bountiful. It has a steamer scene closing the first act, with the stern of the boat backed up in almost full-size to the arch. As the curtain descends the boat moves out. This was the big lift to the first part from the sag that came in the center of it the opening night. The show started off with a rush from the opening, 8.08, but slowed down, pick- ing up again, and going through swiftly in the final act, which held too much dancing. Lydia Kyasht, in the last act, making her first appearance over here, did a pretty ballet number entitled "Harle- quin and Bluebird," followed by Moon and Morris in a new eccentric dance (back to back, cueing the uniformity of their steps by arm contact), and imme- diately after this, Rosie Dolly and Les- ter Sheehan contributed a dance that looked a weakling after the classiness of Kyasht, who was handled by Serge Litavkin, a fair dancer in this line. Kyasht dances well, but not for any particular notice or mention after Pavlova or even Genee. Miss Dolly previously, however, when dancing, did very well, but they let Miss Dolly sing. And she can't sing. Neither can Lillian Lorraine, who might be contracted for to show herself and her clothes only. It was a pity what Miss Lorraine did to Irving Berlin's latest song, "This Is the Life." It is a real Berliner. Lorraine did it all alone upon the stage. The other numbers called for no attention, the music not being noteworthy. It was composed by Sigmund Romberg. The best applause hits in the musical end were those brought in from vaudeville by Ralph Herz and Bernard Granville. Messrs. Granville and Herz were the only two genuine portions of the plot, which hardly started and was never sought after. Mr. Granville talked, danced and led songs, his dancing in what the program truthfully called "The Delirious Dance Craze" (as an additional title for the show) getting him over every time he essayed it. Moon and Morris were also dancing hits. The Ward Brothers likewise got over with their selfsame "routine" and. dances. Called for to "stall" in "one" while a set was being made, the Wards overstayed. They can do so much as a specialty and should be content with that. May Boley had an unimportant role she made little of. Lewis J. Cody was the "straight," and made his "acting" (he came from the dramatic end) tell as the wireless operator get- ting the "S. O. S." of a burning steam- er. This was the other scenic nov- elty, an excellent representation of a ship afire at sea. It is another of Frank D. Thomas' effects. A spot light ruined the illusion somewhat. It was supposed to glare upon a rowboat carrying two lifesavers to the ship, but somehow it seemed stagey and should be removed. Enough light is upon the scene without it. Juliette Lippe, Harry Delf, Trixie Raymond, Laurence Grant and Arthur Welsley were among others who made themselves more or less conspicuous by their work. Howard Atteridge wrote the book and lyrics. William J. Wil- son staged the show, and the staging was favorably commented upon. Oscar Radin conducted. The show ended at 11.40 the first night. It could stand 25 minutes out, and there is an easy 25 minutes to take out, unless a couple of women who can lead numbers are placed in the production. The two runways, one over the auditorium and the other around the orchestra, might be more in use. The dressing, designed by Melville Ellis, is as sparklingly bright and tastefully colorful as Mr. Ellis always makes it, with one blot, that of the red and black suits- with tights. This almost yelled for a Western Burlesque Wheel manager to come and take a look. The Winter Garden is going to do business with this show. Sime. "HAM TREE" WEDDIXG. Denver, Jan. 14. It is on the cards today for John Stone, manager of Mclntyre & Heath's "Ham Tree," to wed Katherine Foster, a member of the company. The show has been playing to be- tween $12,000 and $15,000 on the weeks through the one nighiers. It is bound for the Pacific Coast. QUEEN OF THE MOVIES Every movie mummer in town will want to go to the Globe theatre to see Felix Adler's delicious travesty of a film actor in an introduced miniature melodrama that furnishes the backbone of the second act of Thomas W. Ryley's new musical show, "The Queen of the Movies," presented initially lo- cally Monday evening. Until the arrival of the Adler gro- tesquerie in the role of a film player acting a heavy-browed husband, fearful that by some mischance some shades of his expression may not register on the film the fate of the production hung it. the balance. But the movie burlesque caught the house at once, and with the introduc- tion of the movie playlet, in which Frank Moulan, Dan Collyer, Valli Valli and others, also scored, the new Ryley piece struck a winning, pace. One number, "O Cecilia," sung by Moulan and Valli Valli, proved the song hit through the clever way it was staged and the smart dance effects its leading principals introduced. The authorship is some polyglot, with Glen MacDonough credited with the book from the original German of Julius Freund and George Okonowski, and our own Henry Gresham with the dialog, which in this pot pourri isn't, obviously, a part of the book at all, but something else, whatever it may be. Jean Gilbert is credited with the score. Analyzing the product of these several and separate claimants it may be said that Jean put it over, Henry nearly put ii over, and Glen put over what Julius, George and Henry didn't. Julian Mit- chell staged the piece with a few re- peats of manner and matter harking back to his Weber and Fields' period. At the outset of the production it looked as if pretty little Alice Dovey was going to be the particular feminine delight of the petticoat contingent of the cast, but Valli Valli, despite certain physical and temperamental inadequa- cies, hung on pluckily to her lines and conception, and after the piece got well under way had cinched quite a personal hit. Moulan, at the same time, almost came back to his oldtime Broadway gait, but his present role, that of a comic Baron Chevrial, lacked the big spark. The comedian, however, was authoritative throughout, giving his every line its utmost comic signifi- cance, dancing always nimbly and gracefully and maintaining a leading hold on the comic situation always. As a piece of movie musical comedy, the Ryley production is more local than its contemporary of the same character at the 44th Street theatre. Its score lacks the quality of the English piece, but will doubtless please Broadway bet- ter for that. Two dozen words will tell the story: Moulan, an anti-movie agitator, is tricked by Valli Valli as the movie queen to call upon her at her home. He believes she is a countess. She has him filmed with a lot of film actors when he enters. The film is to be circulated broadcast unless he withdraws his op- position. He withdraws. Jeanctte Horton was the agitator's wife, and was pleasing to look upon and at the same time shrewish enough tc intimidate the reformer, her daugh- tei and the girl's suitors. One of these was played with a good deal of class— he appeared as a baron—by John H. Goldsworthy, and another in a corking imitation of Arnold Daly's best prune- in-his-throat English manner by James Redmond. Dan Collyer, in the part of a movie actor, later a movie house barker, al- most stopped the show, when he asked folks on the stage to see what the movies were doing to the legitimate, he himself, for instance, once having been a star with Harrigan and—but the applause that cut in cut off the speech and Dan's chance was gone. But he did very well in a thankless bit o'. caricature. The piece, despite its entertaining lyrical and comic pabulum, didn't get under the surface of the movie game, even for a musical piece. Some day scon someone with the oldtime comic and satirical vision of George W. Led- erer and Charles McLellan will strike this mine in its big leads and then there won't be anything to it. It's the best advertised subject in this year's world's almanacs. Corb. GRAND GUIGNOL. Paris, Jan. 6. A brand new program was given at the Grand Guignol for the festive sea- son. It consists of six plays, only one being morbid in character. It was adapted from the English by Albert Jean, and is entitled "Les Morts Etranges d'Albury." A poor maniac, who years ago lost his little child, can- not resist killing little girls of the same age as his own. This gruesome role is well acted by Guerard, but it is a sickly kind of play to see. "Lachez Tout," in two acts, is an amusing skit on the preponderancy of English in France. The inexperienced balloonists make a flight and land, as they imagine, in England. In reality they are at Maisons-Larfitte—where Winnie O'Connor and a host of Anglo- American racing men reside—but do not discover this until after a heap of farce has been played. "L'Aventure," by the manager, Max Maury, describes in two acts the pre- carious situations of a married woman whose lover, to save her honor, (?) feigns madness and is arrested. "Au Coin Joli," by F. Boutet, is an up-to-date problem. Many years ago a saloon keeper was murdered by a tramp who returns to the scene of the crime and meets the son of his victim. He is recognized and on first thought the son would avenge his father's death, but business suffered so much he fears to have it again spoiled by a scandal, and he orders the visitor away. "Le successeur" is a clever critic of French politics. A secretary is leaving office, and his supposed successor ar- rives. He orders all sorts of changes, which others have feared to enforce. Soon it is discovered the new minister is an escaped lunatic. He is arrested when the real official can make himself known. This act caused much laughter. The new Grand Guignol bill is en- tertaining. Kendrew.