Variety (October 1914)

VARIETY WITH THE WOMEN "On Trial," at the Candler, isn't a dressy show, but makes up in interest. Helene Lackaye is a stunnig widow. In evening dress Miss Lackaye is worth looking at. Mary Ryan wears a pretty gray cloth dress, made in long straight hnes. Kitty Gordon, at the Palace, has a silver cloak trimmed in white fox. It took away the breaths of the women in the audience. The coat is just be- low the knee in length, with a deep band of the fur at the bottom. The waist line is brought in tightly with a band of brilliants. Collar and cuffs of fur complete this coat. An eve- ning dress of heavy crystal, the bottom edged in feathers, was beneath the cloak. The head dress was ot bril- liants, backed up with ^sprey. During the sketch Miss Gordon wears negli- gees of every description, lovely chif- fon things they are too. The stage is milady's boudoir. A four-poster bed occupies the center of the stage and to the left is another bed much small- er, a couch presumably, is in the four poster style in gold heavily carved. Numerous lamps and other parapher- nalia usually found in the bed room of a fastidious woman make up a most beautiful stage setting. Belle Baker (Palace) is not dressing in her usual good taste. Her figure :z * too short and plump for the black and white dress worn Monday. And why the pom poms, or the slippers? Joan Sawyer (Palace) for her first dress had a pretty thing in white bro- cade over lace petticoats. The skirt has a cape-like drapery lined in black. It improved Miss Sawyer's appearance over last week. Jesse Lasky's "Society Buds" (Pal- ace) look the part. The dressing shows careful study and no regard for ex- pense. The girls appear first in taf- feta capes, made with vests. Under these are double flounced chiffon dresses with taffeta waists. The num- ber was beautifully staged, all the girls wearing purple costumes. In a so- ciety novelty number, one of the girls was stunning in a white evening dress, trimmed in crystal. Gladys Clark wore several pretty frocks and one hand- some cloak. Lois Josephine was her prettiest in a Dresden silk dress and poke bonnet. Miss Josephine wears two other dancing frocks, both equally pretty and well made. Dave Marion hasn't gathered, for his show at the Columbia this week, many good looking women. Perhaps the best looking was Agnes Behler. Miss Behler uses an atrocious make up. Too much red and the discarding of blue around the eyes made Miss Behler look as though she had just had a good cry. The feature of her dress- ing was a pair of pear-shaped diamond earrings. They were wonders. A black velvet dress worn by Miss Behler proved her most becoming one. Not any clothes worn by the other prin- cipal woman were especially worthy o» mention. The chorus was well cos- tumed excepting the opening number. An Elk's number with the chorus in purple tights was lovely. The Dixie number was dressed in pink tights and white satin jackets, embroidered in black. An old fashioned ballet dance was such a relief 1 The girls wore dresses of green, trimmed with pink roses. The finale was stunningly dressed, the girls being clothed in solid silver dresses trimmed in heavy fringe. Miss Leach, of Howland and Leach, is at Shanley's again. She is wearing this week a pretty dancing frock of white chiffon edged in fur. "My Lady's Dress" is a series of six sketches not unlike those produced at the Princess. They are full of phil- osophy and may teach a lesson, but the only interest is the clever acting of Mary Boland and Leon Quarter- maine. Miss Boland wears a negligee of mauve pink velvet over petticoats of silver and an evening dress that is a marvel. It is pale blue velvet, trimmed in silver and Russian sable. The man- nequins wear gowns that are the last word in fashion. "Psyche" was in sil- ver cloth, beautifully draped. Another called "Danger Ahead" was composed of chiffon and pointed ribbon and very daringly cut. Old Man's Week at the Colonial Three old men types in the first half of the bill weren't interesting. Only two women during this interval. Isa- bel Mendosa in a sketch looked the lit- tle country miss she represented. Flor- ence Tempest was the other. Miss Tempest appears in a silver cloak edged in sealskin with a toque to match. The dress underneath was yel- low satin, having two flounces of lace. The seal toque should be discarded with the cloak, as it is too heavy for the dainty dancing frock. Mrs. Ver- non Castle makes but two changes. Her first dress was white satin, very short waisted, having a tiny bolero- like jacket of pink velvet. A tan cap and cape of velvet of the same pink were becoming. A ruffled dress of turquoise blue and white taffeta, a leg- horn hat, was stunning. Emily Darrell (Colonial) wore a long waisted dress of blue and green which was very pretty and a hoop skirted dress with red velvet basque was equally becoming. The Conway's (Darrell and Conway) purple coat worn with white trousers was stun- ningly cut. Violet Hope, who dances in "The Edge of the World," is too prety to dance in the dimness. Hammerstein's bill this week didn't abound with many women. Two only who showed real clothes. Bonita changes three times. Her first dress was very simple. It was White with a cross sash of pink. A black net and jet wasn't particularly well made but it was becoming. The last was a showy affair of gold lace. Sybil Bren- nan (Diamond and Brennan) was a picture in a yellow taffeta made with a shepherdess drapery in green tulle. Helen Hilton in "Any Night" is a good looking bruuet who looked well in a dress of black. At the American Miss Chappelle (Shrode and Chappelle) wears a pretty tailor made suit of white brocade trimmed with ball buttons. The Phillipe Four dress their act very well. The men wear studio suits of purple. The women are dressed artistically in pink chiffon and lace. Emma Cody (Arthur and Emma Cody) should shorten the first dress and lengthen the second. They were both good looking and worthy of attention. Miss Elliot (Moore and Elliot) has utilized a white embroidered shawl in a quaint manner. The skirt and waist are mostly shawl overdraped with cer- ise satin. HELPING THE SOUTH. The United Booking Offices this week received the following letter: Richmond, Va., Oct. 9. United Booking Offices, Palace, Theatre, New York. You are probably aware of finan- cial conditions in the south. Cotton growers are unable to move their crops. Will you join with me, and kindly use your influence in an en- deavor to help the south by furnish- ing as far as you can a market for the cotton crop. Both myself and members of my company will wear gowns and suits made of cotton wherever practicable, especially on the stage. What is your answer? GRAYCE SCOTT, Colonial Theatre. BIG ACT TAKEN OUT. B. A. Rolfe withdrew "The Lonesome Lassies" from the Royal (Bronx) pro- gram Tuesday morning, owing to the illness of Leola Sinclair. An under- study in the person of a chorus girl would have been necessary. Mr. Rolfe did not care to chance it, the act being new. Eddie Darling consented to the with- drawal, giving the turn a later date. He placed Allan Brooks and company in the open position. NO FOREIGNER ALLOWED. (Spwtoi Gobi* to Vajubtt.) London, Oct. 16. The National Orchestral Association Wednesday adopted a resolution re- fusing to play with any naturalized or unnaturalized German, Austrian or Hungarian. Under the motto "Char- ity Begins at Home" the same body resolved not to play with any foreign conductor or musician of any nation- ality or to give musical arrangements to foreigners. A heated controversy arose over the question of including citizens of the countries allied with England in the present European war, but the meas- ure passed at the finish. The Amal- gamated Musicians' Union, with over 27,000 members, an opposition body to the National Association, passed a similar resolution. NATIONAL PLAYING FEATURES. The National, Boston, a Keith house seating 3,000 or more, will start playing feature films next Monday. The first feature will be "Ireland a Nation." The Chestnut St. opera house, Phila- delphia, will also show the same film starting the same day. Both houses will be supplied with pictures through the U. B. (). Feature Film Department. The National, Boston, has been dark for some time after trying several poli- cies. It is not unlikely that through its large seating capacity Boston will be able to see the biggest feature film in it at an admission scale of 5-10-15. CIRCUS SEASON OVER. This month will see the closing of all the big tent shows. The circuses with southern bookings have cancelled, owing to the times. Ringling Brothers will bring the season to a close Oct. 24 at Cairo, I1L Hagenback Wallace Oct. 26 at Patiu- cah, Ky., and Barnum and Bailey the same day at Memphis. WALLACE LEAVE8 PERU. Cincinnati, Oct. 14. Word was received here today from the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus playing in the South, that it will winter here, leaving Peru, Ind., where it has quar- tered for 26 years. The outfit will probably occupy the plant which sheltered the John Robin- son shows for many years. Wallace closes in Kentucky Oct. 26. MIKE DONLIN TO WED. Asbury Park, Oct. 14. Invitations have been issued for the marriage of Mike Donlin, pinch-hitter and fielder of the Giants, and Rita Ross, niece of Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Ross. The wedding will be solemnized in the Church of the Holy Spirit, As- bury Park, next Tuesday at noon. Donlin's first wife, Mabel Hite, the comedienne, died two years ago. HARRY WEBER. The prominent eastern artist's repre- sentative. Kelly Joint "Step" Show. Harry Kelly has joined Charles B. Dillingham's new revue, "Watch Your Step." Kelly's former vaudeville partner, Louis Wesley, returns to the agency business.