Variety (November 1914)

18 VARIETY NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK Initial Presentation, First Appearance or Reappearance In or Around New York Roy Pearl, Hamnierstein's. La Milo, Palace. Bessie Clayton and Co., Palace. Homer Miles and Co. (N'ew Act.) Colonial. "Salon Singers," Royal. Weimers & Masse, Royal. Orpington Trio, Alhambra. Bracey and Farrington, American (1st half). Browning and Fields, American (2d half). Pop Ward, American (2d half). Emma Stephens, Prospect, Brooklyn. Wilfred A Roberts, Bushwick. Hugh Herbert and Co. (5). "The Sons of Abraham" (Comedy). 27 Mins.; Five (Office Interior—Special Set). Palace. Joseph Hart presents Hugh Herbert in this sketch of old fashioned and mod- '' ernized Hebrews, written by Geo. V. Hobart and Mr. Herbert. That Mr. Herbert wrote and inserted most of the typical "Yiddish" lines and actions is as easily believed as it is seen that he wholly holds up the piece, in his char- acter of retired merchant, who left his underwear business to two growing sons. In the father's absence for three months, the boys, after having incor- porated the business, become involved. The "old man" returns in time to save them from a receivership, by an imme- diate advance of 150,000 and a promised loan of $20,000 more. The sons (the parts are played by Thomas Everett and Arthur Thalasso) are the modern- ized American Jew boys, sharply con- trasted in appearance, ways and lan- guage with their orthodox Hebrew father and his lifetime companion, Spea- gle (Gustave Hartzheim). The sons are too loud, too noisy in fact, for their roles, but that may have been a matter of rehearsal. The story is not over- slrong, has no sympathetic strings, and is made blustery through the introduc- tion of two "women" (Adelaide Folger >nd Carol Parson). These girls call on he sons at their place of business, to ay they have sent some goods C. O. D., 1 uniess paid for on delivery, "ev- hing is off' between the two coup- ..4. It Ira vhile the young women are at the office the father returns. The presence of the young women begets horseplay that distorts such of the story as then exists, and the entire portion Df the sketch that this section discloses could be removed, also removing at the same time the "women" from the piece. Suggestion regarding them would be as effective, if this phase must be dragged in. The elimination would reduce the running time and make the action swifter. The earlier part of the playlet drags. Mr. Herbert is doing a fine bit of playing as the father. Audiences will like him, Hebrews among them, even if the latter will not particularly relish the act itself, as at present con- stituted. For one thing, it gives the wrong impression of the American born Hebrew. But as an act, Mr. Herbert will make good in it, and will make it good. Sime. Eva Tanguay. Songs. 28 Mins.; One. Keith's, Boston. Boston, Nov. 11. The same eccentric and erratic tem- pest of a couple of years ago, Eva Tan- guay, made her return bow to vaudeville Monday afternoon at Keith's. Her act, as always, is in a class by itself, but as a "Tanguay act" it outshines anything she has previously attempted. Her costumes are, to put it mildly, bizarre, but without offense. Tanguay is carrying her own director and a trombone player, the orchestration hav- ing much trombone work. She has six costumes, but Monday afternoon used only five, the act running 28 minutes. Her shifts are made with startling rapidity and aid much in speeding up an act which travels in the high al- ways. She opened to cordial applause with "That's Why They Call Me Miss Tobasco," the costume being a gold cloth creation, knee length, trimmed with fur and a sort of a toque made and trimmed with the same materials. The second number was "There's Method in My Madness," with another golden costume trimmed with bells that accentuated the Tanguay perpetual motion prancing. The song is another of those infectious lyrics dealing with why she behaves the way she does. Her entire act is now based on this theme, with such lines as "preferring to be a nut to working in a laund-ery." In this costume Eva brings forth the famous Tanguay legs and the three succeeding changes retain that psycho- logical line made famous by her. Her bodices fit even tighter with more form revelation than ever before, im- possible though this may seem. Two fit like a coat of whitewash. Her third number is a little weaker and is entitled "I Wonder What I'll be When I Come Back to Earth Again." This had the wildest costume of her entire flock, a velvet anklet from which scores of loose velvet cords extend to her waist and from here in erratic bunches to a Tommy Atkins' hat. It gives the effect of standing in an enormous pair of bird cages. Her fourth number is "Sticks and Stones Will Break My Bones, But Names Will Never Hurt Me." The bodice of the costume for this is white silk and green triangular strips extending from what should be a skirt to her shoulders and hanging loose. Her fifth song is "There Goes Crazy Eva." It's a cork- er and her costume is as appropriately unusual. It has a black bodice with starched lace upstanding in circlets from the top of her head, her neck, armpits ami waist. She closed her made-to-order songs with "Father Never Brought Up Any Crazy Chil- dren," using the same costume, and did "Peace! Peace! Let the Cannons Cease!" Miss Tanguay says she wrote il hcrhelf. but it's nothing to be proud about. Her encore was "I Don't Care" as always. Miss Tanguay's reception was the usual one, a jammed house. Monday afternoon she went on a little late. The new Tanguay act is the best she ever had. McConnell and Simpson. "At Home" (Comedy Drama). 22 Mins.; Three (Interior). Hamnierstein's. McConnell and Simpson, assisted by Laurence Simpson, have a new act, "At Home," by H. H. Winslow. The action is supposed to occur in the Mc- Connell and Simpson home at Kansas City. Living with them is Grant's brother's Laurence. The men return from a ball game, arguing, and the wife at home has a meal waiting. There's talk of spending the evening out when the suggestion goes that a rehearsal of the new McConnell-Simp- son act take place. In a jiffy the trio enacts a farcical little skit with Miss McConnell playing the role of an in- sane asylum superintendent, Grant Simpson, a lawyer, who makes believe he's a new patient to study real condi- tions at the institution, and Laurence Simpson, a Chicago drummer, who plays doctor, attendant and patients with the aid of wigs that the "lawyer" may be fooled on the supposed "filled up" business the place is doing. After the act Laurence refuses to rehearse it a second time and rushes out, leav- ing his brother and wife quarreling over him. The 'phone rings. Grant is informed that his brother has been killed by an auto. Here Grant breaks into tears and a transformation comes over his wife when she realizes the boy she has been berating is dead. It's a quick change and very well done. The new act gives Miss McConnell opportunity to use her old laugh mixed in with some hysterical tears, while there's a mixture of comedy and pa- thos. The act was well received Mon- day night. NEW SHOWS NEXT WEEK Initial Presentation of Legitimate Attractions in Now York. Feiber Brothers and Adams. Piano-Act 17 Mins.; One. Hammerstein's. Of the trio the tallest wears a plain suit, affects the mannerisms of a sim- pleton and in addition to singing alone and with the other boys does a bit of Russian legmania that is about the best of the act. One of the trio has a prop smile used overtime. The piano player, who also sings, has pert as- surance that gives the wrong impres- sion. The boys sing harmoniously and get plenty of applause. Inas Family. Acrobats. 6 Mins.; Full Stage (Gypsy Camp). Harlem Opera House. Six men and two women form this acrobatic group. The "family" is dressed in the familiar garb of foreign nomads. They carry a gypsy camp drop and open with the women doing a tambourine dance. Pyramids, shoul- der-to-shoulder leaps and somersaults, with groundwork the piece de resis- tance, are performed by the men. One of the women also puts in some acro- batic turns. The act has some flashy arables, spirals and spring- board (trampoline effect) somersault revolutions that are well done. The men are inclined to take their time with the work. Good act of its kind and a splendid closer for the pop houses. "The Big Idea," Hudson (Nov. 16). "The Garden of Paradise," Park (Nov. 16). "What It Means to a Woman" Long- acre (Nov. 19). "Little Nap." Chimpanzee. 12 Mins.; Full Stage. Palace. "Little Nap" is another "educated monk," titled after his dress, a military uniform, with a Napoleonic hat. "Nap" does most of his work on the stage, alone, riding a bicycle, and also pilot- ing a motorcycle, with a side attach- ment in which is another monk, dis- tinctly new in this sort of turn. The finish is a bedroom suite, made more complete than most of the others, the monk undressing, and the finish arriving when he jumps into bed. Too much time is given to the different bits in the opening. But the act doesn't over- run, 12 minutes. Had "Little Nap" arrived first, and so on, the same here as with a lot of others who thought of something after it had happened! They may do it better, but they do it too late. The same with plays. Opening the Palace show "Nap" did well, and will be generally liked. Sime. Clarice Vance. Songs. 10 Mins.; Three. Clarice Vance has returned to vau- deville, with a different style of singing turn, one that will find appreciation in these more modern days, as against the time when a rag songster stood abreast the footlights, and used the orchestra. Miss Vance has a pianist, Tom Mitchell, who happily fills in a period for a dress change by the prin- cipal; he also sings two numbers in pleasing voice and manner. Miss Vance is singing four songs. She was about the first warbler of the rag ditty and has never lost her hold upon them. Miss Vance's claim to distinction, as in the past is that she doesn't use selec- tions that have been done to death by every single who sings. One of her current repertoire is "He's My Cousin if She's Your Neice," detailing a story of a wandering husband and wife run- ning across each other in the same res- taurant, each with another party. There are several good lines in the lyrics, with a couple of punches for laughs. One great essential to a song that depends upon lyrics more than melody is possessed by Miss Vance; that is enunciation. She opens with "Back to Dixieland," has another comic to follow in "She Used to Be the Slowest Girl in Town," and closes with "I Wonder Where That Lovin' Man Has Gone." As a singer of rags, and with an established popularity, it looks as though Clarice Vance should have been back in vaudeville long ago. In fact, she should not have left it. When some of the today singers are measured in comparison with her finished methods, there is nothing to compare. Sime.