Variety (December 1914)

VARIITY 21 Celtic Trio. Song*, 12 Mini.; One. American Roof. A trio composed of two women and a man, who dress very well and make a pleasing appearance, offer a number of old Irish ballads. They have worked out a singing routine that consists of solos, duets and trios. All of the mem- bers have nice voices and they manage to get over fairly well on early in a small time program. Musical Cottas. 15 Mins.; Three (Special Drop). Broadway. The Cottas, man and woman, did not accomplish as much with their talk as they did with their music. Flashy fin- ish with the illuminated wheels from which the pair extract sweet music. Surefire musical "flash" for the pop cir- cuits. Five Bell Ringers. Musical and VocaL 14 Mine,; Full Stage (Special Velvet Hangings.) Fifth Ave. Five men presenting a very neat ap- pearance handle the bells in good shape though singing of the "close harmony" kind stands out a bit stronger than the part of their performance that gives them billing. The voices get the men a lot, especially the boy soprano who will always be a favorite in the pop houses. Turn was a riot at the Fifth Ave. Bonita and George P. Murphy. Talk and Songs. 10 Mins.; Full Stage (Interior) (3) One. (7) Fifth Ave. Bonita and George P. Murphy while doing an amusing act have failed to secure strong enough material to fit their own talents. Bonita sings a song at the start and does it well. Murphy is funny as always but it seems that the couple should have secured a well connected comedy scene instead of let- ting the laughs go scattered as they do. They make a very nice working couple and everything they do they do well. The two finish in a duet that gets over nicely. Bonita as usual looked very striking. Hope and Rice. Songs, Talk, Dancing. 13 Mins.; One (Special Drop). Fifth Ave. They (girl and man) make their en- trance, he pulling a sled, she seated upon it. He talks and his talk is not very funny. She dances and is lively. With the aid of a frosted window pane on the drop representing the exterior of the girl's house, they present a novel chorus song. The act is a good small timer. Maris La Varrs. Songs. 10 Mins.; One. Marie La Varre starts off with a big advantage to a "single." She has de- cided good looks. A blonde girl, well dressed, it requires but little for Miss La Varre to retain the favorable opinion the audience immediately forms upon seeing her. She did four numbers at the Columbia Sunday, in an early spot The first was "Tango Girl," a rag song; next, "Hm, Hm, That's Right," a novelty number she did very well (though it has been done before in vaudeville by a pianologiste); her third was "Come Back to Me," de- signed to set off her soprano voice, and Miss La Varre concluded with "Tipperary Mary," finishing for her very nicely. "Come Back to Me" dis- closed that the girl has more of a voice than the first two songs would indicate, also that she could stand in- struction on placing her voice, although her phrasing was extremely good. In figuring herself as show material, Miss La Varre must consider that her looks are important, perhaps the most so, and these should stand her in better stead in other branches than vaude- ville, with the ability to get over a song to back them up. Sime. Van and Belle, Boomerang Throwers. 10 Mins.; Full Stage. Great Northern Hip., Chicago. Chicago, Dec. 9. This act is neatly put up, both the man and the woman wearing white garments with a touch of red color on their hats. Their apparatus is new and tastefully arranged, and their work is quick and deft. They perfom some really startling feats and get applause right through their turn on account of the astonishing tricks they do. It is an act of unusual merit and would fit in nicely on any big time bill. Crane Wilbur. Monolog. 15 Mins.; One. Poli's, Springfield, Mass. Springfield, Mass., Dec. 9. Widely heralded as the hero of the "Perils of Pauline," Crane Wilbur made his debut in vaudeville with con- siderable heroic posing and a novel metrical recitation of the trials and tribulations of a picture hero. For the finish he verbalizes a picture of himself as the center of a lachrymose por- trayal of the downward path of a coun- try maid. Novel in construction the delineation in rhyme stands out as the worthy part of the time consumed, otherwise the name itself should draw. Criterion Four. Vocal. 10 Min.; One. Grand O. H. (Dec. 6). The usual dress-suit quartet, only this one probably has a bigger hatting average for hitting bad notes. The big tenor might do better as a single. Connors snd Witt. Rathskeller Duo. 13 Mins.; One. Two boys, evidently from a cabaret. I»oth have nice voices and make a fairly good appearance, but are handi- capped at present with a song routine that they are doing. Newly arranged so as to get the best effect they will do nicely on any small time bill. The Halkings. Shadowgraphs. 14 Mins.; Full Stage. Shadowgraphing and sharpshooting are two vaudeville pastimes long since classified as dead branches of the art, but the former is sufficiently revived by the Halkings to call for special comment. A plush curtain is utilized for the exhibition, with a screen cen- tered in the drop. The ottering is di- vided into four sections, cards being used to announce their introduction. The first is a hunting scene with the accompanying atmosphere, the animat- ed figures, etc., after which a view of the sea is shown. Then comes a Bow- ery view with a glimpse of modern warfare winding up the routine. The Halkings contrive to introduce some light and color effects into their spe- cialty, giving the scenes a touch of naturalness that helps increase the in- terest. The finale shows a skirmish be- tween a dreadnought and a land forti- fication, climaxed with the arrival of an aeroplane, accompanying shots, etc., and finally the American flag. The turn is the best of its kind seen around in some time, carrying a touch of pro- gressiveness and a novel style of con- struction that looks worthy of big-time attention. Wynn. Monti Trio. Operatic 16 Mins.; One. Three men who seem to have all the essentials of a good singing turn, but have badly mixed up a routine at pres- ent both weak and lengthy. The tenor has a splendid range with another of the three carrying a likeable falsetto. They harmonize well in the opening selection, but the solos maimed the good impression and gummed up all possibilities of a safe passage. The turn will have to undergo reconstruc- tion to make proper connections. Wynn. LcRoy and Lane, Comedy Acrobats. 10 Mins.; One (1); Full (9). A good comedy acrobatic team for either end of any small time and some of the big time bills. The team has been "canned" by an Adam Sowerguy and arrive at the railroad station just in time to miss the train. While wait- ing for the next train they reconstruct the act. The straight does some very good tumbling while the comedian shows good falls that get laughs. The act is worth while. Ali Rajah. Mind Reading. 15 Mins.; Full Stage. Ali Rajah may be the man or the woman in this act. Nothing to desig- nate which is which. The act con- sists of the man going through the audience and pointing to various arti- cles, or holding them while the woman, who is blind-folded, describes them. It is interesting to small time. Ali Rajah worked around New York early in the fall and held attention. What the acts needs most is real showman- ship. HARLEM OPERA HOUSE. Business held up the first half of the week despite inclement weather. The first half show gave satisfaction but did not round up the big applause re- turns that some of the preceding bills have. Margois' mannikins opened the show. While the mechanical figure show has worn off much of its novelty a comedy finish put the Margois in big favor. Silver and Gray did better with their singing than anything else. The act is dressed cleanly and that is also an asset "The Pool Room" had them both laughing and guessing. Fred C. Hagan is playing the dope and while he in- clined to give the role a stagey, preachy characterization he makes each line tell. As there are a million and one pool places around the 125th street neighborhood the act had far more reaching effect and the company got applause at the closing. It sure is a great little sermon for the boys with a desire to hang around doing nothing. A Keystone comedy fell below the usual brand. Purcell and Bergere scored with their voices. This pair sing well together and in the pop houses when they strike up the popu- lar numbers score nicely. Hugh Cameron has revived the former Harry Tighe act and has in- jected a lot of breezy comedy into his lines as the college janitor. It did well. It's a one-man act to be sure, but is comedy which the pop devotees can easily and readily comprehend. Inness and Ryan cleaned up in a good spot Maude Ryan kids iu her same merry vein and gets away with it. Her wardrobe made the Harlem women open their eyes and she has several nifty outfits' that look like a million in the three-a-dayers. Inness also looks better and his voice was heard to better advantage in this house than in a bigger theatre. Three Kawana Brothers disclosed a variety of Japanese show tricks. There were juggling, foot balancing of the painted barrel and a fast acrobatic finish. Splendid act of its kind. Swaine's Cats and Rats. 15 Mins.; Full Stage. Fifteen minutes is too long, and for the closing spot on the Roof this week with a two-reel picture to follow, this act played right up to eleven o'clock. Swaine has a number of ordinary look- ing cats that have been taught a couple of tricks each. They go through the jumping or running over obstacles without wavering. The rats are made to go through the same routine as the cats. As an act that is different Swaine's Cats and Rats should prove interesting. Marie Scott King. Talk and Songs. 11 Mins.; One. Billed as the "Hoosier Girl" Marie Scott King in the attire best known in the Sis Hopkins' neighborhoods combines a monolog with several songs with a countryside atmosphere. The audience liked her immensely. She has some old jokes in her routine.