Variety (June 1915)

14 SHOW REVIEWS A two-reel serial entered here and was far from interesting to many present. As the added attraction a mixed two-act appeared uucarded. It was one of th»- beat tblngs Tuetiday evening. If a tryout it outdistanced some of the other acta on tue bill. The young woman possesses a rath«r pleasing voice and wears clothev. The Aerial Lloyds worked fast on the trapese and were followed by Pat White and his Colleens in the musical tabloid, Casey at t>*» Club." FIFTH AVENUE^ BROOKLYN. The Fifth Avenuo la booked by the Family Department of the United, playing at present the new policy as recently adopted by the Union Square. Three acts, picture* and a tabloid that runs about an hour make up the dhow. Tho Fifth Avenue Is a neighborhood house, an.I if Tuesday night's crowd Is a criterion it i;lay be easily seen plenty of comedy is m -s l%J. ji> prices range from 10 to 'St, which Is rtu tfrable enough for the show it is giving Tha house has a four-piece orchestra, piano, violin, cornet and drums. The Spanish (Toldlnis opened, after a couple of old releases from the dally program, and did fairly well, considering the bouse was about half filled. The whirlwind finish by the little girl on top of a pole brought a sudden burst of applause, and left them In good humor for the next act. May Melville was next with songs, but did not ttnd favor until the complication of old Bongs closing started them laughing. A Song Contest was next, but the audience nhowed no desire to sing, probably because the numbers flashed upon the screen might have been a little too late for them. The management might secure a few older songs from the publisher. A reissue of Chaplin followed, and got laughs. In this picture Charley played without the aid of his derby hat, and used a high one Instead. Tom Rutherford and Co. in a comedy sketch on Just before the tab, scored. The woman playing the wife was excellent, while the man Is equally effective as her husband. The girl playing the strike-breaker at time overacts. "Joe Wood's Junior Review of 11)15" furnish- ed the tab part of the performance. The re- view runs a little too long at present, and might be cut down about 1."» minutes. pat whiteTnd colleens. This 05-mlnute tabloid launched by Pat White 1b little more than one of the acta of bis former burlesque show. The company consists of four male principals, a chorus of eight girls, and Anna Grant, the soubret. One of the choristers leads a number and has a few lines at different Intervals. The men are headed by White with hit usual Irish char- acter, with one man straight, another a souse, and the fourth doubling as a western bad- man and an Italian. Miss Grant is the hard- est worker. She leads nearly all numbers and makes a change for each, her costuming running ahead of most soubrettes in tabs. The name of the piece is "Casey at the Club," with the setting representing the Interior of a country club. There is plenty of the rough and tumble type of comedy. For only a tab- loid this act has three "table scenes, one of which has two tables. Much of the rough comedy comes In at these Instances. White with his usual ice cracking business succeeds In securing a number of laughs. Some of the "gags" are decidedly old, as the "Widow" and "Stock Yards" jokes. Plenty of songs through- out which Is advantageous In these acts as a quantity of dialog will drag. The singing of the girls is of the usual grade with no special class In any department. The opening chorus Is decidedly poo* and very lengthy. Pat White has a couple of Irish numbers for him- self, Including a comic number that Is rather amusing. The dressing of the chorus Is not startling and most of the costumes look as If they had seen service in other productions. About five changes are made with the first a black and white flimsy affair being worn too long. The trouble with the Pat White tab- loid Is that It is Just plain, ordinary burlesque without any doubt. White Is a recognized burlesque comedian and In that Is at his best If surrounded by a company that did not look ho burleisquy he might be well received In vaudeville houses whirr* tabs btp now play- ing. Too much old material without a novel Idea also hampers the tab. It lacks class for any vaudeville theatre. The burlesque boxing exhibition brings It to a laughing finish. The Malsey. Rrooklyn, where the tab Is this week, has a clientele Inclined to like burlesque, but, even so, mnny walked out before this was over. THE BEAUTY SPOT. The tabloid Invasion experienced a substan- tial wallop this week with the arrival of Nat Jerornos newly constructed two-part musical tab, * Tho Deautjr Spot." at the Union Square, the wallop being so apparent, a short prelimi- nary dlBcourso on the posslbllltlpn of tho per- manent establishment of the "tab" brand of entertainment In the east is seemingly highly apropos. The producer who figures his tabloid can be adapted from some shop-worn bur- lesque book Is wrong, particularly In tho east where the averago "tab" patron has followed the burlesque shows. The ehap who goes prospecting with a series of Inconsistent bits nterrupted by the usual numbers, Is hIso aim- ing at the moon, for the "tab" must rarry all the essentials of a good burlesque show par- tlculnrly Insofar ns tho book Is concerned Those producers who Imagine tho "tab" gamo is merely a vacation period after the finale of the regular burlesque soason should look around, take a mental survey of, the "tab" possibilities, and either do It right or take the stereotyped "run-out powder." The Idea that a tabloid is nothing but a hastily con- structed "turkey" burlesque show Is also all wrong, in the middle-west the managers pay- ing salaries and railroad fares very oiten ex- ceed in ugures the weekly receipts of a good burlesque show, so It behooves the "tab" pro- ducers to get the proper angle and then do it right. Nat Jerome, in the production of "The beauty Spot," has evidently been working un- ucr a wrong idea. Jerome is a clever comic, carries a good list of past experiences and suould quality as a producer, nut his lnltla. tub ' euort leaves much to the imagination sb to his ability, at least to those wno are not acquainted with Jerome's work. His show is given in two parts, both played in one scene, a rather cheap-looking exterior, while he is Hupported by a quintet of decidedly weak prin- cipals and a chorus of ten. The equipment looks like the expenditure of a shoe-string" bank roll and doesn't even show half good sense in selection for the amount expended. The uhow is Jerky throughout and continually rambles from one subject to another, while the musical department consists of a collection ot time work melodies (mostly from one house) thai have long since outlived their usefulness. Jerome Is principal comedian, and to his credit it must be said he worked hard from curtain u. cuitain, and what laughs were corralled were solely as a reward to bis efforts. Oppo- site to Jerome was Steve Paul in an Irish role. Paul s character was reminiscent of ancient uays, although he could probably do better wiili proper material. Joe Ward, playing the "straight" role, stood out conspicuously for good behavior, excellent appearance and a splendid enunciation, in tue female contin- gent were Dorothy liarnes, Norma Brown and Margie Norworth. The chorus looked fair, but its vocal deportment went "democratic" after the nrst number. No attempt at originality has been made in the staging of either bits or numbers, Jerome holding up the aggrega tiou solely through his ability and experience. A couple of modern dancers interrupted the monotony of the nrst act with a series of con- ventional steps, and In the second section an Oriental number handled by Jerome threatened to help proceedings, but one encore sufficed and the possibility slmmereu out. The show is in Its second week and might hold up with the usual amount of work, but tne present boon looks all wrong. Wynn. NEW ACTS. (Continued from Page 12.) Maidie De Long. "The Baseball Bug' (Songs). 17 Mine.; One. American Roof. In a single act Maidie De Long gets away from all of the others through her characterizations, that of a country girl, a baseball fan in boy's uniform, and a Swedish girl. Miss De Long's baseball bit is worth watching and lis- tening to. It's the second number. Following is the Swedish bit, protract- ed beyond proper limit, and the girl is shy another number she should have about here to fill out the turn. Maidie is "stalling" now, during the Swedish song and talk, and after it. Personality is abundantly noticeable around this young woman. She has an easy way of working, getting her talk over also, and seems capable of handling a better all-around turn than she now owns. Among the "imitations" was one of Chaplin. Miss De Long was next to closing on the American Roof program Monday night. She was the third of nine acts to give a Chaplin impersona- tion. The audience liked Miss De Long to a marked degree and told her so in applause. Sime. Falke and Adams. Singing and Dancing. 14 Mini.; One. 23rd Street The first thing needed by Falke and Adams *is new songs. Those now em- ployed, with one exception are grow- ing old. The couple dress attractively, and have enough dancing ability to carry them over in the smaller houses. An eccentric dance by the man is the best the act offers. The woman has a fair voice and a number of atttractive gowns. Opening the show at the 23rd Street they did fairly well. Philippi Quartet Musical. 12 Mins.; Full Stage (Parlor). American Roof. This mixed musical quartet has three instrumentalists and one vocalist The latter sings two selections, and the trio plays two numbers, besides the singer's accompaniments, which isn't so bad since it only requires 12 minutes for the act. As everything is "straight," in song and music, the shorter the better. The musicians are a cellist, violinist and a pianist. The singer is a soprano, a rather good-looking girl, who had Tol- soi's "Good-Bye" to finish with. It was somewhat odd to hear a musical turn conclude with a solo, and the last line is "Good-Bye, Forever." Let lis hope not, as the audience appeared to like the act which is quite classy for the small time—and it can't be so very ex- pensive, or the soloist would have changed her gown between numbers when she was off the stage, leaving after her first song, for no apparent reason unless it was doubtful what ap- plause was to follow, and the singer didn't wish to remain, in embarrass- ment. She's quite a good singer with some good looks, and bare shoulders. The others are instrumentalists, a phrase very popular in the middle-west on middle-western vaudeville programs. It's like billing an animal act as a novelty. Sime. Clairemont Brothers (2). Pevolving Ladder. 6 Mine.; Full Stage (Curtains). Lushwick. For a fast running snappy opening o f a novel kind, the Clairemont Broth- ers will do. The two men are on a revolving ladder, with the finale having the couple revolving around, standing straight up with their feet fastened to the end of the ladder. One of the boys works in comedy makeup with his partner straight. Plenty of life in these men whose work is of a high standard. Musical Hollenders (2). 10 Mins., Full Stage. Halsey, Brooklyn. A man and woman with some musical props and various string instruments played in a novel way, have framed but an ordinary small time musical turn. The mechanical arrangement by which a bass viol and a flat-back man- dolin are played by working pedals with the feet is novel. The two playing up- on one instrument brings the act to a close. A Dutch setting and costumes are used. De Veaux and West. Comedy Sketch. 14 Mins.; Full Stage. The credit goes to the female mem- ber of De Veaux and West. From the rise to the fall of the curtain she talks, with the man tryintr to slip in a word, only to be stopped by his flustered wife, who is peeved because he re- mained out late. Tnev are reconciled when the man produces a t .-cscnt for his wife, it bein t her birthday." De Veaux and West are going to lind it hard going in some houses, while in others they should win all honors, if placed right. OBITUARY. John C. Rice, of the vaudeville team of Rice and Cohen, one of the best- known comedians of his type on the stage, died suddenly the afternoon of June 5 in the Hotel Majestic, Philadel- phia, where he and Mrs. Rice (Sally Cohen) had been stopping since Rice's arrival there to start picture work for Lubin. Rice had been in vaudeville for twen- ty years and he and Miss Cohen had presented numerous comedy skits from season to season. Rice was engaged recently to assist in the making of a feature Lubin film in which Marie Dressier was to be starred. Rice's illness seized him first at home a' Mount Vernon, N. Y., last Tuesday week, with a severe chill, but the come- dian went to Philadelphia, where he developed neuraemia. This, combined with Bright's disease, was the imme- diate cause of his death. A widow and daughter survive him. At one time Rice was associated with William (Old Hoss) Hoey and later with George W. Monroe in farce com- edy. When the partnership with Miss Cohen was formed and they went into vaudeville they were among the first It gits to enter vaudeville. Philip Kelly, charter member of the New York Local No. 1, Theatrical Protective Union, and who had been acting as its business agent up to the time of becoming too ill to attend to the office, died last Saturday at his home, 382 East 87th street, New York. Kelly, aged 74 years, was a former del- egate to the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees of the U. S. and Canada, and was one of the most aggressive men in the New York branch. His death was caused by a complication of diseases. A daughter survives. Jack McGreevy, of Mr. and Mrs. Jack McGreevy's, died May 27 at his home in Beaumont, Tex. McGreevy had been ailing for several years, but stubbornly i: ught off his illness until his strength was sapped and he was forced to give up. He was one of the most prominent men in vaudeville and brought to the stage a character that will serve as a lasting monument to his memory. He i* survived by a wife, with whom he worked in vaudeville. The funeral serv- ices were held by the Beaumont lodge of Elks. San Francisco, June 9. Ernest M. Pursel, of Portland Ore., attached to the Selig-Robinson Animal Show on the Exposition's "Zone," was killed June 2 while riding in "The Rowls of Joy." This is the second death registered against the riding de- vice since the fair opened, and result- ed in Mving the Exposition officials close it.