Variety (August 1915)

SHOW REVIEWS 15 PALACE. On paper the show looked like quality and there were sufficient names of the standard make to Insure the best of vaudeville enter- tainment, yet the close, sticky, mucky heat of Monday night •Imply took everything out of the bills Immaculate front. There was no speed and no Inclination on the part of any turn to put any ginger Into the show. A heavy, cumbersome dramatic sketch proved too much of a handicap on a humid, oppressive ° The heat Is the alibi. It not only affected the acts, but also affected business, although Just about the time Weber and Fields were to appear ouite a bunch dropped In for the Dutch come- dians' revival of some of their old stage bits. The LaVars opened the show. They worked pretty hard to please, and a bond of sympathy was extended to the dancing team. The LaVars are not sensational, but they dance effectively and show team work. That's some asset to be considered nowadays when dancing exhibitions sre becoming passe. Ous Van and Joe Schenck were "No. 2." They were almost through be- fore the people stopped walking In. Despite the confusion In the audience the boys did well, but lacked their former pep. Van and Schenck have changed considerably in their style, and the boys are now Inclined to take their work a little too seriously. They should also pay closer attention to their song routine. If memory serves us correctly it was the rag stuff that first brought them into favor. Charlie Ahearn has a number of new comedy wheels and a new drop for the racing travesty at the close, but that's about all. He was In the "No. 3" position, but grotesque wheel acts are not as popular as they were In other days, and Ahearn's Is pretty familiar on the cir- cuits m a Everybody seemed to feel sorry for Harry Fox and his new clothes. He and Yanscl Dolly followed the cycling turn and apparently regis- tered well, yet all the time Harry hardly winked an eyelash so drtssed up was he. Perhaps he might reduce a trifle and the perceptible stiff- ness of summer flannels might not work such a handicap. Miss Dolly Is one woman on the stage who Is not stingy with her clothes. Every time she Joins a production, appears In a new dancing number or reappears In vaudeville, she never falls to display new and nifty ward- robe. For the finish she wore a very Cblnesy creation of the Orient, Harry and Miss Dolly singing the new "Chinaman" song for the fin- ish. It's a happy combination—Fox and Dolly— with an "encore hit." taking place with Fox kidding the stage hand who unrolled the carpet and told Harry what he thought about the act. This "help" appeared nervous, but managed to make himself heard all over the house. Harry sang, talked, danced a little, whistled coughed and kidded In his proverbial and popular way. Edwards, Davis and Co. (New Acts) closed the first part. Trovato and fiddle started out quietly. So little was the applause It looked as though the musician and his eccentricities were flopping, but there was an awakening when he started the popular stuff. Here Is where Trovato shines, and the rest was easy on a hot night. The "singing plant" displayed a musical voice that blended with Trovato's violin. The audi- ence wanted more of the singing but didn't get it. That was where Trovato was wise. Weber and Fields were in a parlor set and in their old stage way made mincemeat of the English language, first at the pool table and then later further down state. The bor- rowing of the orchestra leader's violin and the breaking of It over Weber's head by Fields appeared funnier than ever, the way they did It. That vaudeville has made a won- derful change since Weber and Fields first slammed each other about In the exaggerated German attire Is best deduced from the old style compared with that used by the "two man" variety teams. The comedians worked about 20 minutes. Ruth Roye was next to closing. She Is a cspital entertainer, yet there appears to be a sameness about her song delivery that should be remedied In some way. Miss Koye is doing very little of the rag routine that character- ized her first days in the bigger houses. First she used "Green River," which earned a few laughs and a little applause. It remained for her final number, "When I Get Back to My Home In Tennessee," to boom her average. Ameta closed and held many In with her mirror dances. To Ameta credit is due to the artistic way she finishes her dances. The but- terfly, fire and Illy effects, ala serpentine, were striking. Mark. BRIGHTON. The largest crowd the Brighton theatre has held on a Monday night for three years as- sembled that evening this week, most of them to watch their summer neighbor. Gertrude Hoffman In "Sumurun" (New Acts). Thereby and therefore George Robinson gave indication of bis astuteness In booking Miss Hoffman for the Initial week In a new produc- tion, regardless of the merit of It (not known in advance of course), but depending uron her name to draw. Mr. Robinson Is the manager of the Brighton. He will not admit'that this has been his best summer, but It would appear that that should have been the : a eeutt of no opposition at the Brighton Beach Music Hall, at least In vaudeville, but this sunnier at the Music Hall "A Birth of a Nation.' a feature film, has been operating, and It has kept the Brighton from continual capacity, t«i fact It has hurt the Brighton's receipts. With the weather breaking right this week, however, Mr. Robinson should have his banner one of the season. ' _ , . It wouldn't be fair to say the Brighton "cheated" on the bill this week. M much as that seems to be so on the program and the stage The Hoffman turn must be an expen- Ive one, even In Its try-out week, and the Hoffman name waa the only one on the bill to draw real bualneas. As they go there to see Hoffman, It mattered little what else they saw. "Sumurun" made up the second part en- tirely, opening at 10.13 and closing at 11.23. The first half fen In this order, Grey and Peters, Edwin George, Comfort and King, Grace Fisher, Ed Blondell and Co. Laughter waa readily obtained from the Monday night audience. If "Sumurun" had held any comedy It would have been a riot. Mr. George started them giggling, with his comedy-talking Juggling. Comfort and King In blackface singing and comedy alao worked some wrinkles in the warm phlssea of the multitude, and even Grace Fisher got laughs when she used an old woman "plant," In a "Biddy" make up tc sing the chorus of an Irish number. Miss Fisher has a carriage for a single many others might envy, she looks good and could handle certain songs quite well, but her numbers as at present used will never bring her to much attention. She has placed two popular numbers for her last songs. One of these Is "My Little Girl." Miss Fisher Is delivering It exactly as everyone else has done, reading a letter and singing about It The usher passed the letter to her over the footlights. Miss Fisher could have learned If she visited the vaudeville houses, big and small, everybody has been singing this number the same way, the same letter, the same business, the ssme everything—of those who were coached. It's shout the quick- est way to kill a number for stage use, when "ad lib" business In connection with It Is always the same. Nor does Miss Fisher use good Judgment with her "plant." insisting upon an encore, following the first chorus which was Just right as executed, and a dandy "plug" for the Irish number. If Miss Fisher Intends to continue In big time vaudeville, she had best revise her song routine, for she seems to have everything else. Ed Blondell and his company of one played "The Lost Boy"—again. It has been changed about somewhat since Ed played U In Au- stralia, and one or two new "gags" In It may have been suggested In that country- Instead of the young girl who couldn't holler very loud, there Is a woman now opposite Blondell, whom he wants to marry, but she recites how her three husband* died as he "Hnwh-h-h-h's" and runs away under the trick umbrella. The Hoffman act, closing, found It hard to hold all of the audience until the finish, al- though the lateness of the hour may be partlv responsible. Anyway, those In the rear liked the Idea of the company going over the run- way, particularly the girls who seemed to be clad for the summertime. 8ime. HENDERSON'S. Just why Houdlnl could not gain his release from his contract with Henderson's for the current week to play the Palace for tfle third week was clearly demonstrated at the beach house Tueeday night when It held capacity In all parts, with Houdlnl due for the credit. Henderson's has a heavy bill this week In support of the headllner. The show waa In all probability arranged to offset sny slack- ing In business that might be csused by the Gertrude Hoffman engagement at the Brigh- ton, although that house can hardly be termed a close competitor for Henderson's, as both seem to draw from different sections. Tuesday night was cool which naturally helped business for Indoor amusements and brought the big crowd to Henderson's, as the house draws to a large extent from resi- dents of the Island, as evidenced by appre- ciation for local talk. Houdlnl bad "No. 6" spot In the nine-act bill, using 32 minutes, half occupied by the handcuff king's picture used to demonstrate his ability In tricks not done by him In the present act. The needle trick and the water case mystery are the turn this week. Francis Dooley and Corlnne Sales, who fol- lowed, scored one of the big hits of the show. The couple got right at home with the audi- ence, who were loath to see them depart. The show started with Fred and Edith Bijou (New Acts). Os-Ko-Mon i*nd Red Feather (New Acts), were second. Eddfe Carr and Co., with the familiar sketch, "The Office Boy," was welcomed with many hearty laughs. The audience was In exceedingly good humor during this turn and continued so during Fields and Halllday, who followed. The comedy work of these two, slthough de- cidedly old, was amusing to those present. The Six Musical Gorman* appeared next with their excellent band work. The little boy leader secured applause. Moore, Gardner and Rose (New Acts). Martlnettl and Sylvester closed with their tumbling. AMERICAN ROOF. Condensed opera, a boy Impersonator, an in- fant elephant, and a genuinely good English Johnny art, helped make up an Interesting evening at the American Roof Monday. Not the sort that calls out a lot of applause or hilarious laughter, but the sort that Is pleas- antly remembered the morning after. Which Is a good test. It started tamely enough, though. SI Kltrhl, another of the Japanese trapeze artists, opened with some work that really Justified his billing as "sensational." Unfortunately, acts of this kind, however good, win little applause these days. SI Kltrhl rides a swinging and twirling trapeze, balanced on his head on the cross- bar, and not otherwlst supported. And he holds himself In an Inverted position head down, feet In the air, supported only by grip- ping a rod in his teeth, a rod stuck Into the trapeze bar. Yet the spectator gets more thrills from the roll of the snare drum that acrora- panles him than the difficult feat Itself. Noldy and Noldy, Italian* comedians, left nothing but an air of depreaalon. They may not be amateurs, but one suspects It strongly. With so many really laughable Jokes about, why build an act on "I came over aewerage," "No, you mean storage," when talking of im- migration. The humor la auppoaed to come from the alow understanding of one of the men—an Idea well enough, since most farce comedy la built upon the stupidity of some of the characters, but the working out here con- sists of stupidity minus the element of farce. With "Little Hip." a bored looking Infant elephant with an assortment of tricks, things woke up a bit Marguerite Ford (New Acts). "The Beauty Doctor," a farce, featuring Dor- othy Rogers and Sully Guard, la another of the great claaa of "might-have-beens" that Eeople the popular houaea. It might have een Improved by being less sllp-stlcky In con- struction, It might have run a few minutes longer, and It might have been on the big time stage If It had fulfilled these conditions. But It waa amualng enough for its purpose. So were The Minstrel Four, who built up logically an amusing bit by continuous repeti- tion of the question "Why?" But best of all was "The New Impressarlo," an act that needs only a little more polishing to make It a hit. Contrary to most vaudeville rulea. It puts 15 people on the stage at once—four principals, a dancer and a chorus that honestly sings. Some of the best known operatic airs, such as the Spinning Song from "Martha" and the Toreador from "Carmen" are strung together In the rehearsal scene of a vaudeville act be- ing put together by a stage manager. It drew applause and deserved It. So did the American Roof orchestra, for the excellent accompaniment. Layton and Lennle put on an act featuring an Englishman and an American. Not half bad. If It did run somewhat too much to the "old top." the "silly ass." the "Jove" and other expressions current among the English—as Im- personated on the stage. The Four Wlnerraeers (New Acts). FIFTH AVE. Despite the heat the Fifth Ave. was com- fortably filled Monday evening. The bill was first class and well arranged. A noticeable feature was the appearance of Maud Lambert and Ernest Ball, each doing an Individual turn, and sharing the headline position with Howard Thurston's "Mile a Minute." a melodramatic sketch. Miss Lambert's popularity was shown when some one presented her with a basket of flow- ers and she was forced to an encore, singing her former partner's song, "Mother Machree," Miss Lambert wore two dresses. The second was an artistic affair. She sang four num- bers, with "Home in Tennessee," which scored heavily, ss a closer. The show received a good start with Kurtla' Roosters. The little fowls were In good be- havior and went through the routine with hardly a miss. Next came Lambert and Fred- ericks (New Act), and who did very well. Bertha Crelghton and Co. held the first sketch position and pleased through the ad- dition of a few new situations and catch lines that go to make the little offering an accept- able turn for the bigger houses. The girl handling the wife character shows wonderful Improvement. Miss Crelghton has a pleasing personality and speaks her lines In faultless style. A two-reel Keystone comedy, "A Rascal's Wolfish Way," gained any number of laughs and applause at the finish. An Illustrated song, "Don't Blame Me For What Happens In the Moonlight." by Mabel Burke, who Is a big favorite down here, came In for applause, due to Miss Burke's voice, which seemed In some- what better condition than of yore. Following Miss Lambert, who stopped pro- ceedings for a few minutes, "A Mile a Minute," melodramatic, did well. Billy Raymond as the chauffeur received a few laughs with his talk. The little girl looked and acted her part well. Ernest Ball, next to closing, scored a dis- tinct hit with a repertoire of bis own compo- sitions. His popularity was attested to also by the 20 odd minutes he was obliged to do. And before he could get away he had to sing a med- ley of his past successes and a new war ballad that sounds as though It might be a consistent winner. The show was brought to a dandy close by the Welling Levering Company of comic cyclists, the girl drawing not a little comment on her peachy figure, and the turn held the majority in to the last. HARLEM OPERA HOUSE. Novelty advertising has a champion of Its own In the Harlem opera house, where Harry Swift exercises his brain to dig up new ad- vertising stunts for the Harlemltes, the result of a summer campaign being steady patronage. A capacity orchestra and gallery there Mon- day night, probably tho hottest night of the summer season, with only a fair show on the cards. Swift's latest wrinkle Is a number of annunciators placed throughout Harlem on con- spicuous corners, all worked from a switch- board planted In the theatre office. The ma- chine alternates between popular song records and announcements anmt the "wonderful, marvellous, record breaking, astounding ag- gregation of high class talent, all for a dime." The smokers* section In the balcony was a trifle light Monday, but the overflow on the other two floors balanced It up well. The show Is headed by Evn Fay In her mystic offering, Mrs. Fay being held over for the full week. Thero Is no change to her rou- tine slnee last reviewed, hrr principal asset lying In a charming personality and the apt manner In which she mnkon her replies and comment, mixing In sufflrlmt romedy to keep the bouse In good humor, yet never falling to keep up the mystic tension. Mrs. Fay was un- doubtedly responsible for many of the gather- ing,, for at her finale a large number exited unceremoniously, leaving the remainder of the show to work to a diminished house. The bill opened by Hermany • PeU\ oats and dogs, going through the stereotyped routine of animal tricks, although Hermany provided something novel In his style of apparatus. The swinging bars allow for some difficult feats and If the principal would dress up the turn, add something classy in the wsy of scenery and generally bolster up the appearance, the offering should qualify for the larger houses. 11 a W . ,u p i e * ,e .. M wel1 *• •** similar act. AHcs Farrell, a violinists, held second spot and did surprisingly well with the house, con- sidering her routine. A dance to her own music for a finale earned her a hit, but at best Miss Farrell can only qualify for the smallsr circuits. Sidney Stone and Co. came next with a comedy aklt labelled "Oh I Say." In which Stone eaaayed the role of an Engllah Johnnie. Four people complete the cast, one character a uniformed policeman. This shows faulty direction, for he should appear In plain clothes to take the liberties allowed the part In this script. The younger girl showed to best advantage In her second character, while the elder character held up to expectations. The story rambles at times, but sufficient com- edy situations sre there. For the pop houses Stone has a likely offering. ™A KeyBton « two-reeler called "A Rascal's wolfish Way," was the comedy hit of the bill, bringing out the best comedy situations Imag- inable. An Illusion shows a train, automobile and a number of comic characters running ud atop a Jack-knife bridge to dive Into the water, while In another section an airship Is wrecked and brought to the ground. Superior direction makes It a splendid product and ons good for a weeks run at the Harlem house. " Tb K .PfP 0 F,re 0,r,8 ' M w «t" • Juvenile cast, held down a lengthy section with a rou- tine of comedy bits and gags crediting some- one with sn elastic memory. In spots the act is decidedly good, while at times It runs com- pletely off The drill number Is especially well ftaged and the Italian characterlat works smoothly with expected results, but the others of the cast show little beyond ordinary talent The straight man held bis end up and helped w, * h 'J? com,c - A « ood ■■■» for small tlmeT -hiUJ ,, '"tr ated son « P r «c«lad Eva Fay, after which Ha I ley and Hawley and the ''Metro- politan Dancing Glrla" appeared. The former turn should eliminate the opening and get right down to the comedy routine. The yodel num- ber should also be pulled out for something more suitable and the comedian might change to evening dress for better effect. The com- edy patter Is excellent, the comedian carrying a style of his own. but the present construc- tion of the skit will hold the pair back "The Metropolitan Girls" closed with fairly good dances, the costumes measuring up nice- ly, but as vet the act Is not In condition to step beyond the smaller houses. With some work and a slight rearrangement they will i ual M Sr K f ? r the b,f **■•• T™ »or7 girls would help somewhat As a closing turn It went exceptionally well. winm. JEFFERSON. A mechanical reproduction, "Sinking of the Lusltanla" (New Acta) held the big let- ters out front But placed In favor by those Inside Carrie Llllle received sufficient ap- M?. U . 8e tm. warrant . her tte nU ot *»• ■no*- miss Llllle sang four songs and made as msny changes, displaying some stnnnlng garmenture. Her repertoire at present con- sists of a couple of mediocre numbers, that could handily be eliminated. For the tarn ™al\ n « er , . ,tarts unt!l tt » l«"t number. "Safety First." a number which has a good many catch lines, and It was on the strength of this she succeeded In registering the hit of the evening. h«H d ?K Majr .*.^ eek, \ ft ▼*"»•«!• little miss, had the Initial position, snd did very well with her combined toe dancing and contor- tions. A new opening song hss replaced the old one. but It might be advisable to «lng more loudly, as It was not heard beyond the tenth row. A nifty cake-walk also Inserted ror a finish, make the turn an acceptable pop time single. The Reynolds, two girls and a male part- ner, gained a few laughs on a burlesque magic "bit" that Is weak. The girl, look is though they might have served their appren- ticeship as a "sister" turn, but In an en- deavor to do better, through the addition of tne male member, have not succeeded. "Leave the World Behind," by the man. came In for applause, as did "Bom Bombay." Pelham Linton, an English comedian, came rortb with a number of new Jokes. A song- monolog was his best, he gathering quite a little applause at the finish. His third num- ber could go out. or at least one of the choruses, for It l« too long. Porter and Sullivan scored throughout their turn. A complete re-arrangement Is in vogue with their present vehicle, which has finally gotten them away from the ordinary Idea of 'mixed" teams. "Don't Blame Me for What Happens In the Moonlight." a new number having a pleasant swing to It. gave them a good start. "On the 7.2R," by the man, was well rendered. A couple of character numbers received applause. With the finish fixed, their turn should prove Itself. A Pathe pictorial and a Nestor comedy did no good In breaking Into the show at this Junction. Carrie Llllle. next, pulled down the big hit. Fletcher. Llbby and Pond In a hodge-podge of old Jokes and a couple of song numbers, pasnod off to but fair returns. Selbln and Grovlna proved a splendid closer, and rame a close second for honors of the evening.