Variety (December 1916)

NEW ACTS THIS NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK Initial Presentation, First App~r»»c« or Reappearance »u or Aro*ni NirY.rk "Creation," Palace. "Rubeville" Colonial. The Devolas, Alhambra. Gene Greene and Co., (new act), Royal. Van Liew and Co., Royal. Orren and Drew. Royal. Catherine Powell and Co.. Royal. _ Maud Allan and Co, Dances. 36 Mini.; Full Stage (Special Set). Palace. "Can they come back, can they come back, back to the vaudeville dollars they love?" They may love their art, but oh, that coin. And speaking of coin, the sordid stuff, it looked Mon- day night as if Maud Allan, whether she pleased the audience or not, certainly did make the Palace management feel good. She drew money, did Maud, with some of the same dances she started the classical bunk with years ago, over in London, at another Palace. It was Maud Allan who reincarnated classical music for the varieties into live, popu- lar airs until even at this day vaudeville can't determine which it likes best, the music or the dancer, although the mu- sic will always carry the odds. Open- ing with "The Spring Song" Miss Allan skipped her second programed number at night, "Moment Musical" and pro- ceeded to "The Blue Danube." She made the river very long; then Alfred Kastner, likely an adjunct of the aban- doned Allan concert tour, stepped be- fore the curtain, sat down with his harp and manipulated the strings so well he got the only real applause dur- ing the 36 mintites. After that, re- turned Miss Allan in a desert panto, called "Nair, the Slave." Miss Allan was Nair and Stafford Pemberton was her lover. Several characters were on the program, also a synopsis. Orientals wandered hither and thither through the scenery. Once in a while you woke up and Miss Allan was still dancing. Then she killed somebody so Stafford wouldn't get hurt, and it was over at last. The setting was lovely if you could overlook it, reminded you -of a side show tent. Miss Allan hasn t changed much, but the style in classi- # cal dancing has. She forgot to put in a Honolulu wriggle and will probably hear from Hawaii about that. Other- wise it's Maud Allan, of name and fame. If either is good enough for the box office, it's good enough for* vaude- ville, but how those 34 buck and wing dancers at the Century would fit in the centre of Miss Allan's act! Sime. Murial Window. . . Songa. - I 13 Mint.; One. Colonial. In her new singing specialty, Murial Window has successfully gone after "something different" both in material and the general arrangement of her turn, singing a quartet of special songs by William Friedlander, with a costume change for each number, the changes be- ing effected behind a circular lobby lounge commonly used to dress the base of a hotel column. It keeps the prin- cipal continually in view and allows the opportunity to change without that perilous wait off-stage. The songs have been made to order and Miss Window, delivering them with plenty of "pep" and the required personality, with which she is abundantly supplied, made every one register. "How's Every Lit- tle Thing" is the opener with "Birdie's Ball," "Toy Town" and "Naughty Boy" following in .that order. The "Birdie" . number wa^ strengthened with so_me_ bird calls and brought the best returns," although the final song was amply strong for that position. The routine as arranged now is the best Miss Win- dow has ever attempted and should connect with little or no trouble. Wpnn. The Girlies Gambol" (18). Tabloid. "The Girlies Gambol" featuring Mar- garet lving and Felix Adler is a Ned Way burn production. It may be a "tabloid" or a "revue" or a "girl act" It has something of each of those. There are 12 girls with six principals, led by Mr. Adler, who is giving his vaudeville turn piecemeal, to permit the change of clothes for the tour song numbers after the opening ensemble. The songs are the "Grandmother Days," "Indian Fox Trot Ball" and "Hawaiian" number as done in Ziegfeld's "Midnight Frolic," also "The Will o' the Wisp" song with the electric charged plates for buck dancing as done in this sea- son's "Follies." The costumes look the same as in the original and with the 12 choristers, a very presentable bunch, this means a great deal, for it makes the act extremely dressy. The "Grand- mother" number with its hoopskirts and the saucy little headgear will be an attraction alone, for in vaudeville these costumes seem nothing less than stun- ning. Paul Frawley leads a couple of the numbers, Miss lving the other two. Then there is a girl roper who scores individually, and there are a couple of skating dancers (a, la The Glorias). Mr. Adler gathers the laughs, and is doing some new matter along witfi his old material ("I Know Them All" with the ventriloquial bit). The act ran about.50 minutes when seen. It may be cut down somewhat but not a great deal. In the opening there is some comedy dialog used by Mr. Adler in connection with the chorus girls. It was probably written by Tommy Gray and gets several laughs. Among the patter was "What is a h>pocrite? A Digby Bell and Co. (4). "Mind Your Own Business" (Comedy Farce). 25 Mina.;- Five (Parlor). Palace. An elderly couple' with a young wedded daughter decide to unravel the early matrimonial tangles of the youth- ful couple through feigning a scrap, the first the parents ever had. This solves the problem for the younger pair who forget their own troubles at the sight of their elders violently quarreling, but the make believe battle of the did uns becomes a reality when the mother is convinced her husband has been, flirting with another woman, then a guest in the household, and as old as the parents themselves. As farces have the habit of straightening themselves out at the curtain, this one is no exception. Digby Bell returns to vaudeville in this, with a company of farceurs of apparently more or less ability, but good enough for the playlet, although Helen Blair as the daughter might locate a g<*wn that seemed made for her and had a bit of style to it. The sketch runs 25 min- utes. It is 10 minutes before the piece really starts and precisely 19 minutes before the first and only genuine laugh is heard. Long long ago a thing of this sort would have stood a chance. Now it is only small timey unless Mr. Bell's reputation can hold it up on the big- ger stages, for vaudeville knows its complicated family farces inside and out. The sketch, written by WincHeJl Smith and John L. Golden, is pro- gramically described as "The 'Turn to the Right' of Vaudeville." If so the authors should have a summons given them for mixing in with the variety traffic. Sime. PROTECTED MATERIAL Variety'* Protected Msterisl Department will receive and file all lettere addressed to it. The eavelisnes are to he ■■tied esem the hack is a smaaaer to prevent epening withont detec- tion, unlets bj permission of the owner of the letter. It is suggestod all letters be registered, addreasod to Protected Material, Variety, New York, and receipt ref nested. Variety will acknowledge each letter re Full partiontars of the "Protected Material Department" were published on Page * in Variety of Feb. 4, Ifla, The following circuits, managements and agencies have signified a willingness to adopt such means as may be within their power to ehminate "lifted material" from their theatres, . . . ...... *- . by varietj -rhen informed nf the result of an investigation MARCUS LOltW dECUIT BUT L£V£Y CULCUrT (Jos. ht Schonck) pox oftcurr Allen) (Walter F. Keefe) tcurr (Bert Levey) SHBA CiBCUTT (Marry A. Shea) FEIBSJI-SUBA OBCUTT r) (Richard ALQZ ORCU] FINN.MB2MAN ORt (Sam Kahl) (J. H. Alos) RICKARDS ORCUrr (Australia) (Chris. O. Brown) ty: PAMTAGES CIRCUIT (Walter F. Reofe) I. S. MOSS CIRCUIT (B. &. Moos) GUS SUN CIRCUIT _ (Gus Sua) MICH. VAUDEVILLE CIRCUIT (W. 8. Butterfield) U. S. V. M, A. (Walter J. Plimmer) man who can go home to his wife with a smile on his face." At the Fifth Ave- nue the last half last week William and Mary Rogers used the same "gag." The setting is neatly done in imitation of the Urban scheme, although the cur- tain or whatever is used for the back drop doesn't look any too well. But the effect is secured. With these girls, their clothes, Mr. Adler and the Gene Buck-Dave Stamper songs that were so popular on the Amsterdam Roof, this show should do very nicely for vaude- ville. If it could carry the "Midnight Frolic" billing it would be a big fea- ture in the biggest houses, but as framed the turn can go on its merits, remem- bering the length of it, and in the smaller cities the act should easily draw business besides. Sime. Jack Burnett. Songs and Piano. 12 Mins.; One. American Roof. Jack Barnett is a singing pianist with comedy on the side. Opening after in- termission on the Roof the first half he was not heavy enough to keep the show upon the high level set by the turns which preceded him. Much time is de- voted an international piano playing idea in which he impersonates people of various countries playing "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree." The idea is not new and suffered according- ly. The best is an Italian number and the oratorio business used at the finish. The latter contains several laughs and could be worked up more strongly. Barnett is but a fair piano playing single best suited to an early spot. Dixie Harris and Her Four. Songs. 15 Mins.; One. American Roof. Dixie Harris, assisted by a male quartet, has a turn fresh from the west, where it is to return after a short so- journ around New York. The act con- sists of published numbers with Miss Harris the leader of the majority, the men handling one Jin quartet fashion. Her most successTuT"Is~ "Bye IJye," which together with the Hawaiian num- ber with the men playing ukeleles makes the two main items of note. Dixie dresses well with her assistants also appearing in good style. The act, however, noticeably lacks the punch. Benton and Grey. Songs and Talk. 14 Mins.; One (3); Two (3); One (8). Jefferson. A man and woman singing, talking and dancing team of the type that will go along in an early spot on the small time. The girl works as though she had at one time been a member of the girl minstrel acts. The "novelty" of the turn consists of her putting on a black- face ;:iake-up iti view of the audience and impersonating a minstrel man of a decade ago. The man also blacks up and sings a number in fairly good voice. It is a neat little small time act. Fr6& NEW SHOWS NEXT WEEK Legitimate Productions Ann enact* far Metropolitan Pre mi er*, Mme. Sarah Bernhardt, Empire, Dec, 4. "The Master," (Arnold Daly), Ful- ton, Dec. 5. "Her Soldier Boy," (Clifton Craw- M^Astor^ecJ. Leah Nora. Songa. 12 Mins.; One. Alhambra. A tall, attractively shaped blonde, with an abundant fund of striking per- sonality and a repertoire of special number, Leah Nora (formerly Vinie Bailey) is carving out a perma- nent stand among vaudeville's beat ' single women this week at the Al- hambra. Heretofore, Miss Nora's set- back has been centered in the grade o! her specialty, but in her current rou- tine she displays a keen sense of good judgment for her numbers have been selected strictly for their quality and type. Dave Stamper, one of vaudeville's most versatile pianists, accompanies ' Miss Nora through her four songa, the opener being constructed of introduc- tory material culminating with a com- parison of yesterday and today. It's a new version of "When Grandma Was a girl," with a healthy lyric and an attractive tune. A Spanish number called "Leonora" (which might explain the principal's rechristening) comes second, colored with a wrap sug- gestive of the type and running toward the light comedy classification in lyri- cal construction. "Louna Lou," a Hawaiian ditty, closes with a popular song utilized for an encore. The orchestral arrangement is cleverly cov- ered with Mr. Stamper accompanying the song proper, the house musicians joining in the second chorus. Its a good "single" turn from every angle, entertaining, somewhat different and capable of holding a late spot *At the Alhambra Miss Nora scored an em- phatic hit Tfyitft. Eddie Borden and Co. (2). , Songs, Dances and Music 14 Mine.; One. Harlem O. H. Eddie Borden has a genuinely good double act with James Dwyer working opposite as an English "Johnnie," The couple have a rather novel entrance, proceeding through a routine of bright cross fire talk and following with a solo by Dwyer and a dance by Borden. The latter's personality dominates and carries the affair along with little or no trouble. Dwyer should replace the song for one typical of his character. It doesn't seem consistent for a comedian to step directly out his character to comply with the lyrics of a song. Dwyer does and the inconsistency is noticeable. The couple registered a safe hit nevertheless. Wpnn. Cecile Weston and Co. (1). Piano-Act 13 Mins.; One. Palace. Cecile or Cecilia Weston is now only billing herself, though she has a young girl accompanist at the piano. Miss Weston sings four songs, one of w hich the girl joins in. Not an extraordinary pianist in any way and with a habit of missing a note or so when she tries to glance at the audience while playing, the young woman lends no assistance of any value to Miss Weston when do- ing the duet with her. The pianiste's voice is entirely untrained, to say the least about it. A couple of the numbers sound restricted. "No. 2" at the Palace did not afford any unusual opportunity for Miss Weston, but she could not hold a better spot in a big house, and with the present act wifi appeal more to small big time or big small time audiences. In her "Where did you get that stuff" number, there is an unnecessary and injurious yell. The spot-light is employed constantly and wrongly. gfr