Variety (June 1917)

* CABLES PROBLEMATICAL DAMAGE GIVEN IN HIGH ENGLISH COURTS Artiste Having Sharing Arrangement Sues to Recover Per- centage of Lost Receipts Through Theatre Having Increased Admission Scale. Allowance Based on Previous Engagements. London, May 31. A new point of law is raised in a de- cision by the King's Bench division of the High Court on a theatrical law suit, brought by Liane d'Eve against the Empire Theatre of Varieties of Mid- dlesborough for breach of contract Mile. d'Eve entered into a contract to play on sharing terms with the man- agement of the theatre, she to furnsh the entire show and to receive 60 per cent of the gross. About that time the Government entertainment tax went performance at the Haymarket, Tune 1, and is probably the success of the cur- rent season. It is a comedy in three acts by J. E. Harold Terry, and is presented by Frederick Harrison in conjunction with Percy Hutchison and Herbert Jay. Charles Dillingham has the American rights to the pjay. "INSIDE THE LINES" GOOD. „_ . London, May 31. Inside the Lines" was produced at into operation and the house manage-, the Apollo May 23. The press gen- the prices for all seats erally votes it a good play. It was throughout the theatre, causing the gross to drop below that of previous engagements at the former scale. Plaintiffs counsel contended it would be possible for any management, at any moment, by altering the prices, to render it impossible for an artist to earn a living. On the question of dam- ages, he added, it must be assumed that if the plaintiff had had the same fair play as in previous engagements, she would have been as great a suc- cess. The Court held that plaintiff was en- titled to damages through the altera- tion of the admission prices, but there had never been a precedent to deter- mine problematical receipts either in England or America. He ruled the plaintiff was surely entitled to takings equal to previous engagements in the town and taking two previous appear- ances in Middlesborough as a basis to determine the amount she was entitled to have earned on the contract, he ren- dered a verdict for something like $140 more than her share of the 60-40 divi- sion of receipts for the week. enthusiastically received. LAUDER SHOW ENDING RUN. London, May 31. Cheers," in which Harry "Three BRILLIANT FARCICAL COMEDY Lauder is appearing, will be withdrawn from the Shaftesbury June 2. The show will be succeeded by the Carl Rosa Opera Company now at the Garrick, which opens at the Gar- rick June 4. MUST PUT IN PROVINCES. London, May 31. Harry Tate, unable to play London owing to the barring clause in his con- tract with Albert De Courville, the re- vue, "Good-Bye," was produced at the Brighton Hippodrome June 28, witli Tate and Irene Shamrock in the lead- ing parts. TOM POM" AT THE PALACE. London, May 31. "Vanity Pair" will leave the Palace Tune 9, and some time during the fed* lowing week, probably June t5, Al- fred Butt will present tnere "Pom Pom," produced by tb* American stage director. William T. Wilson. Tj^ die cast will be Gertie Millar, London, May 31._ ---Grade Leight, John Hynphries. of .Wjfef, ••••Penny —; Atthe_£ WiseTby Mary Stafford Smith, was produced May 26. It is a brilliant far- cical comedy of Lancashire life and was a triumph for Ada King as the leading lady. Incidentally, Manager Aldin intro- duced an innovation in West End prices, charging from eight to one shil- lings ($2.00 to 25 cents), including the war tax on tickets. At all other houses visitors pay the tax. PROHIBITED PUT SHOWING. London, May 31. Charles B. Cochran will present at the Ambassadors', June 5, E u gene Brieux's hitherto prohibited play. "The Three Daughters of M. Dupont," with Ethel Irving and O. B. Clarence in the leading roles. Lawrence Irving presented the play in America some years ago. ALL STARS, THRICE DAILT. London, May 31. The Palladium successfully continues its policy of three shows daily, with all-star bills. The program this week includes Marie Lloyd, Billv Merson. Sam Bar- ton, Lorna and Toots Pounds, May Moore Duprez, Bransby Williams. COMIC OPERA SEASON. London, May 31. "Jimmy" Glover commenced a sea- son of comic opera Mav 28 at Ply- mouth for four weeks, reviving "Cloches Corneville." with Yvonne Granville as principal, to be followed by "Falka" and "La Mascotte." DUPREZ HEADING REVUE. London, May 31. Albert deCourville presents "Smile" at the Garrick June 6. with Fred Du- prez as leading comedian. The -"-eviie will be staged by Haskell. Forbes-Robertson Ordered Out of Play. London, May 31. At the Queen's, where Foroes-Rob- ertson has been plaving "The Passing of the Third Floor Back." donating his entire company in aid of war charities, he has been compelled to withdraw on the advice of his physician. Ben Web* ster has been substituted. Tack PICKED AS SEASON'S SUCCESS. London, May 31. "General Post" celebrated its 100th Phyllis Dare Leaves "Hanky Panky." London, May 31 Phyllis Dares leaves "Hanky Panky" at the Empire Tune 2. Her successor will be Jennie Benson. In spit of the continual additions the piece remains unintere sting. _ DEBUTANTE IN "LONDON PRIDI London, May 31 Mabel Russell retires from "London Pride" at Wyndham's June 13, andii» be succeeded by Flora Le B re ton,.'di- rect from the Acamedy of Dranfitic Arts. Miss LeBreton is only 17 jjars old. This will be her first appeartnee other than as an amateur. The experiment of presenting a neo- phyte in a leading role in the West End will be watched with intersft ILL AND INJURED IN LONDON. London, May 31. Paul Martinette is about again after a long and severe illness. Charles Aus- tin is recovering from his recent ac- cident. THEATRE TAX MAT BE DROPPED. London, May 31. The impression is generally gaining the theatre tax will not be imposed be- yond October and may probably be dropped entirely before that time. GIBBONS' HAVE SON. London, May 31. Lieut. Colonel Walter Gibbons' wife ptesented him with a son May 15. Garden Party Needs More Room. London,„ May 31. The annual Theatrical Garden Party will be held this year at Royal Hospital .Grounds, Chelsea. Attractions have so increased that the Royal Botanical Gar- dens cannot accommodate them. This popular function will be held in July. NO. 2 "LIBERTY AFLAME." There is an endesvor afoot to se- cure the services oi Margaret Anglin to present the Julia Arthur offering, "Liberty Aflame" over the Orpheum Circuit Miss Arthur is to continue to present the act in the East. The Orpheum Circuit announced that it had secured Miss Anglin on Wed- nesday. The same day Miss Anglin announced she would present three plays in New Yorkmext season. They are a iruiiiacized version of Emerson Hough^s novel "The Broken Gate," Hulbert Footner's play, "Getters and Givers," and a comedy entitled "The Pot o' Shamrock." "Another surprise came in the last act with Society Dances of Mile. Wertebsa and Prank Van Hoven. He is now working- all through the Revue and his French, if anything, is worse than when he was at the Alhambra last sum- frfr; but he makes us laugh, and that is what Faria wand at the present time, Perhspt some day he will tell the world what he is ambitious to become. At present he does at piano play- ing, dancing, bicycle riding, etc. But one must admit he is a past msster at what the Ameri- cans would term 'stalling his way through/ M (Translated from "La Petite Journal." P aris.) IN LONDON. London, May 14. Charles B, Cochran has acquired a play by Captain Bruce Bairnsfather en- titled "The Better 'Ole" for production in the autumn. He has also secured the English and American rights of 'Carminetti," recently produced in Paris by Andre Barde and C. A. Car- pentier. Music by Emile Lassailly. It will follow "£150" at the Ambassador's with Delzm in the leading part British Empire pictures are coming along at last. Britain, Australia, Can- ada and now South Africa are turning out fine pictures and the public are be- ginning to ask for them. A few days ago "The Grit of a Jew/' with Augus- tus Yorke the principal part, made a good impression and we shall see both Potass and Perlmutter in another Jewish pictire shortly entitled "A Just Deception.'" »» Many variety managers are of opinion that the ne* "Entertainment Tax" wtil mean the closing of provincial houses during July and August ' The cheaper cinema housts are feeling the drain ter- ribly. A report on the subject of cheaper seati shows that at 315 thea- tres the takings for three months im- mediately folowing the tax show a re- duction of £52,000 less than the pre- ceding three months. Louisa Nolan, a chorus girl appear- ing in "Three Cheers" at the Shaftes- bury, who was awarded the military cross by the king in recognition of her heroism during the Irish rebellion, has been further honored with a gold wrist- let watch from the Carnegie Hero Fund. The Lord Mayor made the pre- senatioa. bought 100 seats for music-hall boxing chamoionsTiins,#b take place at the Na- tionjftf Sporting* Club on June 7th for the use of wounded soldiers. CANADIAN CONDITIONS. The present .Conditions in Canada, governing ijie~e<|trance into that conn- try of forefgJferi, have been modified to enable professionals to appear there. This at least is Ae case with the play- ers engage^ by the Canadian Circuit Co., of which Cltrk Brown is general manager. Mr. Brown furnishes each American player engaged by him, whether for stock or vaudeville, with a letter, stat- ing (he purpose of the artist entering Canada and the length of the stay. This. has been accepted by the Canadian Commissioner Of Immigration, who has been assured by U.r. Clark no one will be brought into tne country by his cor- poration 1 eaccepttnte for the purposes set forth. LONG TACK SAM. ~ The pictures of Long Tack Sam end his family are on the cover page this week. Long Tack,Sam is the most versatile celestial' in America and with his troupe- can oft>r an entire evening's en- tertainment. ' His act in vaudeville however, run's only 24 minutes, but em- braces magic, sitiginrr. piano playing, contortion, juggling and comedy and is the peer of all Chinese acts. A member of the troupe, 74 years of age, did the famous needle trick in China when a mere boy, and would like to prove it to certain claimants of this trick who are young enough to be his sens. The gorgeous costumes and settings are beautiful 1 examples of oriental needle work and are valued at a small fortune. Long Tack^ Sam and his company have played eyery first class vaudeville theatre in thei entire world. Mirinelli is\ the agent for foreign tours. Long Tack Sam's American ad- dress ia VAWBirr, New York.