Variety (March 1918)

SHOW REVIEWS 21 ae i COLONIAL The applause hlU did not develop unUi the second half, when tho act that opened the alter intermission eeetlon (a real old time variety turn) stopped the bill completely. There waa but one real hit In the front eeo* tlon, and that waa Hobart Boeworth'o "Sea Wolf," which closed the Intermission. There Is a wbale of a dramatlo act. It baa svsry- thlnf that goes to make vaudeville, and the caet la a corking one. Boaworth'o lnterpre- Utlon of the role of Wolf Laraen le as fine an exposition of hlstrlonlo art as was Richard Mansfield's characterisation of "Baron Gheve- ral" In "The Parisian Romance." The act gripped the audience and held them spell- bound. It was the legitimate hit of the show. Incidentally Ida Stanhope, new to the playlet since It waa reviewed aa a "New Act/ r takes the role of the girl with genuine cleverness. It Is the direct opposite of her part In "Cherle," and • In It she shows dramatlo qual- ity that one would not suspect while In the former sketch. Of the five acts that comprised the first half, but the opening and dosing turns re- quired full stage for their enactment Tne three sandwiched turns were all In "one." The Duttonr with their equestrian novelty opened and earned a fair share of applause. The second and third acts switched for the night sbow Monday, Harry O. and Bessie Kyle In "Club Night" taking the second spot and getting a laugh or two for their efforts. Teen Mel, the Chinese prima donna, occu- pied the third spot, and scored. The audi- ence liked her after the third number. The first two were a little slow, and In the Chinese costume her personality failed to Impress. But onoe In Occidental costuming she went over. Gardner and Hartman got laughs on Miss Hartman's work. At the Colonial Monday night the audlenoe fairly ate up the woman s comedy efforts. All the "old stuff" seemed to be new to that audience. Opening the second part McDsvltt, Kelly and Lucey achieved the distinction of the ''Colonial clap" and held the show for an extra bow. Carter Do Haven and Flora Parker, head- lined, delivered their most dainty offering, and the audience accorded them but perfuno- tory applause for their efforts. Miss Parker looked charming in a half dosen costume changes, and the numbers that the duo offered were pleasing. Bob Hall in the next to closing spot scored with his "extemporaneous" numbers._ Bert Levy closed the show. AMERICAN ROOF. Business was off at the American Tuesday night, and It's a toaa up whether the light house waa due to the general Holy Week slackness. The Great Howard and also Bush and Shapiro supplied all the laughs of the performance, with the former registering the score of the evening due to his singing a war song, with the chorus thrown on a sheet, many times. Kelso Brothers opened and presented one .of the neatest Juggling acta In so far aa dress goes that has been seen In some time. Both Boys wear just plain business suits and It fives them a very natty appearance, away rom the regular Juggling costumes of white flannels or something surrounded with span- gles. One does more or less comedy, which got laughs here and there. The boys gave the ■how a better start than other American bills bays had In a long time. Klmmy and Pongee, a Chlneae boy and girl, sang four songs and did fairly well. The turn should be all right in the No. 2 spot, but that's about all. The Bight Black Dots (New Acts) followed and did well enough with their singing and dancing. Burnham and Allen (New Acta), two girls, sang five songs, and Just about passed. How- ard presented his ventrlloqulal turn and did extremely well, working with two dummies. He closed-Intermission, and he had the house. Jerome and Carson opened the Interval and did well, with the boy doing some acrobatic work that Is unusual, and he should be given lota of credit for going through his gymnas- tics In "one." The girl in the turn is a side Issue, with the boy holding all the attention. The boy ahould be In demand for his ability to work In "one," where other turns would require "two" or full stage. Harry Brooke and Co. went through their sketch without causing any Interruptions, and did so-so at the finish. There la an over- abundance of shouting that grows tiresome after a while, due to the supposed deafness of the old man. Bush and Shapiro put over the wallop In the second half of the bill with their slapstick comedy. One boy la doing eome falls that are corkers, and aa he's doing 'em often dally, It must be some work. The boys use the usual arguments and exchange wallops freely throughout the act. It'a a good scrap through- out the entire time they are on, and the audi- ence seemed to enjoy it to a great extent. The Idanlas Troupe, five women doing gym- nastics, closed. REGENT. The Regent is the B. 8. Moss Hsrlem house for vaudeville and pictures. It draws a neigh- borhood audience that oomparea with the clientele of Moss' Hamilton at Broadway and 146th street. The Regent hss a section to Itself, with the nearest opposition the Harlem opera house and Loew's Victoria. Mr. Moss doesn't have to worry, however, over the 120th street houses, for his Regent will hold any business It draws in that sec- tion. The principal reason la the manner in which the house Is run. It's extremely or- derly, the house staff efficient and always polite, the house scrupulously dean looking* and being a well built theatre In Its Interior that Is always a big point. The theatre looks J food, from the orchestra's rear to the light- en of the stage. The first half held seven acts and a Bessie Barrlscale feature, with the current Weekly, some opening travel and educational pictures, besides a apeclal Overture, called "The Allies on ths "Battle-Front" a musical arrange- ment of toatrlotlo melodlea by Stanley W. Lawton, the Moaa general musical director. The Overture was Interspersed by slide an- nouncement mentioning the several allied armies. Were sections of those armies In marching formation thrown upon the screen while the mualc played the net result would have been a riot Aa It waa the theatre re- mained dark during thla period, unneces- sarily, and It closed with "The Star Spangled Banner" to a atandlng house, after which the Weekly ehowed. The vaudeville portion of the program was a fair bill, Injured aomewhat through two sketches among the seven turns, although one of the playlets opened the snow, while the other sketch was a good one. The hit of the evening happened next to closing, where Andy Lewis and company of two Just mopped up, Lewis helping the stage hands during the curtain bows by removing the propa. Mr. Lewie la working' without make up and In "one" with a personable Juvenile and a nice looking brunet girl. He baa a "table scene," much bualneaa of his own, talk and aonga, and the outline appeared to hit the HarlemTtee right in the right spot. The next best waa the good sketch with three people, "Don't Lose Your Nerve," with rather a nloe playing young woman in the stenographer's role. The younger man trlea to contrast his two moods too extravagantly, although pulling out at the flnlah. with a little more body to the piece (and it seems to be running short) the playlet as a comedy should make the better small big time houses. The other sketch, If It may be called that or anything else, opened. It was Rlalto, Mc- Intyre and Co. In "Inaplratlona." The act hasn't a chance in the east, and If there la any field for It the middle weet, where the Sun always Is, should be tried. No. 2 held Fox and Ingrahsm, a boy and girl, who have framed eome sort of a useless piano-act that may be gauged when It la said that the boy doing a little kid singing waa the only moment when the house warmed up. Mlaa Ingraham announced a medley of her late brother's, Herbert Ingraham, aong hits. She sang and played them. As both the people are planlata It would appear that they could arrange something attractive In the way of an act, especially since the young woman looks so well, has rather a pleasant singing voice of the contralto brand, but the present turn is merely staggering along, and should also go west If not chsnged about. They barely held down the No. 2 spot Tues- day night. Toward the ending Chuck Haas with his rope end talk appeared. Mr. Haaa does more with the rope than hla talk, for ho Is a nifty kid with the lariat, running away ahead of the many others In handling the loops. But his talk Isn't there and he T s not helped by that gag of egging on applauae through ask- ing for it. How times have-changed elnce the thankful daya when dumb acta were dumb. Because Bill Rogers happened to create something on the stage and getting away with it all ropera now believe talk is necessary, perhaps on the pro rata system— that if Bill can talk to the |2 crowd, the others might talk to the smftl timers. ~ame way with acrobata, one started conversing and the others followed, more or less. Magi- cians, too, a revival for them from the time when it was decided that, after Hermann the Great, all maglclana should do their tricks, shut. Now they talk, In "one." with msglo for the excuse. If Mr. Haas will find a good looking girl who can alng and frame up a two-act with the rope closing around her singing voice once in a while, allowing the girl to tell about hla difficult tricks, he may work himself off the small time, for that lad is some dsndy little roper. He can rope as well aa BUI Rogers can talk. Hullog's Seals closed the ehow, following an educa- tional picture which ehowed seals and their trainer. Bualneaa waan't heavy at the Regent Tuea- day, though it held a fair attendance. Holy Week and the Jewish holidays crowding into Harlem at the same time were sufficient to start anything before Thursday, when the Jewish holiday will fix up the gross for the week all over the city on the last half. Em 11 Grothe is programed aa the manager of the Regent, with a woman as treasurer, Mrs. Gerken. 8ime. HARLEM OPERA HOUIE. If the special feature nights the first half failed aa a "draw," the show for that portion of the week could easily have made up for them, as It wss the best bill there in some time, and equally as good aa some of the shows given at the two-a-day houses. Tuesday waa again "Oriental Night," when prizes are distributed to lucky number hold- ers. The distribution of the prizes and an HI. song by Solly Le Voy added 30 minutes more to the long bill, over at 11, with tbe picture closing at 12. Business was big, but It couldn't help but be with the apeclal night and good show. Maestro and Co. opened and gave the bill a flying start. The man baa a corking good novelty tumbling and Juggling turn which will open or close a show equally as well. Rlggs and Ryan scored with their singing and talk- ing skit, leaving the audience In a good mood for Raymond Wylie. Mr. Wylle has a neat setting, In which he is a futuristic Jailbird, his cell being a bird cage with telephone, electro light and other conveniences. His talk Is over the phone to the Warden to send up his mall, have his bath ready, what kind of perfume to use and other comedy remarks. He singa a couple of numbers dreaaed In a Bilk uniform, changing to evening dress for a few more. Mr. Wylie's present turn makes a good impression and should last some time. Following the ill. song and drawing for prlsee the "Dixie Revue* registered on the final bit of the colored mammy. Hamilton and Barnes with their comedy cross-fire and "gage" were applauae winners from the start. The couple had the house with 'em all the way and scored strongly. George Jesael fol- lowed and kept It up. Demareat and Colette, next to cloaing, stopped the show. The couple are some musicians, and combined with Mr. Demareat'a comedy talk and tumblea should stop any ehow. Tom Brown'a Minstrels closed to a walk-out. The act la a regular old-time minstrel ahow with good singing, dancing, com- edy and musio galore. The pleoe la a good closing act and roundsd out the bill nicely. FIFTH AVENUE. If conflicts on a vaudeville program mean anything at all in these days, then the Fifth Avenue program the first half waa a champ at it. Every turn but one had two people In It, two were girls only, three were musical of one kind or another and a couple had whist- ling imitations. It didn't frame into a good ahow, nor yst a poor one, Just a light running arrangement, with Van and Belle, cloaing the performance, getting a little tbe worst of It on position and through Mr. Van following Frank Stafford with the whistling. Yet Van and Belle equalled anything On the program for appreciation, even at the end of the bill. Their boomerang throwing waa sufficient and Mr. Van made hie whistling impersonations stand up, notwith- standing Stafford's lengthy uae of the same Idea (birds and animate). Van and Belle can get to any audience. They have a most likable manner of working, always natural, with each good naturedly smiling, at their work, at the audlenoe and at one another. Thla smiling at one another on the stage le a great acheme. To hear Mlaa Belle exclaim, "Goody!" when completing a trick la worth double the admission alone. That Mr. Van le some boomerang thrower. He could probably send a boomerang out of the theatre at lunch and have It return Juat In time for dinner. The act opena attractively in a woodland set on the aeaahore with the couple arriving In a drop-painted Noah's Ark, where Mlaa Belle quickly explains that while boomerang throwing waa claimed to have originated with the Egyptians, the Austre- lians are actually responsible for It. The Van and Belle turn la a good natured novelty and worth a better program spot at any time than the cloaing or opening position, for they can hold and amuse an audience. The Frank Stafford and Co. open air aklt of the hunter and his doge to whistling ac- companiment, with a young woman who sings and falls down at the finish when one of the dogs leapa upon her, haa loat none of its popularity. The flrat of the two-women acta waa Mo- deata Mortenson with a pianlste. Miss Mor- tenson plays a violin. She first played "Kiss Me Again," then perhapa a tremolo or noc- turne, whatever thoae may be. followed by a sonata, perhapa, on the piano. If there's such a thing left In vaudeville, with Mlsa Morten- son returning In another gown for an Irish medley, with a pop medley to close, the pop medley the only number where the full lights were on. Why these girls should use a spot- light and almost hide their good looks for 10 minutes may have Ita own reaaon. It doesn't help their act. Although getting In the con- cert classification, the young women on their looks are enough. Miss Mortenson when vio- lin playing carrlea a haughty mien that would frighten away lay people. She smiles, though, later. But the pianlste Is affable throughout, and a real nice pianlste, in person as well as execution. It's seldom two such claasy look- ing girls drop In and they ought to stay in. They are with instruments what the Kouns Sisters are with songs. The other two-women turn waa the Browne Sisters (New Acts). Tn between were Thornton and Havlland with a new comedy playlet (New Acta). After the sisters came Plstel and Cushlng In their blackface laughing act that the little fellow with the funny movementa makes very funny. They get the house easy. Next to closing were Demarest and Collotte with a comedy musical turn In which the vio- lin and cello played their roles quite well, needing the comedy the man gave to help them along. The man, somewhat heavy, dees a flopping spring-up from the ground re- peatedly for laughs and gets them, he making eome hard falls through it. The turn was placed right, next to closing In this bill but couldn't hold the spot on a larger program, though It may develop Into a standard number through the comedian. He la a semi-nut, and a musical talking acrobat. That takes him out of the acrobat class but goes the talking acrobats one better. The house had the weather for opposition Monday night and tbe weather won out. It also had a K. of C. talker with a collection, on the final night of the Drive. Everybody went to the K. of C. subscription movement and all the variety theatres assisted. With the Liberty Loan coming on, to be Immedi- ately followed by another Red Cross collec- tion, the theatres will be busily occupied by speakers for some weeks to come. Managers may as well bend to the patriotic will In these things. If the war continues longer than expected, the theatres may look forward to the time that hardly a performance will pass without eome charitable appeal made to the audience. The audiences will adjust them- selves to It, and split their contributions ac- cording to the demanda mads upon them. OwlM0* CITY. Business good Tuesdsy night. Several of the acts went unusually well. One turn ap- pearing near the close of the show almoat ran out of encores. The Gladiatora opened and held close at- tention with a corking good rejsttlns of "strong arm" work that Included sems (rinks new for acts of this calibre. Two men, dressed aa ancient gladiatora, have aome arm-to-arm, hand-to-hand "lifts and raises" that ahowed unusual proficiency and practice. Lottie Gruper offered a pleasing list of aonga and displayed a voice a little above the average. Gertrude Arden and Co. are "repeating" with "The Other Witness," which did wsllta spots. Sketch did not make aa big an Im- pression as previously, probably due to the women "subduing" thslr voices, making It ex- tremely difficult to keep track of conversation which carriee turn along. The caat haa been changed, the man appearing to good advantage through making hla "Unee" heard. Johnny Regay and Lorraine Sisters (Nsw Acts) were followed by Parker and Gray. The male member of the Parker and Gray combination affects an individual atyle vividly reminiscent of Frank le Fay, and Fay may have furnished the material. The man even affecta a Fay makeup. The woman stood out with a brass instrumental solo that was splen- didly played and which pleaaed Immensely. Act O. K. for the pop houses. Arthur Barrett and Co. offered "Prediction," the Aaron Hoff- man story of the fortune telling by the cards which turned out all wrong and which held In- terest throughout Gallarlnl and Son were a oorklng hit That- boy la aome musician and hs shows musical versatility which la going to place him at the top aome of theae daya. With skill and eaee he playa the accordion, flute, piccolo, fife and cornet, and might have played more had he not run out of Instruments. Great stuff la the combined muelo of father and son. Lew and Mollle Hunting bad no trouble In putting over their turn, while everybody stuck for the feature film, notwithstanding that at the beginning there was a two-part L-KO comedy, with Hughle Mack featured, which had aome amualng "bits." Mark. 23RD~STREET. The bill for the first half was below the average of the shows at the house lately. Busi- ness Monday night was as big as could be ex- pected for Holy Week. Griffin and Capman, opening, passed almoat unnoticed. The act la a real small time turn but could be helped along considerably with seme nsw songs and a little Ufa by the hoy* Cbas. A. Lodsr and Co. did little mors than the opening turn and Just passed. The Con* nelly Sisters worksd hard but got light re- sults. The girls hsvs a novel offering, nut are ut>lng old elnge which will go In eome houses. but missed at the 28d. Kltner, Hswksley and McClay, starting with off-stage harmony, wars the first to soore anything resembling a hit The trio, two men and a girl, work well to- gether, have bright comedy and oaa sing, but thla turn could Improve by replacing the old aonga. A plea for the K. of C. War Drive, by a woman, aplit the bill In two, and following her patrlotio talk tbe card for the next act "Sherman Wae Right." waa hung out The turn carrlea a caat of eight three principals and a chorus of five girls, but Is small tune. Sherman might have said what he did about war, and aurely would have said the aame thing about the act which bears his name. Madge Maltland waa greatly liked and given a big reception. Miss Maltland works snapplly. has good numbers and scored strongly. Tom and Stasia Moore passed on the oomedy and souse bit by the man. Seabury and 8haw closed the ahow with clever classical and eo- centrlo dancing. The couple went big In the closing position. LAST HALF REVIEWS. (March 21-24.) AUDUBON. 8prlng Festival Week waa the title of the show st the Audubon last half of last week, when eight sets Instead of six were on the bill. The lobby and Interior were decked out In spring array with lsaves, branches of trees and flowers everywhere. Although the house alwaya haa*an attractive look about It the floral decorations mads It more inviting. The special ahow and Fairbanks' picture, "Headln' South," brought a capacity audience Thurs- day night Lady Alios, with hsr rats, oats and pigeons, going through an Interesting routine, gave tho bill a nice start. Thomas and Henderson started poorly with war talk. New material would help the turn, giving It aa good a start aa ita present finish. Following the talk the boys go to dancing which sends them over. The smaller of the pair la a capital stepper and holda up tbe act greatly. O'Brien and Havel got a flying start but finished not ao well. The team works In an office setting In "full" and start nicely, but much of their work is overdone. Following tho Christie comedy picture, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Rmmett pleased with their musical and ventrlloqulal turn. The act aa It now etande could be cut. Jack Gardner, with the aid of his "plant" in the audience, acored a solid applause hit. Linton and Lawrence bad a little trouble getting started, but got by to a good finish. Robert Bmmstt Keens was given a big reception at hla opening, respond- ing with bis bright "gags" and recitations and scored the applause hit of the evening, stop- ping the show. The sbow wss roundsd out by Espe and Dutton in the cloaing spot, who, with tbelr novel Juggling, singing and dano- tng turn, bung up a well earned hit The boys are good Jugglers and acrobata, nloe singers and dancers and can hold down aa Important spot (Continued on page 24.)