Variety (April 1918)

CABLES U. B. 0. VAUDEVILLE ROAD SHOW GETS UNDER WAY AT CAMP UPTON PLAYS FOR NEUTRALS. London, April 3. J. T. Grein, in association with Fred- erick Whelan and Edith Craig, is organizing a propaganda of English war plays in neutral countries, visiting Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, ""^^"""™—""—~~ Switzerland and Spain. • The plays chosen for presentation Seven Acts and Three-Reel Comedy Routed for 1? Weeks of are "Hamlet," "The Merchant of _ _. _. , " . _ „. A1 . Venice," "The Second Mrs. Tanqueray," Cantonment Time. First of a Series. Sullivan Also "Mid-Channel," "Mrs. Dane's Defence/' n ■ . u d*ii a. r» "Michael and His Lost Angel,* "John Booking Emergency Bills at Camps. Bull's Other Island," "Candfda," "Gen- eral Post," "The Saving Grace," The U. B. O. vaudeville road show, which started on a tour of the canton- ments Monday, will repeat at Camp Upton, the first stand, each camp be- ing played a full week. Next week the show plays Camp Meade, Annapolis. The balance of the route is: Camp Lee, Petersburg, Va., April 15; Camp Jackson, Columbia, S. G, April 22; Camp Gordon, Atlanta, April 29; Camp Sheridan, Montgomery, Ala., May 6; Camp Pike, Little Rock, Ark., May 13; Camp Funston, Ft. Riley, Kans., Magr 20; Camp Dodge, Des Moines, la., May 27; Camp Grant, Rockford, 111., June 3; Camp Custer, Battle Creek, Mich., June 10; Camp Taylor, Louisville, June 18; Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, O., June 25; Camp Dix, Wrightstown, N. J., July 2; Camp Merritt, Tenafly, N. J., July 8; Camp Upton, Yaphank, L. I., July 15, and Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass., July 23; 17 weeks in all. The show in its running order is: Fantino Troupe, Janis and West, Ed Lee Wrothe and Co., Marion Weeks, Saxo Five, Harry and Anna Seymour, and Billy Bouncer's Circus. The bill is preceded with a three-reel comedy. Other road shows will be sent out over the same route at an in- terval of about three weeks. The popularity of vaudeville in the canton- ments makes it likely that the camps will offer such entertainment to the exclusion of other forms of amusement this summer. W. J. Sullivan is in charge of the cantonment bookings and is, in addi- tion to the road shows, supplying bills where disappointments have left an open date at Liberty theatres. These emergency bills, however, are split weeks. At Camp Merri't the first half and splitting with Camp Dix for the last half the bill was Bennett Sisters, Hughey F. Blaney, Charles Buckley and Co., Emma Stevens, Keene and Williams, Crossman's Entertainers. Harry Burton is manager of the road show. Camp Upton, N. Y., April 3. (Reviewed for Variett by a member of the company.) The vaudeville show supplied by the United Booking Offices to tour the Lib- erty theatres at the camps, opened here Monday to a capacity audience in cool wealhcr. Opinions asked from the boys gen- erally who have so far witnessed the performance are agreed the bill gave excellent satisfaction from every angle. H. B. Burton is company manager for the U. B. O., E. K. Nadel is stage manager. The show opened at 7.25 with an over- ture by a 10-piece orchestra, its leader reported having occupied the same po- sition at the Temple (vaudeville), De- troit. At 7.30 a Billie Ritchie three-reel comedy was shown to the apparent en- joyment of the soldier-audience. At 8.10 the Fantino Trio, two women and a man, opened the vaudeville section, on a trapeze poing to a whirling teeth finish, consuming OV-j minutes and re- ceived rather mildly. Janis and West, next, two men, sing- ing and dancing, got over very well. Did 9»4 minutes. Next Ed. Lee Wrothe and Co., three men and two women, in a comedy sketch, "Janitor Higgins," drew tremendous laughs, big hit. Very suitable act for Liberty theatres. Did 23 minutes, two of which were devoted to a speech by Wrothe* which could have been better left out. Marion Weeks was No. 4 of the vaudeville and No. 6 of the bill, receiv- ing nice reception and went through her entire program with gratifying re- turns. Possibly one number less by Miss Weeks would have benefited the following turn. She did 16% minutes. Saxo Five, in "two," next, got through well enough, although follow- ing a straight turn. They could have finished better with one less number also. The closing number or encore ("Over There") didn't seem to get the hoys. It leads me to believe the sol- diers have been overfed perhaps with patriotic numbers in the camps or more likely this particular song has now commenced to wear since it has been done so much. The Saxos were on the stage 11% minutes. Nearly stopped the show was the rec- ord for Harry and Anna Seymour. They are sure firc^for the camps. Harry Seymour did a dance to the same music as a member of Janis and West (No. 2). This should be corrected if both turns continue on the same bill. The Sey- mours did 17 minutes in "one." Billy Bouncer's Circus closed the performance, getting away well for the first 10 minutes, but realizing this was the closing act, the soldiers began moving outward, making it difficult for rhose on the stage. This may happen to any closing turn in a theatre as large as trre Liberty. It is my opinion a two or three-reel picture should end the show. ALBERT DOYLE INVALIDED OUT. London, April 3. Albert Doyle, who was gassed and wounded in France, has been dis- charged and joins his former partner, Tom Gibson, shortly reviving the old act of Doyle and Gibson. 'PIGEON POST/' GOOD MELLER. London, April 3. Austin Page's "By Pigeon Post," produced at the Garrick March 30, is a good melodramatic war play. Among those who scored are Arthur Wontnef, A. George, C. France and Madge Titheradge. STRONG WAR DRAMA. London, April 3. Hall Cainc's "The Prime Minisfer" was produced at the Royalty March 30. It is a strong war drama, giving Ethel Irving splendid opportunities for her remarkable talents. Allen Jeayes, Vincent Sternroyd and C. Hallard also scored. H. W. Anderson Opens Agency. London, April 3. H. W. Anderson, long associated with the late George Edwardes, has opened a theatrical and variety agency at the Rehearsal theatre, Maiden Lane. Successful London Debut. London, April 3. Freddy Regent and Kathleen Tayn- ton made a successful London debut at the Bedford in an original comedv act, "Aunty's Secret." PARIS BUSINESS POOR. Paris. April 3. Despite the bombing of the town the theatres are remaining open, with poor receipts, many ofthe legitimate nouses closing Good Friday, though the vaudeville and picture theatres gave their performances as usual. There were matinees Easter Monday everywhere. PARIS PRODUCTION POSTPONED. London, April 3. Albert de Courville has postponed his production of "Zig Zag in Paris till the autumn, in consequence of the advent of the long range guns which are bombarding the French capital. KARNO PRODUCES "RATIONS." London, April 3. At the Colchester Hippodrome Fred Karno is producing "Rations," a food economy sketch for a short tour prior to its London presentation, with Rob Wilton as the leading comedian. "Betty at Bey" at Strand. London, April 3. The Strand reopens April 9 with Cecil Barth's production of Jessie Por- ter play, "Betty at Bay," with Christine Silver in the leading role. The season is under the management of A. Braaf, the variety agent A Terry Twin Convalescent, London, April 3. F. Terry, of the Terry Twins, is con- valescent in the hospital at Forrest Hill and expects to shortly rejoin his brother in France. \ '/. P X JULIAN HALL •THK ORIGINAL JAZZ BOY" Now nt the Century Roof, New York, indef. Direction, Comstock, Elliot & Gest. Personnl direction, Edw. S. Keller. Discovered and produced by Mr. Newton Alexander of Ligbtner Sisters and Alexander. LONG ROUTES OFFERED. At the first booking meeting held in the offices of the United Booking Offices several routes for next season were arranged and proffered the prin- cipals. The first act to be routed for a long season was the Van and Schenck turn, given a 46-week tour, opening at the Royal, New York, Aug. 5, and closing again in the east July 23, 1919. The route has been arranged to keep the team in each of the big time houses for two weeks, starting at the Royal for two weeks and continuing through the city circuit at a two and three- week clip. Van and Schenck begin a three-week run at the Colonics) next week. This is taken as an indication long routes are coming into vogue again, for the first time in several years. With the National Vaudeville Artists' con- tract being used, it is impossible to cancel the string and it' means con- secutive work for the acts engaged. Within the next month it is under- stod over 50 other standard acts will be offered routes of a similar size. "RAGGED" ANTHEM—ARRESTED. Toledo, April 3. Three musicians at the Princess, a large picture theatre here, were re- moved from the orchestra and placed under bond, for "ragging" the "Star Spangled Banner." Two of the musicians arrested were Germans; the other an Austrian. NEW THEATRE REOPENING. London, April 3. The New theatre reopens April 8 with a wordless one-act play, "Monica's Blue Boy," written by Pinero, music by Cowen, followed by a three-act comedy, "Belinda," from the pen of A. Milne. The company includes Dennis Neil- son Terry, Dan Webster, Irene Van- brugh. CRIMINAL LIBEL ALLEGED. j London, April 3. ■ Maud Allen and J. T. Grein have summoned Noel Pemberton Billing to appear in the Bow Street Police Court to answer a charge of criminal libel, the alleged offense appearing in Bill- ing's paper, "The Vigilante," Feb. 16. WORKING WHILE ON LEAVE. London, April 3. Tom Collins is home on 14 days' leave and hopes to secure a week's work with his own act, "Buying a Pub." LIEUT. CHAS. BOVILL DIES. London, April 3. Lieutenant Charles Bovill, a brilliant librettist and revue writer, died of wounds, aged 39. -LOT 79" GOING ON. London, April 3. At the Queens Percy Hutchison and Herbert Jay will produce Rita Young's "Lot 79" about April 15, with Hutchison and Hilda Trevelyan lead- ing. JACK WOOLF DIES. London, April 3. Jack Woolf, formerly proprietor of Wonderland, Mile End, father of Gipsy Woolf, comedienne, is dead. New Bits in the Halls. London, April 3. At the Euston Mary Neil is present- ing a new sketch, "Nell's Luck," and Bransby Williams a new scena, "Reg- gie's Rambles." White and Smith Rejoin "Cheep." London, April 3. Lee White and Clay Smith have re- joined "Cheep" at the Vaudeville, with new scenes and new songs.