Variety (September 1919)

( ’i ■;i BUY BO N D S Lucille Cauauagh and Co. (3). Songf and Dancea. 23 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). Palace. Lucille Cavanagh, in her new act at the Palace this week, has everything that should go to make a vaudeville success these days. Firstly, she has setting and clothes; secondly, special songs; thirdly, music-rag, and firstly again, men; and, of course, Lucille Cavanagh. If the act becomes known as a, vaudeville success with so many ingredients, who or what shall re- ceive the credit? Perhaps the pro- ducer (dr, in this case, arranger), for Miss Cavanagh's act has been arranged nicely, neatly and expertly. There is the setting—striking, full of curtains, special ones, including a gold parted curtain for the drop; while the ^cene represents the marble fronting of a country or mansion porch. Thep there ^ are Wheeler Wadsworth, an admitted bear with a rag saxaphone; Mel Craig, another bear with the same kind of a violin, and A1 Sexton, a youthful, good-looking fellow, who sings with Miss Cavanagh, also dances with her. Miss Cavanagh dances and dances alone. She might dance more with Mr. Sexton. The turn is billed as a “1918 Edition of Her Kaleidoscope of Dance, Color and Songs”; Music and Lyrics by Dave Stamper.” The' music had a pleasing if familiar sound. Miss Cavanagh tries' to sing it. It must be Fate in vaudeville. Sitne. Nat Nazarro, Jr. Songs, Dancea, Instrumental, is Mins.; Four. Hamilton. For a youth of 17 who appears to be younger, Nazarro offers a sophisti- cated, thorough showmanship act. In other words "the kid’s clever.” He’s versatile. He opens with ^ a grand piano setting, but sings a song about his Parisian love and goes int.o a dance. After indulging in repartee with a pseudo-stage manager (his father in real life), he renders a cello solo. A song and dance closed his act. For en- cores (he had two) he sang a spe- cial song on'patriotic lines followed by a recitation. Another recitation and then he was allowed to leave. Na- zarro’s act shows the hand of Na- zarro, Sr., also an artist. His youth and his versatility should carry Nat, Jr., into the big time. Eastman Sisters. Singing and Dancing. 16 Mins.; One. Harlem Opera House. The spot light discovers the-East- man Sisters on a couch under a piano lamp and they sing a dandy Southern number in quaint style, harmonizing the chorus with good effect. The girls are dressed in neat velvet and silk dresses giving them a stunning ap- pearance. They are not too strong vocally, but make up this defect by the cute manner they have in putting over their songs. The taller one then sings a solo number in slow fashion and does a few dance steps at the finish, which let her off lightly. The other sister returns in an abbreviated dress and sings a popular song in a quiet manner, her delivery reminding one of Sadie Burt (Whiting and Burt). She also does a few neat dance steps. They return with anoflier change of wardrobV and ih ah affected fna'M sing a jazz number full of pep and the only fast thing in the act. The East- man Sisters are graduates of Ziegfeld’s "Midnight Frolic” and bring to vaude- ville the class usually found atop of the Amsterdam theatre roof. They are long on looks, but short on vocal abil- ity, but should have no trouble pass- ing if they put a little more ginger into the turn. Ethel Cilfton and Co. (2). "The Aftermath" (Dramatic). 22 Mins.; Fnll Stage (Special Set- Interior). Fifth Avenue.. This new war play’.et, “The After- math,” may divide professional opinion as to the Advisability of its continu- aiKe in vaudeville. It’s not like other war sketches, going into a subject that while known, is little spoken of, the unpublished casuality list of France. Some may agree the piece is sombre, its theme melancholy and the story unnecessary for public light. Those who disagree will say that “The Aftermath’ ’is excellent propaganda of its kind. It tells of the other horror of'the brute Hun as an invader, the ravish of the conquered lands of France, the , horrifying rape by the detestable Boche. Played in any theatre during the Liberty Loan Drive, the ever growing fires of hatred against the German would be so intensified, no better argu- ment to furnish the Government with money to obliterate the German curse on humanity could be presented. It is a scene in a desolated French home. The village had been pCcupied by the Germans for 20 months. The husband, a soldier ih the French army, upon his forces recovering the territory, secures a day’s leave. His wife has not heard from him for a long time, not knowing whether he is dead or alive, until re- ceiving a note the same day announc- ing his return. There baby in the crib. Its father is a German soldier. She asks the priest to take away the baby. The priest asks where shall he take it, there are a hundred others in the itown. The wife' hides the crib under a table. Her husband, in the French uniformi enters. They are affected and happy for the moment. He inquires for his sister, 16 years,old. His wife replies she was sent behind the German lines "to work in a muni- tion plant. His mother has died, her rnother has died. There are other ter- rible things to tell him on his home coming. He hears a baby’s cry. The truth is revealed. The soldier is stunned. Said" he knew of those things but thought his home would be spared. The man in uniform during his moaning relates how his, comrades when receiving a week’s leave re- turned to camp the next day, and never spoke. Nor, were they asked any question. One ' of his^ comrades came back the next morning, was silent all day, fought like a demon and at night was ordered to take five prisoners to the rear. The next morning they found the French soldier dead beside five dead Germans, with a message written in blood, "Sister, you are avenged.” The house broke into in- voluntary applause at this point. The priest is appealed to for advice re- garding the baby and the husband and wife’s relations. He says no mortal can give it, but appeals to the Al- mighty. When the wife llgain looks in the crib, the baby is cold. It’s something we should have put before us as vividly as this playlet sketches it. It’s the war in France or was the war in France, the kind of war the Boche makes. The French had to en- dure it while it lasted and Americans will be made stronger for knowing it, ' what ‘hiTOsidn"''by"'a'-‘ba means. That the playlet is not as well played as it is written doesn’t matter. Neither Miss Clifton nor her principal support, the soldier, are equal to their respective roles. The priest is the only adequately taken character, but this won’t affect the playlet for vaude- ville. It’s propaganda and good propr aganda, the kind that makes you frenzied. Sime. MUs Juliet. Impersonations. 2 & Mins.; Full Stage. Riverside. - Miss Juliet’s nevv act is billed as a “one girl revue,” employing .a piano accompanist. She is nicely gowned in a red' and silver net affair at^ opens with a sing about the “Gimmes” in which she impersonates a three-year old, a 23-year old youth and then the A. K. grandfather who vVants every- thing. From this she goes to a line., of chatter in which is imitated a shop girl in a bopk shop, on the lines done heretofore m vaudeville by Beatrice Herford, Miss Juliet announces here that she will endeavor to imitate vari- ous celebrities at a banquet given for a war charity and starts off by giving an excellent imitation of Leonore (Jlric who introduces Jalck" Norworth with a song. An imitation of Irene Franklin singing “the traveling sales- man” number was not so well done. It was followed by a few lines in the form of a poem as recited by Mrs. Fiske as “Mme. Sand.” A good imi- tation of Frances White in song and dance was followed by a song as done by Harry Lauder, which did not score so strongly. A poster of the benefit held at the Hippodrome Sept. 30, 1917, for the War Sufferers, upon which her name also appeared, was lowered. The first of the names to be chosen were Louis Mann and Sam Bernard, well done. A dialog between Ethel Barry- more and Eddie Foy was enjoyed and then a remarkable impersonation of Grace La Rue singing her “waltz” number scored the hit of the act. Further requests brought an imper- sonation of Maude Adams an^ one of A1 Jolson, which did not go over big. A short impreission of Nazimova was followed by a poorly executed song as done by Eva Tanguay. The rendition of a “blues” number by Nora Bayes was hardly understood, but a speech in French by Mme Sarah Bernhardt, was roundly applauded. The show here was stopped by the applause. .Miss Juliet returned and did a short song and dance as-done by Julia Sanderson. Juliet IS sure fire. Eddie Janis and Re^ Cbaplowj Songs, Piano and 'Violin. 13 Mins.; ITwo (Interior). 81st Street. ~ ’ A nice little act of its kind. Mr. Janis and Miss Chaplow carry a piano player who plays accompaniments to their musical endeavor, so Janis’ best inning comes with the violin when he displays talent with the -fiddle and bow. Miss Chaplow has some attrac- tive costumes and works with pep and vivaciousness. At the 81st Street the act was voted a hit. Mark, Sid Townes and Co. (1). Singing and Talking. 11 Mins.; One. 23rd Street. Sid Townes (formerly of Medlin, Watts and Townes) is^taking to vaude- ville in a single turn, and from all ap- pearances will be in the two-a-day houses within a couple of weeks. The former act although good can not be compared with the one Mr. Townes is now doing. His appearance is ex-, cellent, the songs and “gags” are put over in fine style and with the assist- ance of Otis Spencer at the piano, he cannot go wrong. The introductory number has a pleasing melody and tells of his former adventures in vaude- ville. It is followed by the “Georgia Peach” song. This, with the patter, wins over the audience from the start, ahd"hig"turn }s-neTer" in dange^^^ it. Mr. Spencer is a good pianist, and. has a few fines in this number. It gives a different air to the skit- away from the straight single. Some talk and two or three more songs 'follow. Mr. Townes looks like a winner. Un- less the Service gets him^or someone grabs him for musical comedy, he should sail right along in the big time houses with no trouble. Sydney Grant. StoViea and Songa. 16 Mina.; One. Palace, Chicago. Back after at least four years of divorce from vaudeville, his early and always faithful love, Sydney Grant stepped out in white flannel, trousers, a sport shirt and a blue serge coat, to :a “So Long Letty” overture. It was a happy reunion. The house was glad to*' greet him and- Sydney looked pleased to be facing a vaudeville house again. He started without dny fire- works, made no speech with romantic reminiscences of .jdays gone by—just began telling stories like he used to; some of them were the ones he used ■ to, too, but as they were his then they are his now, ahd did not sound at all mildewed from-storage in the trunk of his memory, following the several disassociated anecdotes he did an imi- tation of~a Hawaiian guitar, told some more riddles and went off with his veteran Chinese theatre bit in which he does the heavy, the fe'male imper- sonator and the clarinet; This brought him back for more gags. One or two of these were very nifty, and some were not so strong again. An audi- ence loves him as soon as he shows, and when he smiles everyone smiles, ^o even the limpy ones got something, nut Sydney might well think up or purchase a few live witticisms tp re- place the ones which get only a titter. Otherwise the act isdOO per cent pure, and as it^s i^can hold down any firing step in the first line trenches of vaude- ' vine’s western or eastern front His recitation which leads to a comedy point is too long for the puny cracker which bursts at the end, and' should be substituted by added song, as he sings too well to sing so lit^e. This is proven by the fine manner in which his southern yodle song, his encore, goes. The effect of the whole offering was a big.^blowoff with applause, that would not die until he bowed repeated- would not die until he bowed repeated- ly, a hand that would have justified another encore. Sydney Grant found the latchkey hanging out ^or him, and his welcome will never wear out as long as he works like he did here. ' LaH,. Arthur Lloyd. Magic. 18 Mini.; One. . / Hamilton. Arthur Lloyd performs but three tricks consuming 18 minutes. Accord- ing to his billing, he is “The Conjur- ing Comedian.” ()nly half true. More comedian than conjuror. It is his chat- ter alone that carries him. 'The tracks except Jhe last, are ancient and in the “magical” catalogus.. Opening with “wiim and water,” he next does a little palrmng, following this with card pro- ducing (having anyone in .the audi- ence call a card and producing it from his pocket). His last is, upon requests from the audience, producing from dif- ferent portions of his dress suit all kinds of cards—not the playing -declif —but cards like a questionnaire, laun- dry ticket, ice card, registration, etc., embracing at least 40 regulation and special cards like the Kaiser’s death certificate and the crap-shooters’ union card. Pop time feature. Evelyn and Dolly. * Variety Act. 9 Mins.; Full Stage. Evelyn and Dolly have been, around for some years, but this season appear to have a different routine, costumed up to date. It includes three changes, each for a different style of work. The girls open with roller skating, then-re- turn as dancers, closing on bicycles. That makes the short-timed Jturn speedy enough, added to which the girls arc hard wbrkers. They should make the opening spot anywhere, for no matter how well they do the differ- ent things, each unsuspected, they are altogether away from other “sistar acts” in that they do a variety, and “dress it up.” loimc.