Variety (September 1922)

NEW SHOWS THIS WEEK Friday, September £2, 1Z22 PLENTY OF PEP Sbubert vm»!evill« unit, proftassg by Max lD«erel. with fol.tmiiur featured prin- cipals: Emrf <J.»»*> Caip«r. Cha«. Howard. Dolly UJ.mp-.es) Worrli.-ey Othtr prln- elpnls: Kar'.e Dewey and Matvl <Ulllle) •Rouen, J&mcK Oraham. Alberta Fowler. John QuIk*. Myrtle Frank*. KUa Hager Vaudeville olio turoa: Sid Townes and Sydney Franklin, t'haa. Howard and o. Chapi.olle and Nttnette. and '\ happ> a Hot X>ofa," Jaza Band. "Plenty of Pep" had a week of playing behind it, when it opened at the Crescent, Monday bavins in- itialed at Hartford two Weeks ago. with n natural lay off occurring last week. Several «• >Ht and olio changes but fair. Chas. Howard's act being the only one to give it a big time tone. The revue started at 9.45, with eight poniea on for a fast ■tapping bit. This was a scene in one, a ticket office, with Kmil Casper as a black-face porter. ■ A pop song done earlier in the show by Sid Townes was again sung by woman princi- pal, along about hero. An- other unnecessary conflict. First comedy bit in revue was a lemon and money changing gag, which brought in the exchange of satchels. It has been overdone for years in burlesque and vaudeville. Scene two had Dewey and Rogers on the Observation platform of a train, with an effect of motion obtained through motion .pictures. Good idea and well worked effect. Third scene in one silk drape, with Etta Hager and chorus on for lingerie number. This was* the fourth time the gals had appeared during the show, and the fourth costume. The lingerie number didn't cause much excitement. They seldom do since the advent of bare legs. The gals just can't take enough in the underwear display things to make 'em interesting—and besides it takes a lot to follow all of the uncovering that has been done on the stage generally the last few years. Incidentally this Spiegel show has tho chorus in tights or stockings throughout. There are no bare legs shown by the gals^at any time. A5 full stage set, showing the in- terior rf a Mexican saloon, with Chas. Howard as the bartender and Einil Casper as a married man socking a drink held several laughs. Howard refuses to give Casper the drink because the latter Is married, and Casper essays to get rid of his wife. There's a Spanish number here, led by Etta Hager, and an- Jovuble through the unexpectedness of it Little criticism adversely will bo leveled at this attraction as it trav- els, for the lay reviewer will rooog- nize that, notwithstanding what he may personally think of it or how he may Judgo it to his own fancy, the Timberg show is built exactly right for the circuit and the price it Is playing for. OH WHAT A GIRL Baltimore, Sept. 27. Business In Baltimore seems to be gaining for tho Shuberts. as the night houses are not nearly as bad as they might be, while the mati- nees aro not quite so good. The new entertainment hasn't gotten a really fair trial iiure, having three were made during the lay oit pel u - Weston and Eline and Barns ant Borneo left the cast and Townes and Franklin, Chuppelle and »t»nette and Band, and Etta Hager were added beginning Monday. The cast changes had evidently caused some switch- ing around in the revue section. Taking* the Monday night per- formance at the Crescent, BrtMMjpi. »s a standard for criticism. "Plenty of Pep" shaped as but a fair show. It has possibilities, which shou 1 be developed with playing. Several faults loom up so notice- ably that they can not help but be corrected quickly. For ^stance there are two vocal numbers in the revue in 'one" by « in *% w ° m *": each following the other. This oc- curred through Dolly Morrisseys singing specialty following Etta IlageA leading of a lingerie num- bcr. Another bad conflict occurred through John Quigg, in blackface, appearing directly after Bra ill Casper and Myrtle Franks, both in black- face had done a B P eclalt y- . Tw ,° blackface turns in a row. Still an- B^eVs S^oSom^ro^nd Chas. V Morrissey Howard, in "How Things Havo Changed." The spotlight is greatly over- worked. The misuse of the spot not only slows up the show because ol the house being in darkness most of tho performance, but it serves to keep the costume scheme under a blanket of dusk. Monday night the show started about 8.20 and ran until 11. Earle Dewey started it with a prolog, in •one," a silk drape. Full stage set next, a rose garden set. with trellis work, and pleasing lighting. The chorus is on for a number here, with Etta Hager leading. Miss Hager is a good looking blonde type with a fair singing voice. Townes and Franklin, next, with a piano and singing turn. This went over as moat piano and singing turns do in vaudeville. Townes does the sing- ing and Franklin the accompanying. Good song deliverer, Townes but lacks ease, standing in footlight trough for most of his numbers, giving Impression he is too anxious to please. The gag about "remem- ber she's still your mother, no mat- ter how short she bobs her hair' has been done many, many times here- abouts. It's due for the perman- ently released class. Dewey and Bogers, in "No To- morrow' a fanciful skit by Jack Lait. next. The skit Is based on a first rate Idea, but provides but passable entertainment. Best thing in act is a simple bit of double step- ping. The interpolation of songs appears out of order. There is a bed- room. In the skit, that tho house looks forward to expectantly, as a likely laugh producer, but somehow the skit is one of those things that always seems on the threshold of becoming funny, but always just misses. Dewey and Bogers mis- judged their applause at the finish. They went satisfactorily, but most of the bows could have been elim- inated. Chas. Howard and Co. with a pro- hibition travesty called 'How Things Have Changed," with Howards souse, coming right on top of the souse character in the Dewey and Bogers act, made the house laugh throughout its running. Howard's drunk is funny in conception and execution, and the support offered by James Graham and Alberta Fowler, is excellent. Closirfg tho vaudeville section were Chapelle and Stln;?tte, and "Chappy's Hot Dogs'* band. The small time has had many a crude jumbling together of sounds eman- ating from musical instruments from the numerous jazz bands that play In the trade way it could be ■wl bi SSS: 1 " £ U J2L^™i^5Vi What tioned that the performance is un- ' ^his most "~ n * "J" 1 ;.*} h « ™ h d lt evenly divided through the first part a 2J # fiJSS5 u?2 SJJ \ L running from 8.30 until 10.15 and erable tinkering baftWJ tt OUA go with the second part extending from IJJHT ^r. As it opened Monday at the Academy its predominating feature was its vaudeville, the re- Both pretty, but neither starting anything. A double specialty by Casper and Myrtle Franks entertained. John Quigg with piano accordion, In one for a specialty next. Phil Baker did practically the same type of turn two weeks ago at the Crescent, and the house seemed to remember it. Neither Baker nor Quigg have a patent on this particular style of act, with requests for selections asked and a singling plant in a box, but the fact of Baker playing hero- so recently caused the house to notice a similarity without dis- secting the why and wherefore. Quigg is a good accordionist and his turn went over nicely. Final re- vue scene was a full stage •affair, with Casper as Zulu and Chas. Howard as wild man. This held some comedy, but it was too late in the evening to expect much in the way of laughs. Previously, Quigg showed he is a versatile performer by doing straight for Casper in white-face, in a bull fight conversa- tional bit. The show will tighten up as It goes along. There are too many slow spots now. The revue can stand more comedy. The vaude- ville section needs entire revision. It's small time-and very ordinary now. The numbers are nicely costumed, but there is no novelty to speak of In the staging. They're just dance numbers, that's all. The scenic equipment is good. "Plenty of Pep" has the basis of a good, entertain- ment, but it's going to take some hard work to make it that. Monday night business looked good at the Crescent, with about four-fifths capacity. A considerable part of this was paper however. Bc'.l. 10.30 to 11.05, or that there is too much of the Nazarro vaudeville act, that takes in Buck and Bubbles; also that the new turn (probably com- piled by Timberg) of his sister, Hat- tie Darling, and brother, Sammy Timberg needs liveUey material after its opening, to follow that opening, but even at that there is no surety but the ordinary audi- ences it will appear before will not be perfectly content with everything in the performance just as it la However, there is a sag here and there, but the sag or drag Is through it following a fast session ahead. That is so right at the opening, a novelty one in full stage, with a the- atrical manager phoning to various people he requires, with this running into what is known as a pick-out number for chorus girls (out of Tlmberg's former vaudeville act); The 14 choristers are so bright in their work and looks that they make this pick-out number stand up, helped greatly by its dialog that car- ries the thing along to a logical mo- ment of each girl attempting an im- personation, which must have re- quired much and hard work by the stager. As Timberg is the lone comedian at times, it seems another one could be useful, and, again, the girls are absent from the stage for quke a while. The chorus girls are very good looking as a rule. They display an oddity of selection that Is quite evi- dent in the "Gloom and Joy" num- ber. The "Glooms" are girls of nor- mal proportions, while the "Joys" are six of the chorus marked for their very thin legs. A regular Broadway production number 1b "The Medal Scene," em- ploying a song that suggests a plug in the manner it Is first handled, but this develops Instead Into Irttle seenas with the song, "Pin a Medal on You," in each one. Some of ff la from Tlmberg's other writings. A production also has been giveh to the Else and Paulsen skating turn that brings it well out for these two dandy ice skaters, although here the flash of steel and clipping of ice are missed through the arti- ficial flooring. There is an uncon- scious laugh in the snow scene with its supposedly Ice pond in the val- ley. The chorus girls are serenely ensconced around the setting with fur trimmings to their dresses worn over bare legs and thighs. A dressy scene is the sports num- vue portion being lamentably weak The show opens with the Man- hattan Trio, assisted by the Wilson Sisters, who are two blondes with a million-dollar appearance. They are thin, but graceful, and do some dancing which has class. The trio is good, but a trifle weak on the baritone end. The act is short and was not encored heavily, but llorton and La Trlska, who follow, really have an act. Tho woman does a doll stunt that Is marvelous. Buddy Doyle gets pretty solid ap- plause on his blackface song stuff, and later on in the show gives the usual imitations. And Marie Stod- dard has an act In which she imi- tates. \nono too successfully, the budding prima donna, the Ingenue, the jazz singer, etc. But she gets over. But the next act—Al Klein and Brother Harry—goes over tre- mendously. One must thank Al Klein and William Moran. who fol- lows in a later act, for providing what comedy there is Jn the show. Klein works like a Trojan, and gets results. Moran and Wiser, with their familiar hat-throwing act, get something. They finish a vaude- ville portion that, as a whole, frames up nicely. The best that one can say for the revue is that it may be the nucleus fro something better. Irma Ber- trand Is the leading woman of it. and she falls down. Li.tie of the book of the original show has been retained, and the age-old story of Jhe deacon who preaches temper- ance and boozes on the sldo Is given again. Everybody works In this part of it, and with rather economic settings and a chorus that is none too well costumed and hasn't any looks to spare, it is a pretty sad. proposition. But the Wilson Sisters stand out here. Frank McCune. who Is managing the Academy this year, has been working hard to put his theatre on the map. It Is not getting a great deal of recognition from the papers on account of the impression in Baltimore the shows being pre- sented there are burlesque. Mc- Cune has pulled some good stuff, but unless his bosses shoot some better shows down this way it Is going to be too late. The Academy lis iiuiii- %.« y. . ,, . . ber. though Timberg will likely be £ ldn l do any to ° ™ eU last yea _ r - commended at 4he end of the sea- There are some Baltlmoreans who FROLICS OF f&22 *\ Herman Tlmlwrg producer ami starred. Also writer of book,3 lyrW.-a and music, with other music by Sammy Timber*. I. H. Hi'rk Interested In production. Principals: Herman Timberg, Rattle Darllnr. Sammy Timbers;, Hay Kinp. Eddie Heffernan, Charles Maiistl>>UI. N'.it Nazarro. Special- ties- Herman TitnWrK, Darling and Tim- berg (Sammy), Nat N i/.arro and Co.. K'.s- and Panlsen. Chorj.«tcrj', as programmed: Rose Shelby, Lorraine Hansen, Irene Hay- den. Ora Llghtner. Peggy Mitchell, Vivian liirmihgham, Anita (Sarvln, Jessie It«>bln- son, Virginia 0'8tUMvan. Teddle Tremayno, Florence Mouclalr. Rene Manning. Kath- arine Halm. Audrey McVay, Gladys - Hums, Mac Maiming. have never quite forgiven the Messrs. Shubert for converting the Academy into a vaudeville house. son for sending over the show not- withstanding there Is no extrava- gant outlay for production to be recovered. It Is not missed and what the show has is sufficient for the necessities. The Nat Nazarr<rVompany closed the first part with its acrobatics and the comedy of the colored boys. Buck and Bubbles, two real finds for dancing and comicalities. Bub- bles dances and sings; Bubbles does a little of everything, including piano playing. It is tho invitation I and augmented by five vaudeville piano playing with melodies called l^^'.fjve 8 Proniisc °f passing mus- for from the audience that stretches THE ROSE GIRL Chicago, Sept. 27. The Shubert unit "The Bose Girl," a condensed version of the original musieal comedy of that title, merged into a single act with three scenes "Frolics of 1922." with Herman Tim- berg doing a George Al. Cohan with it, should he ranked among the lead id around curing he firs in rush. ^ of the Shubert units. That is of the Jazz thing, but none of the worst ever had anything on "Chappy's Hot Dogs." It's com- posed of six colored men, fou.- blow- ing on bass instruments, cornet, trombone, tuba and sax, and two others playing piaao and drums. The sounds produced by the col- ored aggregation are not music for the better part. At times it sounds gs if most,of the band are playing In different keys. Just plain bad. doesn't describe the band—it's awful. Chappelle and Stinettc, colored, sing several numbers, with the hand ac- companying. Miss Stinettc has a really beautiful soprano and Chap- pelle a tenor of food quality, but neither appear to understand the first principle of singing. Through improper breath control, both stick added syllables on the end of words. and Air. Chappelle uses head and nasal tones mostly. The act. in- cluding tho band, shapes as a small time arrangement. Tb« vaudeville .dio section was I conditionally, of course, since but few so far have played New York or Brooklyn. But for entertainment and diversity of it this Timberg per- formance should hugely please. The farther away from Broadway it is the better it should be liked. It's fresh, with nothing stale, created by Timberg and staged by him. While to quite some extent it is a family affair on the stage, that docs not lessen its value. And also, while it has no class, it's a first-rate evening for $1. Its construction is peculiar, run- ning mostly in full-stage scenes, even to its acts, excepting when Timberg or the girls are nut in "one." (When Timberg is mentioned, Herman is referred to.) Timberg may be said to have Jazzed up this performance in a most likable way. It runs ac- cording to his ideas only. Those who may have t*ocn Timberg in his revue at the Princess some seasons ago will recognize that. That jazz- ing gives it a variety, nnd a wide variety that makes it the more en. out the turn too long. There has been a\o better matched colored comedy team than this couple, not excepting "Williams and Walker, where George Walker was strictly the straight. Buck is the straight here also, but with comedy mo- ments, while Bubbles Is a natural little Ethiopian performer with comedy all over his work. He did a burlesque on Hattle Darling's pajama song that was the only thing that saved it. also the terrible lyric It contained. Miss Darling might turn this song over to a chorus girl; It Is not at all becom- ing to her in any way. A number with Herman and Sammy Timberg wag preceded by a scene. Herman Timberg alone in "one"' got his laughs, not with the brightest of matter, though. The music runs along In a con- ventional way, suitable to the show. Sammy Timberg Is young. He shows it in his stage work. Bay King is the straight of tho entire performance, of good appear- ance but somewhat over made-up, a fault that extends to tho chorus girls in several instances. Herman Timberg has done a lot of work in framing this show, sin- gle handed, and playing so much in it besides, and, over all, putting out a good show. It's a Job for any producer, author or actor, some- thing reports about many unit shows have brought out. The Central held about 70 per cent, downstairs Tuesday night with a very light balcony. It's a counter house, window selling only and that at theatre time with no advance sale, but It's a great drop in, facing Broadway on one of the best blocks in Times square. The house is bound to catch any overflow in the square. If the show Is good or bad, the Central will quickly bring it out. It's a fine little compact theatre for a some young Lothario to help heg spend her money. Bobert Haliday played the part of the Lothario, desiring to win tho heart of one of ber proteges mora than he did of the Madame herself, lone Wllber, as ''Tho Bopo Girl,* played her part daintily, talking her lines in exquisite fashion and doing her vocal and terpslchorcan chores in meritorious manner. Hattle Althoff as the Jealous farm hand who believed her lover was not giv- ing ber all the attention she de- served, proved a revelation. Sho went through her lines with ease and showed that she was no mean hand at the dramatic end of tho game. She had several good scenes with the comedians and camo through tUem all handily. Jerome Bruner and Ainswort^i Arnold, also were competent in their work. The 16 ladles of the ensemble were always alert and willing. They could^bo Aised a little oftenor In en- semble numbers which should be Inserted in the place of draggy and lengthy dialog. The costuming of the girls was not of the best, as most of the wardrobe was a bit reminiscent and could be easily done away with In favor of fresh looking garments. Peggy and Cortez In the vaude- ville section found a place In tho first scene to lend that class and tone which they did through the rendition of a novelty whirlwind dance. The revue section of "The Bose Girl" is a meaty one, has plenty of comedy, Its musical augmentation is all that could be asked for and no doubt when whipped into yhane will easily find welcome on the circuit* Tho vaudeville section got a slow start with a lot of European non- sense, dispensed by Hojc and Pauley, a recent importation. Tho man and woman indulge In mean- ingless low comedy and did rot pro- voke laughter. The turn might havo been a knockout on the other side but here the audience could not respond. Hattie Althoff and Sister put the show on Its less with syn- copated melody. Hattie is at homo here, found her audience true to her and had no difficulty in upholding their faith In her. • Next wns Louis Simon and Co. In a travesty sketch of a henpecked husband whose spouse tries to get rid of him. She takes him to a quack hospital, where 'a quack doctor and attendants promise to send him on tho death passage. Their efforts go for nought when tho new anaesthetic gas overcomes all of them Including the wife, and tho patient is cured of his so-called ail- ment. There is a load of comedy in the vehicle which produces laughs aplenty. Assisting Simon in the skit are Leila Bomer, Gladys Hart, Jeromo Bruner and Ainsworth Arnold. Then came Harry Kranz and Al B. White, Injected Into the proceed- ings due Nathal's non-arrival and. their show "Hollywood Follies" was laying off. The boys had things all their own way and stopped the pro- ceedings twice. With the placing of an opening turn in the vaudeville section x>f this bill, a much more substantial impression would be made by this portion of the show. Loop. ter over the circuit. The piece still has itj rough edges In spots duo to the pruning pro- cess and the endeavor to align It so that the continuity be main- tained. This process will no doubt be kept up .'or a time so as to elim- inate a few draggy scenes. As in the original production, "The Bose Girl" still has the dimunitive Loiiis Simons and the portly and rotund Shop Camp in the cast. They get into action early in the proceedings and keep things at fever heat throughout. While they grace tho stage there is al- ways something doing ' whether it is repartee and scenes. Harry Cole- man is the ligl\l eccentric comedian, Leila Boomer, character comedienne. The story is that of a roue who has taken over the heritage of a girl. He tells her that her parent- age Is unknown and that sho Is simply living on his benevolence. This is the nucleus on which "The Boso Girl" stands and on which tho comedians and their aids work for two and one half hours to entertain. Tho Sunday night audience at the Garrick seemed to enjoy the en- tertainment hugely. At tlmo*. dur- ing lengthy and burdensome dialog, they woro a bit restless, but this was quickly relieved when tho talk was Interrupted by song. The song numbers used were all special, from tho original show and most pleasing. Simon and Camp gave a superb performance of the two American bunco men that were willing to ex- change inundated property and worthless checks for French coin of the realm regardlc a of the ex- change value. Harry Coleman worked most zeal- ously and consistently to establish the fact that tho performance was not complete without his little mite of comedy. Leila Rotnar did well as tho altruistic gambling house keeper who wns always willing to vaudeville performance, with I take another protege under her wins a cauaclty of around 1.000. Hlnie and at the .same time striving to get SAY IT WITH LAUGHS Kansas City, Sept. 23. The "Say It with Laughs" unit, playing Shubert vaudeville, got away to a bad start at the Sam' S. Shubert theatre this week (Sunday, Sept. 17). The company opened cold and was handicapped by lack of rehearsal. The people arrived here Saturday morning (Sept. 16). An all-night rehearsal took most of the pep out of them, and it Is a wonder that tho premiere performance went over as well as it did. Aluch pruning and some building will be necessary to put the show In order. The Sunday night per- formance was not over unitl 11:50, and the tag, line on tho program, "The End—We Can't Stay Hero All Night," was most appropriate. It would not be surprising if at least two of the scenes in tho revue, or afterpiece, would be deleted, as they slow down the action and would never be missed. The vandevillo was given as the opener, and was run off in the fol- lowing order: Hayatake Brothers, Jap act: Bobby Barry and Dick Lancaster In "I Don't Want to Dance": Barr Twins, singing and dancing; Lawrence Sullivan, Irish songs: Imhof. Corenne and Co. (Mark Linder) in "In a Pest House"; Buth Budd, singing, dancing and aerial. All of the acts ran overtime except the opener and slowed up things badly. Barry and Lancaster used 20 minutes,. Imhof and com- pany took 35 and Buth Budd 18. As a consequence it was ten o'clock when the first part finished. The second act Opened '.ith 'It Might Have Happened/' introducing the 16 girls as follows: Sailors —Irene Rroderick, Char- lotte Lewis, Mui.vl Barker. Mary I Layaiaks ^ French Girls Clara Master* 1 , Adrfenne Wally, Betty Wilhart, May Johnson. Spanish Girls — KJfl Barry. Frankie DcFoc, Claire Duval, Marie Chalm< rs. American Girls- - B«v.< Ie Lew!", Vera Caceron, Veda Gordon, Kath- * :ine Moffett. The. scene was a steanv.hip dock.