13 Mins.; One. Two boys, in black face, singing and talking. Will do nicely on any small time bill. At the Union Square they were the hit of the bill, through the program being shy on comedy and they being the one act that had any kind of material that got over. One of the boys is a wounded soldier while the other is doing a female impersonation as a Red Cross nurse. Some clever talk at the opening and three songs.
12 Mins.; Full Stage. “Little Nap” is another “educated monk,” titled after his dress, a military uniform, with a Napoleonic hat. “Nap” does most of his work on the stage, alone, riding a bicycle, and also piloting a motorcycle, with a side attachment in which is another monk, distinctly new in this sort of turn. The finish is a bedroom suite, made more complete than most of the others, the monk undressing, and the finish arriving when he jumps into bed. Too much time is given to the different bits in the opening. But the act doesn’t overrun, 12 minutes. Had “Little Nap” arrived fast, and so on, the same here as with a lot of others who thought of it something after it had happened! They may do it better, but they do it too late. The same with plays. Opening the Palace show “Nap” did well, and will be generally liked.
6 Mins.; Full Stage. Six men and two women form this acrobatic group. The “family” is dressed in the familiar garb of foreign nomads. They carry a gypsy camp drop and open with the women doing a tambourine dance. Pyramids, shoulder-to-shoulder leaps and somersaults, with groundwork the piece de resistance, are performed by the men. One of the women also puts in some acrobatic turns. The act has some flashy arabics, spirals and springboard (trampoline effect) somersault revolutions that are well done. The men are inclined to take to take their time with the work. Good act of its kind and a splendid closer for the pop houses.
17 Mins.; One. Of the trio the tallest wears a plain suit, affects the mannerisms of a simpleton and in addition to singing alone and with the other boys does a bit of Russian legmania that is about the best of the act, one of the trio has a prop smile used overtime. The piano player, who also sings, has pert assurance that gives the wrong impression. The boys sing harmoniously and get plenty of applause.
22 Mins.; Three (Interior). “At Home.” McConnell and Simpson, assisted by Laurence Simpson, have a new act, “At Home,” by H.H. Winslow. The action is supposed to occur in the McConnell and Simpson home at Kansas City. Living with them is Grant’s brother’s Laurence. The men return from a ball game, arguing, and the wife at home has a meal waiting. There’s talk of spending the evening out when the suggestion goes that a rehearsal of the new McConnell-Simpson act take place. In a jiffy the trio enacts a farcical little skit with Miss McConnell playing the role of an insane asylum superintendent, Grant Simpson, a lawyer, who makes believe he’s a new patient to study real conditions at the institution, and Laurence Simpson, a Chicago drummer, who plays doctor, attendant and patients with the aid of wigs that the “lawyer” may be fooled on the supposed “filled up” business the place is doing. After the act Laurence refuses to rehearse it a second time and rushes out, leaving his brother and wife quarreling over him. The phone rings. Grant is informed that his brother has been killed by an auto. Here Grant breaks into tears and a transformation comes over his wife when she realizes the boy she has been berating is dead. It’s a quick change and very well done. The new act gives Miss McConnell opportunity to use her old laugh mixed in with some hysterical tears, while there’s a mixture of comedy and pathos. The act was well received Monday night.
27 Mins.; Five (Office Interior – Special Set). Joseph Hart presents Hugh Herbert in this sketch of old fashioned and modernized Hebrews written by Geo. V. Hobart and Mr. Herbert. That Mr. Herbert wrote and inserted most of the typical “Yiddish” lines and actions is as easily believed as it is seen that he wholly holds up the piece, in his character of retired merchant, who left his underwear business to two growing sons. In the father’s absence for three months, the boys, after having incorporated the business, become involved. The “old man” returns in time to save from a receivership, by an immediate advance of $50,000 and a promised loan of $20,000 more. The sons (the parts are played by Thomas Everett and Arthur Thalasso) are the modernized American Jew boys, sharply contrasted in appearance, ways and language with their orthodox Hebrew father and his lifetime companion, Speagle (Gustave Hartzheim). The sons are too loud, too noisy in fact, for their roles, but that may have been a matter of rehearsal. The story is not over strong, has no sympathetic strings, and is made blustery through the introduction of two “women” (Adelaide Folger and Carol Parson). These girls call on the sons at their place of business, to ay they have sent some goods C.O.D., I unless paid for on delivery, “everything is off” between the two couples. It is while the young women are at the office the father returns. The presence of the young women begets horseplay that distorts such of the story as then exists, and the entire portion of the sketch that this section discloses could be removed, also removing at the same time the “women” from the piece. Suggestion regarding them would be as effective, if this phase must be dragged in. The elimination would reduce the running time and make the action swifter. The earlier part of the playlet drags. Mr. Herbert is doing a fine bit of playing as the father. Audiences will like him, Hebrews among them, even if the latter will not particularly relish the act itself, as at present constated. For one thing, it gives the wrong impression of the American born Hebrew. But as an act, Mr. Herbert will make good in it, and will make it good.
12 Mins.; One. Hope Vernon is a neatly dressed young woman who wears her hair in a braid. She has a sweet voice of high range, but no great volume, due perhaps to her practice of the violin imitations which follow her opening numbers. Miss Vernon takes a violin and bow and as she goes through the movements of playing, imitates the string notes with her voice. It’s cleverly done and fooled a lot of them at the Alhambra where Tuesday night her act was well received. In Miss Vernon’s favor is a splendid voice.
14 Mins.; Four. Neat idea the young men have in using the old Roman gladiatorial ring background and gladiatorial raiment to show off their hand-to-hand balancing wares. The two chaps have an excellent routine, one similar to previous exhibitions by other teams on the big time, but effectively done. The Gladiators, however, have several lifts that are different and on these got big applause.
11 Mins.; One. Two men in Italian dress, one playing a harp. The routine consists of mostly popular numbers, the harpist showing no real classic ability at that instrument. The other member sings fairly well. in houses where the audience have not seen the better class of these acts, the two should find the going easy.
12 Mins.; Three (Exterior; Special). “Spooks.” An act that proved a novelty Tuesday night. Bayone Whipple handles the role of a smartly dressed widow who carried on a conversation with the house painter, a comedy role capably acted by Walter Huston. That the widow may benefit by her husband’s will, a portrait of the deceased man must be painted on the front door. The house painter volunteers. He draws a head, which comes to life, the movements of the eyes and face in the door panel giving Miss Whipple and Huston a chance to sing one of those quaky, shivery, ghosty numbers in floodlight. Huston had nifty and timely remarks that hit the house amid ship.
