10 Mins.; One. Coy De Trickey sings popular songs in blackface. The blackface is all right and so is Coy, but the songs are not popular enough – at least those she now employs. The second, a ballad, could be cast forth; it doesn’t belong to a girl who bills herself as a “blackface comedienne.” Miss De Trickey is more of a “Coon shouter,” and since the cake walk is coming back among the rag dances, why should not coy let herself out as a shouter, becoming the sole survivor among many of this type in the past? Miss De Trickey could improve upon her dressing scheme, and it is just as likely, too, that if she would “coonshout” in white face the girl would do quite as well, if not better, although she is good looking under the cork, which is made too dark at the present. But whatever Coy does, she should be careful of the song selection. Let these be of the best and all lively numbers. With a little care Miss De Trickey, in black or white face, should become a standard card on the small time.
15 Mins.; Full Stage. Daisy Leon is a single. She was “No. 2” on a big bill. Daisy’s speciality is songs and changing costumes. After the first summer she goes to full stage where (behind a screen with a lamp in the rear) she makes several quick changes to represent different countries the last number is a hodge podge of operatic pieces with others not so classical, which she renders in a pleasing voice. All right for the big small time with a chance at the real big time once in a while.
23 Mins.; Three (Special Set). Five people in the act, the two comedians in blackface. Of the other three members, one is a man, who is the interlocutor, and two women, in white face (names unmentioned on the program). The scene is a dining car. As the act opens and closes, a panoramic effect is worked and may be seen through the car windows, indicating passing landscape. Two blackface men explain as their reason for being there that they are stranded minstrels working their way back to St. Louis as waiters. The remainder of the group are described as a part of touring minstrel show. The interlocutor is the manager, and he needs two end men. Then they get down to business, which is singing, dancing and telling jokes. The latter are not bad at all; the comedy by the two men is neither forced nor overdone; the singing seemed to be very well liked, particularly that by the trio of men (when the audience howled for more); the women get into the action with one solo and one duet, and the act passed along to a very good reception Tuesday night on the Roof. It could be speeded up; 23 minutes means a long time; but there’s no question that the roof audience liked this turn. It was down second from closing. Some electrical effects are used for lighting purposes, and the main scheme of presentation removes it from the stereotyped semi-circle.
16 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). Menlo Moore has brought east one of his new acts, showing it this week at Proctor’s in Mount Vernon. The number has six people, two men and four girls, with a beautiful woodland scene. The turn is dancing throughout, entirely in pantomime. There is something of a story told by dancing of the principals, but it is not distinct enough to easily grasp. However the dancing is what is meant to count, and it surely does, if Mount Vernon’s verdict is criterion. The dance story has to do with three characters. The first scene is in a special setting, in “three.” The remainder of the dancing is in full stage. Pan, the fellow with the pipes, makes his appearance and nimbly prances around the stage. The sweetheart of the other fellow appears with a group of girls, and young Mr. Pan tries to steal her. He succeeds.. As he is carrying her off, an arrow from her lover’s bow goes through his heart, and that ends the piping. Some more dancing, and for the big finale after the killing, a storm arises and a bolt of lightning strikes a tree near the dancers. They fall prostrate upon the ground and that is the end. The dancing sketch is fine from an equipment standpoint and no fault can be found with principals. The girl having the most dancing to do, gracefully handles herself, as if she had considerable ballet experience. The act is classy in looks and work.
11 Mins.; Full (Special Drop). Boyd and St. Clair are a man and woman with a comedy skit patterned after some of the teams on big time. The woman hasn’t any voice to speak of, and the act just about passes.
50 Mins.; Full Stage. With four principals, including himself, and an abundant chorus of boys and girls, Gus Edwards has assembled an entirely new routine of popular numbers for his latest revue edition, each carrying a separate share of equipment including costumes and scenery. The whole affair is quite elaborate, for vaudeville at least, running strictly to song without dialog, with an occasional speciality to break the schedule. Every number has been given an individual production, with each gathering its full share of results. The affair opens with a southern setting, the boys and girls dressed in appropriate garments, the melody carrying “The Song Farm” title, after which Edwards was bles “You Gotta Stop Pickin’ On My Little Pickaninny,” followed by “Bohemian Rag,” by Edwards, with a dance encore in which he is seconded by Lillyan Trashman. The number is catchy, but the dance, although helped by the girl’s striking appearance, runs a far second to anything else in the repertoire. Sallie Seeley’s specialty comes next, in “one.” Miss Seeley has a double voice with the low register sounding natural with the other resembling a well handled falsetto. She is one of the revue’s big features and landed a personal hit “Shadowland,” with Edward leading is a good production number on the spook order, with comic views projected from the picture machine for added effect. George Jessel’s specialty followed with impersonations of Bert Williams, Ruth Roye, Eddie Foy and Raymond Hitchcock. The Foy bit was well handled, but the others, aside from the resemblan in dressing, carried little value. Jessel has apparently a fund of undeveloped talent and is still young enough to come under Gerry ruling. He should be instructed to cover up his self-consciousness, now a bit too conspicuous, but still pardonable when his age is considered. “Just Around the Corner from Broadway,” a dandy ballad with a corking lyric and melody, was given before a drop of Times Square, and landed the singing honors of the piece. Edwards led it with the troupe handling the encores. “I Love You California,” “Panamala” and the finale came on next in order with a Panama Exposition set. A cute little miss programed merely as “Cutey Cuddles” was conspicuous in the cast, her age probably prohibiting her specialty. The revue held down the closing and of the Palace bill and with little competition, was easily the feature of the program. Edwards has given every detail especial attention and may be credited with one of vaudeville’s biggest productions. Where a house can stand the financial pressure, it should make a great attraction, for it can hardly fail anywhere.
14 Mins; Two (Interior). This team is presenting a “Potash and Perlmutter” sketch. At the opening two partners in the cloak and suit business are shown and the act is patterned after the many spats which the Montague Glass creations have had. The talk is draggy in spots and the men are not yet at ease in their roles. The younger of the two is too prone to screech at the top of his lungs, detracting from the general effect. When the act is whipped into shape it will do for small time.
“The Enchanted Statue.” 9 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). The little set these miniature people use, together with their small voices, make the “sketch” they are trying to present look like a marionette show. Loney Haskell, in announcing them through the program omitting the “Tom Thumb” portion in the description, and Mrs. Gen Tom Thumb is 73 years of age. The midgets are recalled by name and fame as freak attractions, having exhibited in side shows and museums for years, if not all the present troupe, some of them. They are not to be seriously considered as actors, and what they did doesn’t matter – it is the sight of these very little people who are so well known by reputation. But for vaudeville that means little now, as midgets are employed who are real entertainers, something the Thumbs probably have never aspired to. The setting is antique as well. The act showed “No.8.” It just drew curiousity, satisfied at first sight. The program billed the people as Count, Countless and Baron Magri, quite some nobility in the reading.
“Opportunity” is the wonder-worker of the show business. Howland and Leach are an example. Of the many “society dancers” who have gained quick fame and fortune in the dance craze, this couple missed. When they were at Shanley’s before going to Europe, they were among the very best society dancers, and they are yet but they didn’t land. Just why, no one could tell. It was opportunity for the others, and the goddess passed up this couple. Maybe it was because they first danced in a restaurant-cabaret that did not have a ballroom floor. But the fact remains. Mr. Howland is of the Vernon Castle type, tall and graceful. Miss Leach is a pretty girl, bring looking, always smiling (not machine made) and dances well, besides doing some acrobatics. Howland and Leach also created a dance that has been copied and they possess enough class to drive the pretenders on the small time back to where they came from, if this team continues over the circuits. Howland and Leach have everything the others have, excepting the reputation and money, Why?
15 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). Extravagantly billed on the program, which called Kar-Mi a prince of India, this magician, with two assistants was placed to close the Hammerstein program Monday night. The stage setting that seemed to say that several things would be attempted, besides the dressing of the people concerned in robes suggesting East Indians, held the house at a rather late hour, until the turn finished. Kar-Mi is very dark-skilled, much more so than his woman-assistant, who is the person mostly used for the disappearances, although the other man is employed at one time for a substitution. The main illusion is at the finale. It is made somewhat lengthy by a slow manner of working, also the continued chatter Kar-Mi uses, and his work of borrowing a couple of watches from the audience. Cut down and worked faster, this would be an excellent illusion. It contains the substitutional as well. The early portion has a sword swallowing feat by Kar-Mi, who swallows a bayonet affixed to a heavy musket, holding the latter up on an even line with his mouth. Later he loads the gun, and swallowing a portion of the steel barrel that has been detached, fires it at his male assistant’s head, apparently knocking off a card placed there, with the shot. A few tricks of legerdemain are mixed in. Kar-Mi secures some comedy from his talk, that carries an accent of some sort, perhaps India although sounding Dutch (not German). It’s an odd sort of act for present-day vaudeville made odd mostly through the sword swallowing that is not performed here in the customary museum style. The turn ought to get attention on the small big time, and might take care of a spot of the big time.
