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Dancing.
Singing and comedy.
The Bob Manchseter Murlesquers on the Columbia's Main Wheel has Mollie Williams for the big name and card. That's about the most sensible thing Mr. Manchester did, in connection with his show, upon returning to the burlesque field. Without Miss Williams the present Manchester performance could hardly pass. As it is the show has been doing business coming east, and Miss Williams has been about the only individual in the organization to be especially singled out by the daily reviewers, excepting the chorus girls (and the Curzon Sisters, who are an olio attraction). Mr. Manchester has revived an awfully old burlesque scheme for chorus girl identification. It is to number each girl upon the stage, with corresponding numbers opposite their names on the program. The choristers wear the numbers with every change. It's not the thing at all for the No. 1 Wheel, cheapening the looks of the stage in no uncertain manner. The Manchester program has been laid out with vaudeville in the consideration. The olio is as long, if not longer, than either of the two parts. Besides the Curzons, who close it with their skillful "butterfly" turn (that should have an adequate setting), adding a great deal of class to the evening. Miss Williams presents her "Le Dance L'Enticement," and Billy Hart does his circus turn, using four choristers for numbers in the place of Marie Hart, formerly in the act. This works out very well for Mr. Hart and sort of places a comedy finish on the first part of the Hart turn immediately following it. Beatrice Harlowe, the prima donna, does a single act in the olio, and after intermission "Daffydills" is given as the burlesque, with "The Lawn Dansant" covering as the title the opener. Miss Williams' semi-pantomimic dancing number affords a strong contrast to the usual type of olio act, and through this the burlesque audiences take to it very heartily. They like Mollie Williams anyway. She's a prime favorite over the burlesque circuits. It's beyond understanding why a girl who had established herself as strongly as Miss Williams did in leading burlesque companies was allowed to wander away. In the second part Miss Williams does her Anna Held impersonation specialty better than ever, looks even nicer than she did when before in burlesque and easily walked away with all the hits of the performance, excepting the Curzons' success. A production number is made of "Little Girl," and if ever a song secured a real "plugging" in costume, Miss Williams gives it to this one dressed in postman uniform, all the girls headed by Miss Williams, concluding it by going through the audience delivering "letters." Miss Williams does not appear in the parts, only as her own acts call for her. Among the principals beside Miss Harlowe are Teddy Burns, Eva Malvin, Frankie Burns, Mr. Hart, Francis Reynolds and Georgia Douglas, also Frank Fanning, who is again supporting Miss Williams in the panto. The comedians could be supplied with much better material than they have. The "Suffragette" finish of the first part is not well worked up, and the idea is too familiar about anyway, having been used by innumerable shows and acts. Mr. Manchester has time to work on the show before it reaches the Columbia, New York. It isn't to practically cast the whole burden of carrying this performance upon the pretty shoulders of Mollie Williams. It's quite some time since Bob Manchester dangled around a burlesque troupe. His knowledge of burlesque should send his show to the top rungs. This might be commenced by cutting out those oval numbers on the girls; also telling a comedian or so to use more judgement in off-color stuff, whether playing in a three day stand or a big town.
Source:
Variety, 40:9 (10/29/1915)