Conroy and Howard, in a mixture of the stable ingredients of vaudeville – song, chatter, dancing – got through fleeting and neatly. “Indoor Sports” a company prepared for this time to present the act which last season played on the foremost circuits, gave an uninspired performance of a vehicle that was never any too strong, and which always lacked a kick at the finish. Here it lacked a finish entirely, as the final gag was shot upstage. The four troupers need work.
14 Mins.; One. Sabrey D’Orsell is billed as “The Winter Garden Favorite in a Remarkable Song Review,” but she isn’t living up to the billing. Sabrey may have been a fave at the Garden, but she will have to change her style before becoming a fave in vaudeville, big or little. Miss D’Orsell has a voice, a lyric soprano of coloratura quality that reminds one somewhat of Bessie Abott. But Miss D’Orsell possesses none of that elusive quality called personality. She impressed her audience wrongly at the start, conveying a ort of a “I know I’m too good” idea over the footlights. She is singing three numbers, opening with a Scotch number, following with another semi-classical song, and closes with “Annie Laurie.” There seems to be entirely too much of a sameness in her selections, and she could vary to advantage by the introjection of a high class ballad. She should also be coached in the manner of taking bows.
“Butterfly Love” 15 Mins.; Full (Special Exterior). In “Butterfly Love” there is the germ of a mighty good idea which is lost sight of before the finish. The scene is laid in Japan and quite similar to the first act of “Madam Butterfly.” An American warship is at anchor in the harbor. On a hill overlooking the bay a little Japanese maid is seated. On comes a camera man. It is discovered she is not a Jap but a picture actress. Leading man a company is sick and she has ensnared an officer from the cruiser, who believes her to be a Jap and is willing to re-enact the John Luther Long table in real life. She keeps up the illusion and holds him for the love scenes, while the camera man is grinding away in the background. After the picture is completed, the girl discloses the truth. But Mr. Sailorman is now fully entranced and a wedding looms in the distance. There are several numbers, solos and duet, but the comedy element is lacking. This could be rectified easily, for the camera idea offers all sorts of opportunities to get laughs. The act as it stands will just do for small time.
20 Mins.; Full Stage. Two-thirds miscast and with a fairly good dramatic theme that becomes humorously melodramatic through bad handling, this vehicle sponsored by the Roland West Producing Company, falls considerably below the standard raised by some of their previous productions. The theme is a slightly altered duplicate of a similar act that appeared over the Orpheum Circuit a few years ago, played by an English company. It deals with domestic life and shows a married man returning home unexpectedly to find his wife entertaining another man. Some preliminary dialog ensues previous to the interlude’s entrance, after which the story assumes a semi-comic sphere and alternates between comedy and drama to finish where the husband compels the man to drink a glass of wine supposedly charged with a deadly poison. The man, after much whimpering, drinks the glass and after testifying to the wife’s innocence is given passage money to Europe. The act closes with the husband reserving transportation to California. Upon the wife’s query as to the intentions regarding her, he replies he proposes to take her along. There seems little visible fault with the script, beyond its comparison with the other, but the affair has been staged on a cheap basis and hardly looks heavy enough for the pop houses where drama and melodrama are in demand. Both men lack expression and carry no light and shade in their deliveries, while the woman’s part is composed principally of pantomime, of which little is forthcoming. With a capable company the piece might qualify for the two-a-day time. What commendable features exist are solely due to the author, not mentioned on the program (nor is the cast).
16 Mins.; Full Stage. It’s rather a late date for the metropolitan debut of “Richard,” a trained chimp whose routine contains many of the tricks introduced by the predecessors, besides a number of others that look new for a monk. “Richard” opens with the familiar table scene, after he rides a bicycle, roller skates and “walks” a large ball, the latter section being featured. “Richard” also undresses himself and shows more than the average animal intelligence in supervising the erection of his apparatus, used in conjunction with the ball riding. He guides the latter up an incline, over a see-saw and down a flight of steps. “Richard” is a good as the best in his line and much better than the average. He should have arrived with the pilgrim monks. Even now he’s a good attraction, great for the kinds and interesting to the elders.
Florence Tempest, assisted by Allen and Allen, with George Harris at the piano, easily carried the class laurels. Miss Tempest, with her soothing voice, dances, and her pleasing personality, makes an impression on the audience, getting big hands after each number. Allen and Allen sing and dance their way through the act and are called back several times.
6 Mint.; Full Stage.
Man eccentric tumbler, woman assists; both do straw hat boomerang throwing. The man essays ponderous attempts at comedy. Crude small timers.
9 Mini.; One.
Two man, one straight, the other red- nosed foreign eccentrique, also straight woman, for tumbling stunts. Straight and woman doing the understanding for the comedy head-stands and kindred tricks of the comedian. The best trick is a twisting somersault from understander’s shoulders to same position. Comedy rather good.
9 Mine.; Full Stage.
Eccentric comedy juggler, with girl assistant He does tumbling, juggling, comedy talk, plays the piano, juggles three oranges standing: on his head, tumbles while juggling, tears paper while chin balancing, acrobatic rope jumping, etc. And the girl changes her costume. Some mechanical props and comedy sayings on the back of a series of vests. Regulation opening turn, neither very good nor the reverse. Suitable three-a-day opener.
12 Mint.; One.
Two men, singing and crosstalk, one playing the piano. Enter with bartenders’ coats and aprons, with mourning bands on arms; solo and duet vocalizing. Blatant voices and crude workers.
