Herbert Clifton
Herbert Clifton, female impersonator, received tremendous applause for his character impersonations. He has a fair voice for the work and pretty gowns, and brought laughs with comedy attire.
Aurmia
11 Mins.; One (5); Full Stage (8). Auremia is a female impersonator, who features “The Dance of Death” on the billing matter. This is the finale, a sort of snake dance, without the snake, but incense pots or something like that. The opening number is a song of roses, with the singer carrying some. Another song enters between the first and the dance, after which comes the disclosure that Auremia is a man, who wears nice clothes, that any woman single on the small time would sigh in envy. Female impersonators somehow appear to be more fortunate in procuring more extensive, elaborate and expensive wardrobe than women who merely sing. Perhaps impersonators command much higher salaries. Auremia, although “No. 2” on the Hammerstein bill (an early position this week, as it was the last week), did very well, the somewhat light house present when the disclosure occurred applauding as though wanting to hold up the show. As an impersonator in skirts, Auremia is better than the average.
Herbert Clifton
Herbert Clifton picked up the sagging threads. This man is a strange mixture. He has the voices of a feminine impersonator and of a longshoreman. He hoaks [sic] and he burlesques and he satirizes broadly, yet he wears gowns that are a challenge not only to Julian Eltinge but to Valeska Suratt; at times his work is serious and rises to art. At other times it is low, through never low-down. He got woof laughs on his comedy, perfect concentration on his straight endeavors and a blaze of appreciation at the finish and after the encore – a complete success.
Martelle
Martelle, No. 2, seemed to fool the house as a whole with his female impersonation. Martelle is different at least in one respect from the other female impersonators. He retains his falsetto throughout the act, removing his wig as customary at the finish, but refraining from the usual barytone male tones to contrast with falsetto stuff that has gone before. The Martelle act is beautifully costumed, the four numbers landed for fair returns.
Jean Barrios
Jean Barrios, a female impersonation, at the outset resembled the real article, but was suspected before the wig removal after the second number through hoarseness in his duet singing and an impression of Ray Samuels singing “Skeleton in Closet,” and changing costume for the latter in view of the audience, won good applause.
The Templetons
The Templetons, a couple of female impersonators, who dance awkwardly, change costumes and with only fair falsetto singing, were discovered by the majority long before they removed their wigs, so the surprise at the finish was lost. The Autumn Three, two men and a woman, offered some good imitation of birds, a saw mill, etc. They have a pretty setting of a forest. The trio conclude whistling “Peggy” to a good applause.
Reine?
Reine? Without the question mark is a female impersonator. The query might be placed after his name to keep the house guessing, as he, like most of the female impersonators of present times, does not disclose himself until the finale. Until then a big time audience would wonder what Reine? is doing as a single act. But at the disclosure some applause is gained, as this fellow looks like a girl, has an abundance of “clothes,” and Monday there seemed to be many of his friends in front. He sang three songs, perhaps four. One was something about “Sweet, sweet” or anyway those words were in the chorus. Another number was a “Mermaid.” Reine, with or without the question mark, came from the small time evidently, and will go back there. It will do him good, for this impersonator has a chance if he will or can improve his voice, now too coarse and masculine, without a seeming effort on the singer’s part to soften it. That would be very well if Reine did not use the question mark. He might take a lesson from another act on the same bill that is doing a double-voiced turn. No reason why Reine should not do this also, which would gloss over any vocal defects, and might increase his value, the combination of double voice singing by a female impersonator not yet having been tried on Broadway. But just between us, there are too many female impersonators cropping up. The best only should be given time and that’s not intended as an opening for a bad pun.
The Dorans
The Dorans opened with an appropriate setting for their dancing endeavor to aid at the outset, but the turn averaged but fairly, owing to similarity in the routining, and one or two inexcusable waits. The act is running too long for an opening act, also the denouement, disclosing one of the members a female impersonator would have helped did not Doran indulge in unnecessary lifting of his skirts. The Doran number could be made quit good but it is not that now.
Francis Yates
Through Francis Yates and Gus Reed being on the bill there was a doubling of female impersonations. Yates essaying a dame in the two-act offering. As it is placed at the opening of the act it proved a surprise and the team cleaned up on the strength of their voices. They finished a hit after having pulled solid laughs all the way with bright talks.
Du Nord (2).
12 Mins. Full Stage. ”
Du Nord works in a neat eye, full stage, with transparent section which permits the audience to see the maid dressing him as he changes. He does three dances—a Spanish, toe and Egyptian dance. Not using his voice, and giving the house a glimpse of the maid, has the tendency to heighten the surprise when he takes off his wig at the finish.