36 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Exterior). B.A. Rolfe’s latest production, “The Lonesome Lassies,” is one of the most pretentious endeavors that this producer has made. Four principals and a chorus of eight mighty good looking girls. The scene is laid in a summer resort at an old colonial mansion, with its massive white pillars rising 20 or 25 feet above the stage. The lonesome lassies are led by Leota Sinclair and Marjorie Bonner. The latter is an ex-Ziegfeld girl and was one of the best lookers that “Folliers” boasted. The ten girls are at the summer resort and are lonesome, for the boys only come down for weekends. To make the boys jealous the girls scheme to have a picture taken of themselves being made love to by a picture actor. Instead of the actor arriving a real “John” comes on the scene and complications follow. So much for the comedy end. An opening chorus is pretty, and the little flow-up to this will make a hit with the agents, for the lyric writer has woven the names of a number of the “Palace Building” boys into his theme. Ray Hodgdon and Maurice Rose are two of the names that stand out. The picture bit follows this and gets over nicely. This in turn makes way for a burglar number handled by Harry B. Watson and Miss Bonner. The title is “Love Made Me a Wonderful Detective,” with a final touch showing the chorus in almost transparent “nighties.” For the closing number the girls are displaying as pretty a set of gowns as have been seen in either musical comedy or vaudeville this season. The act is slightly too long at present. A minute or two could be cut from the burglar bit and the same from the auto repair talk. There are several repeats in the latter piece of business. The act when trimmed down to a half hour will be one of the best of the big acts. It has comedy, good music and pretty girls.
15 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set.) Mae A. Sullivan started out as a single some time ago when she had secured considerable notoriety in a breach of promise suit against a young millionaire. That Miss Sullivan has taken the stage seriously in shown by a little skit that has three other besides herself, all men. Of the men that one makes the best impersion is a black face comedian, and it is due to him the turn gets what it does. The story is of the soldier’s life. The girl (Mac) is in love with a young lieutenant, but her father will not allow her to marry him until he has done something heroic. With the aid of the blackface the father is told of the exploits of the young man and consents to the marriage. The lover has a little stage ability as possible, but this may be his first attempt. Miss Sullivan’s singing is still in the same class as when she appeared at Hammerstein’s, but she is acting better. The other man fills in. The act has a chance on a small time.
11 Mins.; One. The Manhattan Trio appear in opera cloaks or capes and carrying canes. Afterward they wear simple evening dress. It is some appearance when these three boys, graded in size (although their evening dress coats are all of the same length) strut upon the stage, and start to sing. They have a mixed selection of songs, doing their best with “Hats Off to You, Mr. Wilson.” This put them over in an early spot. It’s hard to forget that the trio looked quite nifty with the capes and canes (almost English), and a kindly motive prompts the suggestion that they permit the capes and canes to become a part of the entire turn, not removing them while on the stage.
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.
10 Mins.; Three (Interior). An acrobatic trio with one member in Billie Reeves’ “drunk” makeup. The shortest member is in bellboy uniform while the third does a “straight.” Some rough and tumble falls re taken by the “souse” with the little fellow displaying unusual ability as a ground acrobat. The straight also has some nifty twists, turns and evolutions. A good act and could classify on a big time bill.
13 Mins.; Three (Interior; Delf Setting)
Title: It didn’t take Lucy Gillette long Monday night to prove that novelty still abounds in juggling. Here’s a woman of pleasing appearance, acrobatically inclined, and with prodigious strength which she uses without assuming undue masculinity usually manifest in acts requiring display of physical prowess. She registered a solid hit at the Colonia, being a wonderful juggler, steady of eye and quick of hand. Miss Gillette shows no bugly muscles, yet she’s of stocky appearance. She wears a dutch outfit, as also does a man who assists in handling the articles. The setting is also of the Dutch delf scheme. Miss Gillette juggles all sorts of heavy articles on her forehead while spinning plates and basins with her feet and hands. Her routine is varied and pleasing, difficult apparently for even a man, but she gracefully, prettily and smilingly executes each trick to big results. Miss Gillette is one of the vaudeville treats of the season. The big time could use a few more with women of ingenuity and originality.
14 Mins; Two. Al White is singing five songs, running the gamut from popular rag to the sentimental ballad. He carries a pianist using a grand piano.
15 Mins.; One. Two young men. Hard workers. Both sing well. Act scored solidly.
10 Mins.; One. It could be asked – Why blame it upon Atlantic City? – but from information which should be correct, Smiling Bunny Gray did play in Atlantic City – once, perhaps longer. Maybe she played in vaudeville. The Hammerstein program says she was found on the Boardwalk. That’s rough talk for a program to send over anent a featured attraction in Broadway’s big time vaudeville. And the program calls the young woman without a voice “Similing Bunny Gray.” Bunny didn’t live up to her billing Monday evening. She didn’t smile, but used up four songs, one a ballad, walked carelessly around the stage, some times stepped over the chain almost into the footlights, then stepped back again, not smiling even then, and the most noticeable indications were that bunny wanted to do “nut stuff,” but didn’t know how to go about it. Maybe she wasn’t familiar enough with her surroundings. But if Bunny is drawing a regular vaudeville salary for this week’s work, she can smile at that, although she isn’t apt to remain long in vaudeville. It’s probably back to the cabaret for Bunny, but Bunny won’t care if her listleness in working gives a true line on her hopes and ambitions. “She Sings Songs in Her Own Unique Way,” adds the program.
14 Mins.: One (3); Full Stage (special Set) (11). Gene Hodgkins and Irene Hammond, described as “A Yankee Boy and an English Girl,” do a combination piano and modern dancing act, in a pure white set that is extremely slightly the set occurs after an opening in “one,” when the couple sing a song. It would seem a useless procedure to start the turn in “one” with that set in reserve. During the full stage portion a picture drop is employed to throw a representation of the Blazing White Way on the screen, with the electrics doing the different dance steps. It afterwards shows the dancers before the camera doing the maxixe. They are supposed to come down a short flight of steps, burst through the paper and continue the dance themselves upon the stage. Monday night the drop didn’t take care of itself. A large hole was torn in the top and this ruined the effect of a rather clever stage idea. The couple do a fox trot to a song, the music of which is popular about for the fox dance. In getting away from the familiar two-act and “society dancers” while still remaining both, the act has brought its most value. With the opening in “one” out and both ends of the act proper made more pronounced, Mr. Hodgkins and Miss Hammond should become popular in vaudeville. They have the necessaries.
