12 Mins.; One and Full Stage. The Shentons, Australians, have something ab it different in the song and dance line with their dancing ability standing out considerably in advance of the vocal efforts. The turn consists of two men and a woman, the taller of the males doing practically all the singing, with the other couple dancing through the various choruses. The opening is a short introduction carrying an explanation of the ensuring work. It is followed by a Dutch number in costume, but for some reason or other the dialect is faulty, running a bit more to Scotch. AN Eskimo number is also added with an Indian song utilized for the finish. This is by far the best of the three and allows for some excellent dancing on a mat with moccasins worn. It brought the Shentons over to big applause and should guarantee their safe passage over here.
10 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). The present Palace engagement of the Okabe Japs marks their American reappearance after an extended tour of Europe. The aggregation, eight in number, work within one of the prettiest Oriental sets ever displayed on a vaudeville stage, carrying everything down to a special ground mat. Seven men and one woman make up the troupe, with a youngster featured in the work. This little chap who resembles in a way an overgrown Billikin, is a marvel at topmounting and ground work, keeps continually active and is very prominent in the most difficult routines. The turn consists of the usual ground and foot juggling with some exceedingly sensational work done on the box platforms. A few pyramids on hand-stands are also injected with excellent results. The okabes make a splendid vaudeville number for their particular line of work, running up with the two or three of the best in their line. They opened the Palace program and scored an emphatic hit.
15 Mins.; One. The Crescent Quartet equally mixed, having voices above the average found in small time vaudeville. Mostly operatic selections starting with the “Sexette from Lucia” are sung. They handle this very well for a fine start. The contralto did a solo that went over with a bang. The dressing is so far superior to the average operatic quartet it deserves mention. The men wear evening dress that looks as if it were made for them, while the two women have attractive gowns which look spic and span. It is an act that should make the big time on ability and appearance.
10 Mins.; Full Stage; At Pantages Jimmy Clabby was assisted by three men. Two were trainers, the third, Larney Lichtenstein, Clabby’s manager. He does the announcing. Clabby demonstrated the principal parts of his gym training routine, which includes three rounds with an assistant. With the exception of Lichtenstein, who wears a Tuxedo, the rest wear white trousers, shoes and shirts with good effect. Lots of pep and snap to Clabby’s act, which make this kind of a turn more interesting.
7 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Drop). Opening the show a man and a woman show something new and neat in a cycling act. Single wheels, both high and low, are used, the man riding as sort of an understander. He displays extraordinary skill in balancing. The neatness and good looks of both make the turn a dandy opening one of any bill.
13 Mins.; Full Stage. The best eccentric acrobatic act since the days of Rice and Prevost. It was the lifesaver of the early part of Hammerstein’s bill this week and the clown of the duo was a scream from the start to the finish. His work is exceedingly funny and his pantomime throughout got lots of laughs. The straight man is a mighty clever tumbler. Several of his tricks were applause winners. With a back-drop the scene represents a seashore. The straight appears as a naval officer with the comedian as a sailor. The straight opens with a few tricks which the clown tries to follow. The pace is swift and the comedy falls follow thick and fast. The final fall into the orchestra pit, and the general rough-house that follows, with the pulling down of the back-drop brought no end of laughs. The slaps off stage to mark the falls are very noticeable from the front and it would be better if they were worked with the drums.
8 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). Whoever laid out this act had evolved a novelty in the way of diving turns. There have been any number of diving acts in the past, some with one girl and some with many more, but these girls will be kept working on the small time. Each young woman has a pretty figure. The opening shows the trio posing on a revolving platform that sinks out of view behind the tank and then reappears with the girls in different attitudes. Six or seven of these pictures are shown and then the diving starts. The act is a very classy number for any small time program, and for full value should be on earlier than the closing spot.
15 Mins.; Full Stage. La Graciosa is offering a posing turn with the aid of lantern side effects and a cartload of scenery. It is entitled “Visions in Fairyland.” There are eight drops of scrim showing scenes leading to the inner circle of fairyland where the beauty poses. La Graciosa is a beauty of the brunette type, possessed of a figure which she exposes in fleshings. After the eight drops are slowly drawn up and the beauty is shown standing on a pedestal a number of slides are flashed on her which make her the center figure of views that seem to be enclosed in a frame. Some of the scenes are well worked out and very pretty, although the coloring is at times a trifle garish. There is a red-fire finish in the form of a “Let Us Have Peace” tableau that brought big applause. Several of the other views shown also brought applause Monday night, especially those showing the water scenes. One fault may be easily remedied. That was in focussing of the lantern. This means so much to an act of this sort every precaution should be taken to have it perfect in the matter of alignment. This act goes further in the way of effects that are brought about with the use of the lanterns. A rain effect and a snow effect are pretty and sure applause winners. The turn shows class.
13 Mins.; Three. A new “girl act” with but four choristers, making the quintet look rather skimpy for a number of its kind. The turn is dressed exceedingly well, with the girls having three changes, all good looking, the final one being a military costume, during which Miss Hyde does her Russian dance. This is the best in the turn and largely aided in getting it over. Miss Hyde was always a better dancer than anything else. She was formerly of Victor and Nettie Hyde. Now she is singing four or five published rags (doing a double version with one with the self-carried office orchestra leader). An English coaster number, in costume, is done by the four chorus girls. Miss Hyde’s enunciation is quite faulty, and naturally interferes with the lyrics getting over. The turn will do in certain of small-time houses.
19 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). “The Shoplifter” is a melodrama of the type that makes its greatest appeal to a small time audience. It contains all of the salient points that made the melos of a decade ago the popular entertainment for the shop girl and her beau. The plot of “The Shoplifter” smacks a little of the Horatio Alger stories. This has been modernized and placed into a set and environment similar to that of the first act of “Within the Law.” There is the mighty boss of the department close-fisted and grasping, the private detective, the shoplifter and all the attendant features that go with three principal characters of this sort. The department store has been systematically robbed for several weeks; the regular house staff of coppers cannot find the thief; an agency man is called in and he locates the crook. She proves to be the sister of one of the former employees of the store, who was injured while working and is at present in a hospital. There is a noted European surgeon visiting America. He is told of the boy’s case and although his fee is never under $1,000 he is willing to attend to this case for $300. Because of the fact that a jury refused to award her brother any damages for the injuries he received by falling down the elevator shaft in old flint-fist’s store, the girl starts stealing to get the required amount. She is caught and confesses and as she is about to be taken to the police station the proprietor’s own daughter is brought into his office in an unconscious condition, she having fallen down the same elevator shaft as the boy .At the sight of his own offering’s suffering the boss undergoes a change of heart and refuses to appear against the shoplifter. The act closed a strong favorite on the American Roof.
