The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-12
The Vaudeville at the Grand.

The Vaudeville at the Grand.
Taken altogether, the current. vaudeville
bill at the Grand is an Improvement over
the entertainment of last week. All parts
OF the programme are not on an equal plane,
but the audiences at the opening perform
ances yesterday seemed so happy in accept
Ing everything that was offered that the
mediocre performers were carried along TO
popularity along with the more meritorius
contributors. There is a suggestion of the
circus tent and sawdust arena in the leading
acts of the show-the exhibitions of the
Riccobono Brothers, with their horses and
dogs. and the wonderful feats performed by
the Three Richards, European acrobats.
The first-named speciality was seen at the
Grand last season, and it repeats this time
the good impression that it made upon its
first visit The two brothers, who make up
as Russians. but who are, in reality, Ital-
ians, are skilled pantomimists and animal
trainers, and they have brought their equine
and canine pupils to a high degree of eff
ficiency as vaudeville artists The horses
are seen in a number of stunts" never be-
fore shown. and the dogs carry out their
share Of the act as if they enjoyed the bust
ness. 1t is among the most interesting of
other "headliners" are marvels in an aero
batic way. The Richard Brothers are fine
specimens of finished athletes and gym
nasts, and their performance, individually
and collectively, is replete with startling
One of the most pronounced hits of the
programme is scored by Josephine Sabel,
comedienne who long ago established
reputation as an entertainer of unusual
AFFINITY She is Just as ViVaclous as ever,
and just as resourceful in keeping her au
dience IN very good humor. She does not
rely upon her songs so much as upon her
own personality to make her a great favor
ite In fact, Miss S3bel's songs are not al
ways well selected. She is singing the
same drinking ditty sung al the Grand last
week by Phyllis Allen-a song that seems to
have no other purpose than to advertise a
popular brand of beer. Advertisements in
music are, at their best, poor things with
which to amuse an audience, and Miss SaDel
would do we'll To discard this one objection
able feature from an otherwise excellent
speciality. Another strong success of the
bill is made by Foy and Clark, two very
clever farceurS, who present an act called
THE Old Curiosity Shop" that is filled
with very funny bits of business" and
laughable dialogue. FOy is good eccentric
comedian, and his partner, Miss Clark, is a
very pretty and graceful sOubrette, al
though not much of vocalist. ALT Holt,
mimic who is well known TO Grand patrons,
is on the programme with a speciality that
is the same in every particular as the one
in which he last appeared in this city. His
limitations are all well done, especially his
imitation of birds
The weakest part of the entertainment
comes early in the programme The spe-
cialties of Howley and Leslie, Bellman and
Moore, and Fisher and Wacker. are hardly
on a par with the rest of the show. In the
opening act Miss Allie Leslie's impersona-
ton of little girl singing a song is very
good indeed, but this is about the only fea-
ture of the speciality worthy of notice. The
so-called comedy sketch of Bellman and
Moore is tiresOme in the extreme. The per-
formers themselves are not without ability,
but they seem unable to get hold of q suit
able vehicle. When last seen at the Grand
they had sketch that was pretty poor,
but their act this season, although the pro-
gramme says that it was written by no less
person than Edmund Day. is all but intol-
cradle. They would do better if they de-
voted their attention to singing entirely, for
both have good voices. Fisher and Wacker
are also singers worth listening TO, but
their comedy, which is of the Tyrolean
style (they are Tyrolean warblers), is too
childish to appeal TO an American audience.
The bioscope pictures, which conclude the
entertainment, are attractive.