New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-22
At THE VARIETIES
and They Lived Happy Ever
After" a Genuine Surprise.
"PUSS IN BOOTS" SHOWN
George Beban in Old Act Sue
ceeds in Topping Bill at
Hammerstein's.

! this week Real. unqualified surprises
are rare in the domain Of vaudeville, just
as they are in the wider field Of the
! theatre in general, and this is one Of
those exceptional cases where the unex-
pected truly happens. And They Lived
! Happy Ever After" II IS called, and 1t
| is a playet Philip Bartholomae, who
| wrote "Over Night" and Little Miss
| Brown" is responsible for its adaptation
! TO the American stage from the German.
! Like all good surprises, II is complete.
/ The title would seem to promise a sweet
Ily sentimental love story Of the fairy
variety, with the full complement Of
| beauteous heroine and brave hero, whose
| line of life runs on In the end as all fairy
| stories should. Instead, IL is farce Of the
most surprising sort, so surprising that
no mixing Of its nature should be given.
See and be surprised. Is the only in
! junction. Also, marvel that the clever
ness and humor OF the idea-for It is truly
| Clever-havc never been made use Of be
| fore 10 add TO the gayety Of nations. All
credit to the American adapter and the
original German author, whose name does
not appear on the programme, for their
originality ana dDll4tD 10 hlHuSc WIN
something altogether novel!
And They Lived Happy Ever After"
may be the cleverest thing on the bill,
| but II has no monopoly on the laughter
which is king ut the theatre this week.
| When all Is said and done II seems TO be
! the old familiar sort OF fun which gets
J the most demonstrative response. That
would seem 10 account for the continued
success OF the Avon Comedy Four. who
| have been doing their low-comedy stunts
for more than a few years, and for the
hearty laughs which several familiar
/ laugh-producIng tricks received in the
otherwise novel sketch by Graham Moi
rat. author OF "Bunty Pulls the Strings"
Why slap on the side OF the face should
be funny is hard TO tell. but tho heart!est
mirth OF the audience was given for the
same identical slap that has probably re-
sounded over the footlights ever since the
theatre began. IL IS for laughter though,
that most OF US 90 10 the theatre, and
happy We should be that there is so much
opportunity In this weeks bill TO respond
with II.
Laughter is the toll Emma Carus asks,
| the same hearty Miss Carus who amused
New York In Up and Down Broadway"
She has returned To the famous street
further down this time, but there f. no
falling or in her temperance nor In her
willingness 20 please. The same may be
said Of Jimmie Britt. cx-lIghtwcIght
champion OF the world. who comes back
with few gray hairs but increased abil-
| ity as an actor, particularly IN the only
bit OF melancholy which sIlonccd the
T laughter OF the audience. This time lie
| has the power 10 hold his former adj
mrers. who applaud him for his hstIc
pr5wess and I'm addition 10 interest with
the tale OF a prizcaght tragedy.
4. Seymour Brown singing his own
songs, Earl and Curtis In a pleasing hIt
Of song and dance Sausone and Della
ln exceptionally good gymnastIc feats and
the skating bear, monkeys and trained
dogs of Mile. Anna Buckley, complete
variety OF enjoyment
The Firth Avenue Theatre has a large
item this week I'm its "Puss I'm Boots"
fantasy. The nice old nursery tale comes
out in music and tights, with features
marches and Jokes thrown IN al the side.
I The King travels along tho highway with
/ Cutie" his queen In an automobile with
carriagc-like lines.
Puss IS the benevolent spirit who,
though understanding the affairs Of state,
is not above playing with q red rubber
! ball. David Abrahams was quite kitten
| lsh I'm this part. His morning bath was
| convincing
The villagers horalds. ladies-ln waiting
( and Amazons were all equally ladyllke
and shapcy, even tender, when they came
out I'm special feature number, each
holding little rcaD cat
This Offering, which won lots Of ap-
plause and hundreds OF gurgles OF de-
light from all over the house, was put
on by 3. A. Rolfe who also composed
the music. VIII J. Kennedy, as the
'Klnck." was the principal comedian.
with gustO.
on the programme "Puss in Boots" IS
called a pantomime, but since there are
rs much words and music as action
and since nothing Is done IN pantomIme,
let's call It a play.
The rest OF the bill was bright
Just because thing is old In the vaude-
VILE world "a no particular indication
that Il has lost It's appeal. At least such
In the case with THE Sign Of the Rose, "
which George Beban IS doing again at
Hammcrstcln's Victoria. The playlet has
been seen several times before in New
York, yet once more II succeeds In top
ping all other acts on the theatres bill.
And once more the work Of George Beban,
actor, Is received with as much approval
as that OF George Beban, author, deserves.
This little sketch Of Italian tragedy sue
ceeds in gripping It's hearers in spite OF
tho poor preparation for It given by its
predecessor on the BILL an act OF alleged
Hebrew comedians.
Sam Chip and Mary Marble are also Old
acGuaintances to vaudeville patrons. and
although they come IA a new setting, en-
titled The Land Of Dykes" they give
their familiar characterlzations of roly
poly Dutch boy and girl, respectively. A
bit OF song, a few dancing steps and
twinkling OF humor again make a sue
cess for the sketch.
For the rest OF the bill, Goldberg, the
cartoonist the original I'm the Guy"
is the only one to achieve much above the
ordinary. The other numbers were mild
scarcely up to the usual Victoria stand
ard. They were Toledo, contortionist;
Peppino, accordion player; Mosher. Hayes
and Mosher. bicyclists; Kalmer and
4 10, liCr In, ha