The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-04-15
At the Colonial.

From beginning to end. the new
weeks bill of vaudeville yesterday Of
fered at the Colonial served its pur-
pose well in winning applause. and
earning laughs.
Modestly billed as aerial artists,
P0ns and Pons, an athletic man and
woman, the men resem bling Hacken-
schmidt, the Russian Lion" and his
partner. very pretty girl. of re-
markable strength in spite of her
comparative frailty. began the vaude-
Vile session to bright success. The
gigantic strength Of the man is scarce
" even tested in his lifting feats,
and the manner Ia which the cute
girl handles his tremendous bulk
gained for them splendid applause.
After them entered Charles Ever
dean, who seated himself at the piano
and played the Introductory chords to
the entrance of a talented mite of a
girl, with a voice almost as big as
that OF the fellow Murphy, who out
sings the band. The little one, Wen
ma Bolton, offers three excellent char
aCter interpretations with descriptive
songs the close being a counterpart of
the role essayed by her in the skit
Swat Milligan."
Florence Lorraine and Edgar Dud-
ley, with their company Offering,
The Finish" comedy dramatic
sketch, just about surpassed in pre-
tentiousness any Offering in this line
yet seen here. The transition from
comedy to tragedy is so tightening
ike In its swjftness that the whole
complexion OF the story is changed
Ike feat Of magic. 1t Is superbly
acted by Miss Lorraine. Mr. Dudley,
and Violet Mann. and II carries it's
moral, too, a valuable and pointed one,
even though the author saw fit TO
have the denoument end unnaturally
for the sake OF making a comedy
point the point being we'll turned.
And then came John Geiger. the one
wizard Of the violin, seen in vaude-
Vile these many years. limitations
Of instruments. voices, quadruple
toned conditions II popular numbers
and such accom- plishments are his
stock in trade. Indeed, he doesn't
stop AT the simple method of extract
ing melody from the violin. 1T would
be useless 10 describe this offering
at length Suffice II 10 say that he
was recalled till il seemed his arms
must ache, and no artist within mem
ory has secured as his reward ap-
pIause that seemed to come from
every single auditor present.
One If the most novel offerings in
an aCrobatic way closed the bill in
the appearance Of the La Toy broth
3 - as tifAf A'taaH ksi Il IAE10I. with
music It begins ard paut0ufn1tc work
carries the fun throughout Acroba-
ties contortionistic feats, barrel tunp-
ing aud high kicking not TO forget
the battle dances gained laughter
and applause fer them right to the
closing moment
Pictures up to the usual high stan
dard complete bill that is among
the best ever offered at this theater.
At the Empire.
~ good 10 get back to the old
tabloid form OF entertainment. the
KIND that served TO crowd the EN-
pre- the greater part of this season.
the abbreviated musical comedy form
of entertainment that bears the stamp
Of astute direction by men who know
their musical comedy. It's possibilities. !
IT'S power to please. and how best |
those ends are reached, This worthy |
and pretentious idea was illustrated at /
the Empire yesterday in the opening
performances of Johnny Wise one
Of the niftiest of the many nifty
snort stories set to music that as
sure so much pleasure
Johnny Wise" is a funny fellow, /
The character would be funny as
written. even without the highly /
capable presentation of the part so
happily offered yesterday by Sam
Nylie, who looks like Edward Abeles, /
acts equally we'll and is far funnier /
He had subject to work on. OF
course he had something to sell it /
lidnt matter just what he sold. and /
he had voracious appetite, which !
he conditions prevented being salts /
led. And 1t was all because he Sc I
ected an impracticahle spot for feed |
ng purposes. Truly. the reception |
room OF Jack Gays house was as
busy place as the lobby OF a Wash !
ngton hotel at or about the open /
ing of congress. People seemed to /