New-York tribune., 1918-08-23

Everything" at Hippodrome
Contains List of Many
Novelties
By Heywood Broun

The current Hippodrome show which
was seen last night Is called "Every-
thlng.' The name is appropriate
enough. for the list of performers in
cludes elephants, Russian dancers and
clowns. Somehow or other an elephant
seems more intelligent on the Hippo
drome stage than an actor. AS rule
the elephant gets over better. His con-
ceptlon of character is bigger and
broader than that Of the actor. It was
the elephants and two marvellous dogs
which hit our fancy most last night.
The dogs were assisted by two aero
bats named the Gaudsmiths. The aero
bats had evidently been we'll trained d
and were always just in the spot where
the dogs needed them. De Wolf Hop
per assisted the elephants.
Or the human performers Houdini
a>~1 Bert Levy stood out. One could
hardly have failed to notice Houdini
Tor after two friends had assisted him
into straitjacket and drawn the
straps very tight they tied his feet
and hauled him up some fifty feet
above the stage. Houdni felt called
upon to apologize for the simple nat
ure of his stunt. He explained that
he had broken his left wrist week
ago trying to get out of the subway
OF all mag gcians, he is the most mar
vellous. We haven't doubt that. with
all his bones we'll knit, he could get
out of the income tax. Certainly his
trick last night was among the most
effective in his repertory, for it was
performed in full view of the audience
no more than the fact that he was
hanging head downward. This may
have explained the speed with which
he accomplished his stunt.
Bert Levy drew pictures and had
them projected on a huge screen as he
whistled away at his work. He drew
Foch and Pershing and Wilson, and
was not compelled to caption any OF
them to obtain recognition. Even wher
he made a fent of drawing beard or
Wilson he was unable to deceive his
audience
Bluch, the famous Hippodrome clown
could not seem to rouse the audience
much last night, but his undoubtec
skill will find more congenial audiences
among the young folk, who are no,
very prominent at first nights. A clowr
would have to fall off the top of the
Noolworth Building to make most OF
the New York critics laugh.
De Wolf Hopper did not seem very
much at home Even when he said thai
the we'll known animal figures were
placed outside the library so that peo-
pie could read between the lions
there was little laughter.
Charles r. Aldrich did one of his
IL, l
personated famous men. He changed
his costumes with remarkable rapidity
Some of his impersonations did not
look much like the men at whom they
were aimed, but the Lincoln was
complete success. We could tell the
emancipator by his hat
Desrec Lubovska was seen in two
effective dances. Her Egyptian num-
ber was particularly good. Gerda
Gulda, Spanish dancer, did some at
tractivc toe dancing. Tom Browns
Clown Band was amusing and tuneful
Among the many musical numbers, the
which was sung by Belle Story The
final number, "Follow the Flag" sung
by Arthur Gcary and the huge chorus
was also effective.
Scenically the best effect came at the
end, in which a selected group OF
choristers manpuvred into position tc
form the flags of England. France and
America. Others mpcrsonatcd famous
characters of history Everybody
seemed to be on hand. There were
among others, Benjamin Franklin
George Washington, Buffalo Bill, Ju-
Illus Caesar Pocahontas, Herod, Marc
Antony, Pershing, couple Of Louises
the Duke of Wellington and Admiral
Schley. They seemed to be grouped
more or less indiscrmnatey Thus
the figure which we took to be George
Crcel stood between Henry the Eighth
and Helen Of Troy. Napoleon was just
behind him and partly hidden.