The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-20
'PEEK-A-BOO' REVUE
KICKED INTO FAVOR
Slipper From Trapeze Startles
Audience at COlumbia's
Summer Burlesque.
BRIGHTON OPENS SEASON
Dancers at Palace Dive Off
Stage Onto the Orchestra,
but Are Not Damaged.

slipper was kicked Off the foot Of
trapese performer at the opening Of
"Peek-a-Boo" at the Columbia Theatre
last night and sailed into the auditorium.
but 1t was the only thing about the new
summer burlesque at this house that
was likely TO give an audience pain.
For once In this revue. presented by
Jean Bedlni with lyrics and music by
Michael Zelenko. burlesque actually
lived UP to its name with PAROLES of
the world Of make believe. sending the
spectator away laughing over Jokes that
he could actually tell to his wife
The troupe Of tumblers, for instance,
who were billed as tho Worlds Worst
Acrobats. In the pretentious circus scene,
savc an imitation Of an Arab troupe that
put them among the worlds most ANUS
Ing takers And OF course there were
real trick Observation-Disclosures fans
CRY for them. There were straphangers
who used their teeth-and Indian club
swingers, backed by chorus with
enough action to break the speed laws
OF many a Broadway musical show. En-
pertaining specislties were given by
Emmy Barber. Lalla Selbini. Joe Cook,
the one man vaudeville team, and by
Bobby Clark and Paul Mccullough. who
proved funnier than tho usual burlesque
trampa possibly because their Jokes
hadn't been tested by time- With elab-
orats setting and lively music this house
has surpassed the productions of for
mer years and may be said 70 have
achieved its chef doeuvre.
Another opening which led to consid-
cradle excitement was that of the New
Brighton Theatre at Brighton Beach.
starting It's eleventh season of summer
vaudeville with nine acts that won a
reception which could be heard above
the noise Of the breakers. Marie Nord-
strom won favor with Lets Pretend"
in which she presented the emancipation
Of woman twenty years from now
Jimmy Hussey got in touch with the
multitude again with Somewhere in
Vaudeville" assisted by William Worse
ly. and Ivan Bankoff. Milo and Yerkes' 8
Jazarimba Orchestra were among the
other acts that registered 100 degrees In
the shade.
Performers in vaudeville are so ex-
tremely fond OF crowding themselves
into the footlight trough that it was
bound to happen that some Of them
would eventually take a header right
through the lee scuppers and thrust
themselves bodily upon the orchestra.
Yesterday at the Palace two Of the
cutups in the act Of the Four Marx
Brothers IN Everything" did a swan
dive off the stage. making q beautiful
landing on the head of one of the
musicians. AS II seemed to be the kind
Of head designed to break falls they
arose unhurt without even their repu-
tation damaged
The accident befell Arthur Marx, the
red headed clown of the company, and
Gene Maddox. who's girl The pair
were whirling about in a dance, shaking
the shimmy SO violently that IN a mo-
ment they had slipped into the trough
OF the stage, several footlights haAl
popped out-raising the expense OF the
production enormousy-and they had
popped off the stage in the most Oft
hand manner.
But Art Could Not BE Killed.
Tho spectators jumped to their feet
when they saw the couple disappear In
the orchestra pit. submerging q violinist
beneath them For a couple Of minutes
they were out of sight. while patrons
hadn't resulted fatally. but. as has beer
remarked before. you can't kill art
They were heaved back on the stage
by the indignant orchestra and went on
with the dance. drawing a deadline. how
ever. at the stage apron.
The real headlnner on the bill was
Bessie Clayton, abetted by James Glenn
ons Frank Hurst, Wibbert Dunn and
Elisa and Eduardo Cansino. but though
their dancing act was uniformly excel
lent, It couldn't compare with the thrill
OF seeing a variety artist fly off on his
head and ariDe-well as you might ex-
pect. Other attractive turns were those
of Pat Rooney and Marion Bent. George
N. Brown. who walked when Rooney
wasn't talking. and Slayman Ais Whirl-
wind Arabs. who did nothing but turn
until ono almost felt a fascination for
fhe calling Of n whirlinR deryish