Evening star., 1927-12-12
OPENING ATTRACTIONS IN WASHINGTON
THEATERS
KEITHs-Hardeen and Company.

hElIn S-narueeu anu NOhHpdHy.
Three numbers on this weeks bill
at Keith's run a neck and-neck race
for topline honors, with two others
close enough to make it still more in
teresting. Houdeen, brother of the
late Houdini, has a large company o
assistants and elaborate scenic effectS
and the house management has seer
ut to push him to the front. All o.
Hardeen's tricks are clever ant
mystifying. There is only one tricf
in which ropes and handouts are
brought into play. There is not ar
idle minute while he is on the stage
and he keeps the audience amused
and interested.
Charley -2uggles has been out oi
luck so far this Fall in the matter OF
striking a success on the legitimate
stage. and as a result he is back In
vaudeville for a time. Ruggles is one
of our neatest comedians. and in q
little sketch entitled wives" last
night kept the audience laughing
almost continuously. What little
story there is to the playlet tells OF
the terrible effects of a battle with
modern alcohol with the result that
he is married while seven-eighths un'
conscious. The supporting company
of three girls and one man are all
that could be asked, and the action is
fast but natural.
limitations or impressions have al
ways been popular with VaudeVllie
audiences, but it is seldom that any
one as good in that line as Venlta
Gould's act comes this way. MISS
Gould's impressions of popular actors
and actresses were so close to the
originals as to cause astonishment
winding up with a thriller wherein
she appears as Leonora Uric in Lulu
Belle" with an unknown playing
Henry Hull's part of the colored bar
ber. The act ran at least 20 minutes,
every minute producing something
worth while.
Eddie Miller and Frank j. Corbett
have been frequently in the muslcal
comedy ranks, have splendid voices
and sing popular songs so well as 10
have last nights audience in an up:
roar of approval. Valentine VoX and
Emily Waters in an elaborate
ventriloquist act went over finely as
usual: the Two Daveys in comedy
Juggling were a laughing hit on ac'
count of the mans originality; the
Harringtons opened the show in good
shape on the revolving ladder.
Pavaroff and Eugenia, the former a
clever pianist and the latter classi.
cal dancer, recorded a hit, as their
offering is new and far out OF the or
binary. The regular house attrac'
tions filled in the few vacant spots as
usual.
EARLE-"MemOries Of the Opera"
Memories of the Opera" a Meyer
Golden production, is the headliner al
the Earle Theater this week. Caesar
Rivoli, heading a cast of operate
artists, impersonates several OF the
foremost masters of musical compost
ton and also assumes the guise OF
each of these artists. The supporting
ensemble renders, with beautiful stage
settings, the best known work Of the
masters.
Second honors are awarded to Billy
Arlington, assisted by EIDE Mae, c. /.
Taylor and Joseph Ward in Mistakes
Will Happen" a comedy skit, in which
the star plays the role Of a highbrow
hobo.
Roger Williams, featuring ''The Or
gan; Dell O'Dell, versatile artistic,
with a cast of three, in "A Very Origi-
nal Novelty" and Herbert Faye & Co.,
assisted by Bert Morrissey, Bobbie
Brown and Flo Donia in "LaughologE
the vaudeville program a success.
The photoplay feature is MY Friend
From India" an international COM
edy of errors packed with wholesome
laughs. adapted by f. McGrew Willis
from the farce by III. A. De Souchet.
Franklin Pangborn has the leading
role. Elinor Fair heads the supporting
cast, which includes Ethel Wales, Ben
Hendricks, jr.; jeanette Loft, Tom
Ricketts,, Louis Natheaux, Tom Dugan
and George Ovey. The production
deals with the exploits Of q young
millionaire whoA falls in love with a
society bud. He impersonates a
Hindoo prince in his efforts to md
hilarious moments and ends with a
Added attractions include a tworeel
comedy, Kilograms. orchestral over.
ture and exit march by the Earle Or.
chestra, under Floyd c. Wheeler, and
pipe organ music by Alexander Arons.
GAYETY-"Gaieties of 1925"
Izzy Hirst's "Gaieties of 1928" is the
Offering of the Gayety Theater for the
week. Billed as a musical cocktail
with a kick" the show is comprised
of 13 scenes and IL musical numbers,
furnishing two and a. half hours of
entertainment.
Billy (Bumps) Mack, featured come
dian. keeps the house in one contin-
uous laugh with his comedy, mostly
pantomirne. Harry Boob Myers and
Artie Brooks assist Mack with the
comedy scenes as well as performing
specialties Of their own. The roller
skate dance Of Brooks Is especially
good. Al Darr furnishes some pleas
ing songs and bits Of dramatic acting
winning much applause from last
nights audience. while Leonard Kra'
mer in straight roles does his bit to
help the show.
The feminine contingent is headed
by Jessie Rece, prima donna, whose
songs were pleasing. Helen Davis
soubrette, specializes in acrobatic
dances and leads the chorus through
their many dance numbers. Dona
Davis, blues singer, has speciality
which almost stops the show.
The "Gaieties" boasts of snappy
and well drilled chorus. The staging
and costuming is good. The show
furnishes good entertainment