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Show I JiA 7fo? ifrs Nighters . , I i Bl T DO not know whether Joseph E. Bl Howard originated the idea of i staging melodies. I suppose if I gave HS lilm the credit along would como some Bj 1 pundit of ancient lore and scoff at me B because I neglected to consult Egyp- B tian papyri and the cuniform inscrip- B 1 tions of Babylon, or whatever kind of B writing it was the Babylonians em- B ployed, s BJ I probably would learn that at the BL least of Belshazzar that festive mon- B, arch was staging a show just like Ho- B ward's "Song Bird Revnue," at the B Orpheum. Of course, tliere is small B likelihood that the costumes were as B j gorgeous and up-to date as those Bj which Ethelyn Clark & Co. intro- B duced in tlieir fashion show, which Bjj provides the background and atmo- B. sphere for Joe Howard and his be- B witching melodies. B "Let's Start All Over Again," was B Howard's newest bid for popularity. B i Joe expressed the hope that it would B 1 prove as popular as its immediate B I predecessor, "Somewhere in France a B Lily," which, he informed us, "has I J been sung all over the universe." I Just think of the uttermost stars l vaudeville, of course singing Joe's H popular earth melodies! Modesty B has never been one of Joe's weak- B nesses and when speaking of himself Bl he is apt to call on other worlds to B do him justice. Wo trust he will al- B ways call the right worlds to his B assistance. j "Song Melodies" is the appealing B act of Dane Claudius and Lillian B Scarlet. They play on banjos the B songs of our fathers and our grand- B fathers, the songs "they made love B with, fought for and died for." They B begin with the "Blue Bells of Scot- B land," casting the words upon a Bj screen so that all may sing, and the B screen informs us that the song was B composed in 1759. B It is interesting to think that this B old song awoke poetic inspiration in B the hearts of Bobby Burns and Oil- B er Goldsmith, poets whose songs B liave kept them close to the heart of B$ humanity. When the artists began to B play the songs of the sixties and B seventies the audience found their B voices. In fact they just couldn't bo B still. They sang with zest and sweet B enjoyment "Grandfather's Clock," B "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" B and half a dozen other favorites of Bj their youth. B "Pork Chop" Evers did not win an BL equal success when he attempted the B 'old stuff." Some of our local critics B have said quite enough about this Hj blackface tragedian. They are too B capitous. Who ever heard of any- B one's expecting wit from a pork B chop? Hjj The Three Bennett Sisters aro IK "muscular maids" who appear in fli "mit and mat maneuvers." In less Hi sportive terms that means boxing and wrestling. They gave the impression that they could put to flight a battalion bat-talion of strong men by just requesting request-ing them to "move on.' A comedy sketch based on a novel idea is "Show Me." Its lines are not as clever as they very well might be, but the act is acceptably presented. pre-sented. Major Rhoads, "The Street Urchin," uses the pathetic with effect in his vocal and violin selctions. A program note, commenting on the animal act of Dolores Vallecita, trainer of leopards, says, "Particular attention is called to the domesticity of Mme. Vallecita's leopards." I presume pre-sume that if a man refrains from eating eat-ing his grandmother for lunch he may bo termed domestic. If so, then the leopards aro at least semi-domestic. They show a constant disposition disposi-tion to devour their trainer. Perhaps Per-haps it was that Spanish fandango that made them indignant. Or perhaps per-haps it was that tune she played on the piano. The leopards are supposed sup-posed to keep time with bells that have been conveniently arranged for their paws and sometimes they really do ring them in tune, .but they look as if they would rather ring the lady's neck. Nevertheless Its a great act. WILKES THERE have been comedies and comedies but one of the most sun-shiney sun-shiney and rollicing of them all is "Seven Chances," David Belasco's big Now York success, which opens tomorrow to-morrow night at the Wilkes for a week's run. "Seven Chances" is packed full of laughs and genuine comedy and has a rollicking love theme that is unique and appealing. Nana Bryant will be seen in one of the most effective and charming roles of the season and it goes without saying that she will win her audiences with her realistic delineation. deline-ation. J. Anthony Smythe and Cliff Thompson also have interesting and hilariously funny interpretations, while the other Wilkes Players will each be seen in an interesting portrayal. por-trayal. Tho story of this rapid-fire comedy centers around Jimmie Shannon, handsome hand-some and likeable, but without any money. His uncle has promised him a bank account of fair-sized proportions if he will marry within a certain time and Jimmie's score of friends are right on the job trying their utmost to get Jimmie settled for life. There are many applicants for the handsome hero, but only one girl whom Jimmie loves and she regards both him and iu,miHnmmmfmmm HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHKSHHHi FLORENCE ROBERTS, ONE OF AMERICA'S REALLY GREAT ACTRESSES, WHO IS TO APPEAR AT THE ORPHEUM NEXT WEEK IN "THE WOMAN INTERVENES," INTER-VENES," A ONE ACT PLAY WRITTEN ESPECIALLY FOR HER BY J. HARTLEY MANNERS, AUTHOR OF "PEG 0' MY HEART" his anticipated money wftk seeming . Indifference. And then something hap- pens that is rather breath-takingbuV hilariously funny, and uncle's money ' doesn't go to his pet charity after all t "Seven Chances" will play at the ' Wilkes all next week, and there will " 1 be the usual matinees Thursday and - W Saturday. ',i- A , |