“The Junior Review of 1916”

Singing, impressions and comic dialogue.

At McVicker's the review gave big satisfaction and everybody left the house ready to say a good word for the show.

This girly offering has undergone some vast changes since leaving the east and all are to advantage of the turn. The act surprised the local critics, who were forced to admit when the review had nicely entertained the big house for 55 minutes, that is was above expectations. The girls, 14 in number, for the most part, look well, make some pleasing changes of costume and work pretty hard, all things considered, to put the review over. As it runs for fully an hour and is sprinkled with dialog, jokes, and specialties, "The Junior Review" is sure to come in for comparison with some of the revues and tabs now playing this section. The Junior outfit can stand the comparison, as it had a lot of good comedy, several good principals, a corking good eccentric dancer, a pleasing team of young folks (boy and girl) and a bunch of coryphees that can sing much better than the average. The review is running in excellent shape, with Bert and Harry Gordon working in their former vaudeville specialty, consisting of gag exchanges, songs and dances. The comedy in the main is handled by a German comedian doing a splendid take-off on Oscar Hammerstein and the fat young man doing the property boy. This pair swing into view every time an "impression" or "impersonation" has ended and the line of comedy they reeled off Monday was for the most part new and amusing. The chubby boy with the Roscoe Arbuckle dimensions has a good personality and infuses some timely ginger into his work. He sings and dances and kids the bogus Oscar to the delight of all. The Hudson Sisters look like a late pickup for the review, and they do a gingery dancing double ala the Dolly sisters. Harry Gordon and Miss Newell pleased with a singing and dancing number. A bully number was one by the Rogers Sisters giving an impression of the Courteney Sisters, one of the girls having a strong voice which she uses advantageously. Miss Laughlin did very well with her Sophie Tucker impersonation. A Scotch lassie number was applauded while Harry Gordon's loose legwork was a hit. The review as a whole stacks up like money and makes a dandy flash and will give any pop house full measure for money expended if said house can afford to book it at the price asked. Making a bully impression at McVicker's is sure to result in local agents trying to grab the revue for western bookings. About the greatest drawback that characterized the opening at McVicker's was the lack of a special setting. The review used the house scenery and it didn't look right with the girls making several nice changes. M

Variety, 41:2 (12/10/1915)