Howard and Sadler

Singing.

Howard and Sadler may not be new to vaudeville. They don't look as though they are. It is possible they have previously appeared in New York, but not lately. That they are here now and showing for the big time would be accounted for in an offhand opinion because the Watson Sisters are with a production ("Monte Cristo Jr."). With Fannie and Kitty Watson with a show (and reports of rehearsals of it seem to say the Watson girls are going to be in productions for a long while) the Misses Howard and Sadler can find a place. The formations are about the same - a straight singer doing harmony, with the other portion of the "sister act," who also does comedy, in talk, songs and expression. Howard and Sadler are now what you may think the Watson girls were before they arrived; but the latter team are not as young as the Watsons - now or were - and Howard and Sadler kid about their ages. It doesn't hurt them and exhibits that there is no attempt on their part to deceive the public, though the public could be deceived. The larger woman of the new two-act is heavily equipped for comedy, but she doesn't appear to be certain just how far she may go with it. Another offhand opinion would be for her to go as far as she likes, for the rougher the better if not too rough. It will fit in with the simply made-up simplicity of her partner who tries to be demure and almost succeeds. The two women do nicely in harmony. Since it has been displayed often in "one" that a "blues" may be harmonized easier than any other type of song Howard and Sadler should hike right to a blues song shop and be fitted. They should eke out a big time turn of the present act that will take them into the No. 2 position all over for a starter, and the less they go in for class singing, on or off the stage, the better chance they will have of improving that spot.

Variety, 53:8 (01/24/1919)