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"The Comeback" is a sketch of the "roaringest" kind of farce. The scene is set in a university freshman's room decorated with college banners and sofa pillows. The freshman is due for hazing. He enters and is told a "widow" is expecting him. Him and another are greeted by a volley of pistol shots. Poor little freshie runs for his life and the other boy is carried in supposed to be mortally wounded. However, freshie's sweet little girl friend tips him off that it is only the regulation hazing through which all neophytes are put. He is thus enabled to turn the tables on his persecutors and the "come-back" is screamingly funny. The “mortally wounded” boy claims that the freshie shot him. The freshie then declares that "they shan't take me alive" and fires his revolver off twice, falling "mortally wounded." The act employs five boys and a girl.
The death agonies of the freshie (Mr. Dickey) are ludicrously funny, leaving the audience to convulse with laughter.
Inez Plummer is the daintiest, breeziest little creature. Elimination of the numerous "damns" and "hells" would make this offering more acceptable for the general vaudeville audience.
Source:
Variety 22:3 (03/25/1911)