Black and O’Donnell, man and woman, the man doing boob character to the woman’s straight followed. They begin with some bright chatter, getting laughter, the woman making her exit, while the man sings a comedy number. The woman reappears with a new costume and plays a rather lengthy selection on a violin, later changing to a jazz number, and how she can make that Stradivarius talk! The man is of a chubby type and surprises with a buck and wing, while the woman plays the violin, taking them off successfully.
Forrest and Church opened with old-fashioned costumes, special drop, the man strumming on a banjo, with the woman doing an old-fashioned minuet. They got to the bunch fast. Switching to an up-to-date routine, the man is behind as xylophone and the girl does some up-to-date dancing, stopping ‘em cold.
Bevan and Flint pulled down the wow-laugh sensation of the day with the man’s convulsing opening and the fast hoakum all the way and to the very end, abetted by the statuesque and striking woman “straight.”
Barnes, who differs from most monologists in that his talk is intelligent and ironical rather than absurd and punny [sic], seemed to find the center of gravity with this vast mob of reputed lowbrows. His my-wife’s-first-husband-John stuff, with which he is familiarly identified, got screams. He likewise encored.
Bert Fitzgibbon introduced his brother, Lew, playing the piano. Bert plays a xylophone besides doing other nutty things. Then they trade instruments. A plugger back stage takes the place of the jack in the box of yore. Went entirely Fitzgibbon, which means going O.K.
Emma Haig, came next, and on charm, lightness of dancing, carriage, swift switches in the routine and an all-around air of polite but chummy atmosphere, whizzed through and flirted off for a hit.
Hall and Colburne, in the sketch spot, went long on scenery and props. One of the men in a Scandinavian elevator girl, the other his sweetheart(bellhop), and the girl the public steno. The idea is sound for low comedy. Some of the comedy is not so, by jingo! When the man pulled the wig it didn’t ripple much. The stuff had gone flat.
Hobson and Beatty, girls, came next, a contralto who does comedy talk, and a soprano who never leaves “the sublime.” Worth better position on class, looks, ability and audience results.
Bassett and Bailey, European balancers, opened. They juggled and the woman showed some wonderful off-the-floor lifts, while the man hand balanced on six chairs and three tables. The team opens with the man in comedy clothes, stripping to hunting togs.
Neapolitan Duo, two Italians (male) who look like twins and say they are, might have camouflaged the billing and gotten a surprise, as they look and sing just the same. As it was they sang one by one and then together, just fair, with homemade voices and street-singer clothes.
