John Butler and Co. in “His Wedding Night,” third, got their full quota of laughs with their light comedy sketch offering. A young woman, unprogammed, playing an engenue [sic] role does excellent work playing opposite Mr. Butler. The sketch holds an unusual number of complications and a surprise finish that makes it a very pleasing turn of its kind.
Christie and Bennett, next to closing, held attention and secured laughs consistently throughout their talking routine. It’s practically the same act that was done some months ago by Lloyd and Christie and is away from the usual run of talking turns, in that it doesn’t depend on gags so much laughs as the every-day nature of the subjects discussed.
By way of contrast there were Ed and Bertie Conrad, with an ultra-modern jazz singing and dancing turn, backed up with a stage full of satin drapes, colored “spots” and special song material. It made a real class turn, the production values being more noticeable through following the roughhouse quartet. Mr. Conrad cheapens his act, however, by resorting to mugging for comedy. It might be a good idea, too, to settle down to whatever dialect he is going to use and go to it. Monday night he seemed uncertain whether he was doing straight, Hebraic comic or darkey. The double numbers are especially well written and out over skillfully. The orchestrations are worthy of comment. Miss Conrad showed several pretty costumes and counted largely in the all around good impression registered.
And it was slam-bang variety that won out Monday night, as represented by the Monarch Comedy Four. It’s one of those old-time singing fours, with a nance, Tad, eccentric and semi-straight. Every time the Tad started to tell a gag the nance broke him up, and always for riotous comedy returns. Just to cinch their comedy hit, the eccentric slaps the Tad on the back with a folded newspaper, likewise for howls. Not so very funny in telling, perhaps but distinctly so in a low-comedy way, as handled by the Monarch Four. They sing tunefully, much above the average, with a youthful tenor standing out in the solos. The act stopped the show, No. 4.
[New Act] Songs and talk, 12 mins; one. Working against the audience all the way Billy DeVere, in black face, failed to gain as much in the way of response, possibly due to his material or the side remarks passed by him on the conduct of those seated.
Three songs interspersed with a few stories. His efforts were most listless even bordering an carelessness, and he did not appear to be giving his usual show. Accorded a short reception on his first entrance he passed it up and left with practically nothing. The scarcity of applause received at the finish should prove a warning for another such performance as DeVere did Friday it will not help.
[New Act] Sketch, 16 mins; One and full stage. A comedy playlet the should hold its own on the circuit, due to Walter Poulter’s efforts though his support may be put down as negligible. Assisted by a girl, as his supposed ward, and a man as he fiancé, though an unsuspected crook until the finish the act shaped up with enough comedy in it to keep its head above water. It did nicely at the close.
[New Act] Songs, 12 mins; ones. Margaret Merle scored as the individual favorite of the evening singing four songs, one, a ballad that they simply “ate up” on the Roof.
Possessing a nice voice, with average good looks, Miss Merle, opening after intermission, seemed to find the going much easier than others on the bill.
Trovato, the eccentric violinist, headlining, departed his usual hit, but even he was not spared by the gallery gods, although he turned their razzing to good purpose with his fiddling imitations. As an act Trovato is a funny proposition, but it is this very puzzling eccentricity, otherwise “showmanship” that impresses. Entering fittingly, very a la “nance,” he earns for himself a cross between a derisive and pitiful giggle (although an audience may not translate their emotions in so many words), but at the same times commands an interest, which, fortified as he is by headline billing, turns the sympathy again in his favor. For the rest, Trovato holds his instrument a la cello and grinds out rag and classic which ofttimes strikes raspingly on the ear, but cannot be dismissed as poor instrumentalization. It is not.
Ronair and Ward, No. 2 after intermission, fared considerably well with their crosstalk in “two” over a rural hedge, in which the couple recognize themselves as former neighbors, and engage in pleasant familiarities and reminiscences to the delight of their audience.
Jim and Betty Morgan rolled up a score with the latter’s singing and the musical efforts of the former. The old Colonial applause in cadence was missing, but the whistling was there at the end, with the encore playing an overgrown uke and a clarinet by the team starting it all over again. This little family affair has framed itself an act with the versatility of the boy apparent through his playing of three instruments and his wife delivering four numbers capably – the “Romeo and Juliet” lyric being manifest through its “catch lines. “over” before the jazz finish and that simply sent ‘em in stronger.
