Maxon and Morris opened the show with marionettes. Their songs are over from the very beginning, while the comedy could stand a little change. The female member gave the audience a gentle surprise which turned into a boisterous laugh when she appeared in person. Madam weighs – but that would be telling.
[Friend and Downing] were billed just right, for next to closing in second half, and were followed in the last position by Hori and Nogami, Jap equilibrists, who held their audience. It is an act hardly over eight minutes in length, but each minute is well taken up, and the stunt of one of the natives balancing himself on a reversed bicycle balanced on a steel pole and resting in the lap of the other gave them deserved applause.
The biggest score was hung up by Friend and Downing. The Hebrew dialect stuff of Friend has some good points in it, while as a feeder Downing is not found wanting. Their material in some instances is fresh and deserving of credit, while in the main it is a trifle stale. They pulled a good deal of stuff here that few managements would hardly sanction for the welfare of patrons with an idea, that comedy doesn’t necessarily have to be salacious to get over. Friend is an able comedian and has sufficient stage presence to work ad libitum practically two minutes after he and the boards sustain his shoe leather, but that doesn’t give him unlimited privileges. They were billed just right, for next to closing in second half, and were followed in the last position by Hori and Nogami, Jap equilibrists, who held their audience.
Closing the bill, Jane and Katherine Lee practically stood the audience on their heads. Laughs came fast and furious during the lighter moments of the act, and when the crying bit came along the audience held a throat throb and a dim eye with the kiddies on the stage. Incidentally, that crying stuff is certainly well worked up, for Bill Phinney almost makes you want to cry before the kiddies start, go convincing is his story of the dying kiddie.
Next to closing the first part, the George V. Moore “Fidgety-Fudge Reveuette” got over. The act seems to have been speeded up since it played further downtown. One of the features is Alice Hayward, who handles the prima donna work. She is somewhat heavier than when at the Strand Roof some years ago, but she is a beauty nevertheless, and for her voice, the girl is there. If Joe Weber, ever needs some one for “Honeydew” here is the girl for him. It is surprising that she has not landed in a real production, for she does not handle lines well, in addition to singing.
There was a mishap to the second team of the show. It occurred immediately after the opening of the offering of Johnny Yule and Irene Richards. The team is using a drop in “one” with an arched center for their opening. In the arch there is a bench with the back turned to the audience. The pair are seated on the bench with an open umbrella hiding them. The talk that ensures is slightly suggestive of a lover begging for a kiss, but the laugh that is tried for arrives when the back of the bench with an open umbrella hiding them. The talk that ensues is slightly suggestive of a lover begging for a kiss, but the laugh that is tried for arrives when the back of the bench breaks off and the two are disclosed arguing over a bouquet, Yule wanting to pluck on of the blooms from it. Tuesday night after the breakaway occurred the bench flopped to the stage and the due went with it. It is were intended as part of the works it was cleverly handled, for the audience, even those sitting in the first few rows, believed it was an accident. The team landed nicely at the finish of their turn, although the earlier section of dancing does not seem speedy enough.
The Jordan Girls (New Acts) opened the bill with a really delightful wire act. Both of the girls look pretty, work fast and have some exceedingly spectacular tricks. They earned applause with the various bits through the entire act, and at the finish scored three bows, which were deserved.
Jack Inglis, following the contest, seemed to realize be would have to work fast to hold ‘em, and he just jumped right at ‘em. Inglis’ recitation with the hats, an opening that seemed new, with a male assistant interrupting, and some very effective comedy business with a telephone combined to make him a solid comedy hit. The nut stuff is kept within bounds and as done by Inglis is really funny.
Frank Shields, a cowboy rope manipulator, opened. Shields is a good dancer as well as an expert lariat twister. He combines the two frequently for first rate results.
Following the Santrey riot it looked like a tough job for Mary and Ann Clark to hold them, and it was at first, but the girls kept at it pluckily, and soon as the eccentric comedienne reached the stage from the audience it was pie from there on. The laughs came fast and furious toward the latter part of the turn, filling in a comedy punch that was needed to hold up the show, next to closing.
