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Mr. Rolfs has written some tuneful music for his numbers, one, "The Jack-in-the-Rox" especially, and a chorus of four girls are utilized, with changes of costume.
In a company of eleven, Lew Adams as a German, the father of Victor Foster, and Max Reynolds, as an Irishman, the father of Annie Lloyd, are the principals. The son wishes to marry the daughter, who looks too young to wed, while the sou bears out his prospective father-in-law's statement about having no money, by his appearance. Consent is refused, and the young pair bundled off in different stage directions. There has been a diamond robbery at Tiffany's ; twin diamond rings have been stolen. This is made known from the wings. The thief appear*, with the police close on his trail. To escape detection, he drops the lings in the alley. The fathers each find one, and reading the "extras," discover the detectives have a suspicion the thief is hiding in "Paradise Alley." Each determines to unload his stolen property on the other, and living in opposite houses, they call one another to the sidewalk, both dropping a ring in the other's vest pocket. Discovering the jewelry is still in their possession, the fathers present a ring apiece to the children to presen
The audience laughed loudly and immoderately at some of the comedian's sallies, and applauded the remainder of the piece.
When it is known that the sketch was given the worst possible position it could have had, closing the show, and following a somewhat similar offering in construction, the reception received was equivalent to a solid hit. Still Mr. Rolfe should employ the pruning knife, cutting off some minutes by condensing the dialogue to make the whole run faster, and it might be advisable to have a more child- like atmosphere; vaudeville likes 'kids" so give it what it wants. The setting is nearly perfect for the idea. "Paradise Alley" ought to remain in vaudeville for a long time.
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Variety 9:3 (09/21/1907)