Payton and Hickey

Singing and comic dialogue.

Payton and Hickey, two men who appear to rely for their livelihood on singing and talking, have made earnest efforts to get away from the cut and dried routine of the two man act. For instance, they work in scarlet hunting costumes, one of the men taking a Jew character (or perhaps accenting one). He's a good comedian, and his partner is a good straight, of the type which repeats his lines so that the house cannot possibly muff the gags. The gags were of a type, however, which could not very well be muffed. Therein lies the one noticeable flaw In the act. The men need material. They could use new songs as well as new gags. The parody repeat chorus number they use for a finish is a howling success with the audience, hut tends to the "blue" school. The present material gets numerous laughs and gets the team by, but not over.

Variety, 54:12 (05/16/1919)