“The Elopers.”

Singing and comedy bits.

"The Elopers."

The producers of this "tab" playing the current week at the Union Square have shot considerably wide of the comedy mark, the greater part of the responsibility resting upon the musical repertoire, which fails to reveal anything beyond the ordinary program of popular numbers without a semblance of novelty to help. A succession of comedy "bits," without the effort to adhere to the main plot which became lost in the network of numbers, managed to hold sufficient interest throughout the performance to justify the engagement, but taken seriously as a contender for future booking, this particular aggregation loomed up as a decidedly weak applicant. It looked like a well oiled one-nighter, the principals automatically delivering a routine of dialog that seemed consistent but uninteresting, the occasional appearance of the chorus (which registered well as a singing combination) breaking up a monotonous succession of situations that never approached the requirements of standard "tab" comedy. A number of principals stood out in conspicuous spots registering points of ability (the absence of programs making individual comment impossible), but as a whole the performance was hardly up to expectations, the one noticeable redeeming feature being the ensemble work of the girls whose efforts reflected credit on the stage manager. The equipment suggested a moderate expenditure with no pretense at "flash," although a neat set of costumes was displayed. "The Elopers" found things at the Square a bit different than the road, the 14th street audience having accumulated an early education on tabloid possibilities and by the quiet reception tendered this troupe, it was evident things were not running up to expectation. As a one-night-stand affair, liberally billed and properly exploited "The Elopers" carry good financial possibilities, but coming into New York as a contender for tabloid honors there doesn't seem a possible chance.

Variety, 38:12 (05/21/1915)