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.
George McKay and Ottie Ardine with their inimitable talking and dancing offering in the third position were easily one of the walloping hits, sharing honors with Kranz and LaSalle who one removed from closing intermission tied the show in knots. McKay kidded the audience and Walter Davidson the orchestra leader until he had every one roaring. The delightful dancing of Miss Ardine served to accentuate the rather amateurish efforts in too work earlier in the program.
Diamond and Brennan, who followed, passed under the wire on the strength of Diamond’s dancing. The comedy is weak to the point of being flat and the little cutting down that has been done evidently failed as the necessary remedy. Rewriting might be of more assistance. Now the efforts of both are going to waste in so far as the conversation used in concerned.
Anderson and Graves received a reception on their “set,” managing to play it up for enough interest to see them through, but showed a weak finish with the intermediate “wife and hubby” crossfire not being substantial enough to continue the initial attention.
Camilla’s Birds followed Kinograms, and gave the show an auspicious start that failed to hold on until quite some time later. Emma Stephens recited short introductory phrases to her songs and sang five to some friends out front who were most appreciative and brought her back for an encore, with flowers going over the lights. Miss Stephens presented an especially pleasing appearance and is routining [sic] more smoothly than heretofore.
Al and Fannie Stedman stepped out next to closing and put on the “crucial moment effect.” With their clowning, singing and bit of dancing they were away from the word and never showed a let-up until a short speech, including a laugh, quieted the throng in front long enough to have some one pull the lights. It was a nice bit of work the two young members of the family did, and they set themselves in right with the neighborhood for a return date at any time. A great kidding act that was seriously means nothing but is a whale when it comes to comedy.
Preceding [Henry Santrey and Rand], Harry and Anna Seymour entered to a reception practically showing the same routine practically showing the same routine as done by them for quite some time now, with one or two minor changes. The most noticeable was the late Clifford Crawford’s “Kissing Cup” recitation by Miss Seymour. She also offered her usual impersonation of Grace La Rue, and for an encore did Nora Bayes at the helm of the “Gypsy” ditty that left something to be desired. However, the laughs were plentiful and they scored repeatedly, finishing to a most satisfactory degree that had no uncertainty about it.
