Rule and O’Brien delivered a corking No. 2 and placed later would undoubtedly have nabbed a full sized hit. Most of their songs are new and all given rendition in different style than the usual. For a sample, they opened with a New Orleans number, then shot one over. For the number a flock of old tunes were dressed up in “wet” lyrics to excellent purpose. That was the true of an Irish number and it sent them out to heavy returns, the men well earning the encore.
Al Lydell and Carleton Macy were assigned the next to closing spot. They vamped off at five past eleven with the house loath to allow them to depart. All of the old laughs are still there, thanks to the irresistible old soldier. Perhaps that character put in a new one when he explained that a humdinger “is a man who can make a deaf and dumb girl say ‘Oh, Daddy’.”
Harry Lester Mason with his waiter monolog took up the running after the “Topics of the Day.” He was extremely hoarse but stuck to his task with excellent results, passing up only the finale song. Mason has added a dash of up-to-date color. He talked about the football bunch on Thanksgiving night invading the café and calling for “their quarterback” and “their half-back.” His mention of one of the girl frequenters as a “bimbo” too produced its giggle.
The show was well given extra comedy strength this week and De Haven and Nice were the first to start the laughs. They have inserted a whistling bit (“Humming Bird”) at the close of the “Mulligan and Mulligan” bit. The balloon number resulted in a roar and the rest was easy for them. At the close for the encore bit the “cop” enters, tears the warrant up and shakes hands.
Art Hall and Abe Shaprio were given the next to closing spot and they got away with it. Shaprio was formerly of Bush and Shapiro and the slide, falls and face slapping are the “works” of the routine. There are some very healthy looking wallops handed out, and Shapiro’s falls are both numerous and not easily taken, it’s a wonder he retains his plumpness.
Vinie Daly opened after intermission with Rubin Bloom at the piano. Miss Daly has surprised by staging a come-back this season. She has retained her voice well enough, but the surprising feature is her ability to deliver a hard show dance and got it all the clicks. She was well rewarded.
A hit, too, fell to Charles and Madeline Dunbar, who were on just ahead. The couple had to follow “Puritana” (New Acts), a 34-minute operetta, which was no easy assignment. However, they caught on from the jump with their novelty well labeled “Animalfunology.” The Dunbars have polished their routine, and it is sure fire, laugh getting and amusing. Both member of the team are mimics, but Charles is both a mimic star and comedian. Animal impression have been out of order until he came along and showed how funny they are.
Menetti and Sedelli, comedy acrobats, opened the show in place of the programmed Mlle Nana. The comic of the pair wore spectacles or at least the shell rims. He pulled many nervy falls, topping them off with a somersault, landing flat on his back. This man also did the table fall at the close.
Ben Smith placed between Miss Wirth and the Masters and Kraft turn, went off to excellent returns. His confidential parlor car chatter drew some laughs though there was a bit too much familiar matter. When he flashed his tenor, however, he had things his own way. His use of “Sweetheart Blues” counted more for the medley worked in. But Smith showed a nifty lyric with “A Union of Our Own,” the lines being based on the labor federation idea.
Harry Bulger and Co. started after intermission. His “Seventy-Cent Review” registered nicely and won a flock of curtains. The act has been speeded in the working of the past few weeks. One point a bit inconsistent perhaps for the first time. It was when Bulger asked the “manager” how much the lower floor seats were the reply was “35 cents.” He then said he would take two of them to make up for the 70 cents owed him. In houses of this class the admission scale has long left the 35-cent level except for the upper regions.
