Following Harry Delf, “Ye Song Shop,” the conception of putting the old songs against the new, was presented and interested despite a few hitches in the act’s progress. Somehow or other, the costume books refused to become undone, the dancer missed his footing a couple or three times, and the like, but it was all forgiven and unnoticed in the spirit of the moment. Irwin Rosen presents the offering wherein Warren Jackson and Harold Whalen respectively vocalize the old and new songs, with girls stepping from the insides of a huge song book, becomingly dressed in keeping with the theme of the songs employed. The numbers have been kept up to date on the popular end if it and the old time songs have been intelligently selected.
Josephine and Henning closed the first section with their song and dance routine. It is effective. Following “Topics of the Day,” a Babe Ruth reel showing him in action was exhibited. It looks like a pieced together affair and not as effective as its billing would have us believe.
Olive Briscoe and Al Rauh, in their respective actress and calciminer-songwriter roles scored neatly in No. 4. Mr. Rauh has a new “Consolation” ballad quite new and still in manuscript, that should prove a winner in published form. They closed with “In San Domingo,” a very old published number that defied detection as to its age, seemingly, thanks to sterling delivery.
[New act] Piano Act, 13 mins; one. Two men. One handles the songs the other piano accompanies, harmonizing intermittently also. After the usual special song opening about what they’re going to do, etc., a Dixie number followed in a very Van and Shcenck fashion. A “Steamboat Blues” also scored well following which the pianist semi-talk, semi-sung. “I Don’t Have to Die to Go to Heaven. “Chile Bean” preceded an encore. The vocalist can do tricks with a blues number or a coon song, although the “Chile” comedy number was not put over as well as it might. Acceptable No. 2 big timers.
Julius Tannen, the loquacious chatterbox, talked at ‘em, kept ‘em interested and laughing, and could be doing it yet, according to the applause. Whether it was a trick of showmanship of an example of Mr. Tannen’s brilliant wit, an incident occurred Monday which fetched one of the heartiest laughs of the evening. In the midst of his chatter someone sounded an imitation of a feline in the adjacent alley. Then Tannen pulled the nifty “This is a monolog, not a catalog.” They were at his mercy thereafter.
Alan Brooks followed in “Dollars and Sense,” registering in his usual strong way. The applause at the finish was solid, but Mr. Brooks could have ducked the speech in “One” to the advantage of the two acts following. It helped drag out of the show, which ran until well after 11.
The DeWolf Girls, two charming dancing misses, closed the first half dance fantasy. arranged around the love affair of an opera singer. The girls show the dances and costumes of different periods, and strip down to jazzy suits for a cry baby melody that haunts. Their jazz technique is flawless, and this number held up the intermissionists.
Harry Breen, fourth, was a set up for this audience. A couple of cracks in Jewish and the Henry street routine put him away solid. Harry is using some fresh cracks in his “boy in the street patter.”
Emile and Jean Nathane in a sterling routine of head to head, hand to hand, and body lift and balances, opened the show. The boys dress neatly and have a distinct style of working which impresses. The understander almost achieves a personality, which is going for some dumb act.
Burt Gordon and Gene Ford ruined the show down next to closing. Every time Gordon looked at the audience they yelled. He has a nonchalant, quiet delivery that is the essence of form – and what a partner! Miss Ford is one of the best women straights in vaudeville and is also possessed of a mellifluous soprano voice. A double at the finish with both harmonizing was a high light of the evening.
