[New Act] Songs, 6 mins; one. Irene Francis, a lusty brunet, displayed a strong voice from wings warbling a snatch of a ballad before entrance. Her routine is a straight singing one. She opened with “Peggy” with “Buddy” following, the climax of the number affording her a chance for a high register finish. That got something. She closed with “Someone is Waiting” and could have encored, but appeared content with her trio of songs. For number two on the three-a-day she serves well for Miss Frances has a voice well suited for ballads.
[New Act] Acrobatics, 5 mins.; full stage. Two young men who can improve their appearance by shelving the rigs of green satin, which illy fitted. They closed the show without tights which, however, should cause no criticism in the war weather. Their routine is hand to hand and head balancing equilibristics. It looked somewhat slow Monday night giving the impression that speeding was needed more or should be added. Yet they appeared to hold the house.
The Beatrice Morrell Sextet was the headline tune, coming in the usual number five spot (closing intermission). Miss Morrell’s flash singing turn made an excellent showing, considering the trappings which were carried up from downstairs. The harpist in the turn seemed to have trouble with her instrument and in adjusting one of the strings aroused a squeaky key during one of the duets. Otherwise the turn ran off smoothly, the vocalizing of the quartet registering the main impression.
[New Act ] Juggling, 12 min; Three. The painfully disinterested audience Tuesday evening almost unnerved the men towards the finish, although they were deservant of stricter attention and more applause. Their routine, although more of less familiar, is executed with dispatch, preciseness and at an interestingly modest pace. The diabolo and juggling stunts were neatly executed, but when it came to the hat business they made their nervousness evident. That it was due in some measure to the {lazily?} inclined audience which obstinate refused to exercise its {digit?}, is quite safe to assume. The boys make neat appearances in docks and green jackets, and there is no reason why pop house audiences should not take to them.1920
[New Act] Singing. 14 min.; one. American Roof. Three men wearing dress suits and high hits in a repertoire of harmonized pop and operatic numbers. All have good voices. The harmony of the usual close type is tuneful and subdued. There is a bit of comedy interpolated here and there, one of the men essaying the liebraic [sic] character with good results. Good small timers.
12 Mins. One.
The small time seems to know it. has a cat d in Senator’ Francis Murphy. It has. ‘ He has played the American Theatre, New York, throe times within three months. Just why it is that the small time leaves the vulgar shimmy dancer to the big time and takes on a comedy turn the big time should have may be just between the booking men of those respective divisions. Perhaps the big time wants to’ be up to date—to “give the public what it wants,” whether it wants it or not. Senator Murphy monologs for 11 minutes and spends another minute in bowing his acknowledgement, including a speech… Mr. Murphy’s topical Monolog appealed especially to the women. Some of the girls in the audience were shrieking. The Murphy monolog is not gauged for small time but it may have been aimed for it since Murphy found how to obtain the best results. It could as easily be placed for any house. The more intellectual the more pointed it can become, and if the Murphy talk is by Aaron Hoff- man, as it soui.ds, Mr. Hoffman can bend his points to suit.
15 Mint. Four
Two men, straight and comedy in’ dress suits to conform to their characterizations. The comedian bears the brunt of the labors with his falls and panto work. The straight does several, tumbles effectively. The finish was’ intended for a Melrose fall from a height of four tables. One of them gave way and the turn concluded, prematurely through the mishap which resulted in- a nasty spill for the comedian. The duo were evidently nervous and did not take great pains in setting the tables in their grooves properly as it was evident from the boxes and first rows that the offending table was out of alignment. The turn is excellent pop house material worthy of a spot. They were No. 3 on the roof.
15 Mini.; One
Without any pretense at showmanship or affections of any sort, one man sits down at the ivories and the other starts reeling off a series of restricted comedy songs. What comedy points the songs possess are gotten across for their full effect through the clear enunciation of the lyric by the vocalist He, too, is attired in plain business suit and stands on the rostrum singing his tunes. The lobby billing has it the duo are “featuring their own compositions.” They are doing it effectively. While none of the numbers is of the type one would imagine to move a minstrel into composing, they have a quaint homely humor that hits home with force. A brace of encores fell to them.
11 Mine.; One
Two-man combination with juggling, mixed with some hat throwing, as their forte. Straight and comic. Latter missed a couple in his routine due to evident nervousness.
The trio’s forte is buck and wing stepping. A man and two women comprise the terpsichorean personae. They perform their clogs on a special wooden mat, mixing up their stuff with the conventional waltz clog, and hornpipe and Irish jigs. The routine runs, far too long and tires the audience by reason of the dragginess in the turn due to the similarity in all the offerings.
