The Stanleys
Silhouette Fun in Shadowland. Made a very desirable opening act. 9 min. Full stage.
Lloyd and Wells.
“Gentlemen From Dixie.”
12 Mins.
One.
Balfour Lloyd and Gilbert Wells have until lately been classed as “hoofers.” Bight now their routine takes in but two minutes of dancing and the balance is mostly devoted to comedy. The act opens with the boys as darkies, draped on a bench in slumber. Lloyd stirs himself, but his partner can’t be aroused until he hears the call of the crap-shooter, his buddy handling the little cubes. The bit Is made funny and Is done well. Dialogue drawl followed and a big laugh came with the “dodge brothers” gag, a line that has been claimed by several people. The boys handled a song, “I Got A Wonderful Gal,” very well. The number is a peculiar one, the lyric being draped around a real Jazzy tune.
Jeanne Germaine
French-American Soprano.
12 Mins. One.
Tall statuesque blonde woman with a mellifluous soprano voice and interesting arrangement of old and new songs. She calls her cycle ”Songs Of Yesterday and Today” and sings most of the old favorites. Her rendition of the present musical hits is perfect as regards technique. Her act is unusually well arranged from a vaudeville standpoint, the straight classical number being wisely tabooed.
Glenn and Jenkins
Colored comedians. It Isn’t their singing, dancing or instrumentation that makes them an act strong enough to follow, any sort of a turn on a program and “clean up.” It is Just their little bits of character acting. Those of us who have never been south and seen the illiterate coon, seem to feel just as well as those who have, that the characterizations are true. And being so, they are appreciated.
Brown and Weston
17 Mins. Full Stage.
Dancing “Sister” act composed of Jessica Brown (Kalmar and Brown) and Effie Weston (Weston and Kerr). The girls have a strong penchant for abbreviated dresses, if indeed any of the costumes they wear can be spoken of as “dresses.” With Dave Dryer at the piano, they open with an introductory number, which eventuates into an umbrella juggling dance ; the pianist sings; Miss Weston does a “Spanish Jazz” dance, in short pantelets covered with fringe, the “Spanish Jazz” consisting of high kicking to the accompaniment of syncopated Spanish music both, in filmy skirts for a high kicking stage waltz, including some “leg- over-legg” with cartwheel finish Miss Brown sings “Come on and Play Wiz Me,” with some toe dancing (which received the largest applause of the act); pianist does a pianola specialty on the black keys of the music box; both return in black short skirts for jazz song and dance during which they shimmy violently and kick high, throwing one leg on other’s shoulder.
Sheila Terry & Co.
Sheila Terry and Co., closing the first half, with an elaborately costumed singing and dancing specialty, gave the show a strong dash of “class” and cleaned up a comfortable score.
“Ye Song Shop”.
23 Mins. One (3), Full Stage (20); (Special).
A new combination of singing and dancing and girl act It is an Irwin Rosen production and carries two men and seven girls. The men indulge in a lyrical debate over the merits of the old and the new songs. One maintains that the songs of yester year were the most effective, while the other takes the stand for those of today. The result is the interior of the song shop to decide the debate… The new songs won hands down on applause from the audience.
Claude and Fannie Usher. “The Bide-a-Wee Home’: Drama
29 Mins.; Full Stage.
Claude and Fannie Usher have one of the most effective combinations of pathos and laughter that ‘ vaudeville has seen in some time. There is a great deal in the manner in which the act is played, and to say that the characterization that Miss Usher gives indicates she is starring material for a Broadway production… The scene is the office of a doctor. There is a little comedy opening and then the “kid” arrives. She relates” the story of how she is the abandoned daughter of the foot light favorite. But the chatter leading up to this is replete with laughs, and the final twist has one up in the air. She believes that she is coming to the doctor’s house to work as a servant, but in reality it is the doctor’s intention, or rather that of his mother, to adopt her. Finally it is disclosed that she is the doc’s own daughter and the stage favorite is the wife who deserted him years ago. There are but two roles, the two mothers being referred to only. The act hangs entirely on the shoulders of Miss Usher and for the full 29 minutes she holds the audience in the palm of her hand, swaying them whither she wills, either to laughter -or to the verge of tears. It was a truly remarkable display of artistry. The playlet is one that will go on forever in vaudeville and like Peter Pan never grow old any more than Miss Usher seems to.
McDonald Trio.
12 Mins.;
Full Stage
A very classy bicycle act. Closing the show at the Colonial within a minute or two of 11 o’clock, it held the audience in till the finish. It is made up of two girls and a man, the girls attired first in abbreviated Watteau dresses, with little hats to match. The act is backed up by an artistic sateen cyclorama drop on which are painted a couple of fancy portraits in medallions, the figures being in Colonial costumes in keeping with the dressing of the girls in the act. After going to all this trouble to secure such an artistic effect, the man in the act is attired in modern Tuxedo raiment, not at all in keeping with the “picture.” Later the girls strip to tights with ballet-length skirts and knickers, and are at all times comely in appearance. All three ride their wheels well, performing single, double and trio work of good quality. A very pleasing act of its kind.
JACK HENRY—EDYTHE MAYE.
“Two Little Pals.” (12).
Miniature Musical Comedy.
32 Mins;
The lyrics are bright and well constructed and the music better than many a Broadway musical show. The act is also strong on sight values, two special drops in one, a yellow and lavender changeable silk drape, an exterior of a cave, and a full stage futuristic set comprising the scenic complement. The book, while pleasing, is a bit too talky and could stand more comedy. The running time of 32 minutes might also be chopped about five minutes with the advantages of added speed that that might bring. Opening with an octet, four boys and four girls, in a number that may have been suggested by the old “Tell Me Pretty Maiden.” “Florodora Sextet,” but in no wise trespassing on the latter in lyrics or music, the act gets off to a good start.