Her opening song la “Has Anybody Seen Jonah Brown,” an exclusive comedy idea that fits her nicely, and allows for the Mayhew negro dialect… Taylor deserts the piano for “Laddy Buck of Mine,” a pretty Irish ballad with a lilting melody delivered in pleasing baritone. Miss Mayhew returns for a double with Taylor, “Modern Cinderella,” a sterling lyric depicting the modern version of the old story of the Princess, delivered In modern “hick” with plenty of wise cracks interspersed. Some dialog crossfire on domestic topics, in which Mayhew and Taylor kid each other for laughs, didn’t register strongly, despite the excellence of the material.
Full Stage.
H. O’Donnell wrote what he dubs a “domestic flash” in “Nearly Single/’ the comedy vehicle in which he and Julia Nash are appearing. There are not only bright lines, but really humorous ones and the running comment between the stage man and wife holds a good deal that is true and human. The couple have just come from the theatre; she is in fighting trim, accusing him of flirting with another woman who was sitting beside him. The battle is on, with hubby declaring the man who wrote “Home Sweet Home” must have been the world’s greatest liar.
Full Stage (Curtains).
A Spanish dancer who be more dependent upon than either or all of the three dances she did, with a piano player in the orchestra. The dances did not strike, but the Spanish girl is of pleasant appearance and, of course, a brunet. She is reported to have tried out other turns around New York, with no better success than this one will likely meet with.
14 Mins.
A naval lieutenant and a supposedly Spanish maid cross-firing with songs allowed the pair to render four selections with the final number being that of the woman adhering to the classics, while her partner breaks in to jazz it up. The crowd out front were decidedly in favor of the “lieut” with his “pop” melodies. The conversation merely forms a series of excuses to allow an entrance into a lyric. What comedy is tried for, along that line is shy on quality. The pair might have done better as a straight singing duo in “one,” minus the talk and without the special “set.”
Jack Benny has a violin and talk. Mainly talk. He handles himself as though having played small time, though his talk material la new. When Benny said he had stopped smoking as smoking is now too effeminate, he waited for the expected laugh which was not as hearty as he looked for so he repeated the gag. Later when nearing the finish and the right exit, he pointed to his name on the card, while playing the violin, and saying. “Jack Benny. That’s me. They couldn’t get my light name on it.”
Next were Brooks and Powers, colored, pianist and comedian (Shelton Brooks), with Mr. Powers as the singer. There is probably no vaudeville talking act that has two stronger laughs at the opening of the turn than Mr. Brooks puts over. It’s the former double act, with new songs by Brooks, and although the couple he sings or pianologs through may not be his best, there is a certain laugh in one of them. But those two gags at the start would send in right any one (–) could utter them properly. It needed someone like Brooks.
