Harry Lester Mason went down next to closing with his monolog “The Waiter.” Outside in the lobby his photos show a chin piece, but he has “shaved” the “brush” and only the burr in his chatter is a reminder of his former chattering in “Dutch” dialect. The waiter talk is a sequel to his former janitor bit. It has the mention of feeding drinks to diners in the place he works in and that is perhaps all right for Manhattan and the other cases left. Mason’s talk is funny and there is some real humor in the computation that he walks around the world three times and twice across the ocean in serving people during the year. His eugenic rhyme at the close may be a bit out of date but still has some comedy value. It could be replaced with a strongly but to advantage.
Ernest Evans and his six girls, with musical and dancing. “Wedding Bells,” were the topliners running No. 7, two positions after the Whipple Houston act. Evans fairly witted and so did the girl dancer who is his chief support. The lass is a sprightly stepper, and it is her pep that stands for much in the turn. The sample frock used by her is the solo number looks a bit passé. She looks like a youngster and ought to develop into a corking dancer. The songstress of the act also attracted attention doing best with “Someone is Waiting.”
Ethel Davis had a sneezing number in the act this week that wasn’t in the routine offered at the 23rdStreet a week ago. It is a corking comedy number, and with her “strike” number, stood out as the best two things of the act.
What a wallop Sylvester Schaeffer was to the Fifth Avenue audience the first half. The versatile performer topped the bill and walked away with the honors with ease, even though he was not his best and seemed rather nervous at times. Placed down in the middle of the show he had no difficulty in holding the attention of the audience, and pulled applause frequently with his various feats. The horses were particularly liked, especially the high school animal.
[New Act] Comedy Skit, 16 mins; one (Special Drop). The same act as done by Mayo and Lynn so it might be presumed the only interest remaining is in the new straight man, Mr. Howland. Mr. Howland is all right. He couldn’t be far wrong with Lynn in the turn for here is one of the best top Englishmen on the stage. The act is a first class comedy turn.
[New Act] “Lies and Lies” (Farce), Full Stage (Parlor). “Lies and Lies” is the old style vaudeville farce and looks as though it had been played by Wilfred Clarke when Mr. Clarke was vaudeville’s champ farceur. Lawrence Grattan wrote the piece. It is very aged, in the writing and the theme, while the present company of Mr. Bentley’s one man and two women besides himself, play it poorly. Still the thing is impossible for big time. Running in and out of doors with senseless dialog is not the vaudeville of today excepting on the small time. The small time can use this playlet for the laughs it gives but even them Mr. Bentley should substitute for two members of his company.
[New act] Talks and songs. 15 mins; two and one. Two young people, boy and girl. They talk along in the usual two-act way with the dialog hung onto a little story of each having lived near one another. New York, where the boy played a guitar to disturb the neighbors and the girl annoyed them with a violin. They are in the country when this comes out. Then they sing, and dance a bit, going into “one” for a finish where the turn lets down. Before that they recalled the Clark and Bergman of years ago in their method and manner. The couple might build up on some of the dialog, strengthens up of find a new finish and the act will be a big timer.
Bop Tip and Co. opened the show, with Craig and Wadsworth playing rag melodies on saxophone and violin No. 2. They are a new act, but were not caught. Both have been with jazzing orchestras bearing their names, and both are popular rag players. They seemed to do very well at the finish, considering the spot.
Murray and Voelk, with the short comedian of the two owing a very pleasing singing voice. That voice will hold the turn on the big time in a spot, although the comedian-owner of it knows hot to bring out the giggles.
[New Act] Songs and talk; 11 mins; one. This is a small time couple who are delivering a small time manner with a small time result, after which there is nothing left to be said, except that they will do for the small time. The opening in one of those “meet me at the corner with your left show in your hand” things and he meets the wrong girl. Some gagging with the man constantly repeating “put that in your little book,” which instead of being funny through the repetition becomes tiresome. The man then essays a little stepping in which he gives indication that at one time he had gone in for acrobatics. A couple of verses of a topical comedy song failed to get anything.
