Hall and Colburne, in the sketch spot, went long on scenery and props. One of the men in a Scandinavian elevator girl, the other his sweetheart(bellhop), and the girl the public steno. The idea is sound for low comedy. Some of the comedy is not so, by jingo! When the man pulled the wig it didn’t ripple much. The stuff had gone flat.
Hobson and Beatty, girls, came next, a contralto who does comedy talk, and a soprano who never leaves “the sublime.” Worth better position on class, looks, ability and audience results.
Bassett and Bailey, European balancers, opened. They juggled and the woman showed some wonderful off-the-floor lifts, while the man hand balanced on six chairs and three tables. The team opens with the man in comedy clothes, stripping to hunting togs.
Eddie Borden in his review “Fifth Avenue,” proved a flash and introduced several new faces to Chicago. Rose Kessmer offered a character is a manner that proved her worthy of featuring with Borden. Borden hasn’t any million dollar beauties for a chorus, but they do in a pinch.
Elsie Pilcer and Dudley Douglas haven’t been here for a long time, but found a welcome. Miss Pilcer still sticks to her wonderful headdresses, with Douglas introducing her rhyme and songs. Douglas’ number, a parody on “Oh, What a Pal Was Mary,” takes the act out its class caliber.
Osterman, in fourth position, had first chance, and proved easy to digest. He comes back with practically a brand new act, and the boy won out. He delivered with a bang and tied up the show.
Annette Kellerman, presenting her own review, headlined. She has three cracking good vaudeville acts with her. They amused while she made her changes. Alton and Allen, two boys, danced. Sid Lewis raved on, while Oakes and De Lour did some ballroom stepping, besides some cyclonic eccentric fox-trotting, but though Miss Kellerman surrounds herself with an A1 cast she is still the star. She opened with toe dancing, coming back for a couple of gags, and Annette has improved her speaking voice. Going to a tight wire and from that to a full dress, doing an English Johnny number, and from that to her tank. She also proved a show-stopper and is a star who takes bows with her company.
Jim and Marian Harkins didn’t have much to work on, as Jim’s work depends on the preceding acts, but received as many laughs as were in the audience. They finished to a hearty hand and four bows.
Bradley & Ardine, in full stage showing an interior of a charming bungalow, danced and sang, but had hard going. Their little piano player gave the act some real assistance, though carrying that smile that says “I know I’m good,” and he proved it when all three of them took a bow, separately, he getting his share of the applause. They came back for an acrobatic dancing finish that carried them off to a hit as hits went at that performance.
Marie Gaspar, a sweet patootie, a recruit from the local cabarets, suffered with a cold and was hindered by a piano player who wanted to be eccentric. Miss Gaspar opens with one of those summery little dresses that made every one in the house love her, also doing a Cinderella number while sitting on the piano. Then the piano player had his {tuning?}, and Gaspar makes her appearance in an iridescent decolette [sic] shimmy gown, singing a couple of blues numbers, doing an eccentric jazz dance for her exit.
