20 min. This act scored just as big a hit as it did here on their first appearance last year. They have made a few little changes in their material and all of it brought splendid results, the audience laughing heartily from start to finish and rewarding them with a big hand.
“Their Wedding Day” — Two men and two woman; comedy throughout; this act went over very big; full of laughter; kept the audience roaring. 15 min. full stage.
The biggest score was hung up by Friend and Downing. The Hebrew dialect stuff of Friend has some good points in it, while as a feeder Downing is not found wanting. Their material in some instances is fresh and deserving of credit, while in the main it is a trifle stale. They pulled a good deal of stuff here that few managements would hardly sanction for the welfare of patrons with an idea, that comedy doesn’t necessarily have to be salacious to get over. Friend is an able comedian and has sufficient stage presence to work ad libitum practically two minutes after he and the boards sustain his shoe leather, but that doesn’t give him unlimited privileges. They were billed just right, for next to closing in second half, and were followed in the last position by Hori and Nogami, Jap equilibrists, who held their audience.
Closing the bill, Jane and Katherine Lee practically stood the audience on their heads. Laughs came fast and furious during the lighter moments of the act, and when the crying bit came along the audience held a throat throb and a dim eye with the kiddies on the stage. Incidentally, that crying stuff is certainly well worked up, for Bill Phinney almost makes you want to cry before the kiddies start, go convincing is his story of the dying kiddie.
Jack Inglis, following the contest, seemed to realize be would have to work fast to hold ‘em, and he just jumped right at ‘em. Inglis’ recitation with the hats, an opening that seemed new, with a male assistant interrupting, and some very effective comedy business with a telephone combined to make him a solid comedy hit. The nut stuff is kept within bounds and as done by Inglis is really funny.
Following the Santrey riot it looked like a tough job for Mary and Ann Clark to hold them, and it was at first, but the girls kept at it pluckily, and soon as the eccentric comedienne reached the stage from the audience it was pie from there on. The laughs came fast and furious toward the latter part of the turn, filling in a comedy punch that was needed to hold up the show, next to closing.
“Bric-a-Brac,” a miniature musical comedy, with two men and five girls, plenty of scenery, took the class laurels. Eugene Carrey, Beulah Hayes and Leon Leonard deserve credit for making this miniature production what it is, especially Miss Hayes, who, besides her beautiful soprano voice, has oodles of personality, looks and appearance, and could at any time step out and do a high grade single. The chorus is a perfect working one, and also assists in putting this tabloid across in high style.
Jerry and Gretchen O’Meara were left in tough sledding, but as soon as possible brought smiles to the faces of the benumbed crowd. Jerry, a character comedian par excellence, characterized a tramp and old man, getting laughs, a throb out of his lines and work, while Gretchen, with a million dollar appearance, did her share for an encore and four bows.
Robb and Whitman, a mixed team in “one,” were the comedy hit. Dressed as school kids they brought laughs throughout. The girl is attractive and cute and has a pleasing voice, while the male member knocked out a hit with original schoolboy stuff.
Miss La Cross was a likeable blonde young woman with a fine high note that won ready applause, but she likewise was minus a laugh. The “production act,” No. 3, had comedy possibilities but they were not developed and might as well have been absent as far as getting the proceedings well under was concerned.
